Cosplay events separate from conventions can be really fun. Sometimes I have a better time at those! Many events are held throughout the year in between conventions—whether cosplay gatherings, photoshoots or themed gatherings.

Back on July 25th, some friends and I got together for a Hetalia-themed BBQ/potluck. My friend Anela and I came up with the dumb idea and it ended up being a success! (Though more people would have been able to come had it not been on the same weekend as Comic Con.) It originally started as a small photoshoot but once we saw that a lot of people were interested, we just turned it into a full blown BBQ. Part of the reason we wanted to do this was because it was summertime and we wanted to do something fun/nerdy and partly it was because Anela was going to Europe for three weeks. This was a good way for her to see a good chunk of friends before she left.
So, friends were asked to pick a country of their choice. Once they picked something, we told them to bring food/drinks and wear an apron that would also correspond to the country. We had TONS OF FOOD. And a lot of drinks. 8D; (I shouldn’t have asked so many people to bring drinks. derp.) 
Both of us didn’t think we’d get many people to join us but at one point we were up to 20 people. xD; Some had to drop for various reasons but we still had a sizable group. Our friend Ryan (Prussia in the collage) offered up his house since we had outgrown our original gathering space.  So, that was awesome! And it made planning a bit easier. 
This makes me want to do more themed-gatherings. So fun! xDD
AND I UH…THINK GERMANY’S APRON WINS. THIS WASN’T A COMPETITION OR ANYTHING. IT JUST…WINS.
(All photos in the collage are from Jason@i360.com, Caitlin/datkate, FER, Anela/anelasama and my camera.) 

Cosplay events separate from conventions can be really fun. Sometimes I have a better time at those! Many events are held throughout the year in between conventions—whether cosplay gatherings, photoshoots or themed gatherings.

Back on July 25th, some friends and I got together for a Hetalia-themed BBQ/potluck. My friend Anela and I came up with the dumb idea and it ended up being a success! (Though more people would have been able to come had it not been on the same weekend as Comic Con.) It originally started as a small photoshoot but once we saw that a lot of people were interested, we just turned it into a full blown BBQ. Part of the reason we wanted to do this was because it was summertime and we wanted to do something fun/nerdy and partly it was because Anela was going to Europe for three weeks. This was a good way for her to see a good chunk of friends before she left.

So, friends were asked to pick a country of their choice. Once they picked something, we told them to bring food/drinks and wear an apron that would also correspond to the country. We had TONS OF FOOD. And a lot of drinks. 8D; (I shouldn’t have asked so many people to bring drinks. derp.) 

Both of us didn’t think we’d get many people to join us but at one point we were up to 20 people. xD; Some had to drop for various reasons but we still had a sizable group. Our friend Ryan (Prussia in the collage) offered up his house since we had outgrown our original gathering space.  So, that was awesome! And it made planning a bit easier. 

This makes me want to do more themed-gatherings. So fun! xDD

AND I UH…THINK GERMANY’S APRON WINS. THIS WASN’T A COMPETITION OR ANYTHING. IT JUST…WINS.

(All photos in the collage are from Jason@i360.com, Caitlin/datkate, FER, Anela/anelasama and my camera.) 

2/3
(with Tara as England)

2/3

(with Tara as England)

Today Anela, Caitlin and I headed out to March Field Museum in Riverside, CA to take photos~

(Those photos above from my derpy point and shoot. SUPER EXCITE to see all the ones Anela is going to edit. >////<)

For a few months I had wanted to do this because I thought it would be the perfect setting for my America cosplay. There’s lots of old planes at this museum, including ones from WWII up until after the Cold War. Anela was the photog and Caitlin debuted her England cosplay. Our friend Tiffany was going to join us with an original Rosie the Riveter costume but unfortunately she’s been sick and couldn’t make it. ;;

I got permission for us to take photos there, which was great of them to agree to in and of itself.  As long as we weren’t professionals or selling photos for profit, we were allowed to take photos without having to get a permit.

One of the long-time volunteers (named Doug) saw us taking pics and totally spoiled us by letting us do a lot of random stuff we didn’t even think about/plan on. This gave us even more awesome photo opportunities.  He took us on a “hands-on” tour into one of the planes to show us how you’d refuel in air. Crazy stuff. And we um got to stand on the wings of one of the planes which WAS KIND OF SCARY because it was windy and one big slip and…yeah. But it was really cool. And all the old guys hanging out in the restoration hangar were friendly and it was fun asking them questions. (And like…randomly they let us play with the sander so we were taking paint off an old Russian plane. xD) Most of them were in the Air Force, one was an elderly English guy and Doug had been working with planes since he was 18. I think he said he was in the Air Force too.

Overall it was just a really great day. <33  AND TIRING.  I think I am getting too old. Haha. I should be sleeping now

datkate:

I’ll just leave this right here~

AND IMMAH JUST GONNA REBLOG THIS RIGHT.NOW.

datkate:

I’ll just leave this right here~

AND IMMAH JUST GONNA REBLOG THIS RIGHT.NOW.

