WTF#10

Patch 4.2.2

New vlog today! http://youtu.be/bNtFSrzYI0o

I have been getting so many messages asking me, "Where are you?" on YouTube that I finally buckled down and recorded a quickie for you today! By the way, you all make me feel SO loved and awesome with your messages that I am feeling like an asshole not giving you more regularly scheduled content! But that doesn't mean you should stop sending me messages! <3 Hehe. XD I really am sorry about the lack of video content lately, but I've been busy with my costume and other artsy things... AND to be totally honest, I'm still not completely over the whole idea of "Who would care to hear and watch me talk about my-fat-self anyway?" XD.

Aaanywaayy, I decided to shorten the video title from "Weekly Talking Fun" (like the previous vlogs) to just "WTF". I swear, only 3 people even saw that acronym which was the whole reason why I even wanted to call it "Weekly Talking Fun" despite the horrible English... But maybe it was just so under the radar barely anyone noticed. And if you DID notice, and didn't say anything, well.. Kudos to you even though you didn't say anything to me about it! ^_^

So, in this update video, I just show off some progress on my costume and some gift art I've been working on for my friends in the WoW/YouTube community. Also Please don't expect a song from me before BlizzCon since I'm devoting all my free time to these projects and the cosplay thing is a lot bigger a project than I thought it'd be XD. I'm SO glad I started it when I did!

Thanks for visiting my blog and enjoy the video!

 

Cosplay Update!

Patch 4.2.2

Firstly, I'm sorry that I haven't been keeping you up to date with my [what were supposed to be] weekly vlogs. DX I haven't posted a new video since WTF#9 three weeks ago! But in my defense, I have good personal reasons for skipping them! Besides real life stuff going on like my nephew's second birthday and getting out of the house more regularly, the time away from my computer has paid off in that it has given me enough time away from WoW and YouTube to finally make some decisions about what to do for my cosplay for BlizzCon! And with the new project underway I'm getting some serious BlizzCon fever!

Tin foil armature ready for paper clay.

So, I've decided on Dwarf Shaman in T10. Reasons: 1) Because dwarves have skin color that I don't have to use body paint for; 2) I LOVE Shaman T10; and 3) Dwarves don't require stilts. XD As a sidenote, I still plan to do a Dreanei or Worgen cosplay at some point with those stilts that I commissioned, but as of now I don't see it coming together in time for BlizzCon this coming October. The stilts are simply not 100% ready for a costume because they still need permanent straps to hold my feet securely onto them. In the test video I uploaded to YouTube a while back, I improvised with some rope and just tied my feet down. XD Heh.. Yeah, dangerous... But not only that, the metal is RUSTING! I mean, I knew ahead of time (before Gir shipped them to me) that I'd have to figure out a way to strap my feet on somehow myself, but the rust was a surprise to me. =[ I picked up some "Rust Destroyer" and some Plasti-Dip spray for them, but that project will have to wait until after BlizzCon since I'm going full speed ahead on this Dwarf Shaman idea.

I did a little shopping over the weekend and now I have pretty much all the supplies I need for building this costume. I even ordered some blue LED "Power Dots" from thatscoolwire.com for the lighty bits of the gear set ^_^. And those shipped so fast: ordered on the 23rd and they arrived at my house on the 25th! I'm still not exactly sure how to go about building everything, but I'm pretty resourceful, so I know that I'll at least be proud of the final outcome. I'm so excited!

Cosplay Update: The Stilt Saga

Patch 4.0.1

Design © GiR Hargis 2010

I haven't really done anything at all with my Isolte cosplay idea ever since everything fell through the cracks with Weta and the digitigrade stilts. But recently, I found a super cool guy on YouTube, WizardGiR, who is a welder, engineer, and fabricator of sorts. I contacted him via Facebook and as of last week, I've found myself a fabricator for completely custom digitigrade stilts! I sent in the measurements he asked for and he quoted a completion date for sometime around the end of February. I'm super excited to finally have a shot at making the dreanei cosplay of my dreams, but I don't want to say too much for fear of jinxing it somehow.

