Heroescon 2013: Comic book nerds > political nerds

Heroescon 2013 blew my mind in a very unexpected way.  This is the show where I discovered that comic book nerds are more polite and decorous than the NC GOP.

I’m not going to get into ideology, although in the interest of full disclosure, I identify as an independent liberal. However, I live in DC, home to both political parties, and at least half of my friends are conservative Republicans.  Besides, let’s face it, Republicans are really just political nerds.  They love politics and their platform just as ardently as I do my X-men and Doctor Who.  I think everyone should be able to respect that.

So…with all that being said…

The weekend of Heroescon 2013, was also the same weekend the NC GOP was holding their convention.  AT THE SAME CONVENTION CENTER.

You know, there is a booker out there that is still cackling.

After a grueling 10 hour drive (should have been 7…thanks Tropical Storm Andrea, you’ve been a peach), I head to the hotel lobby elevator bay carrying two large bags and a small box.  There is a small line, but nothing too outrageous.  I politely chat with the people in line, one of them had on a terrific Star Trek shirt that I would have taken a pic of, if my hands weren’t full.  I get to the front of the line when an elevator opens up and I start heading to it, when a pack of young NC GOP delegates (they all still had their badges and ribbons on their suits and dresses), come into the elevator bay area, looks at the line, then looks at the open elevator doors, and ignoring the line, tries to cut in front of us to get onto the elevator that we had been patiently waiting for!

Before I could say or do anything, two fellow Heroescon geeks, step out of the line, block the NC GOP delegates’ way and very politely said “excuse me, but I believe these people were here before you”.

I just about dropped my bags along with my jaw. 

Comic book nerds, infamous for being socially awkward and gawky, was more polite and understood the basic social niceties better than a group of young NC GOP delegates?!?!  Was I in Bizarro world???

But there you had it, and that was the theme for practically every encounter I had with the NC GOP that weekend.  They prevented anyone from getting on an elevator while they drunkenly argued over who’s room they should go to.  They argued about some delegation seating snafu/upset in front of my hotel room…at 11:30pm (hey, *some* of us have to *work* the next day).  But I think my favorite incident was Saturday night, when I was wearing my vintage Alfred Sheenan dress, when a very nice GOP lady stopped me in the lobby.

“I love your dress,” she gushed. 

“Thank you so much!” I gushed back because hey, who doesn’t like to be told their dress is awesome, right? 

“Did you get it in JA-PAN?” she asked loudly

“Excuse me?!” I was sure I misheard her. 

“JA-PAAAAN.  Did you get the dress in JA-PAAAN?”

Fortunately, Paige and Maria grabbed me and dragged me into the elevator before I could say something decidedly inappropriate.

OK, it's a *little* Asian looking.  But still...please don't scream "Jaaa-paaaan" at me.

On the upside, practically every-single comic-book nerd we met that weekend was *awesome*.  Perhaps everyone was on better behavior because almost everyone I spoke to had had unpleasant run-ins with the GOP delegates, but doors and elevator doors were held open, people were kind and courteous, and well, it just made me feel so glad to be a part of a community that may get mocked on TV and in the media, but when it came down to it, geeks are just good people.

I was going to say something about the growth of Heroescon and how differently it felt being a vendor this year over last...but honestly, I think Paigey captured it perfectly.

Also, this was the first year that I didn't leave the con on Sunday night, so I got to attend the Dead Dog party!  You know I had a fantastically awesome time, when I didn’t think to take a SINGLE FLIPPING PICTURE!  Which is especially aggravating because I never took photo with my two favorite ladies – Vivian and SarahDyer!

I also got to meet the fabulous Lorraine for the first time in person
(OK, we might have met before...I'm terrible at these things)

Oh yes – and there was Mr Geoffrey the Photo-Gnome that we did pictures of all weekend long…but note...we never got around take one with all of us.  Total photo fail on our part, but again, seriously, the crazy amount of fun we were having made us forget...

See you next year Heroescon!

Not the big post-Heroescon post...this is just the appetizer!

The big post-Heroescon debrief is coming...but while brain is still trying to process it all...

On Saturday, the most *super cutest* Robin came by our table - she was not only adorable and funny (and had a great costume), but she was a total trooper about taking pictures with Geoffry the Gnome (our tablemate, Maria's sister's blog).

we were cracking up - she had the BEST faces and poses! holy crap!

BUT WAIT, as if that's not enough...she then posted a tumblr with our cute head scarves to do a totally amazing 40's backroll!  Holy crap I adore her!

T-minus 17 hours to Heroescon!

