Catwoman, take two

Yes, again. Sure I could give it a rest. Sure, it doesn't seem very creative at this point. But I don't care- there is something very appealing about being in a Catwoman costume.
It's fun. People love it. And there's nothing even remotely like it in stores, (except for baggy-crotched, ill-fitting catsuits and that godawful Halle Berry thing) so I can be the best best-looking kitty in the joint.

Anyway- this costume is most closely based on the modern Catwoman comics of the 21st century, like Ed Brubaker's interpretation (above).

Lots of people on the interwebs have costumed the comic book versions- much better than mine, that's for sure. (where the f*** are they all getting their custom goggles?!)

(...surprisingly, very few people have even come come close to interpreting the Batman Forever Catwoman successfully)

However, I think this costume only set me back $50-ish and took maybe 8 hours from start to finish- a mere pittance (gee, I'm so glad I had a pattern for a catsuit in my size lying around). It is also absolute comfort to wear, as catsuits go (the flat boots help, and damn, spandex is so much comfier than vinyl- who'd have thought??) For all these pros, if I can walk into a Halloween party and the character can be instantly recognizable from a distance, I consider it a success.

Anyway- here's the gallery for this year's costume.
Are you ready for poorly taken, blurry photos?!?

it's really difficult to take pictures of oneself.

Paper Paper Everywhere

Planning the invites evoked the most bridezilla reactions possible out of me (you're lucky you missed it)- and Christopher had to bear the full brunt of my obsessing, complaining, and rattling off half-formed ideas at him in the middle of the night.

Printing out my own invites = cheap and easy, right?

Well, yes and no.

I already bought the design so the majority of the design and expenses were already dealt with, right?

Oh yeah, I didn't bring my printer to Yellowknife (it was getting screwy anyway, and wouldn't print black) so I bought a new laserjet.

And I STUPIDLY didn't bring my full kit of metal rulers, cutting board, rubber cement, x-acto knives and boxcutters from 5+ years of school, either! STUPID STUPID! So I had to buy that stuff all over again.

Paper is expensive too. Wtf.

I bounced ideas around in my skull for months: incorporating fabric in the design, custom wax seals, different envelopes and jackets, pricey and complicated laser-cut lace... ugh! (none of which were actually employed) I tormented the poor shopgirl in a Deserres in Edmonton thinking my scattered thoughts out loud and actually becoming UPSET over not finding a fancy enough envelope.

Holy Crap embarrassing.

Luckily when I finally Got It Together, I sat down and made all the invites over the course of two days. (not including the countless supply-finding missions)

These are totally not all of them.

SO- I won't ruin the surprise for you by showing what they're like in detail. But please realize: each piece of paper had to be cut and trimmed by hand. The vellum jackets were individually sewn shut (so you might not able to open them. Whoops) The little jewels were applied with superglue and a set of tweezers (after I was tired of glueing my fingers together). And I wouldn't have dreamed of accepting help from ANYBODY. Because I'm a control freak and everything could turn out Exactly as Planned and Expected.Of course, I'm kind of sick of looking at them now. But hopefully you will enjoy them.

Peace. I'm out.

Raven wings shawl

It took almost two months, but I finished it.

My lovely little blackbird wings (nothing angelic about them, really.)

The yarn (silk/bamboo blend) was dubious to work with (looked terribly shed-dy and pill-y, especially when undoing stitches) but after blocking it was smooth as.. well.. silk. Even after an absolute minimum amount of effort in blocking (dunked in water, arranged and rolled up in a towel, laid flat to dry) it softened up nicely.

Has a nice weight and a slinky drape. I'm a convert for silk blend yarn- even against bare skin there's no scratchiness in the least! No wonder it's a top choice for camisoles and other lingerie.

Also great stitch definition as you can see- which makes me wish I had made less mistakes. Pattern was kind of hell to read.

It was also the first knitting pattern I tracked by aid of my new Ipod app: Knitbuddy (search for it) It was $4.99 but worth every penny and then some! Not only can I track rows, short rows, cable rows, in/decreases, and all sorts of everything, you can carry around a record of your needle collection and yarn stash-- or quickly jot down a "buying" list (like I plan to do) with the aid of all those little scrolling options.

It's like having Ravelry in your pocket! (and designed by a ravelry member, no less)

If it could download patterns for me, it would be the end of paper as we know it.

I Love Lace

Oh HO! Finally, some progress. I finished an entire lace project!

Imagine that. It took SO long but after blocking, I think it looked way, way better than I could have hoped (it's true- blocking works and it's amazing.)

I worried that it might be way too small but it's okay.. The only thing really off about it is the uneven center "spine" and the pointy edging is rather uneven but it looks perfectly fine as a whole. Size reference:

wow! mostly consistent!

This is a present for my sister, but don't tell her. If she stumbles across this post it'll be a surprise anyway.

List No. 2

Continuing with my lists, I aim to embarass myself and make you uncomfortable with my Top 8 list-that-just-had-to-be-done: my personal pick of the Hottest Famous Men Alive.

