New Year's Party Food

EATING GEEKY ON NEW YEAR'S EVE

By Sandi Moser

New Year’s Eve is fast approaching. If you’re planning a party, you may be starting to think of the food and drinks you want to serve. If you’re like my husband and me, you’re also starting to plan how best to present those tasty treats to partygoers. Taste is certainly the most import consideration, but presentation comes in at a very close second.

Whether you’re planning a themed party or a mishmash of things you love, there is great inspiration to be found through a few quick internet searches. Here are a few ideas and recipes that may come in handy at your next party:

• If you want your New Year’s Eve party to be “magical”, you could consider a few items with a Harry Potter theme. I started with a search for a butterbeer recipe and was surprised at how many were available. Obedient Ingredients does a good job researching some of the recipes for you. To round out the theme, liquor bottles can be relabeled for potions class and veggie trays can be themed from herbology class. Of course, a Harry Potter theme is not complete without a big bowl of jelly beans.

• One of my favourite video games growing up was the Legend of Zelda. If I could throw any kind of nostalgic themed party for myself, this would be it. Heart-shaped red cookies, punch bowls filled with red, green and blue potions, and bowls of deku nuts (pistachios) would be scattered through the house. If you sing me the right song, I may also be convinced to get you a carafe of milk.

• Settlers of Catan fans can easily make a party setting simply by display foods in hexagonal shaped dishes. By artfully arranging said dishes and filling with a variety of foods (i.e., veggies, chips, pretzels and dips), it’s easy to recreate a Settlers board. Alternatively, for a sweet treat, a similar effect can be achieved with cupcakes (taking care to shape the icing as hexagonally as possible) or hexagonal cookies decorated with coloured icings. 

• If you’ll have a lot of kids in attendance, Minecraft seems to offer some of the easiest ideas for food presentation. It takes a bit of imagination, but it can be fun thinking of food ideas that can be used to represent various resources: pretzels for sticks, red licorice for TNT, blueberries for diamonds, honeydew melon balls as slime balls. You can also use food colouring with rice cereal squares to make blocks of sand, dirt, coal, etc.

In searching for your next party favour food, here are a few other websites beyond Pinterest you may find helpful:

• Kitchen Overlord 
• Geeky Hostess
• Geeky Chef 

Wishing you and yours a safe and Happy New Year!

Sandi is a 30-something environmental engineer and mother of two from the metropolis of Stittsville, Ontario. Writing for Capital Geek Girls is a new adventure for her, with previous writing experience limited to technical documents, briefing notes and Facebook updates. In her spare time, Sandi enjoys playing board games and video games, reading books, watching movies, and crocheting. She looks forward to sharing her geeky endeavours with you, as well as reporting on the next generation’s response to those endeavours.

Geek Christmas Crafts

DIY CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS WITH A GEEKY FLAIR

by Sandi Moser

For as much as I like to craft, my décor at home is not really conducive to showing it off 11 months of the year. At Christmas, however, decorating ideals go out the door and my house fills with a variety of homemade items. One of our pieces of modern art is replaced by a reindeer painting by my daughter. Our mantle is adorned with a snow globe featuring my son’s toddler fingers as snowmen.

One of my favourite places for homemade crafts is the Christmas tree. My usual clean line, modern (but homey) living room features a tree adorned with handmade ornaments that go as far back as my own childhood. For as much as I like the look of a themed Christmas tree, nothing gets me more excited for the holidays as a popsicle stick snowman with an uneven smile (hanging near the back of the tree so the people outside can appreciate it). 

In preparation for the season, and to find something to do with the kids leading into Christmas vacation, I went hunting for ideas to make a few new ornaments. Here are some of my favourite finds:

• Ninja Turtles: This one is first, because it gave me the idea to write this article in the first place. In the kid-friendly (read: easy) version, glue an appropriately coloured ribbon around a green Christmas ball and add googly eyes. Voila, the ninja turtle of your choice. Those with more artistic flair can get out the paint and hand draw bandanas and eyes. Either way, you have a turtle for your tree.
• Minions: As a variation of the Ninja Turtle ornament, use a yellow Christmas ball with black ribbon and one or two eyeballs (again, googly eyes, or maybe felt). Feel free to add a mouth and hair with a black marker or paint.
  
