I’m sorry it’s been a bit quiet around here lately. We haven’t really been out doing superhero stuff for a while, which is why the world is such a mess. All day Saturday was spent retouching photos for me, Sunday was family time, and yesterday Catwoman and I finally reunited for something we hope will be really worthwhile. If you follow us on Zannel (or read the tiny print on my widget to the right, or follow me on Twitter), then you know that we applied for street performer permits last week. This is what happened yesterday:
We really didn’t stay long at all, slightly less than an hour on the Pier. It wasn’t too bad, though because it was a weekday afternoon and ridiculously windy there weren’t a whole lot of people out. Still, better than the boulevard! There have been some days where we’ve stayed out for 4 hours and only made about $7 each, so we consider this an improvement. Also, no competition from other characters, the police are on our side in Santa Monica, and most importantly, no drama! Everyone just keeps to themselves. It was a little bit lonely and we did miss the few good characters we like (you know who you are), but seriously, there’s just been so much crap we somehow got dragged into the middle of that it was time to get out.
Today another piece of the Mystery Costume came as I was heading out to do some errands. Yay! Here’s the two major pieces that I have so far, I’m just waiting on one more, which is en route:
I wear a lot of yellow and black
After piece #3 comes, it’s a lot of cutting and sewing, and then it should be all set. Then you can finally see what I’ve been blabbing about all this time and hopefully be as excited as me! 🙂
Well, I’m not sure when Catwoman and I will work again. We’ve been pretty busy doing separate things lately and we haven’t been too good at synching up. If it’s any consolation I’ll be working with a really great local photographer soon who really wants to do a Batgirl shoot, so if worst comes to worst you’ll just have to look at some pictures of Batgirl hanging around LA.
For a second, I thought Luke Skywalker had mailed me my boots:
c/o Hoth
P.S. I know the creature’s name is spelled “tauntaun.” Humor me.
Yesterday was my first day out on the boulevard in a while, and my first time out sans Catwoman since Christmas. I had planned on toughing it out and staying for quite a bit, until business died or my nose turned blue from the cold, whichever came first. But my sister needed help with the kids and I wanted to see my brother-in-law for his birthday, so what follows is just what happened in two short hours:
Well hey, it’s about time I showed up again. I’ve been busy trying to figure out how to pull of the Mystery Costume perfectly, so that means a lot of time researching on the Internet, looking up patterns and figuring out how to take from them and modify to make my own patterns (because I never got a degree in Fashion & Design, just took the courses), and shopping around for bulk PVC. I think I have a source.
Anyway, after the worst month ever, February, it feels good to be getting back into the swing of things. Last Thursday and Friday Catwoman and I went out to the boulevard to work, and a lot happened in the relatively short time we were there. (more…)
Finally! The Oscars came and went, and after tomorrow, the boulevard will be back to normal. Well, as normal it can be for being Hollywood Boulevard. I’m actually not sure how long it takes them to pack up all those giant styrofoam statues, but the lightboard signs put up all around that block had said that the roads would be closed through Tuesday. So maybe Wednesday we can start making up for lost time?
In the meantime, I started making a pattern for the Mystery Costume out of newspapers, though I just now realized that I might have goofed and have to start over. Curse my unclear sketches! I knew this would happen, but I did it anyway. Boning always trips me up. At least I didn’t get very far, and I can pretty much use the two pattern pieces I did sketch and cut out to make the proper pieces. *sigh* It’s just so hard to make a corset on nothing but sheer luck. (Oh yes, there’s a corset.)
I’ve also been working on the site behind the scenes. Over the summer I geeked out and borrowed a Joomla! book from the library, and now I have it again and I’m using it. So far it’s a little weird, though I am really rusty on what little CSS I did know, but it’ll work out. This site will be so awesome! One day. 😉
Wow. I don’t know if it was just a lucky day, or the planets aligned, or if the rest of the world stalks us, but yesterday was crazy busy and totally made up for the past two weeks’ worth of rain, illness, and crap in general. It was our first time working in, what, a week? And while we didn’t work too long on the boulevard, we had a spokesmodel gig last night as well and there’s just so much to talk about! There’s also loads of pictures, too, and a quick video I took with my new Flip camera:
So, how do you like our new digs? Exactly like the old ones, right? Well, not exactly. There’s a shiny new .com name, and a lot of headaches behind the scenes for Catwoman and I. Half of yesterday was spent trying to make this new blog look like the old one (functioning, hah), even though I hate the theme. I picked it, but I hate templates. So boring, so uncreative. So not me. Anyway, I had to go through all of the old posts and re-edit them because the embedded video got broken in the move. Not enough bubble wrap. So they’re all fixed, and tonight, as I recover from another bloodletting (the Red Cross seriously stalks me — must be my super blood), I’ll fix up the pictures and start playing with the CSS code itself.
