Madagascar 3: Making Gia's Whiskers

Making cat whiskers really isn't that hard. That said, I'm a genius for thinking this up. I knew that gluing the cat whiskers directly to my face wouldn't work; there simply would not be enough area to apply the spirit gum given the length and weight of the whiskers. Thus, I've contrived a more genius strategy. Granted, this takes a little more planning, but it doesn't take that much to do. All I used was

• Ben Nye Scar Effects Gel
• Spirit Gum
• Wax Paper
• One of those weird light up fiber optic wands we used to get on holidays as kids

Apparently, those fiber optic wands we used to get as kids are now huge rave toys. They're also being sold as hair barrettes, and, if I end up going to an event in the evening that is outdoors ever again, I think I'll wear a set of these, because they look really cool and I'm childish like that. Anyway, back to cat whiskers.

I started by heating water to start melting the Effects Gel--work experience has taught me that this is always the first thing you do. Please, do be advised that hot water is hot, and things melted in hot water will also be, well, hot. I'm used to some things because I handle them all the time and my skin has become desensitized. Yours probably haven't. If there's a little direction manual that comes with your Effects Gel, read it. Incidentally, if you are looking to buy Scar Effects Gel, you usually have to buy it in the effects gel wound kit. You can buy it individually from the International Fun Shop, but I've never purchased from them, so I can't vouch for the company.

After I set the gel to heating, I started measuring out and cutting the fiber optics. You can see, in the picture, that Gia has five whiskers on each side (click the picture up top, and it should enlarge so you can see more detail). For each set of whiskers that I made, I made an extra, just in case something goes sideways when I apply them, or one breaks, or any other mishap occurs.

Once the Effects Gel is liquid, I let it drip out onto the wax paper and cool a bit. When it was more cohesive, I stuck a fiber optic thing into each droplet. I didn't do it straight up and down, because then the angle would be wrong when I applied it. Rather, I did them at an angle to the side. You may have to put something for the clean end of the optic to rest against as the Gel finishes hardening--you don't want the optic to lay flat against the wax paper, either. Then, you just had to let it sit and dry for ever and a half.

You've probably already figured out the final step. After the Gel is hard, you remove it from the wax paper, apply spirit gum and stick it to your face. You'll probably want to stick it above your lip, corresponding to where they sit on Gia's face, not only for accuracy, but also because sticking anything on around the edges of your mouth is just a bad idea, since your lower face moves more than any other part of your face, perhaps excepting the eyelids.

So there. Brilliant, genius whiskers, if I do say so myself.

For instructions and commentary on creating a Gia, see also:
Clues on How To Create Gia
Creating Gia's Spots

So, apparently by law I have to tell you that I do get a kick-back if you purchase something from Amazon through the above Amazon links. So, yay, if you love me and at least can stand my blog, show me a little love next time you have to order something. Ironically, according to Amazon's bylaws and whatever for being an affiliate, I can't tell you that I'm an affiliate and that I get a kick-back when you order anything by getting to their site through one of my links. Not sure who to fear, here. Oh, yeah. If you burn yourself with, ingest any or do any other stupid things with any of the products discussed above, it isn't my fault. It is yours, and this is Darwin's theory being put into action. So pay attention. I already warned you that the stuff gets hotter than you would expect, mainly because when I started working with it, I ended up hurting myself the first few times. Don't be an idiot and ignore me and the notes that Ben Nye puts with the product. Just in case you missed it: Hot Stuff Is Hot. Got that?

Featured Blogger: Anna

First, tell us a little about yourself. What do you consider yourself to be?
What do I see myself as, eh? There are so many answers for this, but I’ll stick to a simple one. I’m an aspiring science fiction writer who’s still learning the trade. Along the way I’m bumbling my way through job seeking and living life in general.

Is that what you originally went to school for, or have things changed along the way?
Ah, a clue that I answered the first questions right! Yes, writing is what I went to school for hence why I’m not very focused in my job search. I decided my senior year of high school that I was going to make a living writing, so I applied for a college that had a creative writing degree. I haven’t looked back.

Favorite hobbies?
Other than writing? Music (which was my other career option) will always be a part of me and so it comes out through singing (in choirs or alone) and the occasional playing the piano. My other hobby which will never change is daydreaming. When I have a free moment I’m always dreaming up a story and, lately, these stories have been turning into inspiration for my various writing projects. I suppose reading can be considered a hobby as well. I’m kind of addicted to reading so I don’t see myself ever dropping this, though the method and source might change. My other hobbies fluctuate.

Are you musically inclined?
Um, yes. See last answer. I sing and play piano and fiddle around on other instruments.

What age group are you in?
The “Just graduated on schedule and am job hunting” age group. In other words, somewhere between 22 and 25.

Are you the type of person who has to get everything done perfectly, or are you more happy go lucky? 
Perfectionist. Guilty as charged. Though, I have learned to relax in some areas.