• The Golden Snitch: What I liked about this one is that it’s not overtly “geeky”. It’s actually quite a pretty ornament, using a gold Christmas ball and attaching some wings. Harry Potter fans may recognize it, but it could likely hide in a tree without much notice.

• Lego Death Star: With a 5-year-old in ‘da house, we have more than our share of Star Wars-themed Lego. What do I like most about this craft? We can put it together and take it apart every Christmas!
  
• Dalek: OK, here is where I have to admit my pop culture blind spot – Dr. Who. I’ve never watched an episode, but I know there are a lot of fans out there. I came across this ornament for the more advanced crafters. The instructions are pretty involved, but the result is pretty cool, even for someone who doesn’t know a Dalek from a cylon.

I hope you’ve found some inspiration for bringing a bit of homemade to your own Christmas tree. Happy Holidays!

Sandi is a 30-something environmental engineer and mother of two from the metropolis of Stittsville, Ontario. Writing for Capital Geek Girls is a new adventure for her, with previous writing experience limited to technical documents, briefing notes and Facebook updates. In her spare time, Sandi enjoys playing board games and video games, reading books, watching movies, and crocheting. She looks forward to sharing her geeky endeavours with you, as well as reporting on the next generation’s response to those endeavours.

Montreal Comiccon Highlights: 2014

by Jordan Danger

Photos by Chris Patten

MONTREAL COMICCON 2014: HIGHLIGHTS

A stunning Bishop cosplay, and moi.

This year I attended the Montreal ComicCon once again. It’s my third time at this con, and it shows no sign of slowing down. With record-setting crowds this year, the con was packed—almost overwhelmingly so—and the entire building was a-buzz with con goers. The Palais de Congres is such a great venue because it offers extensive room to chill out, so the con floor itself isn’t packed with people dragging their feet; indeed, the main mezzanine is a great place to grab some amazing cosplay shots.

COSPLAY FUN

And the cosplay was really the star of the show this con. I estimate that 1 in 4 people seem to be dressed up in some fashion; certainly I could turn in any direction at any point, and find somebody in a glorious costume. I myself attended as Jet Girl (my cosplay that debuted at Ottawa ComicCon this year) and enjoyed the thumbs-up and photo op requests from attendees.

Click Here to see our full album of Montreal Comic Con Photos. 

Cosplay really is becoming a major part of conventions, and I think this is wonderful. One can only attend so many cons before you’ve bought all the merch you really need, attended all the panels you wanted to hear, and gotten all the celebrity photos you can afford. After that, the cons can get a little stale—take it from me, who has attended every con in the area for a year straight. What doesn’t get old is the fans and the cosplay.

HIDDEN GEMS IN ARTIST’S ALLEY

Also infinitely enjoyable is Artist’s Alley. This often-overlooked part of a con’s offerings was a busy place at MTL this year. Many of the artists are repeats; for instance, I see Ron + Indy regularly, and Dr Kyla’s Emporium who makes the most wonderful crocheted characters, like my Gorn who I glued to my hula girl legs on my dash and is now the famous HulaGorn.

What’s great about Artist’s Alley is that, even when you chat with an artist you’ve already met, you get an update on their world and their work. Of course, it’s also great fun to see people having custom sketches done by industry giants like Geof Isherwood and Nick Bradshaw, two highly approachable and awesome comic book artist greats. Over the course of many cons, Nick and I have become well acquainted (and I have a sketch of Rogue on roller skates to prove it), and it can be a real treat to chat with some of the men and women who bring our favourite characters to life.

me with Nick Bradshaw, Marvel's go-to guy

It’s also great fun to discover younger talent and support them with the purchase of a print or postcard. This year, Amy Spaulding and Deena Pagliarello get my vote for ‘best in show’ with their very clever takes on iconic super women.

