RBs motivation: Itty bitty ruby rose details that give me anxiety still

So I felt okay about my ruby rose at Daisho, i was one of the few there surprisingly BUT the one thing that constantly bothered me was my fucking belt. It was incomplete and IT KEPT DOING THIS SHIT ON ME

I really wanted it to just stay like this, like in the show but it didn't so I figured out a way to try and replicate that effect.

VELCRO (stick on precisely) Just stick some on the belt as well as the waist cincher and there we go. Work to comfortable level and use amount to desire though 

Also her pack. I had had this idea for a while but only got around to it two weeks before AMKE. Old pencil box here

 Now cut into pieces. I only need the button part so ic ut off the bottom of the pink. 

 But I also need the bottom and the top of the clear part, so I cut out the middle. Here we are snug as a bug. But there is also the scare of the top flying off so pully system

hot glue string parts to clear and pink part so when I open the top it catches and I can remember to push it down immediately.

Spray painted it, and attitude it with hot glue and more velcro that way when packing away I can detach it easily. Same went for the flower

NOTE; I only had an art store to go to with nice fancy spray paint so IT SUCKS for actual props. For a silver color, use a PRIMER because it sticks and that's what it's made for. Plus that's probably CHEAPER. Go to the hardware store for spray paint, never art stores

So last i was really upset about was I didn't have bullets so i ordered some online. They are plastic toys

So they are light weight, but really cool was they were detachable so I could take out the excess easilly

As well as be able to spray paint them individually. Now again, MY STUFF WAS SHIT for what I needed to do. So I had a hard time, waiting for the stuff to dry as well as later that night trying to fit them back into their carrier

I had to shove them back in. The spray paint again made a second skin too thick for the carrier and it flaked all off. I had to go in and just repaint while the shit was in the carrier, exactly what I wanted to avoid. But it looked okay for the con, no one called it out. Plus now I didn't have to worry about them falling out

As soon as I got them attached my worries melted away for a good while. It was the very last thing for the whole convention and I was just ecstatic. Two straight weeks of just cosplay work had finally paid off. There was school but yeah I was a little free finally

Also nice selfies. Emma did my makeup! For no reason! She was a cosplay mother that day

And here was our group for the RWBY meet up which I thought was AMAZING. 

Emmie was having some serious sensory and fandom uncomfortable overload but I was real happy we got this nice little ladybug selfie in.

-RB out

RB's motivation: So it's been awhile???? We've been working hard

So let's start with I've been in college for a month and a few days now. It's been different, that's for sure. I've gone through phases of fatigue, anxiety, shit I forgot to eat, why am I doing this, I have no money, oh man this is awesome, can't believe I live here, I hate this city, I'm awesome, I suck, I wanna go home, why can't college be the weekend all the time, and why the fuck don't we have a TV guide button? It's been quite a ride so far and we're just at the start of freshman year. 

This is a fun bonding experience with friends.

This is my relaxation because I get homesick a lot more than I thought I would. A very close bookstore with cats walking around

And a really awesome vintage store which i got a bunch of swag from. SO far they sell wigs, sailor senshi outfits, and casual elsa prom dresses for halloween costumes. 

Besides the fun times in Milwaukee, and the schoolwork, I have been working on cosplays and I'll say I am so damn close to finishing Ruby Rose AND Notepad now.

Here is one of the biggest things I accomplished. Notepad's headdress

I used quite a few things, gold card stock, masking tape, gold colored acrylics (quite a few brands), black spray paint, a paper plate, hot glue, soho glue, and super glue. As well as real pencils.

Above is a WIP

Above is the completed look of the front. Below is the back. Hopefully no one will get so close up they can see all the flaws and unevenness. I'm planning to remake it in the next few years b/c new cosplays will be expensive as fuck. But for now I am pretty satisfied

Also worth noting is I can actually pull a real pencil out of the back when I need to write shit down, for funnies. It's kind of difficult to do in a jiffy but it's a nice touch I think.

