Oh Farnsworth, my Farnsworth

So I want to make a miniature Farnsworth for my Claudia costume, because I’ve always adored them. They’re fantastically intricate and such a cool idea, and Claudia’s is the coolest.

7726033784_0490847b0f_zlink

Artie gave Claudia Farnsworth’s Farnsworth. The creator’s personal creation!

It has such lovely black smooth finishes and gold/copper details, with what looks like a combination lock cover as a dial, and the top of a stage microphone for… the microphone.

u17162wh1303x040066r103link

My Farnsworth will not be full sized, as I don’t have the funds for a larger scale endeavor, and I’ll probably make it out of an altoid’s tin, or something like one. So a much smaller scale, but still pretty fun.

steampunk-altoids-2

There is this wonderful tutorial from TLC about de-finishing an altoids tin to create a steampunk tin.

I’ll be painting the left side black, while leaving the right side as is, with a black piece of cardstock or a stiffer plastic sheet for the center divider line.

farnsworthcinsidelink

I’ve had some luck with making glue “lenses” in the past, though never on this scale. Normally it’s just a bit of Elmer’s glue that has accidentally dropped on a table or something while I’ve been crafting, and it comes up as one nice circle. An alternative could be finding an eyeglass lens, or perhaps the lens from a kid’s telescope or kaleidoscope.

I’ll be getting some copper wire to recreate the pattern on the left, perhaps with a black rubber pipe fitting. I’m not quite sure what to use for the tube right now, but if I take a trip to the hardware store, I’m sure I’ll find something.

For the inner workings of the Farnsworth, I’m planning on raiding the hardware store for wires, washers, dowels, etc. I’m hoping to get hold of a real used watch battery, but I’m planning on faking the other batteries with dowels and little blocks of wood.

Claudia_Farnsworth_Tshirt_CUlink

I’m planning on getting either a metallic Sharpie, or some other sort of metallic marker to write and draw out the lovely details of the Farnsworth.

So that’s my Farnsworth plan. I’m hoping to start work on it soon, even if it is just in patches. I’ll keep you updated!

Edited: As of right now this project is finished. Follow it from (this) its inception, to further planning, to sanding and painting, to the wirework, to the gold detailing, to the gluing of all the components together.

She just wanted to be free.

I first watched the film Penelope on a big flat screen television in a little vacation home after my parents and brother had gone to bed. They didn’t want to watch an obviously childish chick flick about a girl who had a pig nose.

I still think they missed out.

penelope_movie_image_christina_ricc

link (ETA – this link is now broken)

Penelope is a lovely movie, and it has a great message.

penelopepic2

link (ETA – this link is now broken)

But she has the coolest style! Its equal parts quirky and colorful!

blue

The best thing she owns, it seems, next to the incredibly beautiful wedding dress, is her scarf that she uses to hide her nose while she’s out on the run. I found two websites that had wonderful recreations of the scarf, which I’m planning on making at some point. Probably in the distant future.

IMG_1407

link

Here’s one of them…

DSC02812link

And here’s the other, and she was lovely enough to provide a pattern!

penelope costumelink

I also really love this gal’s Penelope cosplay. I think she looks awesome!

1

When I cosplay her, it will likely be a much subtler cosplay. Like tricking out my coat, when and if the buttons go, and using the blue dress with green and black striped shirt route. That kind of subtle.

The Day We Went to Trenzalore

So I told you on Thursday that I was spending Friday doing a subtle cosplay of Clara Oswald from Doctor Who.

posed

The final episode of Series 7 Part 2 came out earlier today, and I can’t wait to watch it! I’m currently unable to get to a TV, as I’m visiting family and this post is actually being prepared early and will be posted by the magical post-faeries.

I was working on the fly for this subtlety, as I’ve been packed for a week or two now, and only left this morning.

And voila!

posed2

jacket: Penneys/Primark; dress: Charlotte Russe; leggings: Forever 21; shoes: Penneys/Primark; purse: creation

I’ve been thinking about this one since I wrote up the original subtle cosplay post.

Doctor-Who-Season-7-Clara-and-the-Doctor

I loved Clara’s outfit in the Rings of Akhaten! It’s so simple and everyday, yet classic.

