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

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.

Handmade Geek: Hobbes the Tiger Amigurumi

Crocheting a New Best Friend – My First Foray into Amigurumi 

I was 9 years old when I first picked up a crochet hook. I decided that Marie Magdalene, my Cabbage Patch Kid (yes, that was her real name), desperately needed a blanket. I can’t remember whose idea it was, but before I knew it, my mom had taught me how to crochet one giant granny square made of scrap yarn. 

My crocheting skills have come in handy through the years – my friends always knew what to expect when they moved into their first house or had their first child. About two years ago, though, I reached an age where all my friends had settled into their homes and started their families, and my house was saturated with blankets. What were my itchy fingers to do while watching Game of Thrones?

While searching for something new to make, I stumbled across a pattern for a hat in the shape of a minion from Despicable Me (my son’s favourite movie). I had never crocheted anything other than a blanket, but I ordered the pattern and was surprised at just how easy it was. With that one simple pattern, my eyes were suddenly open to all the fun, cool and geeky crochet opportunities out there!

Late last year, I was asked to crochet my first amigurumi. Amigurumi is a Japanese term used to describe crocheting stuffed animals, people and other creatures. MJ had found a pattern for her favourite comic strip character, Hobbes. I will admit I was nervous taking on the project. Blankets and hats are one thing, but stuffed animals seemed out of my league.

 

MJ with her new best friend.

With a bit of apprehension, I applied my almost 30 years (!?) of crocheting and gave it a go. I started crocheting Hobbes in September and finished in January. While the stitches were mostly basic, he was by far the most complex thing I’ve ever made. The hardest adjustment was the amount of attention it took! I was used to monotonous patterns (perfect for crocheting while watching TV), but amigurumi patterns change quite frequently. He took a lot of concentration and patience, but the satisfaction once he was stuffed and sewed together surpassed anything I’ve made before. And the look on MJ’s face upon receiving her new best friend was completely worth it.

I’ve learned this past year that there is a world of crochet patterns for every geeky pursuit, from Star Wars to My Little Pony. I would recommend beginner crocheters start with basic blankets or hats (like my minion one). Given their complexity, amigurumi should probably be left to intermediate to advanced crocheters with lots of patience. Many crochet patterns are surprisingly cheap and easy to fine with simple online searches.

I’m always happy to discuss crocheting, so if you have any questions on the hobby itself, please ask below.

If you’re interested in making your own Hobbes, the pattern I used can be found online for free at: http://sukigirl74.blogspot.ca/2011/03/free-hobbes-crochet-pattern.html.

Happy hooking!

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.