Not all of us could afford to drop several thousand dollars to get our own working R2-D2, but capsfan40 posted a great alternative: the R2-D2 tissue box cover!
Made from plastic canvas and regular yarn, this little droid’s motivator seems to be working just fine!
Steampunk cosplay can get expensive in a hurry. Fortunately, DarrenWasHere.com has got you covered with this great tutorial on making steampunk goggles with stuff you can find at Dollar Tree. You’ll find step-by-step instructions with pictures, and there’s even a bit of a “post-mortem” on the tutorial where Darren describes some things he might do differently next time, and even some suggestions on different materials. This tutorial is a great starting point and would be easy to customize to match your own cosplay, so be sure to check it out and give it a try!
More Links of Interest
In honor of all the big bucks Deadpool is raking in at the movie theaters (some of my money is included in that pile), here are a pair of Deadpool earrings that I think we all need.
Made by TroppaMangaStyle of Spain, they are made with polymer clay. They can also be bought in pairs or individually. For just $10.33 each, you too can have the Merc with a Mouth hanging from your earlobe(s). They look to be abut 1.5″ long.
Or, if up-cycled earrings are more your style, and probably a little lighter in weight, these 1/5″ cardboard circles, paper, glue, metallic paint, Dimensional Magic, bead, and clear plastic backed dangle earrings might be more your style.
Made by NCSustainableStyle of Prundale, CA, these earrings are on sale for just $7 for the pair.
You’re throwing a party, and you want to have fun party favors to give to your guests, but you can’t find anything you like? The company Spoonflower just shared this great idea for making your own slap bracelets using their woven peel and stick wallpaper sample. The sample measures 2′ x 1′, so it’s a very generous size, and it only costs $7.50. You can use existing designs from any of their thousands of indie designers, or you can customize your own. They even have a template you can download and use to customize your bracelets, and the tutorial has step-by-step instructions with great pictures too. Just imagine, you can custom make party favors to match your party’s theme. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to order the wallpaper sample since it can take about 2 weeks to get the finished product in the mail.
Convention season is approaching (actually, I’ve got three cons this month!), and I’ve put together a checklist for con-goers getting ready to go to their next convention. If you’ve never been to pop culture convention, or even if you’ve been to dozens, it’s always good to be prepared. Check out the list of things to take and even research before going so you can have the best con experience ever. There’s even a downloadable version of the checklist, including tips for cosplayers! Do you have any advice for folks getting ready to go to their next convention? Share them with us in the comments or on FB!
More Links of Interest
I didn’t see anything that really struck my fancy to post about today, so I decided to post one of my own projects: my very own refinished TARDIS!
Well over a year ago, while doing some Christmas shopping for the 2014 season, we ended up at a store called At Home. There was a lot of interesting things there but I didn’t end up buying anything. However, they did have two different sized TARDIS cabinets that I realllllllllly wanted. (They don’t show them on their website so, I don’t know if they still carry them in store.)
I talked myself out of either of them, because I need more furniture like I need a hole in the head. But the thought of those lovely blue cabinets never left me. Fast forward to about a one month ago. I decided it was time to transform a small cabinet I already had into a version of the TARDIS. I only spent about $28.50 on this refinish.
This is what I started with. I don’t believe this is solid wood, but rather some kind of compressed sawdust kind of thing, mixed with something else. It doesn’t feel like pure wood. I’ve had it since probably 2005, if not longer. It was something my mom bought for me at Hancock Fabrics. I always thought it was fairly homely but it’s function was too good. It’s been where I’ve stashed my paints and PS2 games in the past.
Sorry for the potato here. I removed the top (unneeded) drawer pull and filled the hole with wood filler. I found the windows, St. John’s ambulance, police box signs and public sign on various websites, printed them to fit, and then decoupaged them on with some Modge Podge. The window trim is actually automobile pin-striping tape from Pep Boys.
I liked how the front door of the cabinet had that faux trim and recessed area on it, so I tried to recreate a version of it on the sides. these are $1 wood frames from AC Moore, with thin wood trim, from Michael’s, mitered and added to the sides.
I thought about adding some simple Home Depot stock furniture legs to it, to raise it up a little bit and give it more of a weight in my room, but I decided against it. I thought it would take away from that perfect “base” it already sits on.
I also tried my hand at some distressing/weathering painting all around the TARDIS. I bought some craft paint in lighter and darker shades of blue, and then finished it off with some clear coat to help seal it. My TARDIS is well-traveled. It’s been through a lot.
