Decisions and Party Time!

Sometimes the hardest thing about having a blog to write everything in, is not writing about things. For instance, the day after I had to cancel the hotel for Otakon, I got a message from my cousin about a party she was throwing for her family. It was a combined birthday and anniversary party for all of them, but it was a surprise party. So the whole time I'm preparing for this party and figuring things out (also thankful I get to go somewhere this weekend) I couldn't say anything on facebook or here due to certain family members reading what I say.
J really knows how to throw a party. The venue was nice, decorations gorgeous, and food great. She even got cousins G&M to host their photobooth, which is always a blast, both for the people having fun taking the photos, and later for the happy family/couple viewing all the photos and well wishes later.
After the party, my mother and I went for an evening out alone, checking out a bookstore, the mall and finishing the day off with a movie. She never really goes to the movies unless I drag her along, so we went to see Brave, since I knew she'd love it and she did. It doesn't matter that this is the fourth time for me seeing it, I don't mind watching things multiple times, especially when it's that good. I can't wait until it comes out on dvd since there is nobody else I can really drag along to go see it.
I've talked about this before,  but people who have netflix, or want to rent/buy a dvd, should definitely check out The Decoy Bride, starring David Tennant and Kelly Macdonald, the voice of Merida in Brave. It's a British romantic comedy, and while some of you may be scratching your heads at my previous stance on romantic films, this one is really good. I love it, and it really works in a way I find other films of this genre lacking.
So the next big thing going on then is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, I'll be going the Time Traveler's weekend, August 12th. The next few blog posts are probably going to be updates and links from people at Otakon since I apparently want to torture myself with what I can't have.
Till then!

Life

Normally about this time I'd be packing and repacking, making sure I have everything ready and not missing anything for my trip down to Baltimore on Thursday. Instead, I'm making sure I have everything ready for work tomorrow and glancing longingly at my closet and the wonderful fabrics stored within. Yup, another reminder that this weekend, I won't be going to Otakon, and while not hating, extremely jealous of all the other people online I know that are going. Speaking of Otakon, with everything I've been hearing about facebook, I'll be uploading some of my favorite pictures from past years onto my flickr, so more people enjoy it, and so they're saved somewhere else. Still really disapointed that I wasted money on registering back in feburary, thinking I'd get a job sooner than I did. Still have off this weekend, but hotel has been cancelled and all people I was going with have dispersed. So not doing anything now except trying to figure out what size to make glittery letters on parchment paper to label my glass jars.
Trying to find the link I got inspired from, but having a hard time finding it. (edit-friend helped find it, link here) It was a bridesmaid weight loss type thing, with glass vases that has letter stickers on them like pounds to lose and pounds lost. Mine are going to be a bit more quest-y, being used for anything I really want to happen.
So that's what's happening right now, regret, frustration and a bit of boredom thrown in since I still have way too much time on my hands and can't keep coming up with new craft ideas. I have way too many already, and not enough time to do them all.

Conan

So I recently found out that Netflix just got the 2011 Conan the Barbarian movie. I was kind of on the fence about this, seeing as I like the other movies and read the comics. But I decided to go ahead and watch it anyway.
... It was an okay movie. I didn't feel that it was a Conan movie though. Kind of like it sucked as a Conan movie, but was good as a random barbarian movie. I have way too much to say about this movie, but not enough anger to do it all. So you get the extremes. Good- Love Ron Perlman as the dad, very good job. Also I might have to re watch part of this, since this one scene after they escape from the spinning wheel of death, Conan's telling her to run, then while she's looking around trying to figure out which way to run, he takes his own advice and bolts, leaving her there. I thought that was a hilarious scene.
Bad- Obvious cliche fight is cliche. Them fighting on the prisoner wheel thing over Tamara just seemed like they copied the water wheel scene from the Pirates movie, but to the extreme. The last thing I really was curious about in a bad way was Khalar Zym's swords. At first I thought he wanted to look ridiculous, wielding a weapon with 2 blades, seeing as how it wasn't any more useful than a regular sword. Then in a later fight it comes apart to be 2 swords? At first I'm like 'smart, 2 swords with 1 unsheathing.' Then I realize they didn't have Velcro back in the day and there was nothing available at the time that could separate 2 things that easily in the middle of a fight when you're under pressure. Just another useless gimmick thrown in to look cool.
So, that's my opinion, like it or not.

Mini-Rant

Time for a mini rant before I put up the post I had wanted to today. I talk to my friends as often as I can. I'm a good listener, and I try not to judge, but if I do judge, I come up with ways what they're doing can be better. Now this is for everyone in the Internet community. Do you know what a survivalist is? Do you really? Because I hear that term being thrown around so much, most of the time as a word for independent, strong and forward thinking when it comes to relationships. That is not what a survivalist is, and I don't care how many psych books tell you so. Wikipedia has a nice article about Survivalism and what it meant through different periods of history. Go read it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivalism

Now based on what the word actually means, Burt Gummer, the character from Tremors, is a survivalist. Beyonce, with all her songs about boys, and being your own woman, not always waiting to be waited on by a boy, is not. See the very key difference? Now I hope I never have to hear that word again, unless you're talking about gearing up for impending doom or the Zombie Apocalypse. 

