Epic post of Epicness - Part One: GLB Signing, SGMS Days One and Two
Ryan and I are having an Avatar Season 3 marathon right now and we're in the middle of three eps I've seen, so I'm uploading pictures to myspace and FINALLY updating teh LJs. Sorry it took so long! This will most definately be TL:DR.
So, last Wednesday I had a signing at the Source which turned out to be an abortion. I've decided that I need to promote everything or people won't go. No one plans things right and it drives me nuts! I said, "If you want me to do a signing, it should be on Thursday before SGMS because the designer who was spotlighted in the last issue will be in town and you'll get more sales!" Yeah, well he continually told me I didn't know what I was talking about and people only come in on Wednesdays because it's new comic day. Sorry, but if you're into anime, manga or subculture fashion, you'll go on the day the thing you're interested in is happening. When I got there we sold like 5 of the 12 books they ordered and I signed about 6. Bleh. The owner apologized because the person handeling it didn't do a good job of promoting, setting up, filling in the staff or DOING WHAT I SAID TO DO! They said I was right in my choice to do it Thursday instead of Friday and that they would make it up to me. Also that they don't treat guests like that and to not see this as an example of how they treat their guests. I don't, but it was still a waste of time. I feel bad for the people who did come out and for Heather, Kozy and Ynyr for having to truck out there with me. I love them so and they are so supportive.
Thursday I had to go to the unemployment office, which wasn't fun. I hate the ghetto. I hate that they want you to go in and pretty much just have them say to you what I say to them, which isn't, "I got laid off from my burger flipping job and now I need another burger flipping job," but instead, "Yes, I realize I need to be networking since I'm in the fashion industry. I'll continue doing the thing I just said I'd do that you repeated. KTHXBAI."
After all of that bullshit, Megan C, Ynyr and I sewed until missmeganmaude and Heather came over. Megan C left to do last weekend of Fest stuff. Heather picked up Megan M. at the airport. I was so super excited to see Megan! I hadn't seen her since NYCC so this whole weekend was a treat for Ryan and I :) So, all of us and Miguel went to Mayslacks for foods, went home and went to sleep.
The next morning was my birfday! Kozy came over early so she and Ryan could surprise me with pam-cakes, but we ran out of time. She brought me a cute blue cake that she made!
Sooooo, while Megan M got all her stuff together, Kozy and I started making trips to MCAD for the fashion show. We had to be there by 11am and ready to set up so that we could easily start when the models showed up. We only had the sound snag and the stage snag, but what show doesn't have a few tech snags, right? Well, they were fixed by the time rehearsal was over so it's okay. Anyway, we picked up Ryan and Megan and went to MCAD. We did all of our runthroughs, then started with hair and makeup. For anyone who needs makeup for shows, FACES did an amazing job AGAIN! Kakkoi|con was my first time working with them so I was very excited to work with them again. Our photographer, Emily, was also way more awesome than the guy we had last year. She may acutally get us all of our pics on time!
Setup was a little hairy mostly because we ran out of outlets and some of the people had never done a show before. We ended up working it out just fine, but it's was stressful for me because as the show director I tend to sound like a raving bitchface. I hate when people don't shut the fuck up, so I yell a lot if I'm trying to get everyone to listen.
The show started pretty much on time. For having over 200 attendees and nine designers (10 lines), we only started about 7 minutes late. That's late for one of my shows, but it was due to opening the house up. That took time (getting people to their seats, etc).
The show was EPIC! So amazing. I am so proud of everyone who worked their asses off this year to make this show work. The models, the hair and makeup people, my team (especially Kozy, Kate, Lucinda, Rachel and Dustin) and my favorite diva designers, the setup crew and security. So amazing! This was my best show to date. I'm hoping next year will be even more amazing!
So after the show the MC, Vanessa gloriously embarrassed me in front of the audience and had them all sing me happy birthday. Then all the MN lolitas presented me with amazingly thoughtful and beautiful gifts including my first brand item. I'm serious. I have been into Lolita for 8 years and I have never owned brand. Anyway, they got me two amazing parasols from meta that I have been carrying around everyday since, practically, as well as apple soap and other cute things from others. I am really blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful and amazing people. After we cleaned up shop, we went to the Kitty Cat Klub for my birfday party :) Self explanatory:
Saturday was our first class, Fashion Illustration for Alternative Designers. Apparently everyone thought it was a lolita panel, even though it distinctly said in the schedule that it was a drawing class. Well, they said they "heard from someone" that both classes were the same. Guh, so it turned into a lolita panel/drawing class hybrid. It was okay, but small.
After class we went to lunch and set up in the Otaku Bazaar. Megan M. was totally my carnival barker, getting people to the table, selling discount stuff! She rocks my socks! I love that girl. During lunch I chatted with Frenchy and Christopher Bolton, one of my fave guests at SGMS each year, a bit. Then went back to my table, and hung out with my brother and gave him clothes.
After lunch something weird happened involving Frenchy, but I'll put that in a locked post. You know, to protect the innocent or whatever. Anyway, we went to panels (Chris Bolton and Marc Hairston), then went to guest dinner. Frenchy was nice enough to comp Heather, which was great! What sucked was the restaraunt was filled with fucksticks who didn't know how to do their job or anything about customer service. It was a big fucking fiasco and more trouble than it was worth. After guest dinner, we went back to the school, grabbed out stuff and went home to get Ryan so we could get real dinner. We ended up eating at Loring Pasta Bar if I remember correctly. Our food was good, the ambiance was spectacular. We were all fancy fancy and it was great :)
Bah, my wrist hurts so I'll post more tomorrow.
