Sakura-Con 2014! Post 1 of 3: Zack and Cloud!

Hello everyone!

Welp, another Sakura-Con has come and gone.  It always feels so surreal when I think about how much fun I had there interacting with other people, shopping in the exhibitor's/artist alley hall, and going to all the different panels and events.  It is also difficult how fast those three days fly by.  Three days in a normal work-week go by so sluggishly, but somehow three days of Sakura-Con fly by!

We arrived in Seattle Thursday evening, and once we got checked into the hotel, we took to wandering the streets around the convention center.  Much to our bewilderment, most people we happened upon had their badges and swag bags for the con already! After a little asking around, it turns out you can actually pick up your badge Thursday night if you pre-registered! Oh man, it was so relaxing being able to do that! I'm definitely going to remember to do that next year.

Friday morning, I woke everyone up bright and early, despite their protests.  We, okay, I,  decided we would wander around the exhibitors hall and convention center before getting into cosplay, because it is just a lot easier to maneuver when you are not wearing pauldrons and carrying a twenty pound, 6 feet long sword.  I scored plenty of great loot, do you guys want to see any of it? If there is enough interest I will definitely post some photos.

After about an hour or two, Justin and I decide we can't wait any longer to get into our cosplays, so we return to the hotel room to get into our Final Fantasy 7 cosplays.  We decided to wear these again this year for multiple reasons.  One, the swords are freaking epic.  Two, we love FF7.  Three, a heck of a lotta time was devoted to creating these cosplays and it would be a shame to only wear them to one convention.  It is my pleasure now to show you the photos we captured of us cosplaying as Zack and Cloud at Sakura-Con 2014! *hint- click on the photos for a gallery view, or view one by one below!

As you can see in the above two photos, Brenton captured some awesome images of the "behind the scenes" preparation.  I couldn't not include them! In case you're wondering, I'm carefully applying the scar to Justin's face, haha.  

As for the next two photos, we were trying to capture the "intimidating" aura that members of SOLDIER, imagined or not, should have.  I'd say Justin succeeded, but as for myself... I don't come across as too scary haha.

 The photo below turned out so well that I actually printed off a poster-sized version of it for Justin and I! Really pleased with how this came out.  Thanks, Brenton :)

Another photo of myself, staring wistfully into the distance.  It's hard for me to remember not to "smile for the camera" when I'm cosplaying as Cloud.  I'm a very smiley person, but Cloud is a very somber, stoic character, so I catch myself smiling a lot.  Plus, its hard not to smile when I'm at Sakura-Con!

Before I forget, I just want to give a big thank you to everyone who wanted pictures of Justin and I this year.  To have the cosplays we worked so hard on be so well received for two years in a row is a huge compliment.  It means so much to me when someone wants to give me a hug or tell me how much they like my cosplay.  Thank you all so much!!

Friday night, we arrived a little late to the Final Fantasy photo shoot gathering, but still managed to get into some shots! One of my favorites is below, it was all the "angsty" characters doing what they do best-- angsting.   It was a lot of fun posing with everyone!

 Fun fact: after we left the photo shoot area, we ran into this awesome Sephiroth who was rocking that one giant wing! So who could resist a few pictures??

Well, this is concludes the first post in my series chronicling Sakura-Con 2014.  It was so great adventuring as Zack and Cloud again, and I can't wait to show you guys more photos from the next couple days of Sakura-Con! 

Any questions or comments about our cosplays, or our time at the con? Hit us up! My Twitter handle is @whimsyAly, you can comment below, or shoot us an email to heartandsoulcosplay@gmail.com.  Love hearing from you!

-See you soon, 

Alycia

April 2014 Loot Crate

Hello everyone!

I hope things have been going well for everyone.  The past month was pretty busy for me, as I was finishing up Justin's and my own new cosplays that we debuted at Sakura-Con 2014 this past weekend.  It was awesome, we all had a blast, and I will blog about it and have pictures posted very soon, I promise!

Now, coming back to reality after a weekend of nerdy awesomeness is always rough, but this year my pain was eased by returning to work to find April's Loot Crate waiting patiently on my desk.  I'll tell you right now, I was totally stoked for this months theme, Dragons, because I have been completely obsessed with dragons longer than I have been obsessed with Hello Kitty, which is saying something.  I think I received the first dragon in my collection when I was 7 or 8, and my passion for them since has been undying.

I could go on about how much I love dragons forever, but thats not what you came to read! Instead, read about how much I loved this months Loot Crate!

First up, the Loot Crate exclusive Nord figure! What a cutie, er, ferocious little guy! His helmet is removable, his arms posable, and his weapons also are removable.  Loved that they included the (miniature) great-axe along with the sword, as the great-axe is usually my go-to weapon in Skyrim (still lamenting my lack of Elder Scrolls Online...) Anyways, here is a picture:

The next item I plucked out of my crate was the Game of Thrones mystery figure box.  I hopped on the Game of Thrones train a little later than most people, but it's one of my current favorite live-action shows.  I mean, DRAGONS!! How could I not like it??  It was with baited breath that I opened my box, because I reeeeeaally wanted a dragon figure.  And if you saw my recent Instagram post, you would know the answer to this, but I am thrilled to announce that my mystery figure was in fact the dragon Viserion!  I honest to goodness squealed out loud.  Take a peek at the cuteness:

Double dose of awesomeness this month in the form of two d20's!  The bigger the better? The big orange one is actually a stress ball.  Gonna keep it on my desk at work for those really tough phone calls.  And also to make crucial decisions, like where to eat for lunch or if I check my voicemail now or in 15 minutes, haha.  In all seriousness, you can never have enough d20's around.  Love it!