Now onto the veil. Beautiful torn fabric from Diva off a halloween sale. Here I am with my greasy hair checking the fall and length. And there's my beautiful cellphone that I have now! That I paid for with my own fucking money!

The full veil is pretty heavy and goes down to probably mid calf or ankle. I will have to drape it over my shoulders help balance myself. I'm going to have the stiffest neck from this I know it.

Here it is all together. It's attached by two barrettes glued to the base of the headdress that clip to my hair. There is also a cut in the fabric that the clips slide through to get to my hair. It's a weird system and very different than what I planned originally but things change because of complications as we all have learned so far. 

Originally in concept that opening was going to be for a clamp like hair clip to fit through and grab much more securely to my hair as well as the veil. But that fell through since the clap became far too big after the golden stuff was added. I didn't expect it to make it so much smaller but it did and I rather change the plans then have the clamp break the whole thing.

I was actually very happy at the time

ANd then there's Ruby. She was kind of a pain to get done because it was the start of getting into the groove of "I'm in college, it's hard, I don't have a job anymore, school's actually important, I have to wake up again, what is lack of alone time?" LIIKE seriously all i did was hem lace to a shirt and skirt. And it felt exhausting. 

Watched the social network during the whole process of the skirt, good movie, very david fincher.

Recycled an old Hell Girl skirt and extra red lace from my prom attire

And used even more to do the boots. Now this was a real process. Since I can't sew into the shoes, since they're a rubbery material and shoes I decided to attach it to velcro on the inside

The velcro is hot glued to the inside of the shoes while the lace is sewed to the detachable part of the velcro. So if I want the boots to look normal again I can just take out the red lace. 

I know in the actual design everything is ruffles but honestly I like the consistency of the red lace here much better. Plus it's my own very personal spin since it came from my prom attire

Last but not least I got my wig yesterday! From the Cosplay Chaos Fox since she's doing much better and back on her feet doing commissions.

I really like it. Gives me the emo phase I couldn't afford to go through in middle school. Also fits well and goes with my natural hair incase things peak through.

-waist cincher via Chaos

-bullets

-make the pack

-makeup ideas

Once these are done we can do a giant test run pre con hopefully! Because there are things I did not document that are completely done

Also I made a tumblr! rbvonsrp.tumblr.com

-RB out

RB's motivation: The standards of Pearl are high above this level of ghetto DGAF

DISCLAIMER: this level of ghetto cosplayer should only be viewed by fellow ghetto cosplayers at or near the same proclaimed level of Twin fools

With that out there now, let's begin this trip of oh my god really. I use this tutorial as my guide: sharpie wig dying tutorial

It calls for a plastic tub to soak the wig in. This giant thing was all I had. I reccomend for a much more appropriately sized tub, and also to have much more patience than I to avoid my mistakes and sloppy habits.

Since I had to dye both the wig and the shaper, with two different sort of colors, I decided to tape off the two sections. So I could dye both at the same time and make use of the obnoxious thing

Pay no attention to the old artwork in the back of the room. Here we have to dye the wig a lighter shade of orange. And the shaper a much more prominent pastel pink. Now both are pastel so at least I'm not fully worried if I don't have enough, or if the dye doesn't stick/make a very concentrated color. I was actually more scared of that than the opposite like you would be usually. Both bottles are just generic rubbing alcohol, bought from two different convenience stores

Now this stunk so bad I had to put it in the garage. Also my duct tape didn't fully work. But atleast the dyes didn't mix into opposite areas. THAT would suck. But honestly I don't think I would have minded if it spilled into each, at least for the shaper. The wig idk, bc I know it's not going to stick that well anyway.

But still something happened, and honestly this tutorial has worked better on clothing compared to wigs for me over the years, not that I dye wigs a lot a lot.

 ewwwww it looks like coldcut turkey....and I had to touch it.

