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Senior Sergeant MaraJade
Army of the Vast Empire
SL/FTC1/SSG MaraJade/3SQD/1PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE[LoR]

(o^_^o)

I just saw the new photo album feature so I figured I would use that instead of my online album on my emperorhand site lol. So I was thinking this had some cool album feature so you could look directly at the album... now I figure out that its just a place to park my pictures then do the html to post them in this post. I have tons of pics so that isn't effective. I will post the link to the photo album I create, I will post one cool pic here though... let me clean it up then I will post it. My friend bought me the Darth Maul dual hilt force fx light saber that is signed by Ray Parks. It is bad ass, I will post that one here, I need to get the batteries though. Then I will post that one here and the link to my album.

Thanks for the welcome back, I have been getting sicker and shouldn't be here at all. Docs are quite upset needless to say, but I cant miss this! Comic Con is my stress relief hehe. So I spend half the day at the con, come back to the hotel and rest (and eat, I am not allowed to eat at most restaurants, I have a special diet now too grrrr) I take a nap or just sit on the internet resting. Then I head out again in the evening to the night events. Then come back and rest... so far it has worked well.

I will get the pictures up. Thanks for letting me know how to post, I didn't know it was just the html needed... I would have done that, I thought this cute fancy photo album feature linked itself, or something. I don't want to flood this page with pictures lol. I take 300 pics every day!  Too many for this hehe.

Tonight I head to the Master Replicas dinner and costume party. I will take tons of photos there for you guys of the costumes. It sucks walking around seeing so many cool costumes, I wish I had mine here& maybe I will get my illness under control and pack on some weight by next year so I can wear my costumes.

Any special requests for pictures let me know& I will see what I can get. Sadly it seems the Star Wars booth is smaller this year, so there haven't been any actor signings. The fan awards were awesome last night though. Plus Lucas spoke about some new game that is uber secret no one knows anything about and he will be surprising us soon with it Cool stuff.

Will post here soon.. thanks

MJ

 
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Senior Sergeant MaraJade
Army of the Vast Empire
SL/FTC1/SSG MaraJade/3SQD/1PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE[LoR]

(o^_^o)

Nice. You're the first person I know from the VE to actually get a VE T-Shirt. :P

Love the pics.

I want a force fx lightsaber

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Cleric "Cosmic" Vor'soth
CoT/MG Cosmic/HCA-3/SL/Drill Squad/Tadath/VEA/VE
[OPE][OTH][OPA][EW1][CDS][IH][GS][LM][SoS][CRoM][CoH][PoC][MSM][SCP][SoA][IOC]
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Cleric "Cosmic" Vor'soth
SL/KPR Cosmic/Lion 1-1/Lopen/VEDJ/VE
[VP][WoS2][KC1][SoY][EoP][OAK]
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I have the Vader force fx too, I love it, but now that I have the Darth Maul I made it my new favorite!  The saber is far taller than I am. Ray Parks is my height, so I know its possible to swing this thing around. I need lessons though, I am probably beyond help for being coordinated enough to use it.

A guy from Master Replicas gave me lessons on fighting with the saber, he does the stunts for MR showing the force fx sabers off. He also gave me his email and his youtube name. He has lessons available on youtube on how to saber fight. I will go find his name and post the link to the lessons.

I can't believe how much stuff I got.  My friends bought me the signature edition of the Darth Maul which kicks ass, it was $300 so I couldn't justify buying it. But to say thanks for all my help they bought it for me. I thought that was so cool.

I also won a cool raffle and well... I could go on for days about the cool stuff I have now. I will post a pic with me playing with my dual saber. I am sure it will be as funny as the Star Wars kid. Hmm maybe I can make a remake of his clip doing my own clumsy moves LOL. This is why I dress as slave Leia for con. I don't have to wield some saber which I would be so clumsy with. I am getting better, but I am genetically a klutz, there is nothing I can do to fix that.  Which is why I became proficient in duct tape medicine. Did I mention my limited edition purple duct tape I have??? I used it though, only half a roll *sigh* I haven't seen any more of the purple color. I am so crushed.

I am just so glad I don't get picked on anymore. Growing up I was tormented for being a geek. The popular kids in school would make fun of me. Luckily the stoners and the geeks and the gear heads took me in.  I am so happy geeks don't get beat-up anymore. School was so horrible for me. I don't want my kids going through that crap. My family still gives me a hard time. They respect that my income comes from being a geek, but even that doesn't save me from the occasional geek bashing conversations.

Comic con is so much fun, going there no matter how geeky I am everyone is nice to me. Where else can you dress up in your favorite costumes, argue the semantics of Vader vs. Gandalf, and have your favorite comic book author sign your comic books, and meet really cool people that totally understand you. 100,000 geeks in a room, man, talk about every young geeks dream. This was my 3rd year doing this... every year I introduce someone new to the conventions. I create new addicts lol.