Because Heroescon is an “out-of-town” show (i.e., I don’t have friends/family living there, where I can ship things over early and crash in their guest room), I tend to get much more stressed out than other shows.  Plus, as a comic book nerd, being able to hob-nob with my favorite artists and writers ratchets up the anxiety and the need to be perfect.

Fortunately, I have a very understanding husband, and although the weather was just *perfection* this past weekend, he quietly left me alone, so I could work on prepping as much as I can for Heroescon.

Yes, I put the husband to work...it was very "Oliver Twist"

It’s been 4 days, and the thumbs on both hands are still so weak and sore that I can barely pick up my water glass, I have so many burns and blisters on my hands that they’ve looked like they’ve been tortured, and I had been hunched over so much, that I can’t walk without a limp.

I like to call this my Terra Cotta Warriors of Hair Accessories

Still…totally worth it.  Less than 24 hours before Paigey and I hit the road for Heroescon…

(and I totally plan on sewing bags – by hand – the entire drive down)

CCRG's PenULTIMATE Showdown!

HOLY SCHMOOLIES…this past Saturday, Paigey and I shared a table and vended at the Charm  City Roller Girls Penultimate Showdown!  And what a penULTIMATE showdown it was (yeah, clearly, I have no idea what "penultimate" means, but my! doesn’t it sound so amazing???)!!!

Besides the overwhelming support and awesomeness of the fans that came to see the show…the roller girls themselves were just…AMAZEBALLS and so much fun!!!  Totally uber glad that we especially designed hair flowers to represent each team!  WOOHOO!!!

I could ramble on more…but seriously, if you live in Maryland and within a reasonable (or unreasonable) drive from Baltimore…check out their schedule and get your butts to their next bout!  I’m already maniacally clearing out my schedule so I can go back and vend again (it’s great, because I get to sell my wares…and watch the bout from the table…it’s pretty awesome!)!!!

penULTIMATELY AWESOME (I really have no idea what "penultimate" means)

Hope to be back soon and see you all there!  WOOHOO!!!  GO CCRG!!!

2012: Year of the Roadshow!

If 2011 was the “Year of Madness", then 2012 is definitely the YEAR OF THE ROADSHOW!

Why?  Because my BFF partner-in-crime and I may be coming to an East Coast show/event near you!

So far – here is our (tenative) schedule and is subject to change.  This will be updated as we insanely add to this ever growing list!  HAHA!

Sunday, February 19^th – Pinup for Pitbulls event at The Park in NYC.  I won’t be there vending, but Enz’s NYC will be, and LittleAsianSweatshop hair accessories will be shown/available!

Wednesday, February 22^th – Chesapeake Roller Derby Auction in Westminster, MD – I won’t be vending, but LittleAsianSweatshop hair accessories (and boutonnieres for the menfolk) will be available!!!

Saturday, March 10^th – Charm City Roller Derby in Baltimore, MD – there will be special CCRG TEAM FLOWERS so you can show your support for your favorite hard-hitting, fastball spinning roller girl!

Saturday, March 31st – Tommy McGee and the Baby Please CD Release Party at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD – the venue is great, the booze is delish, the band is rockin'...and we'll be there vending!  

Saturday, April 7^th – Chesapeake Roller Derby in Westminster, MD – and we’ll have special CRD Team flowers available!  *squee*

Friday, June 22 through Sunday, June 24^th – Heroscon in Charlotte, NC – come find us at the Paigey & Her Amazing Friends BOOTH!  Yes, that’s right…BOOTH!

Friday, July 13^th and Saturday, July 14 – Psychobilly Luau – Paigey and I will both have tables (more gorgeous stuff to spellbind you with, my dears)!  This is an incredible festival/event…I believe it’s the biggest rockabilly event on the East Coast!

Friday, September 7^th – Paigey’s Solo Art Show “Thanks For Your Support!” at Ottobar in Baltimore, MD  (I won’t be vending…but I’ll be there to help out P’s merch table…be sure to come by to say “HI!!!!!!”)

Saturday, September 8^th through 9^th – Baltimore Comic Con…where again, come find us at the Paigey & Her Amazing Friends BOOTH (I just can’t stop giggling over having a booth at TWO shows this year!).

Does this schedule sound as insane (and mildly exhausting) to you, as it does to me?  I hope so…because our insanity hasn’t hit its peak yet!  Coming soon, we’ll be inviting some of your favorite indie artists to design special custom hair flowers!!!  Working out the details – so stayed tuned!!!

not even Wonder Woman can keep up with us!

Silent Auction for TC Williams Marching Titans

Want to buy a playing card hair flower while supporting a local school?  Head down to TC Williams this Sunday (Nov 13th) at 5pm for their "Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction" to raise money to buy new band uniforms!  $10 a ticket, or $20 for the family - you can purchase tickets at the door or at the Alexandria Choral Society.