A GOOD GEEKY TIME

We departed the con after a giant feast of sushi from the Palais’ sushi place, then headed out, full of that bright happy geek energy you can only find at a con. It’s such a joy to live in the ‘golden triangle’ and have such easy access to everything Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto; if you haven’t made the short trip down to Montreal for the con before, I heartily recommend you hit it up next year!

Jordan Danger is a veteran blogger, writer, and marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also President and Editor in Chief of CapitalGeekGirls.com. Jordan blogs at GirlCrafted.com, a lifestyle blog about crafting life both literally and figuratively. She loves DIY projects, her dog, and Oxford comma

School Lunches for Geeky Kids

MAKING LUNCH FUN – HOW TO PUT A LITTLE GEEK INTO KIDS LUNCHES

By Sandi Moser

It’s back-to-school time again. This year will be a bit different for our family – my youngest will finally be going to school full-time. He’s over-the-moon excited, which is catchy, but my husband and I can’t help but groan when thinking about the extra lunches and snacks we’ll have to start packing. We’ve had a bit of experience (my daughter is entering grade 3), but adding that extra lunch bag to the mix has put a bit of a drag on the upcoming return to school.

In an effort to inject some excitement into the lunch-making tedium, I went on a mission to find some new, fun, and (because it’s me) geeky snack and lunch ideas. 

Surprisingly, searching online for ideas wasn’t as straightforward as I thought it would be. Most searches brought me to links to articles about the importance of healthy school lunches, or to message boards asking questions about what geeks are eating these days while playing computer games (your typical Doritos and Fritos made those lists – I guess they’re not reading the previously-mentioned healthy-snack articles). 

What finally did the trick for finding appropriate school ideas was searching for a particular theme. For example, searching for “Star Wars school lunch ideas” brought me to a blog by Wendy Copely, author of Everyday Bento: 50 Cute and Yummy Lunches To Go, showcasing the different ways you can use Star Wars cookie cutters (to cut sandwiches, quesadillas, and even cheese slices) and lightsabre picks to infuse some fun into lunch: http://wendolonia.com/blog/2013/05/02/star-wars-lunch-ideas-for-your-little-jedi/. 

The Wendolonia blog brought me to even more Star Wars ideas, including this awesome lunch, with a Princess Leia cheese sandwich with almond butter and jam sandwich hair “buns”: http://www.veggie-bento.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/may-the-fourth-lunch.jpg. While making Princess Leia sandwiches probably takes a bit more time than I’m willing to commit, turning pretzel sticks into lightsabres is definitely a possibility.

Here are a few of my favourite finds. With luck, they’ll help make us all excited for lunch-making time, and won’t result in too many Pinterest fails!

Superhero lunch (http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com/back-school-superhero-lunch-box/) – I especially love the idea of using a toothpick to write into the peel of the banana, which will brown up by morning. I can think of many possibilities for that trick!

Minecraft lunch (http://www.bentonbetterlunches.com/2013/04/thriftee-gear-review-minecraft-lunch.html) – I have to admit, when my daughter talks to me about Minecraft, I feel like I have the same expression on my face as my parents did when I tried to explain how to program the timer of our VCR. But, the sandwich looks easy to make, and gives new life to simple squares of cheese.

Dragon lunch (http://www.bentonbetterlunches.com/2013/09/how-to-train-your-dragon.html) – Most of the dragon-inspired things in this lunch come from rings that decorate cupcakes at the grocery store. The idea I really liked on this page, however, was the egg. I make hardboiled eggs every week for my own snacks, but it can be made so much more fun and kid-friendly by cracking it, then soaking it in water and food colouring.  

Don’t forget to get the kids involved in making lunch. With some of these ideas, lunch-making will become an enjoyable game instead of a chore!

Sandi is a 30-something environmental engineer and mother of two from the metropolis of Stittsville, Ontario. Writing for Capital Geek Girls is a new adventure for her, with previous writing experience limited to technical documents, briefing notes and Facebook updates. In her spare time, Sandi enjoys playing board games and video games, reading books, watching movies, and crocheting. She looks forward to sharing her geeky endeavours with you, as well as reporting on the next generation’s response to those endeavours.

