2014 Cosplay Year in Review

2014 was the year of the plunge neckline and the year of the Cosblog. I'm glad I was able to make my return to writing thanks to a little inspiration by my buddy Calamity. Now if only I would get motivation to do more videos....

It was a productive year: more costumes, more conventions, more blogs, more group cosplays, and more masquerades (judging and competing). It was overwhelming at times - flashback to 4 conventions in 8 weeks with 4 new costumes - but it was a great experience.

Other milestones include:
My first original costume - the Earth Dragon
My first animated Disney costume - Cruella
My first light up prop - Sharla's rifle

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Costumes

I'm surprised I was able to accomplish this much in a year.  I always try to learn new tricks and techniques when I pick my costumes. This year I tackled: feathers, bead work, decorative knotting, leatherworking, airbrushing, sewing sequins, and heavy wig styling.

What I learned from these costumes:

• Model magic is a great base for Worbla projects
• Dry brushing gold or silver onto dark props/armour is the equivalent of dark washing light props
• Always tear fur or cut with a razor. Use scissors if you are ready to inhale fibers
• Silicone caulk is a great adhesive that remains flexible. It's great for gluing stones
• Silicone caulk is also great for setting your first layer of wefts on a wig structure
• When beading, patience is required
• Apply crackle medium liberally if you want a dramatic effect
• Buy feather trim instead of lose feathers for a better bargain
• Back up shoes are a necessity for those impossibly high-heeled costumes
• iDye poly works great on wig fibres
• Sharpie dyeing wig fibre tends to rub off
• Clear Elmer glue works great at laying down hair extensions
• Don't use anything remotely rigid to line a bathing suit
• Damn. I really need an embroidering machine
• Leather is fun. Leather is expensive
• You can paint real and fake leather with Martha Stewart paint. That stuff works on everything. In Martha Stewart paint we trust.
• Sharpie a feather whenever dyeing it is too much trouble
  
  Thumbs link to the costume pages with galleries and construction breakdowns.
  

Costume Expenses

Total: Approx. $1,800 CAD
I'm doing my tally slightly differently this year. Normally I just add all the money spent on anything costume related and throw the number here. Instead I'm adding up the cost of projects completed this year, and I'm not including the costs of incomplete or future projects.

Most Expensive Costume
Sharla @ $400

By leaps and bound this was my most expensive costume of the year. It was mostly because of all that leather and leatherworking supplies.
Cruella came in second with $276, because sequins and faux fur are also expensive.

Least Expensive Costume
Tera Swim @ $29

No surprise here. You can really save by recycling wigs, ears, horns, and bodypaint. Although those gold beads on the straps were ridiculously expensive.

Favourite Costume

Cruella, Ragyo, and my Dragon are all up there as some of the favorite costumes  overall. But I'm picking the Earth Dragon because it was my first original design, and I am happy with the results and the challenges I decide to give myself with this project. It has tons of strung beads and even more sewn down beads. It's encrusted in stones as well.
I also enjoy that I was able to turn something I don't like - I'm not crazy about the colours green or brown - and turning it into something I really like. I'm glad I didn't cop out and do the easy thing, like a fire dragon.

Favourite Prop

Although I love my sniper rifle for Sharla, my Tera swords are my favorite prop for the year. I had so many hopes and other features planned for my prop gun that I can't give it the title. These swords on the other hand turned out exactly how I wanted them.
Honorable mention for my rifle below. My only other prop for the year.

Favourite Convention

Three years running ColossalCon has been my favourite convention to attend. I just have too much fun hanging out with my friends in a waterpark. Renting a villa made the experience even sweeter.
Read the full con report here, complete with Vines.

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Forward to 2015

The year of the Evil Queens

Although I do not purposefully set out to pick a theme for the year, things always seem to fall into place. 2014 was the year of the plunge, although I may have 2 more plunge dresses to complete next year to wrap up the collection. 2015 will be filled with Evil Queens, because I love me some villains and they often have the best outfits. So far I plan on making Ravenna, Regena (if I can find the fabric), and Queen Beryl.

For a full list of my upcoming events and confirmed costumes you can visit my "PLANS" page.

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