Monster Book Snacks

Friday, November 18, 2016

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Hello!

I'm so excited about the upcoming movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I've professed my love for Harry Potter on this blog before... many times... so to have more fiction set in this world is a dream come true. 

To celebrate, I thought I'd share one of our favorite Harry Potter themed snacks to make with kids: the Monster Book of Monsters. 



This recipe is adapted from Rosanna Pansino's Textbook S'mores, which you can see in her video here, or read about in her book Nerdy Nummies. And, of course, the Monster Book of Monsters is from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling.

Supplies:
Graham Crackers
Chocolate Icing
Small Marshmallows
M&Ms


1: Crack your crackers! You'll need to break 1 whole one in half, then ice one side.
2: Place the marshmallows onto your iced graham cracker. Make sure at least one side is even, because these will be your teeth!
3: Ice the other half of your graham cracker, and place it on top of the marshmallows to make a delicious sandwich. Or, in this case, a book!
4: Break your second cracker in half, and then in half again. Ice one side of 1/4th graham cracker with a LOT of icing. Just like when you build a gingerbread house, the icing is your glue.
5: Place the 1/4th cracker on the side of your "book." Hint: pick the side you like the least!
6: Let everything sit and harden for a little bit. This is the perfect time to pick out your M&Ms! They will be your eyes, so pick whatever color and amount you want.
7: Time to ice your book! Once you've covered the top and the graham cracker side, dab at it with your knife. This will give you a great fuzzy texture. Bonus: this method makes hiding mistakes very easy.
8: While your icing is still wet, take the M&Ms you picked in step 6, and place them on top in any pattern you want. 
9: Enjoy, but watch out, it might bite!




We have used this snack multiple times at work, with all ages of kids, and it's always been a hit. It's messy, but isn't that the best kind of fun?





Looking for some more Harry Potter DIYs? Check out my Hogwarts Letter Wreath!

http://www.hellowildthings.com/2017/12/diy-letter-wreath.html




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The Honorable Mentions - Things to do in England

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

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Hello!

Last year my sister was fortunate enough to spend a semester studying abroad in Bath, England. While she was there my husband and I were lucky enough to visit (which you can read about here, here, and here), but she had the opportunity to see SO much more. She also happens to be great with words, so I have asked her to put together a post for my blog. 
__________________________

The time that I spent in England seems like a dream when I look back on it. It has that slippery feeling to it that make you wonder if it actually happened or if it was a creation of your own mind. I think that sometimes my brain has difficulty believing that some of the fantastic and foreign pieces of England were images that I saw with my own eyes. My semester in England was an event I had been anticipating for years, and it became a dynamic sliver of my life.

Some of the most exciting things I did in England of course involved seeing England, traveling to uncharted territories. But today instead of talking about the grand prize winners I am going to talk about the honorable mentions because they aren’t given enough attention when I talk about my time in England. 

One of the very first trips my program took in England was to a little place called Cotswold. The trip to this lovely little place was one of my worst traveling experiences only trumped by my night flight to England on which sleep was unattainable. We road on a bus through the winding country roads and my stomach was rolling. I spent most of the ride concentrating on not throwing up on the floor. When we finally stopped I just wanted off the bus, so I sat down on a bench, had an embarrassing crying session in front of one of the program leaders, and was thankful for my considerate housemates who were nice enough to stay by me while my stomach settled.



This horrible bought of car sickness prevented me from bringing anything off the bus which was a fact that I mourned when we arrived to the Cotswold tower. I can’t remember the history of the tower, but I believe it was built by a wealthy man in order to view his land. In truth the history of in wasn’t what interested me. It was the aesthetic of the place. It was a lone tower on a hill that could have housed Rapunzel. I would gladly have lived it the tower if I had the opportunity. The view from the top was amazing you could see for miles, and it had the lovely patch work fields that I find so charming. The tower felt like you were in the Grimm fairytales or Legends of King Arthur. It felt like magic, ancient and powerful. It was a place that could tell a story and stories are my favorite kind of magic.

