Sad trip

A very close friend we've known for over 26 years entered hospice about 4 weeks ago.  We'd planned a trip last weekend to visit her, perhaps for the last time.  Unfortunately for us, she died on Sunday, 21 August.  We adjusted our flight times and arrived a day early to be able to attend her funeral on Saturday.  We were sad we did not get one last visit with her but relieved at the end of her suffering.

She had been part of our SCA household for 24 years.  Even though we both moved to other states than that in which we met, we remained close.  Two years ago we went to the Kingdom of the Outlands to participate in her elevation to the Order of the Pelican.

Maistreas Brid ui Chon na Mara

 It was our sad household duty to assist her daughter in the disposition of her SCA regalia.  We consulted with her closest friends in the Outlands, both Pelicans, regarding her Pelican regalia.  Everyone concurred in the plan for its future use.

She appointed my husband, our head of household, Viscount Wolf, as her Heraldic Heir and he will be the SCA College of Herald's contact regarding her Armory.  We hope to finalize the approval, posthumously, of her Augmentation of Arms.

SCA friends:  when you do your regular will, remember to do a heraldic one, too.  Consult your local herald.  Fortunately, we have one in the household, Countess Leonora.  We also consulted Master Omar in Outlands regarding traditions there. 

River Song's jounal

Ever since I first saw this in a Dr. Who episode, I've wanted one.  The officially licensed ones are unsatisfactory as they look too pristine.  When the Doctor gives it to her, it is in good shape.  But I wanted the heavily used one, as pictured in the lower image here.  I've seen some on Etsy and a couple are quite good.  But I wanted to make it myself. 

At Norwescon in 2013, I met an artist who had made one, including the writing and drawings on the pages.    I spoke with her briefly about how she made it.  One of the few bits I retained was that she'd soaked the book in water to give it the appearance of being old and heavily used.  (She is Aimee Stewart and her art website is Foxfires.  Take a look... she does fantastic work.  I have a couple prints of her pieces).

This past week I finally found the round toit for this project.  I was motivated by the upcoming Dr. Who event at the Science Fiction Museum:  Dr. Wholidays. (If you follow that link, the little boy Doctor next to the Tardis is the son of friends and mom made the costume!)   This time I managed to coordinate ahead of time that some friends will also attend so I've got a ticket, too.   I plan to wear my costume so thought I'd add a couple items to it.  And for those who didn't see this the first time.... no, it's not my hair.... it's the first wig I've ever bought!  

I'd purchased the book a long time ago.  I think I remember Aimee suggesting one with tan craft paper.

Soaking it in water nearly destroyed it!  The pages came loose from the cover.  So after it all dried thoroughly, I glued it back together.  This treatment did result in it looking sufficiently beat up.  I got some thick cardboard, cut the strips, glued them on.  When it was all very dry, I painted it with acrylic craft paint. 

The inside pages are blank.  I have found some images of what they look like.  So that can be an on going project!  There is a possibility I might go to England next year, so I might wait until I can see the original at the Dr. Who experience in Cardiff. 

2015 Star Wars Reads Day

Once again, I spent Star Wars Reads Day at the Museum of Flight.  That was yesterday, Saturday, 10 October.   A few of my compatriots from Garrison Titan and Alpha Base joined me.  

Perhaps because the Museum gave reduced admission for costumes, there were a lot of kids dressed up in Star Wars costumes.  

Lady Vader Princess

It's Master Yoda!
















After some hours of entertaining the visitors and posing for photos, we went off to take out own photos around the Museum.  

 We're in the payload bay of the Full Fuselage Space Shuttle trainer

 In the Destiny module, aka "Tantive IV".  
















 It was a fun day.  The Museum has so many fun activities for the younglings.  

More photos from the day are here

Force Friday

Force Friday is a much-hyped Disney marketing campaign for the release of new Star Wars merchandise ahead of Episode VII. 

Still, I put on my Yoda jacket and went out to see whether there was at least any fabric I wanted.  Yes, there was.  I found these at JoAnn's. 