I'll post updates as GiR brings them to me. I'm really excited to be working with such a cool DIY'er (do-it-yourself'er) because I've seen some of his other work and they've turned out to be nothing short of amazing. My stilts will only bee the third pair he's ever built, but that's another exciting factor in that I get to see what improvements (if any) that he can make upon his last design. But srsly, there's nothing that I know of needing improvement on his last pair, so even if mine aren't all that different, I'm positive I'll be happy with them.

Here's some news that I'm not sure what to do with though..

Image © GiR Hargis 2010

Kim Graham, the inventor of the Weta Legs, sent out an email just today about how her co-inventors in the states have secured a contract with a manufacturing company in the UK on a new digitigrade stilt design... She says the release of the new stilts is allocated for February-March 2011, just about the time that GiR quoted completion of my stilts. There's a part of me that is pretty pissed off that it's just "my luck" to have this news hit me after I've already found a fabricator... But there's a larger part of me that is pleased with my decision to find a custom fabricator for the pure fact that these stilts will fit me.

Well, that's pretty much all I have on the costume update. OH, wait! Maybe you all can help me? I'm still not sure what "gear set" to use for the costume, so if you can throw me some ideas I'd appreciate it. The ONLY requirement I'm asking for is PANTS, NO SKIRTS! Cuz I wanna show off these stilts/legs as MUCH as possible. XD Thanks for reading my long boring post... And I'm looking forward to your costume suggestions!

Just a quick update!

Patch 3.3.3

Last Sunday, I ordered the Weta Legs (see http://www.wetanz.com/wetalegs) thanks to your very, very, very generous contributions to the "Isolte Cosplay Fund". I've been diligently working on the "thank you" gift(s) if you're wondering where I've been. ^_^ Just want to let you know that I'm breathing as much thankful, creative, loving energy into it as possible!

Also, I plan to check out some costume stuffs at Fanime Con this coming weekend such as contact lenses and other various things I might find useful for becoming Isolte. ^_^ Lets hope I find some more great ideas... speaking of ideas, it just hit me that Draenei have fangs and I already have that taken care of. XD

Anyway, I've been neglecting the game, but fear not my friends! It is all for good cause. I've been contacted by Markee Dragon about writing/singing an intro "jingle" for his YouTube show, and I've further partnered with Per Kiilstofte of THE MachinimaSound.com to compose the music and work with me on the lyrics. ^_^ (Of course, Markee contacted me after my pestering social networking comments on his videos got him to simply check out my YouTube channel! XP)

Anyway, I've said a lot more than I thought I had to say... So, 'til next time! <3

OMG OMG OMG

Patch 3.3.3

Takin' down the "ChipIn" widget... because the goal IS MET!!! HOLY COW!!!11one

I LOVE YOU, [Names of the contributors to Isolte's Cosplay fund]!!! Dood, you make me cry tears of joy!!! Now I just hope I don't disappoint you with my pictures! Haha!!

*runs off to WetaNZ.com to make a LARGE purchase* OMG OMG OMG!!

Crazy love to you contributors, I seriously can't thank you ENOUGH!!!! I owe you BIG time!

<3 <3 <3

Cosplay ChipIn

Patch 3.3.3

I'd like to direct you to this link, http://isolte.chipin.com/irl-isolte-cosplay, for up to date news specifically related to my "Cosplay Fund-raiser".

Also, expect pics of me-trying-to-be-Isolte poppin up on here... I'm kinda nervous because I don't want to ruin the image that is Isolte by slappin my face up here, buuuut, I'll be Isolte/myself (since she is me in a way) as best I can. XD Hehe. I've only ever cosplayed as furry characters before (completely covered from head to toe in FUR) so this will be a new and exciting challenge for me. I'm actually starting to build Isolte's horns and hair combo this week. ^_^ *squee* If you're at all interested in seeing a tiny glimpse of my costume-builiding/sewing skills, please visit my other website, www.blackbackstudio.com.

