Hmm, dinner, what to do. Blintzes? I could do blintzes; I think I’ll do blintzes. Yes, I SHALL DO BLINTZES! #blintzes


BLINTZES report #1: cooking is going well, blintzes simmer happily, the demon spirits that inhabited them seem to be vanquished.


BLINTZES report #3: an odd violet glow is emanating from two of the six blintzes with the pulse of a heartbeat. I’m sure it’s nothing.


BLINTZES report #27: OH GOD! the BLINTZES have mounted a counter attack and have taken the kitchen and forward hall. Reports of casualties-


BLINTZES report #zeta-echo: lost count of days since the Blintz Oligarchy began. Dogs have defected. Supplies run low. Little hope left.


BLINTZES report #5: blintzes were tasty. Their pleas for mercy only added flavor. I regret nothing.

                                                            ---
This mini-drama brought to you by - Blintzes.

In gearing up for Dragoncon this past September I wanted to have a fun dress I could walk around in on the nights I wasn't costuming. I've adored all of the Doctor Who / TARDIS dresses I've seen, so I decided to make one of my own. I came across this pattern and just knew this was the retro dress for me.
    Pattern: Butterick B4790.   

I decided pretty early on that I did not want to try and make a fully "TARDIS" themed dress with the window panels and Police Call Box adornment so I simplified it down to a nice TARDIS blue, with white contrast and black edging.


If you use this pattern, I high recommend you make a mock-up first. The back part that is supposed to meet in the front at the waist came nowhere near where it should (when the rest of it fit just fine.) I had to alter the pattern to make it fit.

The first mock-up revealed the oddness of the pattern pretty quickly. The skirt part was fine, though. This was also my first time dealing with darts. In the photo on the right (below) you can see where the back piece does not come around and fully meet in the middle.

Oh, and this was the sewing project that spurred me to make my dress form.

Step 1: Go someplace public with your laptop.

Step 2: Click HERE

Step 3: Press f11

Step 4: Start typing frantically.

Step 5: Make sure other people see your screen.

Step 6: ???????

Step 7: Profit

source: aperfectillusion

October 24 Stephen Colbert did his entire segment "the Word" on Black Rhinos and it was great. His Rhino information was up to date and correct (always awesome when someone gets it right).  I always love it when two things I enjoy collide. It was awesome.

Herein lies the recipe for my Pumpkin Cupcakes.

My pumpkin cupcakes have my caramel icing and I suggest making the caramel first, since it needs to cool before you mix in in with the butter and powdered sugar to complete the icing. So, it's boil/make the caramel part, then make the cupcakes, then finish the icing. That timing seems to work out pretty good for this recipe.

Current conversation between me, my brain and my autonomic nervous system(ANS):

Me: Hey, brain, I was wondering if you could just-

Brain: - can't sorry, *shouts* MAN BATTLE STATIONS! Prepare!

Me: Whoa, whoa, whats going on? Why-

ANS: Copy that, brain, increasing heat rate, ticking up perspiration.

Me: really guys, no reason for a panic attack, *looks around at a happy life* life is good.

Brain: Belay that!, Sail for that lonely, shadowy cave filled with dark water, 5 hours spent on tumblr with tears, so many tears, despair and a body curled in the fetus position!

ANS: WARNING, WARNING - Impending Doom - cue slight nausea and feelings of being miniscule.

Me: *shivers* Stop that, there is no reason for this. Life is really good.

Brain: *Pauses and laughs a deep guttural laugh.* Reason? you speak of reason?
We're far past reason now. The clouds threaten rain, the demons gather. We must hide or we'll be eaten alive!

Me: NO, it's fake, you're just mixing the wrong neurochemicals. (worst barkeep ever) Keep it together gray matter. I'd like to be social, or at least get something done.

Brain: Oh gods, productivity? You want to interact with someone in some way! Not a chance, ANS?

ANS: cue crippling social anxiety!

Me: *waves fist in air* Curse you! I'll fight you, I can do it.

Brain: maybe you can, but you'll still feel like crap while doing it! Even now doubt creeps in as you stare at your words on the computer screen. Are you using the autonomic nervous system in the right context? Are there any misspellings? When you run for president will this post be dragged up and used against you?

Me: You know what, I'm going to paint something, that's right, I'm going to create. Screw you brain!

Brain: Good luck with that, *holds up peace sign and walks away* Deuces.
Me: FINE, I'll show you! *marches off defiantly*

...

...

...

ANS: guys? guys? where is everybody? did I do good? Brain? Jen - Queen of my universe and all that I know? where did you go?

