After a pair of delayed flights I'm back home from CHA, have more or less caught up on lots of lost sleep, and am getting geared up to start posting lots of photos from the show floor. I also seem to have brought back some unknown allergy/cold/general respiratory issue from the west coast, but I'm not one to let a little germ (or a few thousand) slow me down!
While I sniffle my way through finishing up the massive job that is sorting, editing, and uploading nearly 3,000 photos, I'll leave you with a layout that's from a different sort of convention altogether- this one has photos from Star Wars Celebration VI!
There are some photos that I print out even though I'm almost positive that there will never, ever be papers and supplies that work with them. Case in point, this selection of pictures I snapped in the R2 maker space at Celebration. There were droids in every color of the rainbow there, all backed by a crazy green and purple carpet- talk about clashing! When I started working with the Citrus Twist January Kit Add-On, though, and especially those blue glitter Thickers, suddenly scrapbooking these photos became a bit less daunting color-wise.
The supplies on this layout are actually a mix of all of the January kits, and I chose shades of pink, aqua, and yellow to mix in with the bold blue letters. Since I had photos of pink and yellow-ish green droids it worked pretty well, and I added the aqua after I layered in the confetti pocket (from the Pocket Life Add-On), since it includes a few aqua dots.
This is also one of those layouts where I scrapped one side as a traditional layout and the other in a pocket page. For now the back side of the pocket page is blank, just like the backs of many of my layouts are blank when I first add them to an album. As I work on adding more pages, I'll take note of any spaces that need to be filled and add either more photos, ephemera, or just some pretty patterned paper. Most of my albums are still very much works in progress, though, so it doesn't bother me at all that they have some unfinished pages in them.
I'll be back later with more CHA coverage! You can expect 2-3 booth posts from me per day until I've made it through all of the photos I shot, meaning there's enough detailed CHA coverage to last for a week or two!
R2 Rainbow Layout for Citrus Twist Kits
Sunday, November 3, 2013
This week's Geek Girl post is filled with lots of news and a peek or two at things to come. It's a good time to be a geek!
From the top left:
MTFBWY!
From the top left:
- Her Universe peeked a preppy new TARDIS cardigan that'll be appearing on their site soon.
- The Making Of series of Star Wars books was re-released last week in enhanced eBook form.
- We Love Fine has released their new fall lineup of leggings and apparel, including this awesome TARDIS pair featuring a below-the-knee graphic for those of use who like to cover our rumps when wearing tight-fitting pants.
- A brochure outlining Disney's marketing plans for Star Wars leading up to the release of Episode VII leaked out onto the interwebs recently. There are quite a few interesting tidbits on the horizon for Star Wars fans, including an as-yet unexplained "Digital Library."
- Amazon has had some news on the eBook front this week, including the announcement of Matchbook- a service that will allow you (for a small fee) to download a digital copy of physical books that have been purchased from the online retailer. They've also announced the Kindle First program which will see the early release of four new books each month. All four books will be available to Kindle readers only for one month before their street dates, and readers can choose one book to purchase for $1.99 (Prime members get one book free).
- There have been some awesome post-Halloween geek pumpkin posts this week, and this illustration of the Enterprise chasing the Millennium Falcon is definitely one of my favorites!
- There's been a bit of a shakeup on the writing staff for Star Wars Episode VII. Michael Arndt has departed the team, and JJ Abrams will now be collaborating with Lawrence Kasdan on the sequel's screenplay.
- In even more eBook news, the FAA has finally ruled that personal electronic devices such as eReaders and cell phones are safe to use during almost all phases of flight, with the exception of the actual takeoff and landing roll. The changes will be rolled out incrementally across all airlines in the coming months, so soon electronic book readers should be able to read right through the safety announcements like their paper-reading counterparts.
- Bruce Campbell teased and all but confirmed Army of Darkness 2. I suppose he needs something to do now that my beloved Burn Notice has ended!
Tonight's video is a companion to the re-release of the Making of Star Wars books- a blooper reel from the filming of the original trilogy! There's no sound on the first few clips, but the audio picks up after that.
MTFBWY!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Happy Sunday, geeklings! Around the house it's been all about Christmas- the tree went up yesterday and will be decorated this evening. Of course my Star Wars ornaments will be making an appearance alongside the more traditional baubles, and Christmas is starting to sneak into the geeky picks, as well!
Enjoy!
From the top left:
Oh, and have you seen the new Hoth levels for Angry Birds Star Wars? Sweet!
MTFBWY!
Enjoy!
From the top left:
- Bit Rebels takes a moment to ponder what the business cards of various Star Wars characters might look like.
- Deck the halls with TARDIS and Dalek! Okay, so maybe these glass ornaments from Think Geek will only deck your tree, but they're still rather...fantastic!
- Star Trek fans can rest easy now that Picard and Data have been immortalized in Pez dispenser format, available in a limited edition run at Think Geek. J, I know what you're thinking...