Following the Crowd...Funding

FOLLOWING THE CROWD...FUNDING
By Katie Bonnar

It’s time to come clean: I have an addiction. But it’s not nefarious or even remotely embarrassing like those sad souls featured on My Strange Addiction. I am addicted to crowdfunding. When I boot up the computer in the morning and go through my routine, somewhere between my RSS feed and my email, I’ve usually opened a tab for my most recent poison: Kickstarter. But I’m not one to discriminate – if there’s an Indiegogo worth my money, I’ll happily back that project. I’ve backed campaigns for products such as Buckitt and Foodhuggers and even feel good projects like the Mayfair Theatre’s digital projector campaign (yes, a version of my name is on a seat there – can you find it?).

It has gotten to the point where I back so many that when a fantastic new one came up that my husband and I both wanted to back (full disclosure: he knows the creator of the campaign), he begged me to let him be the one to back it for once so that he could relish in the experience of updates, stretch goals and overall good feelings.

Want to dip your toes in the crowdfunding pool? You’re in luck because here’s a list of currently running campaigns selected for the discerning Capital Geek Girl!

First up, let’s delve into an area close to a Geek Girl’s heart: comics and graphic novels. Crowdfunding sites are rife with people seeking to self-publish and their projects suit all tastes. Here are two currently active campaigns that caught my eye:

Here We Go: (A collection of short comics) by Jesse Young

Not So Super Comics by Jacques E. Nyemb

Want to get your geek on in moving image? You’re in luck – there are oodles of docs out there just waiting to be funded. This one is especially relevant to our Capital Geek Girls community:

The Cosplay Appreciation Project

Board games of all types show up with a frequency that speaks to their booming popularity. They range from card-based games to the more intricate, gorgeous games built by true artisans. If board games are your bag, back one today and, depending on your support level, get your mitts on one before it breaks into the market:

Ants: The Board Game

Fragged Empire, Tabletop RPG

Railroads, a boutique wooden board game

Antidote - A Game of Deduction, Deception and Mortality

And finally, my favourite type of crowdfunding projects: ones that result in getting my hands on some seriously cool new stuff! Here are some geeky tangible products you could back – for yourself or as gifts. Again, these ones are all currently active, so if you see something you like, get in there and back ‘em! 

LED Bean Bags with Light Up Cornhole Boards, Great Glow Game

Laser Cube - An Enjoyable Laser Engraver and Cutter

MOS Reach - Power Everywhere

Smart Lightbox Shows Calls, Emails, Social: LEDmeKnow

Be a Superhero Action Figure

Mermaid Outfit [Cosplay Accessories]

Moment Smartwatch: world's first wrap around smart watch

With campaigns launched daily you might just find yourself scrolling endlessly through crowdfunding campaigns on the regular. So tell me, have you backed a campaign or is this uncharted territory for you? Have you ever run a campaign? And, of course, if you’ve found a gem, share, share, share!

Katie Bonnar is a modern renaissance woman. She is a seriously devoted fan of music, art, photography, armchair economics, fashion, culture, language and My Little Pony. She's an early adopter and, while obsessed with the visually stunning and well-designed, she's also on a quest to minimise the ephemera in her life. You can find her on Twitter at @iamkatiebonnar

Writing the Geek Novel: Part Two

WRITING THE GEEK NOVEL PART TWO: ENVIRONMENT

Hello fellow Geek Writers! As you may recall, last month we covered creating your characters for your novel. Today we will work on environment.

Now before you get all excited about your newly created world, I need to stress that your world is NOT more important than your story.  As cool as you can make your world, whatever wonderful things it has, including purple unicorns that grant wishes but steal your fingers, is not your story.  Your story should be able to be told anywhere, regardless of the world. That being said, let's have some fun:

WHAT KIND OF WORLD IS IT?

Is it completely different than ours, like Middle Earth? Or is it our world, but different, like Hogwarts?  The cool thing about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is that it's our world in the 'now'. Nothing is different. Except people have crazy powers and can blow things up with their brains or things shooting out of their brains. Or arms.  Is it different place but can be accessed, like through a wardrobe or a portal?  

