♥ ♥ Otakon 2012 ♥ ♥

It's been a while since I've gotten to make new items with clay, the last time I really sat down and made anything was in July preparing for Otakon 2012.

Before Otakon, I was a mess. (Which seems to be normal for most cosplayers and artists.) You can ask my boyfriend. I stopped sleeping for about 2 days. Before this, I had heard horror stories about people just curling up on the floor in a ball and crying before a convention. 

Well, now I was right there with them. I put way too much on my plate.

 First Mistake: Running The Trip

I planned everything. I drove to the con, I booked the hotel room, and helped another group book a separate room at another hotel. For my room, I had a set amount of people ready to go. Well, any con goer can tell you. People back out and at the last minute you'll have at least 10 people banging down your door to stay in your room. That is exactly what happened. I had 3 people drop, and about 14 wanting their place. Being hotelroom-god is not a fun position.

My sisters yukata, almost complete. I needed to add the sleeves. 

Cosplay Crazy : Second Mistake

I decided to cosplay, but I couldn't just wear a costume I had already made. (Like Cooking Mama, Tirana Orpheus, or Asiaka Taiga.) Noooo. Instead, I made 2 yukatas, with 4 sashes and bows, for my sister and I to wear. It would have taken about 2 days of non-stop sewing, but I mis-measured the amount of fabric I would need for the first one. So I had to go back to the store and buy several more yards of fabric. Not fun. Thankfully, the finished yukata are really nice, and I plan on wearing it again for Otakon 2013.

This was my table for Otakon 2012, and my sister in her yukata

First Time Seller : Third Mistake

This year I had my first ever artist alley table. I spent several non-stop days making polymer clay products to sell. I tried to make a lot of new and interesting things, but a lot of new items sold before I even took photos of them!

I was way over my head. I was too busy worrying about...everything! Driving, cosplay, hotel rooms, tables, displays... IT WAS TOO MUCH!

Then, as if all of that wasn't enough. I decided to make some art prints to sell at the convention! I had to add printing, pricing, design AND packaging to the mix!

Although I was losing my mind, I was able to make some sales and have some fun at the convention.  There were some amazing cosplayers.

  (Like this lovely Sailor Cosmos cosplayer I saw in the alley.)

Plus I got to see two of my old animation buddies. Lauren, who now works on a few FX shows, and Jewels, who just graduated from FIT.

It was a lot of work. A lot of crazy, but I plan on going again this year and trying to sell again with a new and improved table display.

~WISH ME LUCK!