- I told you that Nerdache would be making many more appearances here on Geek Girl, and she's back with not one but two entries this week! This first is this epic 8-bit Legend of Zelda cookie set...
- ...and the second is this amazing pair of 11th Doctor and TARDIS cupcakes.
- These Star Wars Lego mosaics are amazing (and amazingly pricey). I think it's time to raid my brother's old Lego stash and see what I can dream up...
- If the Doctor Who themed ornaments weren't your style, you might try this set of Yoda Christmas lights, also available at Think Geek.
- My love of stickers (hey, it's where I got the scrapbooking bug from, I'm sure) has run straight into my love of Star Wars with this Angry Birds Star Wars sticker book, due out next Spring. With more than 1,000 stickers in the set, one of them might just have to come live with me.
- And it seems like I can't do a Geek Girl post these days without a massive dose of cute. This week that massive cuteness comes in the micro-sized form of the tiniest little crochet animals ever. And there are Muppets in the mix, making it totally Geek Girl appropriate!
Oh, and have you seen the new Hoth levels for Angry Birds Star Wars? Sweet!
MTFBWY!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
So, would I lose any geek cred with you guys if, say, I confessed that I've only played through a handful of levels in Angry Birds Star Wars since downloading it on release day? ::hangs head in shame:: Unfortunately, it's been so crazy busy here that I just haven't had time!
I did, of course, find time to round up some fantastic picks this week (the Tigger/Who one in particular has me tripping all over myself in geeky glee), so perhaps that'll help restore my geekling status. :)
From the top left:
I did, of course, find time to round up some fantastic picks this week (the Tigger/Who one in particular has me tripping all over myself in geeky glee), so perhaps that'll help restore my geekling status. :)
From the top left:
- This custom made R2-D2 engagement ring is simply stunning. Now there's a guy with serious geek cred!
- My brother sent this along (thanks, J!), and I laughed so much that I had to share it here- how to explain Doctor Who to various people in your life.
- Last week I shared a fabulous dollhouse-sized Bag End, and this week the iconic residence from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit makes an appearance in...twisted ballons?
- Roqoo Depot takes a peek into some possibilities for upcoming additions to the Star Wars/Haynes manual line.
- Timothy Zahn's Scoundrels novel isn't due to release until January 1st, but on December 10th you can download the prequel short story, Winner Lose All, in the electronic format of your choice.
- Her Universe shares a peek into their Cyber Monday (uggggghhh! I hate that term!) offerings. Love the "Whovian" shirt in particular.
- I'm not sure if this is cool or just plan wrong, but Think Geek is now carrying light-up lightsaber popsicle makers.
- You guys, I've discovered a new-to-me cake decorator to end all cake decorators. You'll be seing a lot more of Nerdache around here, especially if it means that more epic awesomeness like this Tigger/Doctor Who cake are in the future. I mean look at Dalek Piglet! Look at the Fez! The cuteness, it kills me!
- And let's end with something else cute, shall we? Amy Atlas posted this adorable monster themed party- love the color and those funny little faces!
MTFBWY!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
I take a week off from Geek Girl, and what happens? The trailer and a special prequel mini-episode for the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special get released, that's what!
Not only that, but there's some serious Star Wars/Doctor Who stream-crossing going on in this week's roundup, including David Tennant guesting on The Clone Wars, of all things! Let's take a closer look and see what awaits in this week's geeky picks!
From the top left:
Not only that, but there's some serious Star Wars/Doctor Who stream-crossing going on in this week's roundup, including David Tennant guesting on The Clone Wars, of all things! Let's take a closer look and see what awaits in this week's geeky picks!
From the top left:
- Bit Rebels shared a fab R2-D2 modded scooter.
- Roqoo Depot posted a variety of Star Wars/Disney mashup images. I find the Jar-Jar Binks as Ariel image particularly terrifying.
- And, yes, it's true! David Tennant played a voice role on last week's episode of The Clone Wars. This might actually convince me to watch an episode...or maybe I'll just be satisfied with the clip included in the article.
- In a reverse of Tennant's surprise Star Wars appearance, Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok from Return of the Jedi) is reported to have an upcoming guest role in the Doctor Who series.
- Ottertorials takes a look at yet another round of rejected Star Wars merchandising ideas.
- Check out the most amazing Hobbit dollhouse ever at Mad's Hobbit's Hole.
- This t-shirt from Snorgtees is more sad than geeky, really. I mean, why don't we vist the moon any more? ::sniff::
- More Design Please posted a fun zombie-themed engagement photo shoot.
- Think Geek has been in a roll lately with the Star Trek themed merchandise- just look at those Tribble slippers! They've also got a Spock oven mitt and a Vulcan Santa hat in the lineup.
And how about one more video clip for the road? Timothy Zahn discusses the finer points of writing battle scenes for sci-fi novels in this short bit.
MTFBWY!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Holy geekiness, Batman! There's a lot of great new stuff on the geeky front this week, and I've rounded nine of my favorites up to share with you today. There's everything from Halloween gear to books to eyeglasses (yes, eyeglasses!) in the mix, so let's get started!