But since we’re in the process of building the website and revamping the blog and just doing everything over, now’s as good a time as any to ask: what would you like to see? We have a few major plans up our sleeves, and there will be loads more pictures of us (as opposed to us snapping everyone else), but what else would you like to see? It can vary from colour schemes to layouts to what sort of pictures or videos we should start doing, or even costume suggestions. Between geek code building sessions I’m also going to start making pattern pieces for the Mystery Costume, because I need to get cracking on it, but even with a project literally in hand, I’m already looking ahead.
For the past hour or so I’ve been scouring Flickr for pictures for my next costume. It’s not going to be Zatanna Zatara, like I’ve mused upon, or even slave Leia, or even Hawkgirl like Baby Jack (the Jack Sparrow that looks about 12 years old) suggested. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned what it was on here, though I have told a few people on the boulevard about it. I sort of pushed it aside, but after showing my sister a trailer for a certain upcoming big film, it’s on the front burner again. The release date is a lot closer than I expected, and I need to get cracking! It’s also got a bit too much PVC to really be a summer costume, even though it is pretty skimpy.
Anyway, while I don’t have a movie to watch, bootleg or otherwise yet (still too early), no screengrabs either, I do have some high quality promotional stills and shots to sketch off of, and I think I can do this. I think I have all the details drawn out, with little scribbles next to them that I’ll hopefully be able to decipher in a month. What’s more, I could sew it all up myself if I had to. And I probably will . . . as long as I can find yellow PVC lying around. Think it’ll work?
Catwoman and I were debating going to work today, but it’s been raining off and on, and just an ugly, stay at home sort of day in general. Which is good, I needed some time to finish up things. I cleaned both my yellow and white boots, re-blacked the bat logo, and further took in my Batgirl costume so she looks even better. And curvier. 🙂 Plus, I had the time to put on some Nouvelle Vague and draw for a few hours, which hasn’t happened in years. I’d say it’s a pretty good day, even if I didn’t make any money off of it.
Ugh, Old Boyfriend just called again. And he didn’t leave a message, thankfully. Maybe he’s getting a clue. I just hate having That Conversation over the phone, you know?
P.S. If you’d like to know what this new Mystery Costume is going to be before the unveiling, speak up! I can’t read your minds . . . yet.
A short description of the most popular (or most complained about) characters: Bat A - our Batman of choice, he also does Robin in a pinch. Bat M - has it in for Bat A, and loves to complain about A's tactics, especially when it comes to stealing away his women. Bat T - a man of mystery. We've just never worked with him. He seems to be a lone wolf. Davy - a Davy Jones to go with yet another Jack Sparrow, the one we know the least out of all of them. He's responsible for karaoke nights, along with MJ. Denim Jack - Our Jack Sparrow of choice. He's a nice guy and will gladly offer said denim to keep a lady warm. Dollhouse Guy - Pretty well known on the Walk, he's the guy who walks around with a giant pink dollhouse on his head. Nucking futs. Homeless Jack - the most unsavory of all the Jack Sparrows. Burn your clothes if you ever touch him. MJ - the resident Michael Jackson, can bust a groove and sing equally well. Storm Trooper - always works with Vader, equally funny. Superman - there's only room for one Superman at H&H. Yes, he's the same one from Confessions of A Superhero. The Captain - Captain America in platform shoes. His one joke is to meow at Catwoman, then giggle hysterically. Every single time. Vader - duh, Darth Vader. Rarely seen outside of the black suit, hilariously funny.
Wonder Wig - The newest addition to the Walk, and already trying to be Queen Bee. Joy.
