photo diary: leaky con day 3

The last day (that I got to attend), I was Molly Weasley.  This is probably one of the most comfortable outfits I have ever worn.  So comfortable that I almost fell asleep against a wall multiple times while waiting in line for Starkid seats.  Conventions are tiring, guys.  Also, people are nice there,  because even after my embarrassing sleepy antics, I still made a friend in line.  Anyway, I knitted the bag with the needles I have in my hair.  It had to be done.  

My FAVORITE THING EVER happened that morning.  It was a panel with the graphic design team MinaLima that worked on the Harry Potter films.  Let me just say, this was 100% Kaylie bliss.  My love of Harry Potter and typography combined for a two hour panel?  BLISS.  And now the internet knows the extent of my nerdom.  I'm okay with this.  The above photo is one of MANY I took.  I was so tickled by their hilarious filler text.  They had to fill entire Daily Prophets, Quibblers, Ministry of Magic pamphlets, and BOOKS with headlines and graphics even if they were never seen on camera.  Incredible.  It was so intriguing seeing all their design inspiration too.  I was SO HAPPY.

For the first time ever, I did the whole autograph thing!  It was fun, I was awkward, and now my Leaky Con bag has fancy signatures on it!

I tried to suggest Tea Chai Te to Laura Spencer when she gave me this adorable ribbon, but I probably just muttered something under my breath...  No, it wasn't THAT bad.  She was really sweet though.  Everything went so fast, but I'm fairly certain that one of the girls complimented my hair, and a couple people liked my costume.  Who knows, man.  I'm new at this.  I was flustered.

After finally getting into the mainstage after nearly falling asleep in the line, we got seats for Starkid.  But first, there was a dance off which a baby Voldemort won, and some record-breaking mustache-wearing.

It was determined by Kenzie and Ted that I looked rather like a rabbit while wearing a mustache.

STARKID STARKID STARKID.

It was beautiful.

The last event of the day (and last overall for me) was the charity ball (or as I would like to call it, THE YULE BALL).  It was pretty brilliant, because it was basically nerd prom.  Picture a dance where you know that even though everyone is dancing to dumb radio dance music, they all share a mutual love of nerdy things such as Harry Potter.  It's a pretty wonderful feeling, let me tell you.  Ted rocked his Gryffindor bowtie, and I wore my Ravenclaw necklace.  The best.

I'm so happy I got to experience Leaky Con in Portland this summer.  It was a magical experience.  It really makes you proud to be a nerd when you see so many different people bonding over something they love.  It was also nice to be able to see so many people visiting Portland and actually feeling like a local.  Of course the rain stopped for the convention that we were inside for all hours of every day.  Oh well.  I'll be back there in a few weeks (to start living in The Burrow--yes, we're a Harry Potter friendly household), and hopefully the weather will be sunny and cool, unlike here in Arizona, which is sunny and hot, hot, hot.

photo diary: leaky con day 1 & 2

So much nerdy fun went down at Leaky.  I will try to condense it into two semi-brief posts.  

Leaky kicked off with an opening ceremony that was GAHHHHH.  It was brilliant.  It was goofy and filled with fandom humor, and ended with ANTHONY RAPP SINGING LA VIE BOHEME FANDOM-THEMED WITH STARKID, LBD CAST, EVERYONE.  I've only seen Rent one and a half times, and for me it was beyond wonderful.  For someone like Ted who is a big Rent fan, it was pure bliss.  

Ted and I are a proud inter-house couple.

....I'm including this picture because my hair is workin' it.

This is Snape with me, Kenzie, Ted, and his visiting friends.  Lily (this man's real-life wife) took our picture.  (Yes, I know.  I know.)

The second day I wore my Fawkes the phoenix costume.  Ted was a very handsome Neville (in this outfit, specifically).  I was surprisingly asked by multiple people if they could take a picture of me.  One person demanded some flight action, like this:

I tried.

 I decided to go to the LBD panel solo, which I took a crummy picture of (Ted took all the nice non-iphone photos contained in these two posts). I conveniently binge-watched The Lizzie Bennet Diaries before Leaky and absolutely loved it.  I'm really happy I kind of dove into a new fandom before Leaky because it made things even more magical for me.  The series was so fresh in my mind and I was pretty close to the stage because I was alone, so it was kind of shocking to see the actors like that.  I've never been to a con before, and it was a great first panel to go to!