 I thought the Dragon Shield screen clean was a very unique addition to this month's box.  Being relatively new to Loot Crate still, I'm still not sure what to expect, but as always I am pleasantly surprised.  The screen cleaner works really well, although it is intended to be stuck to the back of your phone, but my deco, blinged-out phone case doesn't really allow for that.

Okay, we've spent most of this blog post talking about how much I love dragons.  Truly, I'd rather befriend them than slay them.  No kidding, I have to mentally prepare myself in Skyrim before I go fight a dragon because I end up feeling bad for slaying it.  But the dragon slayer dog tag is pretty neat.  Again, a unique concept in my opinion.  I'm wearing it as I blog, actually! 

Last, but not least, the dragon jerky.  I'll admit, the green, powdery coating on the outside made me a little cautious.  But, for the sake of authentic blogging, I made my husband try it with me, and it was delicious! The right balance of tender and tough, with a savory flavor that wasn't overly salty.  I have a hunch that dragon jerky, if dragons did exist, would not be quite so succulent, but if it were I may just have to retract my previous statement about befriending rather than slaying dragons (I jest, I jest!)

So, in case I didn't make it clear, I loved this months Loot Crate.  It continues to surpass my expectations, and I always enjoy every part of it.  Not to mention, DRAGONS!!

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post.  Did you like this style of write up, or did you better enjoy last month's write up where I also filmed a video.  Talk to me in the comments, or send me a Tweet to let me know!  And  the Sakura-Con 2014 blog post is coming soon, so keep an eye out for that!

Take care!
-Alycia

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

Book Review: Dorothy Through the Looking Glass

Hello everyone! I can’t believe how long winter is lasting.  I was fortunate enough to escape for a couple days, to sunny and warm Oregon.  No joke, it was 50 degrees warmer than home, and sunny 90% of the time.  Then my welcoming party back home involved a blizzard and negative temperatures.  Ahhh, the “last best place.”

To make this harsh winter more bearable, I had the opportunity to read the latest installment of local author Ron Glick’s crossover series between Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz.  This one, titled “Dorothy Through the Looking Glass,” is a delightful second installment to the first one, “The Wizard in Wonderland” (read my review here: http://heartandsoulcosplay.blogspot.com/2013/08/book-review-wizard-in-wonderland.html)

I have to say, I was hooked from the get-go.  Take into consideration the cliffhanger in the last book, and I was eager to devour this one.  Touching on a point I made in my last review, where I felt a little hesitant starting off, I was much more comfortable in this second book.  I felt much more familiar with this world, so I able to enjoy the novel right from the start without having to spend any time orienting my self.  

Something I’ve enjoyed about this series is the multiple points of views offered.  This was expanded further in “Dorothy Through the Looking Glass” by means of having a chapter in Toto’s point of view. I’ll admit I was disappointed that only one chapter was devoted to Toto’s view point, because it was so well-written, humorous, and with just the right dose of canine candidness.  It was a great way to draw in the readers attention, as this took place right in the first chapter.  It really set a nice pace for the rest of the novel.  And looking back now, it set up some interesting character development that clicks into the place throughout the rest of the novel.  

Now, I can’t really talk about some of my favorite parts without spoiling some pretty key parts, so I will be vague in my description.  This crossover holds so much potential, and I am not disappointed by the scenarios that Glick incorporates.  And with the introduction of a couple characters, including a crafty cat, the plot not only thickens but becomes even more perilous for our two protagonists and the worlds they want to save.  Again with a cliffhanger though! Right as I was intensely reading and all the puzzle pieces began clicking into place, I was once more led right off the edge of the cliff.  Now, it is all I can do to hang on until the next part of the series.

I was lucky enough to receive a signed copy of “Dorothy Through the Looking Glass” from Ron himself (thank you so much, again!) but if you are interested in owning a copy for yourself, go ahead and follow this link: http://www.amazon.com/Dorothy-Through-Looking-Oz-Wonderland-Series/dp/1494861208/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1393558724&sr=8-3&keywords=ron+glick

Alrighty everyone, thanks for stopping by! I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my blog posts and follow along with my thought process, haha.  Stay warm out there!

Stay tuned for some cosplay updates!

-Alycia

Video: Unboxing and Repair of Final Fantasy 7 Wigs

Hi everyone!

At the end of January, I figured it was about time to face the reality of what 10 months of storage did to the wigs Justin and I used for our Final Fantasy VII cosplays.  The ride back from Sakura-Con last year was a little bumpy, and out of fear of what the wigs may have looked like, I just stored them for a year instead of checking them out.

I decided to film the whole process, putting my potential woe and misery out on the Internet for all to see.  (Spoiler alert: it wasn't as bad I was worried it might be.) Go ahead and watch the video below, and let me know what you think!

-Alycia