Yeah, so we totally know what we are doing&#8230;. 

Yeah, so we totally know what we are doing…. 

More of the shoot here~
My tumblr has been sort of overtaken by photos from this shoot. xD It&#8217;ll go back to normal soon! lol

More of the shoot here~

My tumblr has been sort of overtaken by photos from this shoot. xD It’ll go back to normal soon! lol

WRONGSIDEWRONGSIDE
We see two volunteer-dudes in the distance driving this&#8230;truck&#8230;thing.  Half-Jeep. Thing-that-is-scary-to-sit-on-the-back-of-because-it-feels-like-you&#8217;ll-fall-off-it-any-moment. I don&#8217;t know what to call it. THIS VEHICLE. And I am thinking (and perhaps even said outloud to Caitlin, I can&#8217;t remember) &#8220;Hurhurhur I want to take pictures on that.&#8221; Volunteer-dudes stop close to us to see what&#8217;s going on because Anela is on the ground taking photos. We start talking to them and the one driving asks, &#8220;You want pictures on this thing?&#8221;  I tried to hard not to yell &#8220;YESYESYES!&#8221;  I think I sort of kept my cool. I managed not to jump up and down at least. He kept the thing running, though. Thank goodness I didn&#8217;t run over Anela.  Would my face have been red or what.

WRONGSIDEWRONGSIDE

We see two volunteer-dudes in the distance driving this…truck…thing.  Half-Jeep. Thing-that-is-scary-to-sit-on-the-back-of-because-it-feels-like-you’ll-fall-off-it-any-moment. I don’t know what to call it. THIS VEHICLE. And I am thinking (and perhaps even said outloud to Caitlin, I can’t remember) “Hurhurhur I want to take pictures on that.” Volunteer-dudes stop close to us to see what’s going on because Anela is on the ground taking photos. We start talking to them and the one driving asks, “You want pictures on this thing?”  I tried to hard not to yell “YESYESYES!”  I think I sort of kept my cool. I managed not to jump up and down at least. He kept the thing running, though. Thank goodness I didn’t run over Anela.  Would my face have been red or what.

datkate:

herrrrpppp~

I DO SAY 

datkate:

herrrrpppp~

I DO SAY 

Didn&#8217;t realize how many photos I had of food/drinks I had this time around. derpderp.
Caitlin - England w/ tea! (But ok not really)
Me - America w/ a burger!
Annamarie - Spain w/ a tomato!
Valerie - Taiwan w/ boba!

Didn’t realize how many photos I had of food/drinks I had this time around. derpderp.

Caitlin - England w/ tea! (But ok not really)

Me - America w/ a burger!

Annamarie - Spain w/ a tomato!

Valerie - Taiwan w/ boba!

Finishing my short AX 2010 picspam with a dorky photo of Tara and I, taken by Lionel :B
AX 2010 spam 6 of 6

Finishing my short AX 2010 picspam with a dorky photo of Tara and I, taken by Lionel :B

AX 2010 spam 6 of 6

(lol Misty just posted this on Facebook)
I have to say, I think my favorite aspect of Anime Los Angeles is the ~*con suite*~
FOOD&#8230;!   It&#8217;s really nice if you just want a snack or a soda or something. Keeps me energized and not-starving until going out for dinner or something. &lt;3 

(lol Misty just posted this on Facebook)

I have to say, I think my favorite aspect of Anime Los Angeles is the ~*con suite*~

FOOD…!   It’s really nice if you just want a snack or a soda or something. Keeps me energized and not-starving until going out for dinner or something. <3 

A few nights ago I decided I was going to make the Nyotalia!England apron. So I did. One of the Jo-Ann stores near me had a liquidation sale so I got some fabric for super cheap. I sort of want to add ruffles or lace to the bottom. idk. xD
(The checkered pocket looks slightly bigger than the other one thisisgoingtobugme I might re-do that.)

A few nights ago I decided I was going to make the Nyotalia!England apron. So I did. One of the Jo-Ann stores near me had a liquidation sale so I got some fabric for super cheap. I sort of want to add ruffles or lace to the bottom. idk. xD

(The checkered pocket looks slightly bigger than the other one thisisgoingtobugme I might re-do that.)

D&#8217;aw always kind of flattered to see a photo get posted like this~~
Though whenever I see this one I think about that bike and I think we had a joke about why a bike is there but I can&#8217;t even remember what the joke was. .__.

D’aw always kind of flattered to see a photo get posted like this~~

Though whenever I see this one I think about that bike and I think we had a joke about why a bike is there but I can’t even remember what the joke was. .__.

(via fuckyeahaphcosplay)

The wig for my nyotalia!England cosplay came in today. Ohoho.
Still shooting to get this costume done for Fanime.  The only other thing I have done so far is the apron, seen here~

The wig for my nyotalia!England cosplay came in today. Ohoho.

Still shooting to get this costume done for Fanime.  The only other thing I have done so far is the apron, seen here~

Ok and one more nyotalia!England pic until I actually finish this outfit&#8230;

Ok and one more nyotalia!England pic until I actually finish this outfit…