 How does that affect your everyday life?
How does that affect my life? Depends on which area it is. If I can or feel like controlling it, it’s under a rigid schedule or method of doing things. If it’s an area I don’t bother controlling, it’s a neat mess.

Do your clothing choices reflect that?
Hmm…maybe. But not really. I’m not too fussed about clothing. So it’s an in between area.

Do your clothing choices reflect your hobbies in any way?
Outside of an interest in trying to look a bit more eclectic, no.

About how much do you spend on clothing each month?
Probably not more than $10-$20 on average. I shop cheap (thrift stores, Wal-mart, etc.) and I don’t tend to go shopping unless I need or want something.

Do you prefer shopping online or in person?
Most absolutely in person. I can do non-clothing shopping online, but I just can’t order clothes or clothing related items online. I need to try something on before I’ll buy it.

What are your favorite stores?
Goodwill (it’s a treasure trove!). As for other stores, I pay more attention to the clearance rack than the store or brand.

What would you call your style?
Comfortable clothing which vacillates between rather boring and slightly fashionable. 

What color is your favorite to wear?
Judging by the clothes I own, black. Not that I’m emo or goth. I just like the color. But I also like wearing purple.

What color do you feel looks awful on you?
Orange, closely followed by yellow. I try to avoid red and pink but I’ll wear them if they’re the right hue.

Do you like patterns?
I do to a certain extent. I tend towards small patterns though and I don’t have many patterns among my clothes. I’m trying to add more though.

If you had an unlimited budget, what would your dream outfit look like?
See, that’s the problem. I haven’t ever thought of a dream outfit. But the requirements would be a comfortable outfit that was also fashionable and modest.

How do you think clothing reflects personality?
 Clothing choices are a pretty good mirror for a person’s values and priorities as well as personality. But when you see an extrovert walking around in a loud, colorful print and an introvert in muted colors and cuts, you can’t deny it does reflect the person. After all, each person chooses his/her own clothing and so is drawn to something uniquely self-expressive.

Do you have any "mood outfits", or outfits that always make you feel good or impressive?
Yup. These tend to be my “dressed up” or “fashionable” outfits which I put together with a purpose or occasion in mind.

Do you have anything else you would like to share with us?
Not really. Except that I’m very honored to be featured. :D

Where is your blog, and what is it about?
My blog, Writer’s Nook, can be found at www.AnnaMittower.blogspot.com. It’s my thoughts and opinions as a writer as well as other things I find interesting.

Madagascar 3: Clues On How To Create Gia

As I mentioned the other day, I am going to a prescreening of Madagascar 3 in San Francisco. I'm also intending to go as Gia, the jaguar that is in the circus that Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria hail as a cab. As an edit, this is the beginning of my costume design, so there are no instructions in this post. Rather, further posts are linked to at the bottom of this post and can direct you to certain aspects of the cosplay. I intended to start designing my Gia by taking a look at Ben Nye.

I merely thought that Ben Nye's catalogue would lead me down the right path in my search to create a human-sized Gia. In the past, when the Ben Nye catalogue felt akin to a candy store, I could find all sorts of tips and instructions for creating different creatures, characters and animals. There would be a nice picture and step-by-step instructions on how to do stuff and/or a list of ingredients--I still have the explosion victim page saved as a jpeg on my computer so I could keep the road rash/blister stuff close by, just in case I never needed that for work. The catalogue, however, has been replaced with a flashy new one that merely lists what Ben Nye sells and has pictures of models standing around and smiling in professional, normal every-day wear. No spread of circus animals in sight.

So, I'm back at square one. Incidentally, all the tabs on the Ben Nye page that might help me aren't hyperlinked, so I can't get to those pages.

Next stop was google, which wasn't too helpful at first, however, I'm willing to claim an operator error on that. Eventually, though, it gave me a link to Ben Nye's 40th anniversary catalogue, which comes with five different big cats and a pirate to boot. Obviously, as much as I would like to replicate my favorite pussy and merely add spots (check out Demeter on page 29), I can't do that on such short notice, nor do I think I can afford that much make-up for a one-shot deal. It does give me a starting place, though.

So far, I have determined the following:

1. I need to buy a good set of really long eyelashes.
2. Elf ears can act as emergency substitutes for Necomimi.
3. That blue pearl and rhinestone necklace one of my guy friends gave me several Christmases ago can double as Gia's pretty, ornate floral necklace.
4. I want real whiskers.

 For instructions and commentary on creating a Gia, see also:
Making Gia's Whiskers
Creating Gia's Spots

Madagascar 3: Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!