If stories are magic then I found a magician in an old manor house. The house was passed down through the family and the old man who owned it seemed to know every story that it held telling each of them remarkably. I don’t remember many details of the stories, but I remember being enthralled by the way he spoke. He knew which words to speak and which tone to use to get the audience’s attention. I made sure to sit by him when we had tea, just so I could keep listening to him. Before we left I made sure to tell him what a lovely story teller he was. He asked me to kiss him on the cheek which was one of the more awkward things that I have done, but his stories were worth a little awkwardness.

The third and last adventure I am going to talk about is my class trip back to Oxford. I say back because one of the first trips we took in England was to Oxford. Going back was intriguing in and of itself because I knew where we were as we went through the city. I recognized a foreign city in a foreign country, and that still amazes me even now when I left the country months ago.

The Story Museum was a someplace that I had not seen yet. The Story Museum was just as it sounds. It was filled with rooms that had different themes to them and in these rooms they had pictures of authors dressed up as their favorite characters from literature. Every part of the place had something to do with books and words making it into a librarians dream. 

My three favorite parts, though everything was amazing, were the story machine, the children’s bedroom, and the wardrobe room. The story machine was in a room filled with costumes and had a red carpet leading up to a throne. If you approached the throne holding a story made in the story area next to the costumes trumpets would sound and a voice would read the story to you. The story machine itself was a contraption made of random odds and ends, and resting on this contraption is a story of an author who had lost the skills to write. So this author invented this machine that runs on children’s imagination and wrote the stories for him.



The next room was the children’s bedroom. It had multicolored canopies hanging from the ceiling and children’s books on shelfs and best of all in the middle of the room was a gigantic patchwork quilt covered bed. It was an awesome place for bed time stories with dim lighting and some nighties to wear hanging on the walls.

The wardrobe room was one of those amazing places in the world that actually feels like magic. The entrance is a wardrobe filled with fur coats and as you step through it you find your feet landing on powdery snow. When you look up trees with twinkling light surround you and not too far away a sleigh is settled in the snow next to a glowing lamp post. After you’ve noticed all of these details you find that there is a chill in the air and you know that you have stepped into Narnia.

The Story Museum was a place made by people who love literature and you could tell in the small details like the giant playing cards stacked next to the stair case and the portrait of a wizard down an ivy covered castle hallway. It didn’t have as many rooms as it needed, but it was still in progress when we visited, so there is sure to be more to come. Soon the Story Museum could be on par with the Magic House or the City Museum.



My time in England was full of adventures and experiences that I never would have had if I had stayed in the United States, and I am so thankful to have gone. I grew as a person so much that semester and I feel that that is something we forget that we need to do. So go take an adventure and learn something new. Experience life because why not. It’s there and you don’t need dragons and knights to have an adventure.




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De-Stressing DIY - Coloring Sheet Printables

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

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Today is a stressful day. Not just for those in the US, but for people around the world. So tonight, as you watch then numbers pour in from all over the country, try coloring a few of these sheets. Maybe it'll help to keep your mind relaxed. Or maybe trying to stay in the lines will infuriate you, distracting from the worry. I don't know if it will work, but it's worth a try.



Download the Floral Coloring Sheet
PDF // PNG

Download the Art Deco Coloring Sheet
PDF // PNG

Download the Swirls Coloring Sheet
PDF // PNG
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Ten Things

Friday, November 4, 2016

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I've still got those Halloween vibes.
Also tacos. Always a fan of tacos.



Wasteland Weekend is this crazy Mad Max inspired weekend full of awesome costumes and mind blowing sculptures. So of course I want to go.

I love this tutorial for Gilded Insect Taxidermy from The Gathered Home. It's the perfect balance of creepy and classy.

The Mini Boden x Roald Dahl collection is gorgeous, and leaves me wishes they had adult sizes. It's  such a tasteful nod to one of my favorite children's authors.

This Illidan statue from the game World of Warcraft is so beautiful that I'm still tempted to get it, even after looking at the price.

