July 8

We are back from Origins, where we actually got to play Cyberpunk v3 with the game's creator, Mike Pondsmith. Way cool. The new edition is due out at GenCon next month, just as we'd hoped. There've been some changes to the game, mostly the world setting has evolved to use more biotech and genetic engineering, as well as nanotech. Cyberware no longer replaces a limb or body part, it will now "clip on" like gauntlets or armor plates. In some ways that makes creating a 'cyberarm' easier for us, since we don't have to make it look like there isn't a flesh and bone arm there.

I got my shirt and pants out today and hemmed them. Finally.

July 10

Osco drugstores have mens t-shirts on special 3 for $9.99. I got three black ones. They have pockets on the front, but a seam ripper will fix that very shortly. I figured Jay can make a shirt for himself and one for Paul, and we have a spare in case one gets messed up.

July 19

Using a design that Paul made up, Jay created a 'screen' to make a little homemade silkscreen for his shirt. He used a fine netting from the fabric store, stretched in a large embroidery hoop, and painstakingly painted the design on. Positioning it over the front of the shirt he first tried white spray paint. He said it wasn't covering very well, I suspect the fabric was really absorbing the fine spray and we would need many more coats. He decided to change his approach, though, and went ahead and wiped on some regular artists acrylic paint. This had the opposite effect of going on way too heavy and thick, obscurring much of the detail of the design.

Our backup plan was to use iron-on transfer sheets. Jay printed the design in reverse, in bright red, and we ironed it securely to the shirt in mere minutes. With the paper peeled off though it became immediately obvious that this wasn't going to work, as the 'iron-on' part had a shiny grey look to it and the bright red lettering barely shows up on the dark shirt. This is why they tell you to only use it on a white or light colored shirt.

At this point I went back to Osco and bought two more shirts in a light grey color. I think I got the last two size large in the store. Today I am busy cutting a new stencil for the shirt, the old fashioned way. I'm going to try stencilling, again, the old fashioned way with paint and a round brush.

July 22

Did the shirt transfer onto the grey t and I think we have a winner. I may still mess with the stencil on the black shirt, though, to make one for Paul or Kim as a souvenier.

July 30

Seventeen days until we leave for GenCon. I still have to finish painting my gun, and put elastic stirrups on my pants. Jay needs to do a dress rehearsal with his outfit. I keep telling him he doesn't want to find out in the hotel room that something doesn't fit right. Oh, and I need to finish my LED necklace. Today was the day I was aiming to have everything complete, but I'm a terrible procrastinator.

Paul tells me they've finished shopping for Kim's costume. She's got a shiny black vinyl raincoat to wear over her bodystocking, and some goo to spike up her hair. I'm trying to get him to send me pictures.

Jay's been working on his glove since yesterday, sewing on the blue electroluminescent wire. Should be finished in a few hours. Earlier, while cleaning out the junk drawer he found a handful of fake chinese coins of exactly the type I've been wanting for my pants. All I need to do now is get some red cord and attach them to the tassels, and attach those to my pants.

Aug 8

Eight days left. I think I will practice putting my hair up again. I need to be able to do it quickly by myself at the hotel, and I need to be sure it will stay up for hours. I also want to see if the tight ponytail is going to give me a headache after 30 minutes or not.

We've scrapped the idea of re-painting the super soaker. Jay just wants to go with the shock glove he's worked up. Probably a good idea, as it will leave his hands free.

I cleaned up two of the chinese coins so they are shinier and brighter, and my plan is to mount safety pins on the back of them. This will give me something to attach the tassels to, and allow me to remove the coin-and-tassel from the pants when they need to be washed. All I need to do now is find the two-part epoxy.

Attached elastic to the cuffs of the pants to make stirrups to keep them from riding up while tucked into my boots. Also worked on attaching my LED panel to the necklace part. I bought some cloth tape at the Hancock's the other night. It's got grommets punched into it every inch. I thought it would make a great base to attach the LEDs onto.

All right, the hair stayed up for 4 hours before I got tired of it and combed it down. The ponytail stayed up, the scarf stayed tied, the velcro held everything in place, and the hairsticks didn't fall out. Whoo! I added a hairpiece from the dollar store to the 'do. It's got lots of braids hanging from it, and tufts of hair sticking up which give it a more 'messed up' look than I'd like. However it has the advantage of disguising the fact that after two hours my real hair has started to go all wispy and is looking messed up on its own.

Aug 9

The two-part epoxy didn't hold the safety pins onto the coins. In fact it peeled off like rubber cement. So we go to plan B: duct tape! All I need to do now is find some red ribbon or cord to make danglies out of.

Since Kim's hair won't stay up with gel, she's considering getting this wig instead. It has a great Japanime teen pop look to it. Ought to be perfect for her Rockergirl gig.

Aug 15

It's the night before the day before and.... I think my costume is finished. I got the tassels and the ribbons on my pants. The led necklace is all sewn together and wired up. We bought gel inserts for the boots. Jay tried his on and found that there isn't enough room for them. Tomorrow I will cut mine to fit.

Time to pack!