ANS: ...don't...don't leave me alone. please? guys? ok, um...I'll just be over here, then. *fiddles with internal temperatures, keeps heart beating, keeps body breathing.* I do good work. I do. see. They'll be back, yeah. They'll be back.

----and scene----

This bio-drama brought to you by occasionally frustrating reality. hmm... "bio-drama" that could so be a euphemism.

I just had a most excellent day. Long story short, I won grand prize in the Otto and Victoria Cosplay Contest and I am so thrilled I have been smiling all day. The other cosplayers rocked their costumes and we celebrated our love of Otto and Victoria, together.

Who is Otto and Victoria you might ask? The awesome creation of Brian Kesinger. I may have mentioned him before, and if you haven't checked out his work, go, do it now, I'll wait. Here's his Deviant Art page. Here's some of his art:

My Blue Victorian outfit, inspired by Brian Kesinger's Otto and Victoria art is almost done. But it was in a finished enough state to go out with my costuming friends and enjoy High Tea in style.

It was about 5 days of intensive sewing to get my corset, skirt, blouse, bustle and bustle pad made to put this outfit together. I am very happy with how fun and how great it feels to dress up and enjoy good food and good company. 

If you have the chance to dress up and then go out on the town, I highly recommend it.

This was on the sidebar of suggested videos while I was on Youtube yesterday and it is just fricken amazing. It pretty much confirms that if we could fly, it would be the most badass thing we would ever do. At least for the flying part, being an eagle rocks.

How amazing is that?! 

Yeah, flight would be my superpower. I mean, I'd take telekinesis, as long as it was strong enough to fly with. (like Jean Grey, but without the whole morally questionable celestial entity. And Wolverine, you always pick Wolverine, come on Jean.)

So, I shall be getting my hair cut tomorrow, a good 12" shorter, which I will be donating to Locks of Love. But before my hair goes under the scissors I took some pictures to document just how long it's grown over the last few years. And, just because, I did so in a corset while playing World of Warcraft.


(I'm still excited from the news of the new Warchief. See more about my exuberance Here. You'll find both cinematics. FOR THE HORDE!!!!)


Without further ado - here's the last night of my long hair.

The rest of my morning and afternoon was spent venturing into the Walk of Fame. All of the actors I met greeted me with smiles and warm appreciation of my appreciation. It is just so wonderful to be able to say thank you and give back a little to those who've brought me hours of emotions and enjoyment and escaping into stories that make my life better.

DragonCon 2013 started as all past DragonCon's have for me ...at 3am on a Thursday morning.  I drive to my group's meeting place, we pack all of our stuff into one van and then begin our trek north from Tampa to Atlanta.

A decent number of con-goers have started costuming on Thursday night now. My group just gets settled into our room in the Hilton, relaxes and meets up with our other friends there, but we still walk the atrium level of the Marriott checking out the cosplay.

I am currently hip deep in all of my photos and memories from DragonCon this year. It was the best one yet and here's a few pictures as teasers for my posts to come.

DragonCon 2013 has been amazing so far! I'm two days in and having an excellent time. Internet reception is poor in the hotels, so I will be blogging more, with all of my pictures and wondrous stories, once I get home. I've met some awesome actors and artists and the fellow con goers make me happy and proud to be apart of our tribe. Ok, costuming time!

This pattern is the one that finally encouraged me to obtain a Dress Form. I began my search and after a little research I just couldn't find a non-adjustable, professional one available locally or for less than $250, so I then embarked on an adventure to make my own Dress Form out of duct tape.

The reason I really needed a dress form is because this pattern is poorly designed. I cut a mock-up out of muslin, pinned it together and found it needs tweaks, adjustments, additions and possibly a ritual sacrifice to actually make the dress on the cover of the pattern package. It's Butterick "Retro" B4790. Here's a website that will help with adjusting that pattern. It's my next stop after making the Dress Form.

But, back to the matter at hand. My mom was in town and she graciously offered to help me with this project. We turned to the INTERNETS!!!...ok, Pinterest, and summoned up a whole lot of people offering how-to's on making a custom dress form. We looked through them and decided to go with THIS ONE. I want to be clear, I did not come up with this process all on my own. We worked to follow the instructions in this video and I have some pointers to help make it easier. Also, to see the second video you have to sign up for at least their 14-day trial and if you forget to cancel they bill you. I'm going to be honest here, the second video is only marginally worth it. The site is expansive, though, so I'll see what else they have to offer.