WITH PICTURES!!!
Okay- it would have- *should have* been a Top 10. But this list left me emotionally drained. You can tell a lot about a person by their "Top" lists and I happen to put a *lot* of thought in them because I am very selective. Only those who make the cut consistently and continuously are here (and that should weird you out even more).

You won't find a conventional list here, I promise.

My Top 8 Hottest Famous Men Alive:

(Top Dead Guys might follow, if I can find a decent engraving of Liszt)

1. Christoph "Doom" Schneider

I have a thing for drummers. Even if a guy is also talented on guitar I will always think he looks better playing the drums. It is a strange, strange thing. Just ask me how I feel about Mikko Siren, drummer for Apocalyptica.

So even though there are a total of SIX huge German men in my favorite band, Rammstein, all of my utter fascination and attraction go to Schneider. (aka Doomy)

Whether he was channeling DeNiro from "Taxi Driver" in a music video (OMG mohawk!!!!) or having his massively curly hair stage I loved his face the first time I saw it. He definately wears eyeliner best of all the men in my harem. I mean, hot list.

2. Johnny Depp

Uh huh, yeah. Obviously. Brad Pitt can take a hike. See these dichotomous "style" photos? I love them both equally and unconditionally. Johnny can simply do no wrong. Haven't you heard he's a sweet heart to his fans, too? He's the only famous person I would consider doing unbearably fangirly for, like knitting a sweater with a strand of my hair in it. He might even wear it, too, if he happened to like it.

Consistently his name will rise to my mind when considering "Best Actor, Ever"

3. Ewan McGregor

Oh Ewan, even though you've had sorta crap roles in movies lately you are always utterly convincing in every character that you play, with your sexy Scottish accent and your sexy stubbly chin. You are the only person who can make smoking look really, really sexy. You are also the only one for whom I've written this blurb in "open letter" format. I admire you to no end for saying that men should spend as much screentime naked in movies as women do. You have clearly done your part. Major kudos.

4. Anthony Stewart Head


YES! No one can deny that Giles was a sexy beast! But even better, AsH is an amazingly unconventional actor, further emphasized by the Intellectual British persona he is most known for. Look a little further in his repertoire and you'll see lots- from quirky comedy to cult-movie rock opera (that man can SING) and yes- he looks like Bowie when he's got the glam rocker outfit and makeup on. Anthony Head is a silver fox.

5. Seth Green

Continuing with the Buffy-verse fandom, Oz was definately my favorite supernatural heartthrob. I *definately* stopped watching the show when he was spurned- he was that worth it. Nowadays he is one of my favorite voice actors and seems to have a hand in a lot of comedy that I like. He is super cute and I would date the hell out of him.

6. Patrick Wilson

Holy cow, his hotness just hits you in the face. He has got the best kind of smile- dimply and very crinkly around the eyes. He's the sole and primary reason I watched Hard Candy twice (and Watchmen a third time)- and somehow made me obsessed with owls. His hairline is also receding and he is working it very, very well- proof that balding men are sexy- though Chris will hardly get over his jealousy enough for me to make it a point to him.

7. Jared Padalecki

UNK. Um. Errrr.... all of a sudden I'm lightheaded. This picture is dangerous.
Uh..... what... more... can.. I say? Supernatural. I love this show. More shirtless Sam, please (no? then wifebeaters? clingy wet t-shirts?.... please?) Sorry to Jensen Ackles (who is also unbelievably buff) but Jared just takes the beefcake.
It's strange because I didn't think a sweet set of abs could do that to be anymore (that is, hit puberty all over again)- male models don't do much for me- but... yeah. Just look at them guns.

8. Mischa Collins

It must be the eyes. Or his voice. Or the character, Castiel. Something about Mischa Collins actually makes me able to *take my eyes off of* Jared Padalecki in favor of him. He's got that 'serene yet intense' thing going all over the place. That is just what I'm trying to say- his appeal is inexplicable.

PS (aka: parting shot): I totally have a folder in my hard drive labeled "boys", just like Adrian Veidt. Heeheeeeeeeeeee

List No. 1

I am so obviously in a blogging rut. Projects ARE coming along- just very, very slowly. So I will entertain (or horribly bore you all) with another thing that I love to do: make lists.

I can make lists all day, every day. I will try to post one every few days until my next big post. Can we make list-a-day a blog challenge?

I begin with:

Books Read since March (i.e: since arriving in Yellowknife)

along with my very short, half-assed reviews

because there is nothing else to do.

Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood. Is there any wonder why I like Margaret Atwood? Her literary style is masterly, the pacing is excellent her characters and story have boundless depth. You can also tell she does her research. That said, it was a very satisfying read with engaging characters, wonderful reading, memorable story, etc etc forever.