From the top left:
MTFBWY!
From the top left:
- Lots of great Star Wars news came out of New York Comic Con, and Tosche Station was on hand to report on all of it. Suvudu (Del Rey's sci-fi blog) also posted a short NYCC video clip featuring Star Wars author Timothy Zahn talking about his upcoming novel, Scoundrels, along with a few other topics of not.
- Angry Birds Star Wars isn't quite available for download yet, but that hasn't stopped the merchandise from cropping up already! This themed Jenga set was spotted on Amazon, and I'm sure a massive wave of other themed items will follow shortly.
- Her Universe has unveiled their new Halloween items, including this cute little TARDIS dress!
- It's just in the rumor stage for now, but information and photos have leaked out that point to a new line of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Lego sets, supposedly debuting in early 2013. Cowabunga, dude! Those are going to be some awesome minifigs. :) (via Big Shiny Robot)
- Lameasaurus's Etsy shop is stocked full of adorable vintage-style geeky dresses! The Darth Vader version shown above is just one of many, many options.
- I don't really need a new pair of glasses right now, but this new line of officially licensed Star Wars frames might just change my mind!
- So, if you bake a TARDIS into a cupcake, does that also make the cupcake bigger on the inside? Cupcakes Take the Cake doesn't have the answer to that burning question, but they do have photos of these amazing works of cake-y art!
- Andrea Gerstman has dreamed up some fun costume ideas for droids- her artwork is just fantastic!
- Bit Rebels takes you behind the scenes of several major movies with this oh-so-awesome collection of set photos. Love the one of Bumblebee, and of course there's some Star Wars in the mix, too!
And, before I go, a new video teaser for Angry Birds Star Wars has trickled out, this time featuring the Millennium Falcon. Hopefully we'll see some actual gameplay soon!
MTFBWY!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
I've got a bit of rare mid-week geekery to share with you tonight- something that just wouldn't wait until Sunday's post since it's only available for a limited time.
I've mentioned a few times on Geek Girl how the Star Wars novels have always captivated me more than the movies ever did, and I often get questions from readers who are interested in trying out some of the books but just aren't sure where to start. My advice is always the same- Start with Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy (Heir To the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command) and then move to the X-Wing novels. From there you should have a fairly good handle on the characters and major founding plots of the series and can decide where in the chronology you want to move next. This is actually exactly how I got my brother started on Star Wars novels, and he said it worked well for him.
This week Del Rey, the publisher behind the current line of Star Wars books, released a special "Essential Novels" collection, available for a limited time in honor of Saturday's upcoming Star Wars Reads day. This collection of four novels (Heir to the Empire, X-Wing : Rogue Squadron, The New Jedi Order : Vector Prime, and Legacy of the Force : Betrayal) is currently available in eBook form (I've linked up the Kindle version, but you'll also find it available for Nook and a few other formats) for the insane price of $7.99 US. To put it in perspective, Heir to the Empire costs that much alone in eBook format, and the version included in the bundle is the extra-special 20th anniversary edition- the one with all the awesome footnotes. I have no idea exactly what Del Rey means when they say "limited edition" on this (they don't give an expiration date for the offer), so if you've been interested at all in trying out the Star Wars books, now's the time!
A word of warning on spoilers and chronology- you can safely read Heir to the Empire and X-Wing : Rogue Squadron without accidentally ruining any of the other books for yourself, but Vector Prime gets quite spoiler-y, and you're in for learning all kinds of stuff out of order if you try reading Betrayal before the other books in the series. Still, it's a great introduction to the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
If you need a bit of help on where to go after reading the introductory books, the just-released-this-week Essential Reader's Companion might be just what you need to get going. This massive encyclopedia of Star Wars novels and short stories presents the books in chronological order and gives a brief summary of each. The printed version clocks in at nearly 500 pages (including lots of fantastic artwork), and there's also an iPad-friendly Kindle edition (the version I opted for as my bookshelves are getting a bit full).
And don't forget Star Wars Reads day is coming up this Saturday, October 6th! You can check here to see what events are happening at libraries and bookstores in your area.
Happy reading!
I've mentioned a few times on Geek Girl how the Star Wars novels have always captivated me more than the movies ever did, and I often get questions from readers who are interested in trying out some of the books but just aren't sure where to start. My advice is always the same- Start with Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy (Heir To the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command) and then move to the X-Wing novels. From there you should have a fairly good handle on the characters and major founding plots of the series and can decide where in the chronology you want to move next. This is actually exactly how I got my brother started on Star Wars novels, and he said it worked well for him.