Well, I get to see Madagascar 3 a week before it opens in a pre-screening, thanks to Crowdtap, a website that allows consumers to test, rate and comment on ideas, products and other such things. This Madagascar pre-screening will be in San Francisco, which is a bit of a drive, but that's okay, as I get to bring a friend (probably my dad. He's one of the few people who lives here year-round that can put up with me weirdness. The rest go home for the summer). The idea is, of course, to come back and rave about your wonderful experience, and to take pictures.

Lots. of. Pictures.

I'm going to San Francisco...to see a screening of a movie and I'm taking pictures. Anyone have an idea of what that may lead to? Begins with a C, ends with a Y....

Yes. I will be going as Gia the Jaguar. We'll see how good of a costume I can come up with in a week. I think I'll start by taking a look at Ben Nye's catalogue. I seem to remember a big kitty facial design in there....

For instructions and commentary on creating a Gia, see:
Clues on How To Create Gia
Making Gia's Whiskers
Creating Gia's Spots

The Sounds of Mothers Day

The problem with people you know IRL reading your blog is, well, you can't say anything about them. They just seem to know, no matter what you do, that you are talking about THEM. Mothers also have this uncanny ability, which makes it a bit hard to blog about Mother's Day until the day is, essentially, over. Because, 14-inch five layer chocolate cakes aside, surprises are nice, and I like to be able to pull one over on mom every now and again, anyway.

Curious as to what she got?



Yup. She got the full Skyrim soundtrack. And a package of chocolate coated blueberries. But either way, my mother got a copy of a soundtrack that I think she's fallen in love with. For being a non gamer, she has surprised me with her obvious enjoyment of the music, and even went so far as to give it a place on her blog.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there. I'm going to have another slice of chocolate cake.

Pnina Tornai: Say Yes to the (Wedding) Bows

Pnina Tornai has some beautiful design sense, often creating wedding dresses that are jaw-droppingly beautiful. The same elements that make some of Pnina's wedding dresses stunning makes others overpoweringly...strange. I guess that's what comes from looking at high fashion designs. Either way, if you want the look, it comes with a pretty pricey budget. Why oh why must I continually marvel over designers such as Pnina Tornai? Their amazing looks always come with such a price! I'm glad that Pnina is coming up with radically innovative new designs, though. While I love her steady basic designs and their variations, it is always fun to see some out-of-the-box ideas, especially in the wedding industry where, well, everything seems to be all white and looks roughly the same at all times.

This particular Pnina Tornai gown is a mermaid with satin and...I'm not sure if that's more satin, or something else. Leaning toward something else. I like how this particular style is asymetrical, and I really like the bottom of the front, but the bows on the front top and the back are just...overdone, I guess. I like the drape of the shoulder bow in the back, but on the front it seems to detract from the model's face (or the bride's face, eventually). At the same time, I feel like something is left out, with the gaps of bowless-ness on the train. It doesn't really give me the same "WOW!" feel as other pieces have done.


The front, though...That I quite like. The cascade of bows doesn't seem to fade into lumps of satin like on the back; rather, each bow seems to be built on top of the others, yet still retains its own form and dignity. The path of the bows, too, is such that it helps to make up for any imbalances elsewhere. The front is busy enough to hold attention, yet not so busy that you don't know where to look. The path of the bows, too, draws your eye up the dress and into the face of the wearer, which I admire. And then you get to the top, which is a wee bit confusing with the boob-bow and basket weave. I would be looking into perhaps moving the boob bow down to the waist and see if the weave looked better that way. I find the basket-weave pattern interesting, as it is a bit out of character for Pnina's designs. Normally, when she has ruching on the the top, it all goes in the same direction, rather than criss-crossing like you can see here. Overall, innovative, but I think Pnina has done better. Incidentally, I think she had a bit of a bow fetish last season.

Here's all your normal blah-blah legal stuff. Yeah, I didn't take these pictures. Someone somehow connected to Pnina took them and owns the rights to them. No, I don't make a profit off of these pictures and I don't claim any rights to them. If you want to see them in greater detail or wish to get more info about the dress, go to www.kleinfeldbridal.com. The Style Number is 32023145. This post may have been sitting in my que for a while, so I make no promises that it is in stock at Kleinfeld's or even that it is still on their website. No, I don't represent Kleinfeld, Pnina Tornai or TLC/Say Yes to the Dress in any way. Everything written here is my own opinion and review of the dress and isn't endorsed by anyone else. If I somehow missed naming some company that I don't represent, pretend I did. If you read all of that, you don't need glasses.

Cat Fashion

As you may or may not know, I have three cats. Incidentally, I am allergic to all three of them, but that's okay.

It is interesting to note that Leia, my younger female, is fine with having me trim her nails and holds her paw out as if I was painting her fingernails or something. Luke, on the other hand, has to be caught, held down and forced to let me cut his little nails. If it wasn't for the fact that declawing really isn't good for cats, I think I would have had him declawed long ago.

Either way, I really wish I could dress them up like this.

Finally---D'AWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!