Most pics are from Heather, Jane, and my Myspace.
So, last Wednesday I had a signing at the Source which turned out to be an abortion. I've decided that I need to promote everything or people won't go. No one plans things right and it drives me nuts! I said, "If you want me to do a signing, it should be on Thursday before SGMS because the designer who was spotlighted in the last issue will be in town and you'll get more sales!" Yeah, well he continually told me I didn't know what I was talking about and people only come in on Wednesdays because it's new comic day. Sorry, but if you're into anime, manga or subculture fashion, you'll go on the day the thing you're interested in is happening. When I got there we sold like 5 of the 12 books they ordered and I signed about 6. Bleh. The owner apologized because the person handeling it didn't do a good job of promoting, setting up, filling in the staff or DOING WHAT I SAID TO DO! They said I was right in my choice to do it Thursday instead of Friday and that they would make it up to me. Also that they don't treat guests like that and to not see this as an example of how they treat their guests. I don't, but it was still a waste of time. I feel bad for the people who did come out and for Heather, Kozy and Ynyr for having to truck out there with me. I love them so and they are so supportive.
Thursday I had to go to the unemployment office, which wasn't fun. I hate the ghetto. I hate that they want you to go in and pretty much just have them say to you what I say to them, which isn't, "I got laid off from my burger flipping job and now I need another burger flipping job," but instead, "Yes, I realize I need to be networking since I'm in the fashion industry. I'll continue doing the thing I just said I'd do that you repeated. KTHXBAI."
After all of that bullshit, Megan C, Ynyr and I sewed until missmeganmaude and Heather came over. Megan C left to do last weekend of Fest stuff. Heather picked up Megan M. at the airport. I was so super excited to see Megan! I hadn't seen her since NYCC so this whole weekend was a treat for Ryan and I :) So, all of us and Miguel went to Mayslacks for foods, went home and went to sleep.
The next morning was my birfday! Kozy came over early so she and Ryan could surprise me with pam-cakes, but we ran out of time. She brought me a cute blue cake that she made!
Sooooo, while Megan M got all her stuff together, Kozy and I started making trips to MCAD for the fashion show. We had to be there by 11am and ready to set up so that we could easily start when the models showed up. We only had the sound snag and the stage snag, but what show doesn't have a few tech snags, right? Well, they were fixed by the time rehearsal was over so it's okay. Anyway, we picked up Ryan and Megan and went to MCAD. We did all of our runthroughs, then started with hair and makeup. For anyone who needs makeup for shows, FACES did an amazing job AGAIN! Kakkoi|con was my first time working with them so I was very excited to work with them again. Our photographer, Emily, was also way more awesome than the guy we had last year. She may acutally get us all of our pics on time!
Setup was a little hairy mostly because we ran out of outlets and some of the people had never done a show before. We ended up working it out just fine, but it's was stressful for me because as the show director I tend to sound like a raving bitchface. I hate when people don't shut the fuck up, so I yell a lot if I'm trying to get everyone to listen.
The show started pretty much on time. For having over 200 attendees and nine designers (10 lines), we only started about 7 minutes late. That's late for one of my shows, but it was due to opening the house up. That took time (getting people to their seats, etc).
The show was EPIC! So amazing. I am so proud of everyone who worked their asses off this year to make this show work. The models, the hair and makeup people, my team (especially Kozy, Kate, Lucinda, Rachel and Dustin) and my favorite diva designers, the setup crew and security. So amazing! This was my best show to date. I'm hoping next year will be even more amazing!
So after the show the MC, Vanessa gloriously embarrassed me in front of the audience and had them all sing me happy birthday. Then all the MN lolitas presented me with amazingly thoughtful and beautiful gifts including my first brand item. I'm serious. I have been into Lolita for 8 years and I have never owned brand. Anyway, they got me two amazing parasols from meta that I have been carrying around everyday since, practically, as well as apple soap and other cute things from others. I am really blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful and amazing people. After we cleaned up shop, we went to the Kitty Cat Klub for my birfday party :) Self explanatory:
Saturday was our first class, Fashion Illustration for Alternative Designers. Apparently everyone thought it was a lolita panel, even though it distinctly said in the schedule that it was a drawing class. Well, they said they "heard from someone" that both classes were the same. Guh, so it turned into a lolita panel/drawing class hybrid. It was okay, but small.
After class we went to lunch and set up in the Otaku Bazaar. Megan M. was totally my carnival barker, getting people to the table, selling discount stuff! She rocks my socks! I love that girl. During lunch I chatted with Frenchy and Christopher Bolton, one of my fave guests at SGMS each year, a bit. Then went back to my table, and hung out with my brother and gave him clothes.
After lunch something weird happened involving Frenchy, but I'll put that in a locked post. You know, to protect the innocent or whatever. Anyway, we went to panels (Chris Bolton and Marc Hairston), then went to guest dinner. Frenchy was nice enough to comp Heather, which was great! What sucked was the restaraunt was filled with fucksticks who didn't know how to do their job or anything about customer service. It was a big fucking fiasco and more trouble than it was worth. After guest dinner, we went back to the school, grabbed out stuff and went home to get Ryan so we could get real dinner. We ended up eating at Loring Pasta Bar if I remember correctly. Our food was good, the ambiance was spectacular. We were all fancy fancy and it was great :)
Bah, my wrist hurts so I'll post more tomorrow.
Most pics are from Heather, Jane, and my Myspace.