So after 90+ minutes I took them out of the solution and placed them on the tarp. Now awaiting them to by dry, and turning them over every so often. Also the shaper is MUCH MUCH pinker in real lighting. This is grody lighting. And it looks like if Fight Club were a musical, held in a suburban garage. I was almost making soap earlier....

ugh stinks so bad in there

Now onto the science that was trying to figure out Pearl's forehead jewel. I thought I could melt a candle into pourable wax. As I saw these soap molds were the perfect shape as inspiration. But I'm still wondering what will get that milky opaque color, but still wearable and malleable into the ideal shape. 

So ignore that candle that ruined that cup on the right

I've now moved onto this idea which is using the 3D fabric paint in the tin. Now just waiting for that to become dry and solid enough to test out. If it works I'll try and attach it with body glue

I only had so much white fabric paint so I tried to fill it more to the line with some red. I made sure it wouldn't show through front side. But even if it does, I can paint over the paint, once of if it dries in the next day. It's pretty thick so I'm not judging this acrylic.

Another pic to show how thick the thing is. I tried to make it pretty small for MY forhead. People tell me I have a very small head.....

And last nothing to do with Pearl but I found a flower for Ruby Rose. It's not a rose, oh I know. It's a peony, but it was 1.99. Plus I wanted it to be very flat on the belt. I'm planning to paint this over with silver paint. And if I get the belt soon, attach it to there.

Since we're on Ruby Rose, I did find the cape at party city. I just have to make the hood part, which will not be much trouble, since I've done it before. Tomorrow, hopefully. But my real objective is to get fabric. If I can't get it all, I'm counting on the Pearl fabric at the least. OH I WANT THAT SHIRT DONE SO MUCH.

now we play the waiting game. Did I mention the rest of the dye is sitting in a pepsi bottle I found in the recycle bc I was desperate? No, well there is
-RB out

RB's motivation: Pearl + Puppycat Progress PS Ruby Rose

Alrighty! Honestly Notepad is becoming my life, after she's done it's probably onto Elsaba more than anything bc it's best to do ones that will take the most work FIRST.

Though Pearl is still going to be a slight challenge. Here's her latest progress. I don't want to show it here bc it's in a real raw stage but I did cut up the shirt. Originally it was a teal peplum shirt with a BOOB WINDOW. It was stupid and annoyingly uncomfortable. SO I GOT TO GET RID OF IT!!! I will have to use parts as patterns for later when I get the real fabric....

I will also have to dye the shaper into the pink color it is. But once I get the shirt done for Pearl all that's really left is the wig, the forehead jewel, and just makeup tests.

It looks ok orange, but I need it pink

Then there is the surprise that is puppy cat. This is 90% done. All I need to do is make the jacket out of tha flannel material. I couldn't find my white one for the test run, here's a cow sweatshirt. But all that is here will be at Daisho, this might be a sunday outfit with how low maintenance it is compared to my other two

I bought the shorts, reusing pearl leggings, reusing Kugelmugel wig, made pouches for the braided pigtails for the Siamese aesthetic, reusing boots, and made the bell collar

Close up. I took a collar off a pink shirt and just added a button to close it up. Bought the giant bell, it's very annoying, almost went deaf. Added a key ring to the bell and walla here we go. I call it the comfort bell. Probably my favorite part of the outfit so far

Finally Ruby Rose update. I made pretty good progress on her I think. I got the shirt from savers. Reusing the skirt from an old Hellgirl cosplay. May iron it out later. Found the perfect crosses at Party city since they sell nun costumes. Took them off the chains and just glued on stick safety pin things. Tights and beautiful boots by Target. Petticoat as well by Party City. Thinking about buying the cape from there with thinking about how much fabric I'm gonna have to buy this week......money

I honestly keep foregtting about the belt and cincher bc I have no idea about them really. I don't know if I have time to make the cincher or where to get a belt that large and flexible. I'm thinking the bullets from party city again. And I knwo I'm gonna press and spray a rose, real or fake idk. Learned that from the Cosplay fox. And maybe wait for the wig to arrive. 

And I thought I might have time to make the scythe. Pssh. Did I mention I move into college, Wednesday the 20th?

-RB out