March 2014 Loot Crate

Hello everyone, hope your day is going great!

If I were to name a weakness when it comes to buying things, it is monthly subscriptions where you get awesome trial products mailed to you each month.  Usually, these are found for makeup products or food items.  Recently, I was introduced to Loot Crate.  Right off the bat I was interested, because when I am playing any sort of video or PC game, I have a serious looting problem.  No sparkle goes un-investigated, no garbage can unchecked.

Loot Crate brings all sorts of nerdy awesomeness to the table, as it is a monthly service where they deliver a handful of neat items to your door, with a perfectly-picked nerdy flavor.  I'm bummed I didn't know about it sooner, because it looks like there have been some killer crates in the past.  This was a good month to get started in, though, because the theme is "Attack on Titanfall" to commemorate the release of "Titanfall," and the hit manga/anime series "Attack on Titan."  I happen to be a big fan of both, so this was a great introductory box for me.

Watch me unbox it here (Caution for blonde moment right from the get-go, I struggle with the box!)



Here is a little more in-depth thoughts on some of the items, especially after reading the pamphlet I so carelessly tossed aside.

Titanfall T-Shirt:  Oh, wow! This is actually exclusive for Loot Crate, based on the shirt that was previously designed for the Titanfall development team.  Let me tell you right now, my husband is jeaaaalllous.

The taffy candy:  I had no idea why it was green, but upon reading the pamphlet, it was to celebrate St. Patricks day! Haha! It was yummy.

Lanyard:  Specially designed by the Loot Crate Labs with Respawn Entertainment.

Attack on Titan volume one:   This gives me a bit more chance to talk about Attack on Titan in general.  I've watched the anime and have caught bits of the manga online, so I'm excited to get the first book in print.  I do enjoy it, and while it may be a little cringeworthy at times due to the graphic nature of the series, its very intriguing and a good story in my opinion.  I don't know if I'll ever cosplay as anyone from this series, it's just not a costume design I'm interested in pursuing, but that doesn't detract from me enjoying the series overall.

Like I mentioned in the video, I'm very happy with this first Loot Crate experience, and can't wait for future ones.  Anyways, hope you enjoyed sharing this experience with me!

Until next time,
Alycia

SakuraCon is one month away!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

As of today, its 31 days to SakuraCon 2014!! Everytime I think about it, I get more excited and more nervous. Excited because, well, its the biggest con I have the chance to go to and there is so much to do and see! And nervous because I still have quite a bit left to do!

Honestly, I'm a lot further along on my new cosplays than I historically have been at this point before SakuraCon. There is still a bit left to finish up, but we are in the home stretch! 

One thing on my mind a lot this year is my figure. My Morgiana cosplay is a bit more revealing than past costumes, but just a bit. And I'm pretty confident with my appearance, but can't seem to escape that nagging voice in the back of my head urging me to skip that milkshake and do some extra sit ups at the gym. I'll admit, I'm a wee bit indulgent  in my diet, and don't do as many sit ups as I should, but I think I'll really crack down these next 30 days. 

I know this is a short little post, but I like sharing my thoughts like this. It's nice to get them off my chest, even by virtual methods, haha. If you made it this far, thanks for stopping by, and I'll think of something neat to blog about next week!

-Alycia

Quick update: Recent cosplay tools

Hi everyone!

With SakuraCon quickly approaching, 38 days away as I type this out, I've been working pretty hard to finish up the cosplays I want to debut with Justin this year! Seriously, my crafting room looks like a tornado hit it. I know all the safe paths to navigate through my domain, but visitors beware! 

With each cosplay I make, there are definitely tools/ accessories that make a recurring appearance for the final result, such as wigs, contacts, or super glue. But with every new cosplay, there is always gonna be something new you need. These tools may be useful in the future, or you could use it once to finish your cosplay and then never touch it again.   Here is a quick pic of some of the tools I've picked up in the past week to finish this season's cosplays: 

So, here is the rundown, working from back row to front row. 

-A hair straightener- I need it to straighten  wig this year. Will I use it again? Highly likely.  

-A wig head, to hold my wig while I style it. 

-A power sander, oh yeeaaah! My father-in-law kindly bought this for me, and it will definitely come in handy for future projects. 

-Rub 'n' Buff, my magic go-to for metallic paint! 

-Colored contacts! Not only fun for cosplay, but fun to wear for occasional everyday wear. 

So thats what I've picked up recently! It may seem pretty mundane, but I get pretty excited about all this. 

Gotta get back to the grindstone, but I thought I'd let y'all know I'm still alive! 

XOXO, 

Alycia