This week Del Rey, the publisher behind the current line of Star Wars books, released a special "Essential Novels" collection, available for a limited time in honor of Saturday's upcoming Star Wars Reads day. This collection of four novels (Heir to the Empire, X-Wing : Rogue Squadron, The New Jedi Order : Vector Prime, and Legacy of the Force : Betrayal) is currently available in eBook form (I've linked up the Kindle version, but you'll also find it available for Nook and a few other formats) for the insane price of $7.99 US. To put it in perspective, Heir to the Empire costs that much alone in eBook format, and the version included in the bundle is the extra-special 20th anniversary edition- the one with all the awesome footnotes. I have no idea exactly what Del Rey means when they say "limited edition" on this (they don't give an expiration date for the offer), so if you've been interested at all in trying out the Star Wars books, now's the time!
A word of warning on spoilers and chronology- you can safely read Heir to the Empire and X-Wing : Rogue Squadron without accidentally ruining any of the other books for yourself, but Vector Prime gets quite spoiler-y, and you're in for learning all kinds of stuff out of order if you try reading Betrayal before the other books in the series. Still, it's a great introduction to the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
If you need a bit of help on where to go after reading the introductory books, the just-released-this-week Essential Reader's Companion might be just what you need to get going. This massive encyclopedia of Star Wars novels and short stories presents the books in chronological order and gives a brief summary of each. The printed version clocks in at nearly 500 pages (including lots of fantastic artwork), and there's also an iPad-friendly Kindle edition (the version I opted for as my bookshelves are getting a bit full).
And don't forget Star Wars Reads day is coming up this Saturday, October 6th! You can check here to see what events are happening at libraries and bookstores in your area.
Happy reading!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Good evening, geeklings! I'm getting ready to settle my still-slightly-under-the-weather self in for a Doctor Who double header (I've got two weeks of episodes to catch up on, thanks to iTunes), and it seems fitting that tonight's geeky roundup includes a couple of Doctor Who items.
Enjoy! I'm off to watch the Ponds, Daleks, and some Weeping Angels in Manhattan!
From the top left:
Enjoy! I'm off to watch the Ponds, Daleks, and some Weeping Angels in Manhattan!
From the top left:
- I'm filing this one in the "well, that was inevitable" category. Firebox has a product page up for a Sonic Screwdriver toothbrush, though at the time of this post it wasn't available for purchase just yet.
- Amanda Visell has crafted the most amazing vintage-style wood Star Wars figures I've ever seen. Boba Fett is pictured above, and I encourage you to click through to her site to see more of them!
- Her Universe has recently added Doctor Who to the list of geeky brands on their licensing list. This "Fish Fingers and Custard" top is one of several new offerings in their lineup. And if you don't get the reference, get thee to Netflix and start streaming Doctor Who, pronto!
- Ooooooooooooooh! Check out these Toy Story inspired alien cake pops at Cupcakes Take the Cake.
- This super fun Batgirl themed party was featured on Amy Atlas' blog.
- Kody Koala posted a custom-made Hungry Hungry Koopas game on his blog, putting a decidedly Mario spin on the classic kids' game.
- This Lego Star Wars clock (with interchangeable minifigs!) is one of many geeky DIY crafts over at Instructables.
- Yes, it's Pokemon. Again. Bit Rebels featured a series of geeky gaming jewelry charms including characters from several well-known franchises.
- It's a purse! It's Legos! It's both! And it's fully functional and for sale at Agabag's Etsy shop.
MTFBWY!
star wars celebration vi | day 4
By Day 4 (also known as the last day) of Star Wars Celebration VI, I was very nearly photographed out. Sunday was by far the smallest photo day for me, but there were still lots of great costumes around, so I've got plenty to share. And, in case you missed them, here are links to my Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 photo posts.
Sunday started off just like every other day- in line waiting for the floor to open.
Just like every other day, too, there were some great costumes to photograph while waiting. Check out the scottish Stormtrooper (complete with kilt!) and the vintage Princess Leia action figure. The hands! Look at the hands!!
I was happy to spot some familiarfaces helmets on the way in to the main hall. The Scout Trooper with his Ewok was back in action, though he said that the rest of the family was still sleeping back in the hotel room. :)
Throughout the con there was a lot of swag to be had at some of the vendor booths, but at no time during the week had I ever seen a giveaway line like this one! Cartamundi gave out an exclusive lenticular playing card each day of the show, and if you had collected the previous three earlier in the week you got two cards to complete the royal flush on the last day. During the previous three days the line had been pretty mild, but on this morning it wrapped all the way across four or five aisles of the floor. Luckily it moved pretty quickly and I was able to get both my cards and my brother's, since he'd had to leave to fly home early Sunday morning.
Sunday started off just like every other day- in line waiting for the floor to open.
Just like every other day, too, there were some great costumes to photograph while waiting. Check out the scottish Stormtrooper (complete with kilt!) and the vintage Princess Leia action figure. The hands! Look at the hands!!