Morgan Stern's Alchima collection is so utterly inspirational. It's beautiful, functional, and a totally new twist on an old subject. 

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Inspire Me: Cajun Captain Cosplay

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

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I can't believe October is over already, but I'm really excited to share our last cosplay interview with you guys! It has been a lot of fun to be able to find out the why's and how's behind these artist's beautiful work. I hope that I've shown you what a diverse and creative culture surrounds cosplay, and all of the hard work that goes into those amazing outfits!

Our last cosplayer is Cajun Captain Cosplay. Enjoy!



How did you get into cosplay?
I first got into cosplay when I went to my first anime convention in New Orleans, Mechacon, in 2014. That was my first convention I had ever been to and I didn’t have a costume. I didn’t really know much about it but seeing all of my friends and attendees in these awesome costumes made me feel left out! So I decided that the next event I went to I would definitely cosplay. And now I’ve been cosplaying for almost 3 years and have amassed 7 different cosplays!



Who was the first character you wanted to cosplay?
The first cosplay I ever wanted to cosplay, and actually did, was Simon from the anime, Gurren Lagann! My friend and I decided to do two characters who were essentially brothers in the show! It happened to be his first cosplay too! I bought some pieces and modified and made other parts! It was also the first time I ever attempted to style a wig! And at the same time I debuted my other cosplay at the same con, Amon from Avatar Legend of Korra!


If you could cosplay any character from anything, who/what would you choose?
I think my dream cosplay that I have been on and off again for the past year due to time, skills and money, would be the Tier Two Paladin Judgement Armor from the game World of Warcraft! It takes a lot of sewing, armor making, and a huge sword! I still want to do it one day, but for now it’s back on the shelf!


Do you ever put your own spin on a cosplay, or do you like to make sure it's as close to the original as possible?
I try to be as accurate and close to the source material I can be! However, this sometimes causes problems because many characters act in a fictional world with fictional movements and that doesn’t always translate well to real life physics! Some costumes need to be modified to be able to be more mobile while keeping the same design and style of the original! Other times you have to sacrifice mobility for it to look as accurate as possible!



Whats the most uncomfortable outfit you've every worn? Do you have any tips on how to stay cool when you're wearing so many layers?
Well, living in South Louisiana, one of the things you have to put up with is the heat, humidity and sweating! The two cosplays with the most layers are Kylo Ren and Captain America! They are both thick, heavy fabric, have helmets, and props to hold so you start to sweat almost immediately! The only thing I can say is drink plenty of fluids and rest when you can! Some cosplayers build in PC fans to help with ventilation inside of their costumes, though I’ve never been able to use one!



What is your process for putting together an outfit?
My process starts by choosing a character I want to do. I look up images and research them. The more pictures and angles I have, the better! I then go to sketch out what I want it to look like and how I want my version to be! Sometimes it’s like the original, sometimes I will modify to my own liking! I then write down everything I would need or think I need and start planning what pieces I can make and might need to get commissioned or help with (I cannot sew, but have many friends who can). I then start to acquire the parts and pieces and make the armor, or wire some LEDs, or paint and adjust pieces. I try to start putting it all together and do final fitting tests and finally wear it to a convention! Many times I still will adjust and change parts last minute too!


What's your go to place for supplies/components?
I love to shop around online and locally. Hobby Lobby and Amazon are my top two choices as they have almost everything from paint, makeup, LEDs, Velcro and more! Sometimes I will also just Google up what I am looking for if I can’t think of what I need and look through the images and try to find ways to use what I find for what I need! One example is the rifle shells I used for Soldier 76. I walked through Hobby Lobby and found some wooden spools and dowels and foam and figured I could make them from those few things!


The scar for your Soldier 76 is pretty realistic. How much time does it take you to get ready for that specific outfit?
The scar is definitely my favorite part of that costume! Everyone loves it and I always get asked about it! I am no expert in makeup but I looked up a few tutorials online about scar making and the theater makeup, rigid collodion which is how you get the indent effect! Soldier is actually one of the easier costumes to put on, its just the hair and makeup that take the most time! I clean up, style my hair with the silver wax, do my makeup and then get dressed! So all in all, it takes about 45 minutes.