WHEN DOES THIS STORY TAKE PLACE?

If you're looking at medieval times, you need to get the facts down of how they lived and what they wore. If you're looking for a 'Noir' novel, make sure you get the type of gun and bullets down pat. If it's the future - utopian, dystopian -  how did that happen? Also, dystopia is very crowded right now. You might want to give it a few years and try again later. 

WHAT DOES THE WORLD SAY ABOUT YOUR PROTAGONIST?

Does it change who they are/become?  The character's history up to this very point, will affect the created world.  How does this world challenge your characters? How does your protagonist view the world?  Look for internal and external obstacles. Frodo was challenged in leaving the Shire.  And then every bloody thing created in Middle Earth tried to kill him. 

HOW DOES YOUR WORLD WORK?

The rules of magic, the rules of punishment, the rules of leaders, the rules of logic, gravity, time-travel, space speed and mind-reading.  You need to be very firm on your created rules and do NOT change them.  Because then your reader will accuse you of 'copping-out' and throw the book across the room.  Do not preach or  spend too much time directly comparing your world to the real world. Your job is to make the readers come away satisfied, and maybe appreciate their own surroundings just a little bit more. 

Next time we will cover plot. Happy writing!

Jenn Kelly is a writer is on hiatus because she's discovering the world of board games.

Cosplay Double Trouble: Tank Girl and Jet Girl at Ottawa Comiccon '14

by Jordan Danger
COSPLAY DOUBLE TROUBLE: JORDAN AND MJ DO TANK GIRL AND JET GIRL

For Ottawa Comiccon 2014, CGG contributor MJ Baker and I did a very special cosplay. Special, because in all our years as besties, and all our years as Tank Girl fans, we have never done a Tank Girl duo cosplay. So, after a lot of planning and hard work, we did the con this year as Tank (MJ) and Jet (me)...and it rocked. Oh yes, it rocked.

MJ spent hours on her helmet, and for a point of reference for other DIY cosplayers, about $60 in materials. It was a huge undertaking and it was worth every penny and every minute.

We both agreed, it was a) almost too easy to put together our outfits from existing clothing we owned, and b) we felt way more ass-kicky dressed up this way than on a regular day. I proposed we just dress like this all the time. It could be our new signature looks in our day jobs. No? Yes, I say.

Anyway, it was a ton of fun and a great bonding experience. It gave a special pageantry to the entire weekend, and it was a wonderful conversation starter. If you haven't cosplayed, girls, I suggest you get out there and try it. Every time I do, I find more things to love about it.

Cool Cosplayers: An Interview with Retro Joad and Critical Miss

by Courtney Lockhart 

COOL COSPLAYERS: CRITICAL MISS AND RETRO JOAD

 Thea Nikolic and Jody Haucke are getting ready to be very busy very soon.  Over Comiccon weekend they will cosplay 2-3 different characters each, run 3 panels , take part in activities as members of the 501^st legion and League of Superheroes and perform at the Wondergeeks Pan-galactic showcase Saturday night.   “It’s tricky, especially for Ottawa Comiccon because it’s in our hometown.” Jody explained. “We want to work with each group while we’re here in town to showcase our town to other people who are coming in.”  But he knows in the end the stress will be worth it. “There are nights we’re sitting at that table, it’s the day before con and we’re going ‘Why did I do this? I’m never doing this again.’ And then you go to con, and everyone  is taking pictures and you’re having so much fun being the character and you’re like ‘oh yeah, that’s why.”

 The pair, known professionally as Critical Miss and Retro Joad, met when they were both cast in a summer production for Eddie May Murder Mysteries.   Soon after, at the Heroes and Villains party they debuted their  first and arguably favourite joint costume: Harley Quinn and Joker.  “I love my classic Harley, and I still wear her.” Thea commented “But We’re kind of getting into elseworld stuff where we do our own thing,  like the rockabilly Harley.”