While cutting this one, the clerk didn't even recognize it as Star Wars.   I can't see it because it's on a cable channel I don't get, but I think these are characters from the newest cartoon series.  I have no interest but I got a yard so I could make a pillowcase for the "million pillowcase" campaign for Children's Hospital(s). 

According to an email from Pacific Fabrics:  "We've ordered a VERY special collection of 21Star Wars print fabrics..... PLUS, we'll be the only stores in Seattle, Bellevue and Bremerton that will have it for you!"  But they won't arrive until "a week or so later" than Force Friday (today).  Huh? 

As long as I was out, I thought I'd go to a couple stores.  Holy carp, but it was picked over.  Target and TRU both opened at midnight.  

"Star Wars coming soon"??  I think it came and went! 


More photos here

The Power of Costume

This is an exhibit at the Experience Music Project (EMP)/Science Fiction Museum.    It is a joint Smithsonian and Lucas Film production.   http://www.empmuseum.org/starwars?code=home   It will tour the country in a 12 city, multi-year tour, but Seattle was the first stop.  It's now about to leave in a month as it closes October 4.

After months of delaying, I finally went to see it today.  I wasn't in a rush as I'd seen the much larger "Dressing the Galaxy" exhibit 10 years ago at FIDM in Los Angeles. 

I've uploaded 170 costume images to my photo host at full resolution and without estrictions on downloading.  Please feel free to download and use for reference but note photo credit is MK Buike (aka "JediKai" or Jedi Kai-Thri Ona in the Rebel Legion).   They are all here.

The costume images are between 5-8 megabytes each.  Most are shot at ISO 6400 due to the dark conditions of the room.  Many had to be photographed through reflective glass cases. The display for the Fetts allowed for 360 view, though through glass.

The album starts with the 8 Jedi costumes on display, as that is my personal area of interest.  I was annoyed that Qui-Gon and young Obi-Wan were displayed on a ledge so high it was impossible to see any detail.  Good thing I did see them up close at FIDM so long ago.

Gnome down!

This was discovered this morning.

If he didn't go down in the high winds over this past weekend, then I doubt any wind there was last night caused the fall.   My suspicion is that he got into a fight with a racoon and lost.

It broke at the same location it had before.  I'd superglued it back together.  Looks like it did not hold. After closer examination, there are a couple more holes and damaged spots.  I am of the opinion he has lost his last fight.

The dirt was in it for weight and stability. 

Anglicon

My apologies for not keeping up this blog.  I spend a lot more time on my sketching blog over on Wordpress.

I went to the re-boot of Anglicon back in mid-June.  All the photos are here. I tried something new.  I only went for one day and took the light rail and the bus over to the con hotel in SeaTac.  It's the same place Norwescon is held.  Since I wasn't wearing an unusual costume, it worked quite well.  I hid the replica weapon in a bag so as not to disturb transit riders!   I don't remember why, but I wasn't feeling very well so I didn't go the second day.

I developed a new costume for this con.  Since it was heavily focused on Dr. Who, I put together a costume for one of my favorite characters, River Song.    There was a home built Tardis there for posed photos and I took advantage of it.

  I didn't sew any part of this costume.  The jeans jacket and white blouse are from a thrift store.  I bought a wig on-line.  The replica pistol and holster I already had, purchased for use in a Firefly-ish costume.  There is also a pouch, not shown here, which I also already had. 

Several former cast members were there as guests, including the 6th Doctor, Tom Baker.  Photos are on my smugmug host, as linked above.

Some of the clever costumes I saw:

Kristen as a Dalek:  

Susie in a Tardis tutu costume made by her mom:

And another River Song

April Fool

For the past few years, the Museum of Flight has put up an amusing April Fool's day exhibit.  This year was no different.

 

You have to be a "certain age" to remember the flying toasters screen saver!

We're in another movie!

I'm a couch potato with a cold and I'm working through my Netflix queue.  Low and behold, I find out they were filming To Be Takei while we were presenting George with honorary Rebel Legion membership a few years ago at ECCC!  Chrystal even has a speaking part! 


Chystal is dressed as Queen Amidala and is actually recorded making the presentation.  I'm behind her and Amanda is behind me. 