Brave day out

Today I went to see Brave and have an enjoyable day out with my sister in law A and her daughter, niece E. Post about the movie and my thoughts updated tomorrow when I can use the main pc whose keyboard doesn't keep skipping letters. I wanted to get this out asap, since it's pretty awesome and a fantastic favor bag idea that isn't too expensive and crafty. I made niece E this gift since this is an awesome movie, her birthday was a few months ago, and I needed an excuse to make/give a goody bag. I love making little things like this, and if anyone needs ideas for something like this, totally contact me, I don't mind.

I made a Brave goody bag, read on to see what went into it and how to bring it together.

Brave activity book, found here at Disney's Family.com site.

Shrink charms, also found at Disney's Family.com site. All you need is an inkjet printer and special inkjet shrinky dink sheets. Do not use regular shrinky dink sheets, it will not work, I've already tested and it's a fail.

The treat bag, stickers and lip balm locket all come from Party City, but you can also find them on Amazon, and the pencil came from the dollar store. Put it all together and I believe it's a pretty good bag for any kid, young or old.

Fun Television Shows

Things have been a little hectic around here lately, but there is always some scrap of fun to be had. Tayron made me start watching Farscape and I love it! Great characters, storylines and done with puppets and not cgi, I think it's fantastic. only partway into season two right now, I'm only allowed to watch it with Tayron, so it's taking some time with his work schedule.
The Legend of Korra is getting awesome with Amon moving into his end game, season one is almost over. Can't say much without spoiling everything, but I actually let out a fangirly squee at the end of the episode. So awesome! Great fight scenes with certain people, and rising tension between certain characters is just making everything better and better.
RuPaul's Drag U season three started up again last night, the show is as fun and inspiring as ever, with new Queens brought in from the latest season of Drag Race. I just love Manila Luzon's outfits! So coordinated and thematic.
One show I started watching on Netflix is The Secret Life of the American Teenager. This show is not as fun as the above shows. It follows the life of Amy Juergens, a 15 year old who gets herself pregnant at band camp right before she starts high school. I started watching this out of boredom and because Molly Ringwald is in it. I continue watching for the George and Ashley moments. Seriously, are you supposed to like/relate/sympathize with Amy? Every time she comes onscreen, I just want to fast forward to scenes with 'good' characters since she seems to not really grow out of being a selfish semi-spoiled 15 year old. It seems everyone else grows and matures around her, but she never really learns anything. And even when she does learn something, it's forgotten or brushed aside in an episode or two. The one thing other than Amy's character I didn't like about the show was Ben. Ben starts off trying to be a typical teenage boy, wanting to 'get with' one of the hottest girls in school, Grace. His friends talk him into going after someone who he could have sex with a lot sooner and with less effort, they choose Amy. In the space of one episode, after one date, he changes his mind and decides he wants to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her, and the sex plot that was a major part of his introduction takes a backseat to his wedding plans, getting only minor mentions sporadically. The only reason I may finish the series is to see the golden nuggets hidden within of the George and Ashley scenes, and Ricky's growth as a father. I mention all this since the first episode of season five aired last night.
Try to keep the comments a spoiler free zone, and I'd love recommendations below of other great shows to watch. I can't wait until Warehouse 13 comes back!
If you do want to chat with me more in depth about these shows or others I mentioned previously, you can email me at comicbookcutie@gmail.com. See you soon!

Perler bead goodness

People who know me know that I've been on a perler bead kick lately. I had gotten a ton of beads when I was younger for one project, and they've just been sitting around doing nothing until recently. I've mainly been making gifts now for relatives and close friends out of the beads but never posted pictures other than a few to Facebook since they weren't my idea. I go trolling around on Etsy and have folders full of things I want to buy from people when I have the money, or things I want to make for gifts since I have no money. All my creations with the beads up until today have been copies of other people's works, so I don't post pictures, they aren't 'mine'. Today a thought popped in my head and I started to work on some things that are more.....'original' in that I haven't seen anyone else on the 'net make/do them. The picture below is first in a set of magnets I'm making.


Update! Below are the rest of the magnets, and what language is that to do list written in? I haven't seen that in more than 10 years on my old pc. So your hint, just to be blunt, is that it's from an old computer 'thing' and it features an alphabet not spoken anywhere on earth. Please comment below with your guesses!

Update #2- It's come to my attention that there was an issue with commenting. Going into the setting, it was set to google accounts only, it's now been open to everyone, regardless of account.  I didn't turn off the captcha letters since I don't want to read spambot comments, just something we'll have to work with.