“We want a Joker and Harley for anything we show up at” Jody added before they riffed on what it would be like to go to an event like an Ottawa Senators game in costume.   Because of their acting background, they believe characterization is a big part of a successful cosplay.  “The word means costume play.” said Thea. “We enjoy acting like idiots when we’re Joker and Harley.”  While their antics are usually well received, they don’t sweat it when the reactions are less than hospitable.

“Life’s a lot easier when you don’t <care> what anyone thinks.” Jody recounted one time  in Toronto where they were trying to get back into the convention centre at the same time a Blue Jays game was letting out and they encountered some judgemental sports fans.  “Everyone  has their own thing they are going to be a fan of. You’re going in to spend a lot of money to watch a baseball game very far away, eat a cold hot dog and drink a warm beer for $25.  That’s not what I want to do. If you want to go and do that, go and do that. If I want to go do this, I’ll go do this.” 

Each cosplay experience offers something different. “At a movie premiere  you see people who don’t necessarily go to comic conventions.” Thea explained.  The costumes are appreciated at a different level  and the reactions more varied at a Con.  Jody finds for example that when he wears his Lucius Malfoy cosplay, people get very quiet versus the explosive reactions some of the other outfits get.

While they definitely have  their dream ‘Money is no object’ cosplays, Worf and Jadzia’s wedding outfits from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine currently top that list,  Thea and Jody insist that anyone can cosplay at any budget.  “Most people are going to see you from three to five feet away for a minute and then move on. It doesn’t have to be perfect.” Jody said.   Their Cosplay on a Budget panel  that ran last year inspired one attendee to go out that very night and put together a cosplay to wear for the remainder of the weekend.  “It made running the panel worth it.” 

You can follow their ongoing adventures in cosplay at their facebook page or on twitter @HarleyQuinnBabe and @crystalbasement They will also be working with Browncoats Burlesque on the May 17^th show, Necronomikhann!

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

Cosplay Wisdom and Tips For Comic Con Season

by Thea Nikolic aka Critical Miss

COSPLAY CONFIDENTIAL: TIPS FOR COSPLAY

Thea, aka 'Critical Miss', as Rockabilly Harley

So Cosplay season is upon us, and that means getting your costumes ready for the masses. Are you going just to Cosplay or are you entering the Masquerade? Are you going straight from a source or is your costume a concept that you have come up with? Whatever the costume and whatever the reason, there are so many tips and tricks one can give to bring your costume to life, however I am going to concentrate on 5.

1. Drafting and sewing your costume - If you are talented enough to be able to draft your own patterns or adjust already existing patterns, you are well ahead of the game. If you are not one of those people, you need to find a seamstress or a costumer who takes commissions. But before you jump ahead and hire the first person you see who makes beautiful costumes, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Make sure you get recommendations from multiple people you trust. Make sure the person you hire can make the deadlines you set, take correct measurements and give you proper fittings to make sure things are going well with your costume. And please, get a receipt or a contract stating how much money you've given as a deposit, what the deadlines are and when the rest of the money is to be paid out. You will be better off for it.

2. Finding the perfect wig - This step can be time consuming, but a good wig can make all the difference for your costume. Through the multiple sites you can find a wig that is not expensive and still looks good. And the other point that you need to consider is whether you can use this wig for another character, and if that is the case, then your 60$ wig then becomes a 30$. Also if you invest in a heat resistant one, that gives you even more versatility to a wig that might have just served for a single character but because you can curl it or straighten it, the possibilities are endless. Here are a few links, but there are tons of cosplay wig websites out there.

                - http://www.ebay.com/

                - http://arda-wigs.com/

                - http://www.cosplayhouse.com/

                - http://www.epiccosplay.com/

3. The 5 foot Rule - Of course the details are important. Especially the exact replica buttons you ordered from England for your spot on Andromeda uniform. However, sometimes it is just impossible to get the exact item to complete your costume. You also may not have the funds to order a screen replica. So you may want to consider the "5 foot Rule". What this rule means is that when you step away from the costume from 5 feet, and it looks great, then you are good to go. Most of the time, people in conventions see you for a split second, take a picture and they are gone. Most people will not spend half an hour looking at the screen used sword you ordered for a pretty penny. If you can afford it, that is amazing. And if you plan on always entering the Masquerade where they do look at the fine details up close, then go for what you can afford (please don't ever break the bank for a hobby that for but a few exceptions, does not pay you back what you spent), but for the rest, the 5 foot Rule is a good way to judge what your costume looks like.