1161915_1356972322346_full

Then I saw Clara’s hair in Nightmare in Silver, and decided to copy that one.

See, my hair is long, and at the moment I don’t have the means of cutting it, even though it’ll be summer very soon, negative time really, so leaving it out and long will work sometimes, but I wanted to put it up.

I can’t wait to see the new episode later! It’s going to be fantastic!

Post-Exam Relief

So I have now finally finished my exams!

I have been packing up a storm, and still have to leave some stuff here.

It’s been a wonderful time abroad, but I welcome the summer.

Ah summer! You’re so warm and comforting!

This summer I’m hoping to work more on projects and things, and hoping to post more frequently!

Doctor-Who-Season-7-Clara-and-the-Doctor

I’m wearing my first subtle cosplay tomorrow, on my last day in town, and I’ll hopefully be posting on it on Saturday!

But before I go I’d like to leave you with a necklace sketch.

idea

Aurora’s necklace in this picture is gorgeous, and I thought about designing an inspired necklace.

necklace sketch

And so this happened!

Inspiration has struck!

I have decided to make a somewhat major change in my costuming plans in regards to my TARDIS.

My costume was originally supposed to have a golden underbust corset with a seafoam blouse and a copper bolero. There is one problem.

That assumes that I already have a working underbust corset, but even though I haven’t quite finished the one I left at home, I am 97.4% sure that said corset will not be up to my standards to be included in this costume, even if it happens to fit. It’s my first one after all, and though I may call myself at least an intermediate quilter I am certainly not an advanced costumer. This adventure will undoubtedly contain many odd and instantaneous changes, as I find out what I can and can’t do and I will work on my skills as I go.

So I’ll be working on a new corset for this costume, to gain experience and to make a better costume.

3screenshot from Warehouse 13 Season 3 Episode 11/12

I’m inspired by the outfits that HG Wells wears in Warehouse 13, when she is at work.

Particularly this one (and apologies for the blurriness):

1screenshot from Warehouse 13 Season 3 Episode 11/12

This led me to find a nice pattern, as the vest laces up in the back, which makes it not quite a typical vest. I then found a wonderful  corset tutorial.

business

link

I already have a suiting fabric that I’ll be making a working muslin with, in preparation for a golden colored corset vest. It’s possible in making the muslin I’ll decide to skip the corset in favor of a vest, but that will be seen when I start work on it.

Because I’m changing the corset, I’ve decided to look for a blouse that is a little closer on the neck, one a little closer in nature to the Victorian time period. Unless I make one. That’s still an option.

I’ve also decided to scrap the bolero, to save space in what will end up as my suitcase, to save time, and to save a minor amount of heat sweltering. Instead of wearing the bolero with the cape on top, I’m planning to make a cape like this one:

cape

link (ETA link no longer works)

The police box banner will then run along the hood, with the instructions on the back of the cape. The cape will be held on the shoulders of the corset vest by a miniature broach-like apparatus I’ll be creating, using the drop earrings and possibly some suspender closures. We’ll see how it goes when I get that far!

I’m also planning on learning a bit about leatherwork, and creating some wristbands to supplement my costumes, and for me to wear in real life. Always a handy idea.

I’m specifically thinking about doing this because I really enjoy large faced watches, but my wrist is quite tiny, which means that not only can I not wear a men’s watch because it’s too big, but also because it’s really really too big. The clasp on my dad’s watch is nearly as long as the flat of my wrist. By making my own watchband, in a TARDIS friendly steampunk design, not only can I learn new skills, but I can solve a problem for myself.

In other news, I have bought fabric to use for my Belle capelet, and it should be arriving at home in the next few days. When I return in a few weeks I will take a picture to show you!

Spring cleaning… and packing.

I’ve been cleaning up my room, and deciding well in advance what stuff is going to be making the return trip with me, when I return to the US after my semester abroad.
It’s also given me a chance to figure out what I’ve bought here that I’m planning to use in my costumes.

t straps2 I already let you know that I got fantastic brown t-strap heels, which I’m planning on using for my Belle get-up. They might also be repurposed into my TARDIS outfit.