Anyway, here's the video I worked off of and where I got my supplies list.

First things first - here's her first self portrait.

Then she got to leave the house for the first time. She had a 4th of July adventure (that oddly doesn't actually contain any fireworks pics.)  I met up with my costuming group and we worked on DragonCon costumes, other dresses and I might have mostly just took pictures - but that last part is all about getting to know Beatrice on a deeper, more personal level.

I will, sadly, admit to a lost opportunity. We ran to JoAnns for some supplies (because it's what you do) and while we were there this nasty storm came through and knocked out the power. The lighting was really neat in the store and I wished I'd brought Beatrice along. I now know for next time.

But, all in all, it was a lovely afternoon. DragonCon costuming has begun!

Stay Tuned for Beatrice's next Adventure!

These are the voyages of the Camera Beatrice. Her mission - to explore strange new focus points. To seek out new life and new custom settings. To boldly go where I have never been before.

Beatrice's Log - a study of a 7D and her actuation count...

Here it is - my first picture with my new Canon 7D. It came in the mail today, I charged the battery and on a rainy July afternoon I started to get to know my new camera...who shall henceforth be known as Beatrice.

 I started with my back yard. Here are the first 100-ish photos.

0001 - My boy Duncan practically glowing in the cloudy, color saturated afternoon light.

All in all a good first little outing. I don't have my UV filters for my lenses so I didn't venture too far from the house today. Soon I'll have all of the accoutrements and we can see what this new girl can really do. I'm excited. It's a new adventure...leading to my making a video for AAZK by the end of this year. But so many other adventures to go on first. I have a new camera and am itching to use it...want to be a subject and let me work on my portrait, candid, action or low light photography? Just let me know!

Here is your weekly dose of cute...x2.

Tapirs are awesome and I miss working with them.
Their babies look like watermelons.

Meerkats are so cute.
This is just all around fun.
Smile and enjoy!

Where did we leave off? All right, all right, let's see. Uh, she was in the water, the Eel was coming after her. She was frightened. The Eel started to charge her. And then -

No, wait, wrong story...back to my Judy Duty.

Here’s the timeline with my tweets interjected into the mix, plus notes and highlights from the day. I hadn’t originally thought to do the days as movie titles, but when I got picked and saw how long it would run, I thought it a neat way to have continuity in a situation where I couldn’t actually talk about what was in my day.

 
May 20  - “Judy Duty”

100 people in large room on 6th floor for 3 week case. I was Juror #37. It took all day to weed out half of the group.

May 21 - “Jury Duty: the Sequel” - Jury Dutier (or “Electric Bugaloo” as one of my friends replied on Facebook.)

I actually went into work that morning because I had an obligation I very much needed to meet. The Judge and the Lawyers worked with me to make this allowance and then I drove back downtown in the afternoon to finish up questions and Jury selection. Needless to say, I was picked.

“I will enlarge no more on the evidence, but submit it to you, gentlemen—Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence: nor is the law less stable than the fact.” - John Adams

On May 20th I reported to Jury Duty for the first time, ever. I walked into the courthouse and apparently the first hundred that walked in that day went up to the sixth floor to start trying to fill a trial that ended up taking 4 weeks to complete. They knew it was going to be at least three weeks and also knew people might have some strong opinions on the subject, so a larger than normal jury pool gathered in one of the larger courtrooms for hours of questions. When the Judge and the Lawyers got to me, well, I just wanted to be honest, fair and reasonable...which I suspect got me selected. I never had any desire to try and “get out of it” by saying something that would get me excused. This was a civic duty, (we aren’t asked to do many of those) and it would be a completely new experience, different from anything else I had EVER done. To be honest, that really intrigued me. I wanted to see the process and the way of it. It felt like a little adventure. So, after two days of jury selection, when they called my name, I smiled. (There ass also the weird teacher’s pet part of me that was like the kid sitting with her hand up wanting to answer a question “pick me, pick me”.)

Now, I also had a deep sense of frustration that I would be leaving my co-workers to pick up the slack and I know the weather outside was not kind while I was sitting in an air-conditioned courtroom for weeks. (A fricken Tropical Storm came through!) That being said - Jury Duty is not easy, either. I would get home (usually between 5:30-6pm, having left home at 7am that morning) and just want to shower, eat and go to bed. I didn't log into WOW. I barely did any sewing. I didn't work on my novels. Jury Duty brought my ability to create almost to a standstill. I worked once a week with my Rhinos and then did 5 more days of jury duty. Life felt full. (Still good, but full.)