 

by Dana Harper

4. The Great Fabric Hunt - This can sometimes be the most frustrating part of building a new costume. First off, give yourself enough time to search for the right material. Deciding the weekend before a convention to build a new costume might not be the best way to finding the right fabric. Second, shop the sales. Fabricland is one of our local companies that has sales on a regular basis. Another avenue to think about is that it is only a short drive to the fabric district in Montreal. However, online fabric stores are worth checking out as well. Many of them will send you swatches of the fabric so you know exactly what you are ordering. Or, if you are fortunate to live close to the border, take a drive down to the states and shop around there. You are sure to find some deals.

5. Background Check - Here is a way to make your costume shine without spending a dime. Whatever medium your character is from, you have material to source from. Do some research by watching episodes or movies and read the comics. These will help you immensely by giving you dynamic poses that you can use for photos, catch phrases that will make convention goers love you even more and if you have the ability to do it, impersonating your character will seal the deal.

It is my hope that these 5 tips have given you some guidance in how to start, and upgrade and just have fun with your cosplay. Because that is the most important thing, to have fun. Sure, winning the ribbons can be amazing, to get the recognition for all your hard work, but nothing compares to the young child whose favourite character is you, the fan who flips out because of your cosplay, the mother who asks you to pose with her and her baby. These are the moments that make it worth it.

Thea Nikolic aka Critical Miss has been cosplaying for several years and has just recently started hosting panels at various conventions about cosplay. She is also an actor, so she loves to play and act like her various characters that she loves. You can follow her cosplay shenanigans with her costuming husband at their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/criticalmissandretrojoad. You can also follow her on Twitter @HarleyQuinnBabe as well as on Instagram harleyquinnbabe.

Photographer: Dana Harper  http://www.geekxgirls.com/showgeek.php?ID=2

Retrospective: Ottawa Geek Market 2014

by Christina Marie

THE GEEK MARKET: A GEEK'S SHOPPING PARADISE 

Armed with my teenage son, and this time, enough cash, or what I thought was enough cash, I got the wonderful assignment of attending the Geek Market.  I grew up on old Ataris, Star Wars, Nintendos, Superhero Saturday morning cartoons, original sci-fi movies and TV shows, so being at the Geek Market was heaven.  The Geek Market consisted of not only recent and most sought after retro games and toys, but also anime and cosplay items; baked goods, yes, baked good, delicious Lego Cupcakes by Cici & Co which were almost sold out by the afternoon on the first day; and science fiction and fantasy literature, including a booth with Ottawa author, Patricia K. McCarthy who writes a Vampire series of novels set right here, in Ottawa along with other local artists.  The Nepean Sportsplex Hall A and B were filled with rows of vendors, each offering something a geek really must have.  People came out in cosplay as well.  I had to take a picture of “Rick” from The Walking Dead, one of my favorite series on TV. 

Our CGG friend, CiCi & Co!

Clothing by Roxanne

After stopping and trying to decide on which novels to try from Patricia McCarthy’s series, (to date I am on reading my second one and enjoying them immensely), I went by the cupcake booth, who could resist cupcakes from CIci & Co.  One of the bigger displays at the Geek Market were Lego’s.  There was a booth by adult lego creators group of Ottawa, Parlugment (www.parlugment.org) who displayed many video game and sci-fi movie scenes, notably, Link (from Zelda) and Star Wars displays.  I was amazed at all the various artistry among the booths, including painter SophieniArt, jewelry and cosplay items, such as Kigurumi “pajamas”, and Suburban Changeling, who sold elf ears and woodland designs,  Steampunk items from Creative Clothing by Roxanne and Butterfly’s Lab who made various articles such as Harley Quinn aprons, purses and wallets, just to name a few items.  Harley Quinn is a personal favorite, but they made others as well.

