The other day, someone made a snide comment about my process and how long it takes me to finish projects. Not gonna lie, it kind of irked me. I know I can take a long time on my projects, particularly with regards to the projects I did last year. It took a little bit of…
Life in Color: The Emotional Labor of White Friendships
I’ve been thinking about internalized racism a lot lately, and how I’ve learned to make myself small to make others more comfortable. One thing I’ve realized is that I tend to prioritize white comfort over the validity of my own community, over the respect that I should demand for myself and other people of color. …
Live to Eat: Taro Bread
One of the greatest joys in life is Hawaiian sweet bread, and it’s just made even better with the addition of taro and the color purple. I usually buy four loaves of Punalu’u Bake Shop’s taro bread (and a couple of their guava bread) and guard it like a bread dragon willing to bite wandering…
Life In Color: The Emotional Labor of Education
I’ve been doing a lot of introspection lately. I don’t really know if I wanted to, or if now was the proper time for it, but sometimes encounters with racism force us to be a little more conscious of life as a person of color and its associated struggles than we’d like to be. I…
Naboo Banner Tutorial
Because why not!?!? We’re trapped inside (we’re not that trapped, guys, it’s not that bad) and I can’t ever just finish one project at a time before launching into a new one! My robe à l’anglaise is frustrating me so I put that on the side to make a prop that you see for a…
Fabric Face Mask Tutorial
You know, I never really understood why “may you live in interesting times” was considered a curse. I read so many great fiction adventures with young, intrepid heroes facing off against “interesting times” and coming out of it victorious, triumphant, and greater than ever. I could have sworn I was ready for “interesting times.” And…
The Basics: Budget Without the Build
Last time on Cosplay, The Basics, we looked looked at some strategies to cosplay on a budget if you’re going to build your cosplay from start to finish. But what if you don’t want to do that? Some people don’t know how to sew or craft armor; some just don’t enjoy it. Sometimes we don’t…
The Lyme Life: Chronic Illness and the Mental Rollercoaster
One of my doctors recently told me, laughing, that she’s amazed we’ve been able to maintain our sense of humor through this whole Lyme disease ordeal. She found us hilarious, and the running commentary on our day to day lives kept her (and us) amused throughout the appointment. That’s kind of how this Lyme treatment…
The Basics: Building Budget Cosplays
Last time on Cosplay, The Basics, we established that cosplay can be pretty expensive. But it really doesn’t have to be. Remember, cosplay is not pay-to-play kind of game—cosplay can be great at any price level. So how can you cosplay on a budget? There are so many incredible ways to save on cosplays. Personally,…
Dear Scarlett Johansson, or Why I Hate “Political Correctness”
I’ve been thinking about Scarlett Johansson’s recent statement about acting. Everyone focuses on her meme-provoking, “I should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal.” And I’ll admit, at first I found that to be the most striking. But ultimately what I found the most hurtful was the willful ignorance of…
Erika A La Mode's Cosplay Confectionery 