Well, celebration 4 is coming up in May. Comic Con is July. I am unveiling some really amazing costumes for the convention. There are two secret ones that I can't unveil prior (they are for the costume contests, must keep it a secret) but the smaller contests I don't care about people knowing the costumes. So I will have to post them here when they near completion for feedback. I want to make sure they look good so I will be asking for a lot of input.

Everyone should start saving up for conventions next year. Anyone that wants to go I will be making hotel arrangements, costumes etc. This way I can get people discounts by sharing rooms and reserving early. I am also driving this really cool bus up there (we converted a school bus to an RV, full size bathroom, bathtub, large bed, very cool, cats meow)... setup like a tour bus. We are working on it now but I wanted to get an uber cool paint job. I have been kicking around ideas for a VE logo but I wanted the back of the bus to have a really neat airbrushed look and advertise the VE that way! Maybe I should post pics of it and see what you guys come up with for ideas for a paint job.  Anyway, if everyone saves up $$ to go to con I can help out a bit on coordinating stuff. Also if anyone is around Arizona I am going to be picking up folks along the way there... save them the expensive cost of driving or flying. Start saving now though, you will want extra cash flow for cool toys.

Maybe we can bribe Kad to go??? I keep yelling at him, three years in a row now he couldn't go. I think he should be there to represent the VE ;p Maybe we can all pitch in and start a fund "Send Kad and Kadbot to Celebration 4! "

I just looked at everything I need to get done before C4. Costumes, droids, etc. I need to get past this damn disease so I can get things done. This illness takes up too much of my day, it needs to go.

What do you think about a costume based on this design?




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Senior Sergeant MaraJade
Army of the Vast Empire
SL/FTC1/SSG MaraJade/3SQD/1PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE[LoR]

(o^_^o)

Oh Cos, you would laugh at me. I purchased several shirts. One long sleeve, one short, two styles of tank top and two dog shirts, the dog shirts are too small though. It said large dogs, mine are not that large but they wont fit *sigh* Maybe it will fit on one of my cats. Course I am inheriting another cat this week (that makes three cats, two dogs and four rabbits). The new cat is twice the size of my 9 pound cat, so I am sure this will fit him.

I have some modifications I want to suggest on the shirts though. I worked on several logo's that would look cool. The url is also too small, some people were asking me what it said, but many would look at it and not come up and ask me. When you're selling something or asking someone to check our site out type thing, we need to make it easier to read. Geeks typically (not always but often) are introverts, they may be all tough online but in person they are very shy. I love the shirts though, they are comfy. I think I will end up getting some more for the winter. A couple long sleeves and a couple hoodies.

 
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Senior Sergeant MaraJade
Army of the Vast Empire
SL/FTC1/SSG MaraJade/3SQD/1PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE[LoR]

(o^_^o)

I'm working on a Wez costume from "The Road Warrior," and a pirate costume.  Not crappy hollywood pirate either.  I'm trying to find some breeches and a frock coat, but it's really damn expensive and I'm only 14.  And then there's the fact that I dress like a pirate in public for no reason aside from me liking pirates.  I'm also trying to get a pair of knee high combat boots with 16 buckles.  I need a better saber prop though.  I'd try to go to Celebration IV, but my family's money is pretty tight at the moment.  I too am a geek, a deadly martial artist geek, but still a D&D addicted, eccentric geek.  Fear the wrath of the d20.
 
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Private First Class D'har Leth
-=Wraith Squad=-
TRP/PFC D'har/4SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/VEA/VE/Nar Shaddaa

{Official VE Zombie Expert}

D'har do you know how to sew at all? My suggestion for you is learn to sew if you don't already. I belong to a costume guild and we work on detailed replica costumes and create our own original stuff as well. Everyone sews their own costume for several reasons. 1. It is nearly impossible to have a perfect fitted costume without making it yourself. 2. You rarely if ever will find EXACTLY the you are looking for. 3. Money, yes it is expensive to buy the material but you will have exactly the size, color everything you want. Purchasing can be more expensive and not as unique, detailed or whatever as you are looking for.

Many in the guild are more of designers, they have great ideas but cant sew so they hire folks in the guild to sew their sketches. That is expensive as well but often a deal is negotiated; the person that makes the costume requires that if the costume is entered into a contest the person wearing it gives credit to the person who made it. Also if people ask where it was made you tell them so they can locate the person and possibly get more business. Everyone wins that way. It is also cheaper than going to a professional seamstress.

There are many ways to do it, but if you decide you really want to work on these really great costumes I highly suggest joining the guilds. I am great at sewing; I am working on vacuum forming (the process to make things like storm trooper armor) as soon as I get my machine finished I can vacuum form... I learned from a master in the field which was fun :o) at any rate I sew and vacuum form. I can't do the detailed leather work. I can't do chain mail, and I can't do the really elaborate wigs. So I have a couple options, I get help from someone in the guild, I hire them or I barter with them.