I was happy to spot some familiar
Throughout the con there was a lot of swag to be had at some of the vendor booths, but at no time during the week had I ever seen a giveaway line like this one! Cartamundi gave out an exclusive lenticular playing card each day of the show, and if you had collected the previous three earlier in the week you got two cards to complete the royal flush on the last day. During the previous three days the line had been pretty mild, but on this morning it wrapped all the way across four or five aisles of the floor. Luckily it moved pretty quickly and I was able to get both my cards and my brother's, since he'd had to leave to fly home early Sunday morning.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
As I mentioned earlier tonight, I took an absolutely epic number of photos (I edited more than 375 of them!) on Day 3 of Star Wars Celebration VI. Since it was Saturday it was the biggest day of the event, meaning that it drew the most people and the most costumes. It was also the day that J and I didn't have a schedule full of panels and book signings, so we were out on the show floor a lot more (and finally got to take pictures in a bunch of the photo ops!).
I was pretty easy to spot walking around the show floor on any given day. I picked up that lightsaber poster tube attached to my backpack during the first hour of the first day, and it came in handy to tote around all kinds of posters, prints, and handouts that we picked up while walking around.
See what I mean about the massive crowd? Saturday at Celebration is insanely packed!
It doesn't matter what kind of shoes you wear to an all-day convention, your feet are going to hurt no matter what and by the end of the day even the most comfortable shoes are going to annoy you. I alternated between Chacos and Vibram Five Fingers (my TrekSports, to be specific) each day, and the changeup seemed to work well for me.
I spied a scout trooper and a sand trooper while standing in line and got my costume photography off to an early start. There's so much more of this to come!
I was pretty easy to spot walking around the show floor on any given day. I picked up that lightsaber poster tube attached to my backpack during the first hour of the first day, and it came in handy to tote around all kinds of posters, prints, and handouts that we picked up while walking around.
See what I mean about the massive crowd? Saturday at Celebration is insanely packed!
It doesn't matter what kind of shoes you wear to an all-day convention, your feet are going to hurt no matter what and by the end of the day even the most comfortable shoes are going to annoy you. I alternated between Chacos and Vibram Five Fingers (my TrekSports, to be specific) each day, and the changeup seemed to work well for me.
I spied a scout trooper and a sand trooper while standing in line and got my costume photography off to an early start. There's so much more of this to come!
geek girl | september 23, 2012
Good morning, geeklings! Another installment of my Star Wars Celebration VI photos is on the way- I'm just finishing up editing the epic number of photos I took on Day 3 and getting them uploaded to Flickr! While I'm finishing that up, please enjoy this week's selection of fantastic geekiness. :)
From the top left:
From the top left:
- TheForce.net rounds up another batch of geeky sweets, including this R2-D2 cake with insane airbrushing detail.
- I've already professed my college-age obsession with Pokemon, so there's no need to embarrass myself again, right? Instead, I'll just point you to the Etsy shop of The Quaint Cuddlefish (seriously, that name is so awesome that it kills me!), where you'll find a whole gaggle of beautiful crocheted Pokemon figures for sale.
- The Brothers Brick posted a tribute to Neil Armstrong, duplicating his moon footprint in Legos. In related geeky news, you can read the Presidential speech that was to be delivered had the moon landing not been successful at Geekologie.
- This Doctor Who quiet book at Epbot will either occupy or terrify (or perhaps both) your children. Which is kind of what Doctor Who does to adults so it's totally appropriate.
- Check out these Han Solo in Carbonite cookies at Boing Boing.
- Bit Rebels brings you 18 tiny Lego movie dioramas.
- Cupcakes Take the Cake shared this adorable Lord of the Rings Cake along with another set of themed cupcakes if you click through the link.
- If a chocolate Han Solo in Carbonite isn't your thing, then how about a USB hub version instead? You can find this one in Pariah Projects' Etsy shop, though it's unfortunately already been sold.
- This awesome Star Wars birthday cake can be found at Cake Central.
MTFBWY!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Day 2 at Star Wars Celebration VI started off with Stormtroopers. Lots of Stormtroopers! Members of the 501st are on hand at many conventions to help out with crowd control, so you're guaranteed to see plenty of legion costumes at an event like this.
I remembered this Scout Trooper from Celebration V (and he's also scrapped on a layout here), though his Ewok family seems to have grown a bit in the last couple of years!
I'm pretty sure that this cardboard armor is not 501st approved, but it seriously rocks anyway!
Heard of Men in Black? How about Imps in Black?
I could already tell that this was going to be a great costume-spotting day, and we weren't even in line yet. So, yes, be prepared- this is a very, very photo-heavy post...again!
I remembered this Scout Trooper from Celebration V (and he's also scrapped on a layout here), though his Ewok family seems to have grown a bit in the last couple of years!
I'm pretty sure that this cardboard armor is not 501st approved, but it seriously rocks anyway!
Heard of Men in Black? How about Imps in Black?
I could already tell that this was going to be a great costume-spotting day, and we weren't even in line yet. So, yes, be prepared- this is a very, very photo-heavy post...again!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Note: I'm only posting a small portion of the photos I took each day. For the full stream of everything I deemed worthy of editing, check out my Day 1 album on Flickr.