And to everyone: Thanks for being here for me! Your readership/friendship means a LOT to me. Really.. it does. I won't go into it.. getting all emotional.. <3

I liked it, so I rolled need on it...

Patch 3.3.3
I feel like I've been neglecting my li'l blog here in that I left some pages unfinished and that it desperately needs a new look. I'm just bored of the header already, hehe. =/

So to satisfy my tiny upgrade needs at the moment, I made my Characters page a little more complete, moved my social network links to the oh-so-appropriate Contact page, added a new link to the CaféPress Shoppe, and added a "ChipIn" fund-raising counter to the sidebar for anyone so inclined to donate to my cosplay fund.

About the Shoppe: I just added a few "designs", but there will be more to come. And if you have any suggestions and ideas for designs or items you'd like in the store please let me know.

About the "ChipIn": All contributions made through "ChipIn" go directly to my personal Paypal account. This is not an organization you're donating to, it's just li'l ol' me. So, excuse me if it's gauche to ask for donations, but the cosplay isn't just for me you know! ^_^ Also, I don't have anything put together in the form of a "Thank You" package just yet, but for contributions over $25, expect SOMEthing. ^_^

That's all I have for you today. 'Til next time, Lovelies!

Small Update and re: My Cosplay Idea

Patch 3.3.3

About the cosplay idea I threw out to y'all just the other day... Your support for me on this is already so great! It's really encouraging, making me want to start building together an IRL gearset. (I sew, did you now that? Anyway...) XD Thanks again so, so much for the support you're giving me now, the support you also gave me way back when, and the support you may give me in the future!

And here's the small WoW update: I want to remember the 28th of April just cuz it's the date I decided to hop on Cenarion Circle and start leveling a toon to check it out over there. So far, I am absolutely loving the paladin class AND the people on CC. I don't think I'll ever replace Isolte as my "main," but so far on this other server, my pally is my "main". Heh. She's already lvl 43 with the help of my hubster's lvl 65 pally whom he just x'fered over to Cenarion Circle complete with bags n' gold and other crap we thought would be useful. ^_^

Anyway, that's all for now. Cheers!

Thoughts at 4am

Just woke up from a good sleep; I'm planning on going back but before I go, I had to spit this off my mind. So, if you didn't already know, I'd really, really like to cosplay Isolte IRL. And I'd love to do live performances or even just live recordings for YouTube as Isolte if not live-live. ^_^

There are these amazing digitigrade stilts made by special effects company, Weta in New Zealand that I'd absolutely LOVE to have to "complete" Isolte's look. (If youre at all curious, please google "weta legs" and you'll see the stilts. I'd provide a link if I wasn't lazy/posting from my phone!) So my thoughts are this: before I even think about dropping $800 on these awesome stilts (which I would actually have other uses for than just Isolte cosplaying, if you don't understand that, just trust me) I was thinking on getting back in shape and trying out what I can pull together at the moment for costuming as Isolte. I know I'll never look like the waif-thin Draenei female, but I know it is possible to get close!

So my request for you is to simply support me and to not run away, scared when I post eventual pictures of my costume-building and getting-back-in-shape process/hopefully progress!! And if it's not too gauche, later on I may ask for donations in exchange for special gifts to help fundraise for the legs if all goes well and the if cosplay idea seems worth it! But more details on that if this idea actually comes to fruition.

Tell me what you think! Nothing is set in stone, I just felt like tossing out the idea to get a feel for what people think. Also, just warning you that pics of the RL me may pop up on this blog! *gasp* (and I promise that I will never make this blog about the personal me. It will always be about Isolte... who is me, but.. Ah, you get me, right?!)