Sophie Art

The Geek Market is not only a market, but they also raise funds each year for a charity.  One of the highlights of the Geek Market was a silent auction, with proceeds going to The Royal Ottawa Hospital. Two dollars of every admission and all Silent Auction proceeds are donated to the charity selected for that year.  This year, $6,244 was raised and donated to The Royal Ottawa Hospital.

Butterfly's Lab

There were many other booths, several with video games for out of date systems, new and older collector action figures and I came out of there with several priceless to me items which required a few trips to the bank machine.  I was pleased to discover all the local and online vendors that are in the area that I did not know existed.  I am anxiously awaiting the next Geek Market which is going to be held October 4^th and 5^th.

Christina Marie is a student at Carleton University, working on her Bachelor of Computer Science. She has a background in web development and programming and her extra time is spent on being a mommy to little geeklings, playing sports and gaming, with her current favorites being Warcraft, DayZ and CoD.

March Break Geek-Activities for Your Little Monsters

by Jenn Kelly

MARCH BREAK GEEK ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR LITTLE MONSTERS

Notwithstanding your usual routes of checking out the local libraries, museums, newspaper, bookstores, movie theatres and March Break Camps, here are five ideas (I was only allowed to write about five) that can entertain your little monster so you don't pull out your hair or begin drinking.

1- Cosplay.  Little Monsters love make-believe.  And it is so much more fun when you can make-believe with a costume.  Remember when you were a little monster yourself?  Look deep into your closet, check the internet and help them make costumes. But remember, let them be in charge. And guess what? Darth Vader is totally allowed to wear a pink tutu. And then you re-enact scenes from movies or books.  Be sure to participate.  Your little monsters will love you for it. And how precious would it be to video it?

 This is my little monster and his garbage pail R2-D2 costume.

2- Create Your Own Comic Strip.  This will involve some printer paper, a ruler and a thin black marker.  Sketch out an empty comic strip.  Let the kids draw in their own characters, create a story and then colour it.  If your child is stuck for ideas, offer them a scenario. "Hey, what if Batman broke both legs falling out of a helicopter and the alligators are going to eat him and only Wonder Woman can save him, but she's mad at him?" Even better if you can help them create their own characters. My child has created an amazing character called 'Ninja Abby' and I adore her.  Try looking here for more ideas.

3- Make Your Own Movie!  This is a lot of fun. If you are privy to a tablet, you can download the Lego App for making still-shot movies. So the idea is that your little monsters can pull out all their Lego, set up a scene, and shoot a movie. Then they get to play it back with effects and music and sounds. And if the snapshot movie making is too time-consuming, you can download many 'video' apps and then boot it up into YouTube. Just make sure it's private.  It is ridiculously cool, and eats up a lot of time for those important phone calls and emails you have to respond to.

4- Grow A Garden. Of course I put this in. There is nothing wrong with getting your child excited about planting sunflower seeds or even sprouts.  Cut up the cups from your egg package, fill it with moist soil and plant a seed. Create markers for them.  There is nothing more fun than digging your fingers into cold, moist dirt and slapping it around, making mud. And the smell is the smell of springtime.  And it teaches them how the seed cracks and germinates, the little endosperm grows, the cells duplicate rapidly, the first leaves pop out and if they turn yellow it means they don't have enough nitrogen, and purple means they need potassium... I'll stop here.

5- Make Harry Potter's Wand! Found on Pinterest of course. This super-cool tutorial encourages you to use the glue-gun! Which if you don't have, you can purchase at Michael's for about 3$. Don't forget the costumes!

I want to encourage you parents, care-givers, and relatives, that March Break doesn't have to be stressful for you, or for your little monsters.  This is a precious time where you can be a kid too and just come down to their level and play.  Pay attention to them, talk to them, play with them. Because this time will fly by and you will miss it when you're older.

Jenn Kelly is a published author who is learning the girl geek-dom.  You can visit her webpage that she is supposed to update, but never does. http://www.jennkelly.com/ Um...that's all.