Playing Catch up

Last December we attended the SF Dickens Fair. As it happens we were there on the impromptu Steampunk day where local aficionados swarmed the fair. With that, Robin was introduced to Steampunk, sending her on a mission of discovery. Lisa, having had a brief flirtation with the literary genre in the late 70’s was merely bewildered to discover that it was still hanging on. Robin, enamored, decides we must go to a convention, and we must dress the part. We recruit Lisa’s daughter, Valerie, and spend the next month scouring the internet for ideas, costume materials and inspiration. With very little time we limit what we plan to make and buy what we can afford and discover that making hats is really, really fun. In the post-convention glow we are bubbling with new ideas for outfits. True to our respective natures, Robin is searching out historically accurate garb and high quality silks and brocades, while Lisa is still trying to figure out how to make a skirt from copper tubing without using a welding iron. OK, in fairness, Lisa was actually making a Larry Koopa plush for her son. It came out fantastic. (She also crocheted a little tiny Chibiterasu)

What we learned:

You can crochet a top hat.

You really can’t have too many feathers and ribbons on it.

Make time to do things right or expect to want to do it over.

When you buy, you usually get what you pay for.

(This is fine when you’re in a hurry and don’t have money, but expect to want to make it over.)

After all these years, we still have trouble taking ‘no’ for an answer.

Failure is NOT an option but a great way to experience materials science in an up-close and personal way.

(super glue and some plastics make smoke and it smells bad…really bad)

apologies for iPhone pictures - we'll do better...soon

Larry Koopa

Chibi