They say the devil is in the details... do you pay attention to the little things?
I always try to remember the little things! It’s what makes your cosplay from good to great, in my opinion! Many people have great cosplays and costumes, but I always try to set myself apart by adding small details! One example is my Captain America cosplay. The shield is able to be hung on my back via a strong rare earth magnet, so I can attach and detach it to my harness just like in the movie! It’s the little things that set you apart! They don’t have to be complex, just unique and creative!


Do you have any tips for someone looking to get into cosplaying?
My advice would be to do it! So many people feel they don’t have the skills or time or money to cosplay, but cosplay is so much more than that! It does not matter if you make everything, buy everything, or a combination of both. It does not matter if you look like the character or not. Your costume does not have to be huge and complex, but it can be simple as pants, a shirt and a pair of glasses, if that is the character you choose to be! At the end of the day we are all just people dressing up in costumes and having fun! I would say to anyone thinking about getting into cosplay, go to a local convention first and enjoy yourself like I did! Then come home with all of your pictures you took with all of the awesome cosplayers and start working on your costume for the next time! And just remember to HAVE FUN!

If you'd like to see more of Cajun Captain Cosplay's work, check out his 
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Inspire me: Mana Temple Cosplay

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

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The cosplayer I'm sharing with you today, Mana Temple, is so unbelievably talented. She can pull off both an adorable ball gown and a terrifying nurse believably.  I'm incredibly impressed by her attention to detail and her knowledge of sewing techniques. Pattern drafting is no easy task!




How did you get into cosplay?
I got into cosplay 10 years ago when a friend brought me to my first ever anime convention and there I discovered that cosplay was a thing and I fell completely in love with the idea and that same year I started making cosplay.


Who was the first character you wanted to cosplay?
The first character I ever wanted to cosplay was Anna Kyoyama from Shaman King, an anime that I was really obsessed with at the time. She was simple and easy to make.



If you could cosplay any character from anything, who/what would you choose?
If I could chose to cosplay as any character I would choose Yygdra from Yygdra Union or Meru's Dragoon form from Legend of Dragoon! Both have amazing costumes and props that I would love to make, in fact they are both on my to do list.




Do you ever put your own spin on a cosplay, or do you like to make sure it's as close to the original as possible?
Something I pride myself in is making costumes that closely reflect what is shown in the series. I sometimes take my own spin on things if it is a pokemon or if the reference materials are inconsistent.



What is your process for putting together an outfit?
My process includes a lot of research (for materials and references) and pattern drafting. The pattern drafting will also include notes on which fabric weight and flow would give the costume the best look. As soon as my pattern has been drafted I will know exactly how much fabric to get so there won't be any waste. The wig also falls under the same process, since I will spend hours finding the right color or texture and judge just how many I will need for the desired outcome.



What's your go to place for supplies/components?
I'll be honest here. Ebay and the dollar store are my go to for never fail materials. You can be surprised at how many wonderful little things you can find at these places. Another place that's great is Michael's craft store, especially if you have coupons for big discounts!



Do you use any materials that you think would surprise people? What's the weirdest thing you've ever used on an outfit?
Sometimes the most unconventional of methods can give the best outcome for a costume. When I cosplayed the Silent Hill Nurse I used jello crystals and tea, coffee grounds and dirt to give the costume an authentic decay look. Plus I smelled pretty great too!



How do you choose a character to cosplay? Do you go by looks alone or do you have a deeper connection with the character?
Choosing a character is something that falls a bit weird for me. It has to fall under 4 things: pink, shoes, personality and challenge. Most of my costumes have pink in them, which is hilarious since I don't even like the colour but it's something that I've accepted in my costumes through sometimes I break the pattern. Shoes are the make or break it deal for me. If I see something that I can potentially hurt myself in, I won't do it. I like enjoying my conventions and photo shoots and I can't do that while in pain. Personality wise I definitely try to choose someone who is close enough to me. I like knowing that there are characters who are enough like me or have gone through similar things as me and in a way it feels like the character and I are one and the same and people can really feel that from you, they can really see you enjoying yourself. As for challenges, if I see something that looks impossible you bet I am going to try it, especially if it's a dress or a wig!