I’ve also mentioned about my fabric that I bought, which will likely be part of my TARDIS dress, and sadly has already been packed while escaping without a new photograph.

hoodie2

I also am planning on taking a hoodie with me, for me to take apart and use for my Claudia outfit. I bought the hoodie for another comfy layer to wear in my dorms, because I didn’t pack enough warm comfy clothing for just hanging out. Because of the obnoxiously bright white zipper down the front, I’m unwilling to go anywhere in it, and will continue to feel that way. I also have sweatshirts that I prefer sitting for me at home, I just didn’t bring them with me. So this hoodie is for destroying!

work

This is definitely coming home, hopefully in a more finished capacity.

half

This will also be taking the return trip, also in hopefully more finished capacities.boot2Sadly, these boots will not be making the trip. They would have been perfect for my TARDIS costume, but because they’ve died a few times over, needed some glueing to be worn, and because I’ve added some extra layers of glue these boots likely wouldn’t make it through another season of wear. So they are staying.

slippers

And these will not be returning. I just wanted to see if you guys were still reading. As much as I loved my one euro IKEA slippers, they are a little too grungy to be part of my pack.

high tops2

I’ve been wearing these adorable knockoff high tops, with a brown faux leather material. I find them fantastically comfortable, and mighty handy in the rain. Perhaps they will be my shoes for Claudia!

trousers2

And this pair of skinny black trousers are probably going to be my bottoms for my Claudia outfit. They aren’t jeans, but thin-ish cotton, so it’ll be much better in the San Diego heat, and also much more in character with Claudia!

I have purchased many things here which shall definitely be returning. I’ve nearly overhauled my wardrobe. Still have a lot of black though… I guess that’s the issue with working in a theater. Black attracts me like dust to a figurine. But I stopped buying black clothing halfway through the semester! Baby steps.

suitcaseThis is my third attempt at repacking, and I still didn’t fit everything yet…

Here’s to carrying a heavy suitcase home.

Yummies! Pancakes!

I’m taking exams for the next two weeks.

There is nothing like finals to make me hungry. I mean, I’m pretty sure I’m hungry all the time, anyway. But I feel that making delicious food is the best way to procrastinate on studying.

My first exam isn’t until Tuesday. Whyever should I start studying now! That’s four days early? Because I should, but… well, I’m not. At least not so far.

Last night I cooked up some chicken. My friends and I have been ordering large quantities of groceries, and predominately freezing the meat so we can use it later, so I have a freezer drawer filled with chicken and casserole steaks. So I used some of the chicken, but because I was defrosting it, I first immersed it in a soy sauce and brown sugar mixture, then filled the rest of the bowl up with water around the chicken. Maybe not the best way of marinading, but I was trying to avoid freezer burn! Because the living space I’m in doesn’t have an oven, just a hob/stove, I “fryed” the chicken, but it was just a frying pan with a lid. I forgot to flip the chicken, and it still cooked through deliciously! I ate it too fast to get a picture.

couscous

This morning I made couscous. I’ve never done so before, and I can’t imagine why I haven’t! If all I have to do is pour boiling water over the stuff and some butter and salt, why don’t I do so all the time? I can’t imagine. I have certainly been a couscous lover forever, but if I knew it was this easy to make, I would have started to make it when I was seven and first introduced.

And now I’m cooking that wonderful breakfast, or really every meal food, pancakes!

milk and tea

Because I’m running on low supplies, finishing up my last weeks studying abroad, I’m out of eggs, butter, and I’m almost out of milk. But that doesn’t stop me from my pancakes!

mix

I’m tweaking a recipe I found through a Google search. Because Google is awesome!

My eggless pancake recipe, tweaked for the ingredients I have on hand!

Here’s the original: courtesy of Rak’s Kitchen

1 cup of flour

Dash of brown sugar, but definitely less than a tablespoon, because I’m a bad guesstimator

Dash of salt, about half a teaspoon

About one third of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, because I don’t have baking soda

1 cup of milk – I had just enough!

About 1 tablespoon of oil.

(I also included some leftover loose tea I had. More on that later.)

Because I know how to follow a recipe, but choose to ignore it, I started with the milk. I then added the tea. It was apple flavored, and gave the milk a wonderful smell!

Then I added all of the dry ingredients, and finally the oil.