Star Wars Celebration VI ended two weeks ago, and I have to admit that I'm kind of glad that it's taken me this long to process my photos and prep the first post (there will be one of these a week for the next four weeks- one for each day of the event). Honestly it was all one big geeky blur when I arrived back home, severely sleep-deprived and suffering from a bit of a sci-fi hangover. Celebration is fun, but, man, it's exhausting on a level that even CHA can't match!
Part of the exhaustion comes from all the walking. You spend lots of time on your feet and moving around all day (unless you load your schedule up with panels and shows), and if you're like me and book a hotel that's a mile away from the convention center and not on the shuttle route (and don't rent a car), then you end up adding a couple of extra miles a day to your trip.
It's all worth it, though, to see this sign on the daily stroll to the Orange County Convention Center. I was grinning as I took this photo...despite the humidity that I could already tell was frizzing my hair.
Lines are another common part of convention life, and I arrived at Day 1 about 30 minutes before the doors opened. The crowd was massive! Much bigger than I remember last time. The actual attendance figures for CVI haven't been released yet, but Celebration V drew about 32,000 attendees- it'll be interesting to see if this one was bigger.
Yes, the room we were lined up in was huge! Cavernously so. And those people? Are being filed in to the spots where the first lines were before they were released to go inside (we filed in by row). This photo should tell you something about both the scale of the place and the fact that they ran out of rows to line us up in and had to start reusing them- crazy!!!
Once inside, you pass the towering panels of geekiness as you make your way to the main exhibitor floor.
Along the way I spotted by first R2-D2 of the con- the first of many I was to see that day!
Star Wars Celebration VI ended two weeks ago, and I have to admit that I'm kind of glad that it's taken me this long to process my photos and prep the first post (there will be one of these a week for the next four weeks- one for each day of the event). Honestly it was all one big geeky blur when I arrived back home, severely sleep-deprived and suffering from a bit of a sci-fi hangover. Celebration is fun, but, man, it's exhausting on a level that even CHA can't match!
Part of the exhaustion comes from all the walking. You spend lots of time on your feet and moving around all day (unless you load your schedule up with panels and shows), and if you're like me and book a hotel that's a mile away from the convention center and not on the shuttle route (and don't rent a car), then you end up adding a couple of extra miles a day to your trip.
It's all worth it, though, to see this sign on the daily stroll to the Orange County Convention Center. I was grinning as I took this photo...despite the humidity that I could already tell was frizzing my hair.
Lines are another common part of convention life, and I arrived at Day 1 about 30 minutes before the doors opened. The crowd was massive! Much bigger than I remember last time. The actual attendance figures for CVI haven't been released yet, but Celebration V drew about 32,000 attendees- it'll be interesting to see if this one was bigger.
Yes, the room we were lined up in was huge! Cavernously so. And those people? Are being filed in to the spots where the first lines were before they were released to go inside (we filed in by row). This photo should tell you something about both the scale of the place and the fact that they ran out of rows to line us up in and had to start reusing them- crazy!!!
Once inside, you pass the towering panels of geekiness as you make your way to the main exhibitor floor.
Along the way I spotted by first R2-D2 of the con- the first of many I was to see that day!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
This very, very tired geek just arrived home from Star Wars Celebration VI! I had an absolute blast, and I've got a little 2,000 photos on the cards in my camera and will be attempting to work my way through them all over the next week or two and then begin posting and sharing them here on the blog (I'm thinking during my usual Saturday personal photo posts) soon after that. Geek Girl will continue as usual, though, so here are this week's picks!
From the top left:
From the top left:
- This incredibly detailed Death Star replica is, believe it or not, sculpted into a ping pong ball!
- Despite my recent immersion into all things Star Wars, there are a lot of Doctor Who picks this week, too! Starting with this Sonic Screwdriver universal remote that I first spotted at Geeky Gadgets.
- Club Jade has an excellent Tumblr blog, and while I may not always be able to trace the original source for everything, some bits like these Mad Men inspired Star Wars posters are too good not to share.
- These 3D TARDIS nails (and many other geeky designs if you click through the link) take nail art to a whole new level.
- I need my woodworking (and geeky) brother (loved running around CVI with you, J!) to build me a TARDIS kitty playhouse, pronto! (Just kidding, bro- you know there is no space for it in my decidedly not-bigger-on-the-inside house!!)
- Learn how to turn ordinary pool noodles into lightsabers at Bit Rebels.
- Hostess With the Mostess posted a fun Lego Ninjago themed birthday party!
- If pool noodle lightsabers aren't your thing, then perhaps this lightsaber earring how-to at Instructables will be up your alley.
- I was bummed when I missed the printing of Brandon Peat's Star Wars ABCs book, but I'm super thrilled that all of the illustrations can be viewed on his web site.