Your wig for Rose Quartz is what originally drew me to your cosplay. How long did it take to style so many layers? Do you have any tips?
I am humbled that you enjoyed the wig for Rose Quartz. Making it was a lot of trial and error, but once I knew what I wanted and how to curl it it took no time at all for me. The total construction took approximately 6 months to make, but knowing what I know now I could make it in less time. The only advice I can give is be patient and do a little at a time because working with that much wefts can be overwhelming.



What do you think is that one thing that takes a cosplay from good to great? Are things like makeup and wigs an important part of the overall look?
There are plenty of things that make a costume and many people think it comes down to looking like a carbon copy of the character them self  (down to skin tone or weight or height or whatever) but I think that's wrong. I think what makes a good costume great is all in how you present yourself.  Good posture and a positive attitude and good manners come first! I would say second would be your wig and make up because they can definitely step up your cosplay game. Third would be being comfortable in the costume you are in. If you aren't comfortable people will notice it and you also won't be able to enjoy yourself as much!

If you want to see more of this amazing work, check her out on facebook! 

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Pokemon Go Costume

Sunday, October 23, 2016

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Halloween is right around the corner, and if you're anything like me finding time to make a costume for yourself is pretty low on the priority list. So I've thought of a few (nerdy) simple ideas for costumes, and I can't wait to share them.

First up is everyone's favorite mobile game of the year: Pokémon Go. This easy to assemble costume has one key element that will make it look legit- the hat.


Supplies:
A blank baseball cap
Painters tape
White paint - acrylic or fabric
Yellow paint - acrylic or fabric
Pencil
Permanent Marker
Round things


1. Tape off the brim and sides of the front panel of the cap. I found that for the brim it was easiest to rip the tape into small pieces and use those to line edge

2. Practice the placement of your round things. I traced them to make sure the sizes were correct. I had to try a few things until I found the right sizes. You'll need one smaller center circle, then a larger putter ring that you will cut in half.


3. Trace your objects onto your hat with a pencil. There's really no easy way to do this if you're using solid objects. Looking back, I could have cut out the trial tracings and pinned them on. But honestly being able to move around the objects to find the right placement was very helpful.


4. Paint on a layer of white. Try to keep as in the lines as possible, but there is a way to do touch ups later. You might need to paint two coats of white if you're making a black hat.


5. Now for the yellow coat! If your yellow seems a little thin, you can mix it with a bit of white. You may also need two coats of yellow.

6. Carefully take off the tape. You want to do this after the paint has become a little tacky but before it's fully dried.

7. After everything has fully dried, use a little bit of soap and water to take the graphite from the penicl off.

8. When the fabric is dry again, go in with a black permanent marker to straighten up the edges and take care of any mistakes.




And there you have it, a completed Pokemon inspired hat! I chose yellow to match what my character looks like, but you could also choose a color that matches your Team's color.

As far as the rest of the outfit goes, you'll need a sporty jacket, finger-less gloves, a backpack, shorts, leggings and tennis shoes. You can also make a Pokemon ball belt buckle out of some craft foam. Easy peasy!

If you want to take your costume to the next level, try checkout out this tutorial from AWE me's DIY Prop Shop on how to make an Egg Incubator! Or go all out and make your phone into a self-charging Pokedex with this tutorial!

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Inspire Me: Rae Marie Cosplay

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

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I have absolutely loved "researching" to try to find cosplayers to feature, and I'm delighted that I stumbled upon Rae Marie Cosplay! Her outfits are amazing. I had to limit myself on which ones I wanted to show here! I confess, I might have featured a few of these just because they're my favorite characters.


How did you get into cosplay?
I went to Animenext in NJ in 2005 and as soon as I saw the cosplayers there I knew I wanted to get into the hobby. I started on my first costume right away and the rest is history!

