Nightmare Before Christmas Widget!

Who doesn't loooove NBC?
Here's mine...

Now Open for Business!

I finally got around to posting something (anything!) for sale in my Etsy shop, The Blue Forest Shoppe. Yay! So far, I only have a few of my handmade wirebound blank books. I make most of them out of found items or postcards from my extensive collection of postcards and other paper goods. For example, the Pineapple Express journal is made from a postcard I picked up at SDCC last month. Most of these would be thrown away, I hope I've saved a few from that sad fate. :P The TTT one to the left was made from a tent card ad. Even the backings were cut from saved bits of chipboard packaging. So, I get to combine two things I love...geekery and conservation. Woohoo! I will try to upcycle, recycle, reuse, etc. anything I can, so don't be surprised if I've turned a used box inside out. ;)

I've also created a few postcards which I am planning to offer soon. (Have I mentioned how much I love postcards???) One card is made from a photo I took of an actor, and the rest are (so far) mostly based on my papercuts. My favorite is based on the cover of a book by Dr. Seuss. They will most likely be offered in sets of 5 or 10, with envelopes or without.

I am trying to keep the costs reasonable, but competitive, and I might be able to take special orders. Since I am currently on break from work, I can afford the time to be crafty, but normally my labor is just too expensive! Hahaha...

Visit The Blue Forest Shoppe by clicking on the links at the right. Thanks!

Silhouette-Cutting

So I don't know how I got into it, but one night I just started cutting silhouettes. After exhausting a few basic design ideas, I got onto my computer and started looking for pictures that I could turn into silhouettes. I found a shot I took of the mini Manmelter raygun box last year and was inspired. I think this was one of the more complicated ones I had done to that point. Everything but the two bits that are essentially lines was cut from one sheet of black paper. I was pleased enough with it, I glued it down onto cardstock and gave it to Greg Broadmore last weekend. Kinda silly, but I thought it a good idea at the time.

Here are some of my other cuts, can you tell what they are?

SDCC Pictures!

Hey peeps!

I know, how lame, Comic Con was like a week ago and I'm just now posting pictures. I actually didn't take that many this year, and I have been on break from work all week, but I didn't get around to editing them until today. Eek.

Anyway, check them out in my flickr gallery. I just threw them up, some with little comments. I'll post some write-ups on various and sundry SDCC-related topics as soon as...oh, who am I kidding...when I get around to it. ;)

Prince Caspian

So cco invited me to the midnight showing of Prince Caspian at the El Capitan on Friday. For those of you who don't know, the El Capitan is an old theatre in Hollywood. It was purchased and renovated by Disney, so it is now used exclusively to show Disney films. Since we also saw LWW there, our Narnia streak continues...

We got there a bit early so that we could see the costumes, props, and set pieces on display in the lobby and downstairs. However, before we got to that, we had to stuff our faces. :P Next door to the El Capitan is the Disney Soda Fountain, which, besides being a soda fountain, is also a store. After pawing the merchandise (a few tempting pins and such), we sat down at the counter for some sandwiches and a Narnia sundae. I had 2 cokes before we went in to the movie and that was a tactical error on my part...

I forgot my camera, so I don't have any pics...not until I pester cco to email me hers. :D

I'm not sure, but I think there were fewer pieces to see. The theatre was decorated to look like WWII-era London, complete with "underground" signs, red phone booth and mailbox. In the lobby were Peter's armor and the Pevensies' school uniforms. The pieces down in the (for lack of a better word) basement seemed to be mostly Telmarine and Miraz property. Weta has definitely done a fine job with all this. If you're interested in Narnia merchandise, I highly recommend the very limited edition Weta pieces. I believe they have a satyr statue, mounted Caspian, and minoboar bust available at present (see link to the right). I own several LWW pieces and they are large, detailed sculptures.

We finally got over to the theatre to take our seats for the movie. At the El Cap, reserved seating is $25 and includes popcorn (keepsake Caspian bucket) and bottled drink. The usher escorted us to our seats in the orchestra section as the organist began playing onstage. Yes, they employ an organist at the El Cap. ;) After that, there was a little staged swordplay by a Caspian look-alike before the screen came down for the film. If you liked LWW, you should be pleased by Caspian. It is not entirely faithful to the book, I won't say specifically how, but there's quite a bit more action and humor. There isn't a whole lot of explanation given for the backstory, so I suppose it could be a bit confusing to Narnia-virgins. For example, it might not be clear to the uninitiated that the Pevensies were adults when they left Narnia the first time. A little flashback might have been appropriate here.

On the way out, they were giving away card packs. I'm not sure of the manufacturer, but there were five character cards: Caspian, Peter, Susan, Ed, and Lucy (see pic above). Very pretty pictures. :)

Oh, and bonus random "celebrity" sighting...that KoJo fashion guy from the entertainment shows in the Hollywood and Highland parking structure.

2010!!!

or 2011. or 2012. Aw, who cares so long as it's made!!!

Look at all the good news, including apparent commitments from two major actors!!!

http://www.variety.com/VR1117984595.html
http://mckellen.com/cinema/index0.htm
http://www.serkis.com/cinema.htm

My PUB!!

Look what happened to my pub. :(

My favorite pub when in San Diego is The Field on 5th. I like to order up a plate of bangers and a Guinness whenever I'm in town (which happens to pretty much just be the week of SDCC).

I knew that one of their former waitresses had gone on to be a finalist on American Idol, and when I stopped by last weekend, there was, I kid you not, a tourist taking a photo of a Carly poster in the window. Later on, a tour bus stopped outside. When the check came, there was a wad of these cards for Carly stuffed in the folder. Sigh. At least it wasn't too crowded inside, everyone was probably still down the street at the Padres game.

Still, the waitstaff was pleasant and the food delish (mini beef guinness pie!!). Here's hoping I can still get them to pull me a pint the old-fashioned way come July. :)