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What got you into cosplay?
I got into cosplay the year I went to RotK at midnight. Some friends and I decided to dress up for it. I guess Lord of the Rings was my gateway to costuming. Everything was so vivid and beautiful, and I just wanted to be that beautiful too, to escape to such a wonderful place. Costuming, for me, began as a form of escapism and evolved into a creative outlet.
What was your first costume and why?
The first costume I ever worked on was Laura Ingalls from the Little House books. I think I was in second or third grade, and I helped my mom sew it. I guess I always liked to imagine myself in the books I read and loved, and that became a reason to dress as the characters. I never wanted to dress as a witch, a ghost, or a fairy. I always had a character in mind. :) My first full-on cosplay, however, was probably Eowyn from LotR:TT. I made her green dress in a little less than a month and felt so accomplished.
What is your favorite costume and why?
My favorite right now is Zelda. I feel like a celebrity in that costume. Everyone knows who she is, everyone recognizes me, and I've only ever gotten kind remarks. It makes me feel good about all of the work I put into it.
Do you have a dream costume you'd like to make?
I have an entire list of dream costumes, some of which I've added to this site in the hopes that I will be motivated to work on them. I guess my current dream costumes are Lirael (from Garth Nix's Abhorsen Trilogy) and Princess Aurora (from Disney's Sleeping Beauty).
What has been your most memorable cosplay experience?
Every time I'm in costume, its memorable. I have a wonderful group of convention buddies, and we make a great team along with our boss, Nick of the Enthusiasts. I guess maybe OMGCon 2009 will be my most memorable for a while, because it was my first time at a small convention. Being with the press and being able to wander around with a big, badass camera sticking it in people's faces was so much fun. ;D
Do you participate in masquerades?
Yup. I don't know why it took me this long to do it. I have yet to perform in a skit, being primarily a walk-on for my first two Masquerades, though I think I'll be joining the SOS Brigade for ACEN 2010's Masq.
What was your best masquerade experience?
ACEN 2009. Not only was it my first Masquerade, but it was amazing. People in the audience gave me a standing ovation when I walked out on stage in my Zelda costume. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful that felt. I was freaking out the whole time because I had suffered several costume malfunctions, but the cosplayers waiting with us in the green room were so helpful. I love how friendly and encouraging cosplayers are. Even though we would be competing against each other, everyone helped me get my costume back in working order. :)
Have you won any awards for your costumes?
Best Craftsmanship for Princess Zelda (OMGCon 2009)
Tell us a little about yourself
I'll be a senior in college come fall semester (yikes!), and I got into the whole convention scene a little late. I work at the campus library, 11 hrs/week during the year (stupid work study) and 40 hrs/week during the summer. Its not the best job ever, but it gives me plenty of time to work on schoolwork and costumes. My family is great, and they really try to support my dedication to cosplaying. While they don't understand it, they think that what I do is wonderful, and my mom often takes photos of my most recent projects to work to show to her friends. That makes me happy, since it shows me that she's proud of the work I put into everything I make, even if she doesn't quite understand why I do it. I have 3 siblings, only one of which is into anime. He thinks I need to make all of my armor out of steel. *rolls eyes* I think he'd make a good member of Creative Anachronisms or something where he could go for historical accuracy rather than convention safety. My hobbies include cosplay (obviously) reading, writing, and karate. I aspire to become a professor of Creative Writing at a four-year institution, and become a part-time novelist and professional cosplayer. That second part seems to have fallen into my lap unexpectedly. I hope to continue cosplaying for many years.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I'd just like to say that becoming part of the Enthusiasts is one of the best things to happen to me concerning cosplay and conventions. Nick is a wonderful guy with big ideas and the drive to make them a reality. Jess, Erik, Brandi, Sam, and I all work really well as a team, and at OMGCon we fit together like puzzle pieces. We rock as a group, and I look forward to doing more promotional work for the-enthusiasts.com in the future. <3
My favorite anime
Sailor Moon, Ghost in the Shell (movie), Coboy Bebop, Samurai 7, Tenjou Tenge, the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Lucky Star, Strawberry Panic, Murder Princess, Kiddy Grade, Heroic Age, Simoun
My favorite game(s)
The Legend of Zelda games, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic I and II, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, Peggle, i-Fluid, Portal, the Myst games
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United States