Character: Ryuko Matoi from Kill la Kill

Who was the first character you wanted to cosplay? 
The first cosplay I started was Kairi from Kingdom Hearts 2. It took a while to finish and I needed a lot of help but I was so happy when I finally completed it.

photo by Chris @ Dumotography
Character: Princess Mononoke



What is your process for putting together an outfit? 
I spend a lot of time finding reference photos and searching for the perfect fabrics and materials before I really get started. Honestly I think that is the most important part of the process. From there it's just trial and error to pattern, sew and put it all together.


Character: Nana Osaki from Nana



What's your go to place for supplies/components? 
I go to the garment district a lot for most of my fabrics and notions. I'll also hit up Joann's because they always have what I need if I can't easily find it in the city.

photo by: JohnTrileyPhoto
Character: Blair Witch from Soul Eater


Do you use any materials that you think would surprise people? What's the weirdest thing you've ever used on an outfit? 
Since most of my costumes are mostly fabric instead of props I don't use a ton of unconventional materials. One of the weirdest things I've used in a cosplay was easter eggs to style a wig. It actually did work out really well to give my Ladybug pigtails more volume! Highly recommend if you cant get styrofoam balls haha.


Photo by Jenna Hurley
Character: Gou Matsuouka from Free!


What's something you feel like you've gotten pretty good at making/doing? 
Sewing is definitely my strength. Every time I work on something new I am using new techniques or trying a new pattern or method. Even now I feel like I have a lot to learn but I am very happy with how skilled I've become.

photo by D. Brooks Photo82
Character: Belle from Beauty and the Beast


Your casual Raven is SO cute... well, so is your normal Raven honestly. Well, just all of your cosplays are adorable, now that I think about it. Do you think you cosplay things that fit your personality? Or do you like to pretend to be someone different? 
Thank you! :) I like to do a little bit of both. Sometimes I feel like it is easy to channel a character I already relate to but it is also so much fun to act like someone totally different! I generally gravitate towards strong female characters like Tsunade from Naruto or Lisa Lisa from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure because I love how confident I feel when I am them. I also really enjoy pretending to be a baddie like when I cosplayed Lust from FMA.

Character: casual Raven from Teen Titans


Do you like the easy-to-throw-together casual looks or the took-50-hours hard core outfits more? 
Even though the casual looks are fun and easy to wear, I definitely like the super detailed hard core outfits more. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a project you worked so hard on come to life and be praised by others.


They say the devil is in the details... do you pay attention to the little things? 
Yes, and probably too much haha! I almost had a panic attack because I had to use two different white spandex fabrics for the sailor scout cosplays I made this summer since I couldn't buy more in time. Of course no one can notice but I NOTICE.

photo by OhHeyItsSK
Character: Gogo Tomago from Big Hero 6


Do you have any tips for someone looking to get into cosplaying?
  Ask questions and don't think you are ever asking silly questions, we all started somewhere. Look up tutorials, I can guarantee someone has done it before. When I started the cosplay community and social media did not exist like it does now and it's a real game changer so you should take advantage of it as much as you can.


Want to see more? Check out her facebook page!
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Inspire me: Mewpiie Cosplay

Monday, October 10, 2016

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For the month of October I've found some amazing cosplayers to interview, and I am SO excited to share this whole series with you! 

For those of you who think I might be speaking another language, "cosplay" is a shorted version of the words "costume play." A big deal in the con scene, these talented creators find a character with an awesome outfit, and recreate it. But this isn't a costume you'll find on a rack at WalMart. They take their outfits to the next level, going from simple costume to a whole new art form.

Today's interviewee is Mewpiie, and her adorable cosplays will blow your mind. She does a lot of colorful and complicated costumes from anime and video games alike, playing close attention to the shape and silhouette of the whole outfit (for example, take a look at that tail below). But enough from me, onto the interview!


If you could cosplay any character from anything, who/what would you choose?
There are too many....lol. Right now I'm obsessed with the new Star Guardian Skins from League of Legends. I kind of want to cosplay something from Overwatch but I'm not sure who yet.