Everyone is very helpful and wants to see everyone have the costume they are going for, taking advantage of someone isn't allowed in these guilds so it's a safe place to be.  I am considering visiting this really talented wigmaker in California and apprenticing with her. Her wigs go for $300 - $5,000 and they are worth every dime. She takes on apprentices and pays them to learn, this way she can take on more orders, teach others the craft and pass on her amazing talent.

It's just something to think about... costuming is fun and addicting; I am also working on a pirate costume. My Halloween costume this year :o) Its coming out pretty well, finding the perfect fabric is the hardest part. That's what was neat about the Pirates movies; both Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom had really good costume designers that made their outfits. They were very accurate for their time period. That was another bonus at comic con this year. I got to watch a panel on the costume designers for some big movies. Narnia, Men in Black, X-Men and a ton of other flicks. It was fascinating to hear how they work.  I wish I had their budgets to work with lol.

Good choice in costumes though. I would love to see how those are going. I am also available for help if you want. I was actually planning on getting my site built here this year that focuses on this stuff but my damn illness keeps me behind on what I want to do. Hopefully that will change soon as well. (for the best).

"Fear the wrath of the d20" haha! I like that.  Well I do hope something works out so you can make it to C4.  I would love to put together some program so that the parents know their mini clones will be safe. Its weird as a parent I am sure to tell their son/daughter oh sure hun, have fun at that convention, I don't mind that you are going with some nice people you met on the internet. Lol. I know when I was a kid my mom wouldn't let me play outside in my front yard without checking in every hour. I wish parents had the time and money to take their kids to places like C4 and Comic Con. These things make such an impression& and it could actually be fun for the whole family. Damn work and bills keep families from doing more fun things& I hope my project Eadaein is built in my lifetime. It is one answer to so many issues. Money, family, everything *sigh*

Japheth& Pirate Jon? Ok, if your friend is going to be a dork at least he can pick a better pirate name. Pirate Jon??? *sigh* No imagination these days. Of course this comes from a person that wants to change her name to Mara Jade lol. Oh well, I guess I shouldn't talk& even though Mara is way cooler than Jon. Hehe!

Yeah, I think it would be a fun costume& the Sith Twi'lek. I was thinking for my group of friends that want to do costumes but don't think they would look good as any of the main well known characters this would work. We could all go as unique sith. I dunno& yeah cat calls are normal it seems& but that is for guys and girls in costume lol. I had a weird thing this year where everyone kept stopping me and making comments on my eyes. Now that is just odd, they were my normal eyes. I didn't borrow anyone else's, wasn't dressed as anyone& my only guess is our Vast Empire shirts cause people to fall over themselves to meet us. Hmm, everyone should go buy these shirts!  It will improve your dating life! Women will stalk you begging you to give them the time of day! ;p The power of the empire. 

For Comic Con I was also thinking of this costume from Guild Wars. They released two new characters and I really like the one in the back of this pic. This was a cardboard cutout at the Guild Wars booth. I would need to make the head piece fairly see through, so I wouldn't walk into people ;p but I thought it looked cool.



Well off to do work *sigh* so much fun.

 
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Senior Sergeant MaraJade
Army of the Vast Empire
SL/FTC1/SSG MaraJade/3SQD/1PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE[LoR]

(o^_^o)

perfect, lovely females.....

Oh sorry, I was *ahem* wandering off, Guild Wars would be great for a costume, Mara.
 
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DarkDragoons

TRP/PFC Jennabelle/2SQD/2PLT/1COM/1RGT/1BAT/VEA/VE/Tadath

"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force. " -Darth Vader

Jennabelle... do you costume at all? Its so very highly addicting, plus you are around a lot of amazingly beautiful women and hotty guys that are so creative.

Ryno, why is it impossible for you to go? Just age and the whole parents thing? Comic Con will be around forever, the Star Wars celebrations like C4 I dont know about yet, maybe once every ten years... who knows. But yeah, when your 18 you can totally make it tradition to never miss a comic con. If it is an age thing then you just work on what you want to do for costuming if your into that kinda thing...

My goal is to make it possible for everyone to go someday... maybe I will have the plan finished in a couple years but I would love to make it so anyone can make it if their only reason is money. If its an age thing then I cant work around that.

I have a couple friends that have kids... the friend that is for sure going next year might bring both his son and his daughter, we dont know for sure if his daughter will go, she is a handful... but yeah he said I can dress them up, I got permission for one Jawa and one ewok lol!  Little does he know I am making the ewok costume a suction cup one LOL... Nothing funnier than a little suction cup ewok running around
 
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Senior Sergeant MaraJade
Army of the Vast Empire
SL/FTC1/SSG MaraJade/3SQD/1PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE[LoR]

(o^_^o)

Well, Mara. It's not just and age issue. ALso mney My dad'a a pastor and a bus driver on the side so he doesn't make alot of money, but if you could get me all i need i bet my parents would let me . though theys till might object.
 
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Jester Squad

Thanx for the heads up Jenn.
 
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Jester Squad