MTFBWY!!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
I'm so excited I can hardly stand it- Star Wars Celebration VI is this week!! Yes, on Wednesday my happy little self will be Orlando-bound, ready to have a blast for four days with thousands of other Star Wars geeks. My tickets and t-shirt arrived a couple of weeks ago, and I'm almost finished packing everything up! And one of the best parts? My little brother (J, you really need a blog so I can link it up here- haha!) is going this year, too! He'll be there for three days of the fun and is really looking forward to attending for the first time.
I know at least one or two of my readers are going to be there- hopefully I'll run into you on the show floor somewhere! Feel free to Tweet at me or to email...or just look for the crazy girl running around trying to get Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston to sign her books. :)
Okay, enough CVI geeking for tonight (I will be posting tons of photos after the show, though!)- we've got a lot of other ground to cover!
From the top left:
I know at least one or two of my readers are going to be there- hopefully I'll run into you on the show floor somewhere! Feel free to Tweet at me or to email...or just look for the crazy girl running around trying to get Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston to sign her books. :)
Okay, enough CVI geeking for tonight (I will be posting tons of photos after the show, though!)- we've got a lot of other ground to cover!
From the top left:
- If only this Star Wars themed keyboard had an Apple (Command) key!! Check it out at Think Geek.
- It's official- Lego is releasing a new Star Wars kit in the form of a B-Wing starfighter.
- Want to throw a Lego Star Wars party for your youngling? Hostess with the Mostess has some great ideas!
- Speaking of younglings, here's an awesome Legend of Zelda themed nursery.
- What do do with old video game controllers? Why not turn them into office supply organizers!
- Cupcakes Take the Cake posted a roundup of geeky cupcakes including these fantastic Super Mario themed sweets.
- Club Jade scoured Etsy to find lots of fantastic geeky crafts, including this Star Wars dress. They've also got another great Etsy roundup post here.
- Bit Rebels shared a post full of amazing sand sculptures including R2-D2 and C3PO.
- Conventions are known for many things, chief among them exclusive items that you won't find elsewhere...unless there are some left over! A few of these Chewbacca messenger bags remained after San Diego Comic Con, and they've turned up over in the Think Geek store.
MTFBWY!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
If you're a fan of DIY and crafts, then this is the Geek Girl post for you! Many of todays picks are fan builds and handcrafted art projects- the creativity of the geek community never ceases to amaze me! So let's get started, shall we?
From the top left:
MTFBWY!
From the top left:
- Want to deck out your ride Star Wars style? Think Geek offers a set of Star Wars character family decals, just perfect for ID'ing your family unit.
- Oh Hello Friend links up lots of awesome constellation-themed posts, including this lovely embroidery pattern.
- Darth Vader soap is just one of the many geeky suds you'll find at the Etsy shop of TubTime.
- Bit Rebels links up a set of instructions for making your own Lego Stormtrooper key holder.
- This Stormtrooper lawn chair is simply amazing- I'll take six for my back yard, please!
- Old school meets the galaxy far, far away with this retro R2-D2 phone.
- Learn to make your own pixelated paper art- so awesome!
- Cupcakes Take the Cake posted these fun (and detailed!) X-Box controller cake pops.
- If origami is your thing, check out these amazing folds at TheForce.net.
And, finally, this week's video features none other than Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper themed manicure.
MTFBWY!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Good evening, geeklings! I hope that you've had happy and Olympics-filled weekends. I've been in DVR purgatory on that front, but I might have finally settled everything out- only time will tell. There's a side of being a technology geek that's fun (that would be when stuff works) and a side that is, shall we say, less than optimal when everything decides to fritz out all at once.
In the vein, you won't find anything techy at all in any of this week's picks. In fact, they're all quite sweet! So sit back and enjoy this week's selection of fine cake, cupcake, and part geekery.
From the top left:
In the vein, you won't find anything techy at all in any of this week's picks. In fact, they're all quite sweet! So sit back and enjoy this week's selection of fine cake, cupcake, and part geekery.
From the top left:
- I found these super adorable Stormtrooper cupcakes at Cupcakes Take the Cake- the source for many of this week's picks...
- ...like this selection of Star Wars character cupcakes!
- Want a whole Star Wars themed party? Amy Atlas has that loveliness on her blog.
- Oh, Ninja Turtles, thank goodness that Michael Bay's plan to reboot your franchise with an alien twist has been put on hold (let's hope indefinitely). I prefer to remember you as you were, immortalized on these cupcakes.
- Zakka Life posted an entirely too adorable Lord of the Rings themed birthday.
- What do 144 Super Mario themed cupcakes look like? This!
- This post at Bit Rebels features a birthday that combines Legos, Star Wars, and Harry Potter into one big, fantastically geeky cake.
- I always have a hard time deciding between Beaker and Animal as my favorite Muppets, but luckily these fabulous cupcakes from Cupcakes Take the Cake feature both!
- Amy Atlas is back with one more pick this week, and this time it's an Angry Birds themed dessert table. Love!
MTFBWY!