Snape answering questions.  Ted and I were laughing and crying the whole time.  A bit before this, we went to the Joe Moses One-Man Showes, which was pretty hilarious.

The actors who played "Young Lily," Pansy Parkinson, and Seamus Finnigan had a panel.  It was quite entertaining, especially Devon Murray. He shared stories about how he went into his audition thinking the director was Harry Potter, how Robbie Coltrane tricked him into putting band-aids all over his face, how he, like his character, has a tendency to accidentally blow things up (like two microwaves), and how Rupert Grint put spy cameras in Emma Watson's room, "but not in a creepy way!"  Just a hoot.

After an intense, two-hour team quiz, the big wizard wrock concert started.  We saw Hank Green perform, which of course was beautifully nerdy.  Whatta cutie.

The night closed with Harry & the Potters, who I've seen once before in Phoenix!  It was lovely to share the magical experience with Ted, who had never seen them before.

As a souvenir, I bought this adorable print at the exhibit hall.  It seemed appropriate.  The illustrator was so sweet.  You should check out her lovely art here.  Ted is practically planning to buy her out and furnish his future home with her work.  We're a good match, I'd say.

More about Leaky soon!

photo diary: hanging out in portland

A couple weeks ago, I went back to Portland to hang out with Ted and go to LeakyCon (more about that later).  Of course we went on a date at one of our absolute favorites, Screen Door.  We usually go for brunch but we decided to go for dinner and were not disappointed.  The date wasn't complete until we saw This Is the End which was HILARIOUS.  It was a top-notch date, only made more perfect with a rootbeer float and The Bachelorette.  Sorry Ted, I'm a bad influence.

When Ted's friend got into town, I had some prime Kaylie time downtown.  I got a happy hour fish taco from Elephants in the Park and sat in Director's Park to eat and knit.  It was such a beautiful day, and some band members came to practice in the park (relocating me to a table), so I ended up chatting with an old guy who was waiting for his wife with their friend.  We talked about knitting and about a concert that was happening later in Pioneer Square that I knew nothing about!  I ended up heading over there and listening to the huge high school band that was competing that weekend.  It's days like these that I realize how totally smitten with Portland I am.

  

And it's times like cleaning the kitchen with Ted while listening to my Flirty 30's record that make me realize how totally smitten I am with him!  Okay, I'm done now.

fashion break: thom browne resort 2013

CLASSY WHALES?! As a lover of both animal patterned clothing AND not looking like a toddler, I'm pretty into these looks.  There are also some 30's vibes (seen more in other looks) which is nice.  I'd love to pair the blazer with a brightly colored dress or the blue bag with...everything. I'm also all over the pretty white, baby blue, and gray eyelet.  I'm usually one to go for bright colors, but I can appreciate the loveliness of a soft spoken eyelet. Yep, soft spoken.  Just go with it.

photo diary: mesa summer part 1

Izzy being cute in my room. 'Nuff said.

Lovely friend time.  I got super lucky because both Dahlya and Kate came home briefly to go to our friend Emily's wedding.  Weddings are good for that kind of thing, huh?  I also got to see Rylee, Erin, and Rachel a good amount!  It's so nice just chatting and catching up after not seeing one another for so long.  I'm so grateful to have these ladies in my life.



FOOD.  FOOD.  Some I made, some I just ate.  I know people get annoyed with food pictures, but whatevs, because they remind me of the moments that go along with each taste, like when I made lemon bars for the third time this summer for Bachelorette, I got pizza with my grandparents and aunt after antiquing, had breakfast with my aunt before our knitting class, or made strawberry ice cream with my family.  Food memories are pretty great, so don't hate.

Izzy getting in my way (in the cutest way possible). Plus a picture of one of the dogs I dogsat.

SEWING.  A lot of it.  Plus, I'm doing lessons with kiddos.  So basically I'm always sewing. See above for other projects hidden by Izzy's furry body.

Bridal Shower for my Aunt Marcia. I made a tart, a banner, tried milkbraids for the first time, and felt cutesy in my new red hair courtesy of my grandma.  I will post about the wedding in the near future, after I post about my trip to Portland!  Gah, I have so much to catch up on.

THAT WAS A LOT.  PROPS IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THIS. I'M DONE NOW.