I let it rest for about ten minutes, as instructed. I used this time to whip up another batch of the dry mix, without the tea, for the next time I need pancakes, which may or may not be in a few hours. Hopefully tomorrow, but the convenience store around the corner is kinda open until midnight. Because I’ll need more milk.

Then I heated up the frypan with the most non-stick coating still present, and the least amount of metal scores, and then added some oil. Honestly too much oil, so temper yourself newbies. In fact, I really don’t like to oil my pancake pan, but because there is no real nonstick coating in this kitchen (it runs away with its coating tail between its legs in fear), I can’t do anything without it.

I cooked ’em up like normal pancakes, and then enjoyed them with my warm chocolate drink!

first few

My first few didn’t come out all that good looking, but they still tasted good!getting better

I say warm chocolate drink, because honestly, its not chocolatey or milky enough to be hot chocolate, and its not cold or chocolatey enough to be chocolate milk, so I have decided on warm chocolate drink.

final

And in regards to tea. I love tea. I tend to have more tea than other drinks. But sometimes a tea just doesn’t end up getting drunk. Or I’m in a non-loose tea friendly environment. The last time I used a reusable tea bag for my loose tea, my roommate threw it out. And that was mostly the end of my loose tea escapades this semester. I’m trying to use up some of my tea that isn’t my favorite. I’ve been trying to use up as much tea as possible before buying more, but that doesn’t always work out…

In hindsight, my tea idea was good, but I should hydrate the tea first, so I’m not trying to bite down on an overly dried apple chunk. Beware

And now I’m going to enjoy my pancakes and hopefully study!

Oh, and my obligatory costume update. These used to be dangles from some earrings my grandmother had given me, and they are going to end up on the shoulders of my miniature jacket for my TARDIS costume, as inspired by last week’s episode of Doctor Who. The machine making contraption… thing.

lights

Anyway… Bye!

Don’t get into a spaceship with a madman.

Tardis time rotor update!

half

Please excuse the bad lighting. I was excited to share.

I’m over half done on my mockup of the time rotor. I’m using a brick  stitch to create a stiff backbone, and I’m filling in the mockup with the same beads as the backbone, primarily.

When I get to my white thread, I’ll be making a version that is hopefully at least a little less noticeable in regards to minor flaws.

Good ol’ shopping!

Who doesn’t love shopping! Well, kinda me, but when I get goodies, especially lovely and gorgeous goodies, it all works out for the best!

So, I got lots of fun stuff, but I’ll be showing you the highlights.

buttonIsn’t this button cool! It reminded me of Gallifreyan, and so I had to buy it, even though it was the last button in stock! If there had been more, who knows how many I would have gotten!

copper fabric

These are three throw pillow covers in a brilliant copper, with a suede pattern on the front of the pillows. It was so Tardis-y that I couldn’t stand it! Charity shops are fantastic!!

lace shirt

So I haven’t shown you this project yet, but it will become UFO number 2, upon return to the states, when I can get my hands on it to take some pictures! This is a stretchy lace shirt that I picked up to save some time and effort in finding the perfect lace and making a shirt top.

UFO #1 About Half Done

Look! Look! Look!

work

I’m about halfway done with the main structures of the sweater, with creating the base portion of the sweater. The next part to do is the shawl collar, after fitting the base.

In case you aren’t up on your yarn-based crafts, I’ll remind both of us about the proceedings.

To fit the base, I first need to block the base. Because I don’t have all of the supplies I would prefer to do this, ie an ironing board and a spray bottle, I’ll be working with a towel. I have some safety pins, and I’ll find a ruler.

blocking

I’ll be pinning the project to the wet towel, in the dimensions dictated by the pattern. Make that, as close to those dimensions as is possible…

Once its dry, I’ll be sewing up the arm seams, making sure I have the proper room to move.

I tend to find that even with careful measuring and blocking, I still rarely get a garment that really fits without me fixing it somehow, normally enlarging certain portions, so I’m doing it right this time. By checking for fit early on, I’m hoping to arrest this problem well before the end of the project, before I can decide that I’m not going to wear the project that I spent so much time on.

After any fixes, I’ll be making appropriate fixes to the pattern for the shawl collar, and then I’ll be working on finishing up that one!

Edging, and then finishing the garment with a waistband, and then I’ll have myself a sweater!