Have you ever designed your own outfit?
I designed the Armor and clothes for my Kindred cosplay.




Whats the most uncomfortable outfit you've every worn? Do you have any horror stories?
Kindred tbh. Those shoes were SO PAINFUL. Also my 3d printed bow warped in the heat inside the car and bent and I was so freaked out. It's straightened out but it feels like it might break.

Do you have a special storage space, or do you just take over whatever spare surface is available? How do you keep everything organized?
I use the dining room in my house because we never use it. I just like to put things in boxes and various storage units. When i get into a project I let myself go and make a mess.

What is your process for putting together an outfit?
A ton of research. I look up references from the actual show/game, other cosplayers, fanart, anything I can find useful.


What's something you feel like you've gotten pretty good at making/doing?
I feel like I'm pretty good at makeup and I'm pretty resourceful. I also feel like I'm good at painting props.

I absolutely love the makeup from your Yang cosplay. Do you have any tips on how to make your eyes look bigger without going over the top?
aw thanks! So I used Nyx Wonderpencil in the palest color and lined the bottom outer corner of my eye, and then under that I put black eyeliner to create the illusion that my eyes were bigger. I also drew some fake lashes on the bottom. It takes practice, and honestly I feel like there's some things I could've improved!



They say the devil is in the details... do you pay attention to the little things?
Yes I do! I always find things that could enhance a character. With ahri, I wanted certain contacts and for the whiskers to be drawn like brush strokes. I always make sure that nothing in my outfit is slipping off or crooked. Of course I'm not perfect and sometimes I'm like "fuck this" and leave the house/hotel without being super nit-picky.



What do you think is that one thing that takes a cosplay from good to great? Are things like makeup and wigs an important part of the overall look?
If you can afford a better wig, I'd recommend it. Sometimes a over-shiny wig can take a lot away from a good cosplay. For makeup there's a couple basic things that I'd recommend for every gender. I'll always have a eyeliner, foundation, concealer, a eyeshadow palette, and a nude lipstick in my kit. I use foundation and concealer to take away redness or discoloration in my skin. Eyeshadow and eyeliner can be used in so many ways, and putting eyeliner on your eyes gives them more depth and you can create a more "anime" look. Nude lipstick is to even out your lipcolor and can also make you look more "masculine". For female anime characters I'd just use a bit of pink lipgloss or light pink lipstick.


Do you have any tips for someone looking to get into cosplaying?
Keep trying. You are going to mess up and you are going to fail. You're going to see cosplayers with more experience and better cosplays, this does not mean that you're bad or have bad cosplays. Also it's okay to buy cosplay, do whatever you want because it's your hobby. Cosplay is fun. Cosplay is for everyone.

You can look at all of Mewpiie's other creations 
on her social media accounts!
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DIY Coloring Page Gallery Wall

Thursday, September 29, 2016

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One of the things we have at my library, no matter what, is a wall full of coloring pages. We always keep a few pages out with a bucket of crayons, and instead of taking their masterpieces home kids will often bring them to us at the front desk. We would then unceremoniously hang these lovely works of art on a wall by the circulation desk. While it did mean the work was admired, it also had the tendency to look a bit cluttered. 

We recently freed up a wall in the kids area, and I jumped on the opportunity to create a project I'd been dreaming about for a while: a changeable art gallery. I took the time to create a few frame templates, and I'm going to share them at the end of this post!

For this DIY you'll need a printer that can print on 11x17 paper, some tape, and plastic sheet covers. It really might be the simplest DIY ever.  Just print out the frames, cut them out, and tape them to the plastic sheet covers. You might have to cut of sides with binder holes off, and make sure not to tape up the top!

Each frame template comes with three colors and a black and white version that you can color yourself.


Download the Frame Template PDF here.


So far our wall has had good reviews. We've changed out a few pieces already, and kids really love being able to see their work on display. I've had a few kids that have never finished a sheet diligently color one and give it to us. It warms up this artist/librarian's heart!


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