The Sweatshop has 2 hair flowers available for bid at the Silent Auction...and there are tons of awesome other items as well!

So go support the arts, a local school, and pick yourself up a lovely hairflower from the Sweatshop...all in one night!

More details here.

Thank you BCC 2011!

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A HUGE thank you to everyone for being so incredibly awesome!  We had such a great reception and so many great people stop by that I just don't even know where to being...so I'm going to just say...WOW!!!

Baltimore Comic Con (BCC) was held up in Charm City this past weekend, August 20 - 21, and I don't think I've ever gotten such a warm fuzzy glow from so many perfect strangers...that didn't quite seem like strangers by the time they left our table.  It's odd...I'm an old pro at conventions (oh cosplay), but the overwhelming welcome that we received from everyone this past weekend far outdoes any convention experience I've ever had.  I'm just so excited that everyone was so excited by our stuff (yes, that's a lot of excitement going on!)!

My BFF Paigey, was kind enough to share some of her table space in Artist Alley with me, so that I could sell my hair flowers.  Since the great reception from Psychobilly Luau, I was hopeful...but not really expecting too much.

Paigey also made the signage...heh...I <3 her so!

Saturday morning, I was running a little behind and arrived at Paigey's table at 11:15.  By 11:20, I had already sold two flowers!  Then all day long and for the rest of the weekend, people were walking past my table saying "WOW!  Look at those flowers!"!  All the positive vibes and compliments had my head spinning!

And it wasn't just my flowers!  Paigey's table was also going bonkers!  Heeheehee...although this was a comic book convention (which is dominated by guys), we definitely had the advantage over all the other artists and booths by having the "WAGs" (Wives And Girlfriends) table full of sparkly girly (yet comic and pin-up art related) stuff.  It seemed that every girl at the convention must have stopped by our table at least once...a few of them several times!  

The colors! The sparkly!  The cute!

I especially loved the one girl who came and bought one of Aniline's (another friend whom Paigey was vending for) "Cupcake Eating Batman"...then dragged her boyfriend back to our table ten minutes later so that he could buy her the matching bracelet.  

We may have publicly shamed a few boyfriends into buying prezzies for their uber cute girlfriends...

Surprisingly (at least, to me!), all my manga and comic book hair flowers sold out halfway through Saturday!  So instead of hanging out and grabbing dinner with Paigey after Saturday's show...I rushed home (an hour away from the convention site), to earn my Sweatshop moniker by staying up and whipping out more flowers.  And those also sold out halfway through Sunday!  Lesson learned for next year...make a metric butt-load of comic book and manga hair flowers for the convention!  Holy schmoolies!


I originally wanted to do a quick shout out and super thanks to all the wonderful friends who came by to say hi...but the weekend has quickly turned into a blur and I don't want to forget anyone.  So instead, I'm going to just give a big, huge, loud THANK YOU to *everyone*...friends and fans, old and new.  Thank you for being so supportive and so wonderful.  Just...thank you!

See you next year BCC!!!

Thank you Paigey!

In case it was ever in doubt...I love my BFF (and fellow crafter) Paigey.  I mean, I hate her for being so talented, and gorgeous and funny and fabulous, but she's always been infinitely patient with my crazy butt and she always happily drags me in her wake of awesimitude!


Take for example, the Psychobilly Luau.  This annual three day event, held in Brooklyn, is the premier gathering spot on the East for a melding of punk and rockabilly and all things cool.  Paigey was slated to vend at this event, and she very kindly offered to sell some of my hand made hair flowers. 

Luck Be a Lady tonight!

I quickly packaged up all the flowers I had in my Sweatshop and Priority mailed them to her, feeling a little guilty that I was adding to her already heavy load of stuff that she would need to transport to and from the event. 


Not only did she lug my box of flowers to and from the event...but she also prominately displayed them...and proceeded to text me all through the weekend with updates on the (considerable) sales that she made for me! 


On top of that...she then proceeds to give me major shout out on her blog!


Quite honestly, she constantly blows me away by her unfailing generosity...but also for her bloodhound nose for cool.  Heh.


So in short - I love my BFF.  And I'm so lucky to have her as my best friend.  She's awesome, talented, and just fun to be around!  If you haven't already - go check out her Etsy store and her blog!

The Art of the Ever Fabulous Paigey!

Psychobilly Luau (Brooklyn)

My awesome artist (and fellow artisan) BFF Paigey is vending this weekend at the 5th Annual Psychobilly Luau in Brooklyn...and she's been kind enough to also sell my poker flowers and other hair accessories at her table!

Be sure to stop on by, say hi and check out her fantastic artwork on adorable necklaces, bracelets, magnets and, of course, my hair flowers!