The Tommyknockers, Stephen King. I am liking horror fiction a lot lately, and decided to take the plunge into more "popular" writers- Stephen King seemed like a pretty obvious start. There are some very memorable and chilling bits and the unusual fusion of sci-fi and horror was novel But the book is Too. Damn. Long. It ruins the ominous pacing by making it drag on and on. The climax was epic and the ending was great (everybody DIES) but I was so glad it was over.

Wetlands, Charlotte Roche. Equal parts unnerving and fascinating, and not for the squeamish. This is a headlong rush into the innermost thoughts (and bodily functions) of an strongly opinionated and liberal-minded young woman that is sometimes gross and shocking but un-put-down-able. Regardless of your opinion of the story by the end, it will definately make you rethink your relationship with your own body.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Mary Ann Schaffer & Annie Barrows. Making a trip into bestseller-land: it is certainly a good book with unique and witty writing. The occupation of unprotected British islands by Germans for 5 years during WWII is the main story but the love and influence of literature is the heart of the experience. It has an incredibly happy fairy-tale ending for the main character, which I'm not sure how to feel about.

Let the Right One In, John A Lindqvist. Very much the most chilling vampire fiction I've ever read- this is the vampire legend at its most primeval, mysterious and dangerous, counter-acted with the fragile innocence and trepidation of childhood with just a touch of the evils of humanity. It inspired a fantastic movie with the same pacing- peaceful yet ominous, with moments that are tender and brutal. Among the best of the best in vampire fiction.

The Last Watch, Sergei Lukyanenko. The last of the Night/Day/Twilight Watch series is as great as all the previous ones- chock-full of magic and spells and supernatural beings and alternate worlds and on and on... with a mystery to solve with each chapter. My only gripe with it is that it's over!! Each chapter and end of story left me feeling lacking because I wanted to *keep* reading, to learn more and more about this particular magic universe, terribly interesting and vast but largely unexplained. I suppose that is a good thing- I bid it farewell with fondness in my heart.

A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray. I was under the impression this would be good teen fantasy fiction with strong female characters but sadly, it told an extremely unremarkable and predictable storyline- so blase, I can retell it now: Girl is uprooted from hometown and placed in a strict finishing school following family tragedy where she is unpopular and rubbish and finishing school because she is Different but Special. Makes it into the popular crowd somehow but still defends the unpopular; they have a secret club; they enter a fantasy world with magic powers they didn't know they had; they are warned a lot not to abuse these powers but do anyway. Slight plot twist that reintroduces/explains the tragedy at beginning of story. Supreme evil threatens. Supreme evil is defeated, one person dies (by their own choice). There. Saved you the trouble.

Their problems in both the real and fantasy world never have very much depth or menace, and the unexplained bits aren't even interesting enough to read the next in the series. Ho hum.

The Luxe, Anna Godsbersen. Now this was teen fiction I could get into. Full of soap opera-like twists and turns and love quadrangles the high-society, rich-and-spoiled-but-with-everything-to-lose characters are all manipulated in such ways as to make their lives impossible. The dresses and parties are pretty but their lives are a mess. It's a wonder their heads don't implode with the intensity of their emotions. I found it very entertaining and am going to read the whole series.

Twilight, Stephanie Meyer. I have already read lots of spoilers for the books to come (including the last one, with every character's eventual fate) and fear what is to come if the general opinion is that the books go downhill after the first one- which was fine- okay, the lead characters are terrible and the love story is rubbish and more irritating than not but the story and secondary characters look(ed) promising. It was readable and enjoyable but not gripping or essential. I can definately wait till they are all out in paperback- but I mostly want to finish it as to understand Twilight references.

Dead until Dark, Club Dead, Living Dead in Dallas, Charlaine Harris. Incredibly entertaining and might I say- a great companion to the True Blood series. You'll like Sookie a lot more if you read the books. I just bought the box set- can't wait for it to get here!!- for the fun, sexy, supernatural escapism that it provides. I will definately re-read them all- in a Southern accent.

back in black

After a long hiatus involving moving to Yellowknife, getting (two) new jobs, working full-time hours with both jobs combined five days a week for the first time in my life and a whole lotta computer drama, I have finally assumed some sense of normalcy. And that means knitting!
Still homesick as hell, though.

I started these as the cold weather seemed like it would never end (it's still unseasonably cold for May) but of course the weather warms up to mid-ten degrees as soon as I finish.

Wheeeeeeeee multicolored roving! Thrumming looks so cool- and is super easy. With all the extra thickness, the mitten is at least 1.5 times larger than your actual hand.

But even with all that roving (around 8 oz) these mittens wouldn't be warm enough the dead of Yellowknife winter- maybe spring or fall... or Halifax winter.

ALSO, how come nobody told me these existed?? And of all places to see them for sale- a small gardening shop off Kam Lake here in Yellowknife- along with a lot more knitpicks products. They were $80 but seem like a bargain as I'd be set for life for circular needles! I had to try hard NOT to buy them- only because I've already amassed a huge collection of circulars... and saving up for a major shopping trip in Edmonton. Some day, though.

I'll be back soon, promise.