Snow

Yup.  Got snow.  When I awoke at 0600, it was still dry.  But by 0730, there was this: 

 

Snow on the Gnome Noses:

 

Spaceflight Academy!

This week's volunteer shift at the Museum of Flight was quite interesting.  I spent the shift over in the Space Gallery where I watched the final push for installation of the new Spaceflight Academy. 

First, as I arrived, I caught this interesting view of the newly delivered Boeing 787 (# 3).

I had been a bit annoyed when I heard the Christmas tree was already up.  It was still a week before Thanksgiving.  However, the previous evening, at the volunteer meeting, it was explained that the Museum will have several groups hosting their holiday parties, starting right after Thanksgiving so the tree needed to be up early.  They are also dependent upon the schedule of the volunteer group that does the set up.  This tree celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Museum of Flight!

While watching the Spaceflight Academy final build, I met Alfred.  He's a retired Boeing engineer.  And he built the fuel tanks for the model of the Space Shuttle!  He said he began the build nearly 2 years ago, in December 2012.

He was there to watch the installation of the tanks.  The model of the shuttle was built by AeroJet Rockadyne and donated to the Museum.   I waited as long as I could.  Next week, my shift falls on Thanksgiving and the Museum of closed.  So it's likely I won't be there again until early December.  I'll have more photos then.


Dieter is a Museum docent and a real Rocket Scientist.  He is an engineer for Aerojet Rockadyne of Redmond.  He presented at the Museum's Spacefest on the rockets built for NASA Mars missions. In the second photo, he's posed holding a plastic model of one of the engines. 

 

I meet such interesting and accomplished people at the Museum!  There were several astronauts there for Spacefest but, this time, I didn't meet any of them. 


All the photos are here.

Halloween 2014

The porch decor theme this year is Harry Potter.  JK is releasing a new bit of fiction on Pottermore today and AFK, the geek tavern, is celebrating Halloween with a "Death Eaters" theme. 

I dressed as  Professor McGonagall.  The thing on my face is a cat nose mini-mask.  Prof M was an Animagus who could morph into a Tabby Cat.

More photos here.

On the last day of my Michigan trip (29 Oct), I took a drive to a neighboring small town.  I saw three houses that were over the top for Halloween.

All those photos are here.

Star Wars Reads Day

Yesterday was a good troop at the Museum of Flight.  Alpha Base & Garrison Titan helped the Museum celebrate Star Wars Reads Day. 

Amanda is missing from this photo, which was taken by Bob, the R2D2 builder

We had to have our photos made in two specific places.....
The Destiny Module (aka "Tantive IV")

Here are Amanda and me.

and in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Full Fuselage Trainer.

The Museum staff had lots of fun things for kids to do, including "Death Star Ground School" and lots of crafts.  Yoda holds min-lightsaber building parts.

Lots of people came dressed in Star Wars costumes.  Here some kids using the Force:

All the photos are here.

Homeland Security and the Lightsaber

As the lone Alpha Base/Rebel Legion member, I joined two from Garrison Titan/501st Legion to do a fund raising photo booth at the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Kick off event at the Jackson Federal Building in downtown Seattle.

The building has an airport-like screening process for entry but it's run by Homeland Security officers.  It was amusing taking my lightsaber through.  The officer pulled by bag out, asked whether it was mine and then said he had to search it.  He pulled out the sink-tube lightsaber and asked, "what's this?" I told him it was a lightsaber.  I'd intentionally brought one without any electronics in it for this reason.  Another officer was interested and wanted to see it, too.  All was fine from then on.

The GT members came through the loading dock with their bins.  These were screened in a large device.  Despite the presence of at least 3 prop weapons, Cheryl said the item about which the officers were most concerned was the aerosol can of hair spray!

We three posed for photos for a donation to the CFC charity.

Local TV and comedy personality, Pat Cashman, was there.  He's on a local show called The 206 (Seattle's area code).  While at the event, he filmed a brief segment for the show which was a fake ad for lard.  He asked the TK to pretend to eat it.  This will be on the show 18 or 25 October.
Update 20 November:  That segment finally aired a couple weeks ago and the Stormtrooper wasn't in it.  

All the photos are here.