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Oh, my, what a weekend! I just finished an 8-hour drive to work out of town this coming week, but I wanted to make sure I got Geek Girl posted before I crashed for the night! I'm sure that this week will bring much Olympic geekiness for me (after all, I, the insane Olympics nut, have a hotel room complete with flat screen TV to myself for the next six nights), but if you're looking for more...well, geeky, geekiness, then these picks are just for you!
From the top left:
From the top left:
- Lucasfilm and its many publishing partners are hosting a Star Wars Reads day on October 6, 2012. Check with your local library or bookstore to see if they're participating in the festivities- it'll be a great way to get your younglings hooked on the good stuff for life. :)
- If you're already hooked on Star Wars lit, then you'll be happy to learn that there's a new book coming out that wraps up events after the big Fate of the Jedi arc. TheForce.net covers the details of the novel, announced at San Diego ComicCon, here, and Club Jade also posted a blurb here. You can find more about all things Star Wars that were announced at SDCC here.
- Two great British traditions collide in this Doctor Who/Jane Austen mashup. Yes, I already have the t-shirt on order- it definitely fell into the "need" category!
- I totally LOL'ed at this Han Solo vs. Mal Reynolds comic at Hijinks Ensue.
- There are no words for this Millennium Falcon skirt, so I'm just going to link it up and let you have a look for yourself.
- Yarnbombing was a completely new concept for me until I came across this post with photos of an amazing R2-D2 creation. Now I need to learn to knit, pronto!
- Star Wars ships, steampunk, and Legos. What's not to love? Via Bit Rebels.
- Tonight I've got two amazing home theaters to share, starting with this ultimate Star Wars screening room. Ummmm, I want!
- And if Star Trek is more your style (hi, J!), then this Enterprise helm theater might be right up your alley.
MTFBWY!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Good evening, geeklings! I hope you've got your sweet tooth on tonight, because lots of this week's picks are cake, food, and general party eats related- there have been so many great geeky noms around lately that I just couldn't help it!
From the top left:
From the top left:
- The Li'l Darth infant onsie- it's what all well-dressed Sith babies are wearing this season (via L'il Geeks on Etsy).
- This Star Wars themed birthday party is completely adorkable in every way!
- Darth Vader makes the best groom's cake ever!!
- There definitely have not been enough Muppets around here lately (to try make up for it I did wear my Fraggle Rock t-shirt to the gym today), so how about some Miss Piggy cake pops to fill the void? There's Fozzy Bear, too, if you click through the link.
- If the idea of throwing your alarm clock off the room to shut it up appeals to you, then you might want this Jedi training remote version that lets you do exactly that! I often want to throw my alarm across the room in the morning, but since I use my iPhone to wake me up I try to refrain...
- We've had Star Wars and Muppets sweets to far, so how about an Angry Birds birthday party next?
- A couple of months ago I linked up to a post on Suvudu aimed at helping new Star Wars readers find their entry-point into the series. I usually tell people to start with Heir to the Empire (it's where I started, after all, and I'm still somewhat normal :) ) and then move to the X-Wing novels next. This interesting piece on Suvudu, however, recommends starting with the X-Wing flyboys first- interesting stuff!
- Ahhhh, more Muppets! This adorable Muppets dessert table is courtesy of Amy Atlas' blog.
- James Hance, the master of squee-worthy cute Star Wars mashups, has gone Rockwellian on the saga. I also highly recommend checking out his Wookie the Chew series.
MTFBWY!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Geek Girl did loooooooots of driving today and will be out of town for work all week, but since I have a geeky job working with other geeks, it's all good. :)
For those of you who may not have the whole geek immersion thing going on, I've got some picks for you to peruse and have your own little geeky party with. And, remember, there are sooooo many other geeky girls out there. I hear from them quite often!!! So every week we all kind of have our virtual geeky group party here, anyway.
From the top left:
For those of you who may not have the whole geek immersion thing going on, I've got some picks for you to peruse and have your own little geeky party with. And, remember, there are sooooo many other geeky girls out there. I hear from them quite often!!! So every week we all kind of have our virtual geeky group party here, anyway.
From the top left:
- I'm admittedly a little behind on my Cake Wrecks reading at the moment, but I did catch this amazing Ark of the Covenant (from Indiana Jones) cake a few weeks ago.
- Have you had enough geeky ice trays yet? No? How about an X-Wing mold this time around?
- I love this re-imagining of Tron as Thrawn- the Luke/Mara illustration is perfect!
- Bit Rebels features lots of geeky sneakers, including this Doctor Who inspired pair!
- This amazing Yoda birthday cake is life sized! And they say size matters not- heh!
- Geek out granny's walker with this fun AT-AT design.
- I must get this shirt for the next pregnant geek in the family!! Which will not be me...
- Club Jade links up a set of lightsaber toothbrushes.
- Pugly Pixel isn't usually a blog I check out for geeky stuff (though I love her blog design work and photography), but I did adore her photo of the Yoda statue outside the Letterman Digital Arts Center.
MTFBWY!