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7 Tips For Being a Mindful Creator

2020 was the year we all struggled, we all had to stay inside, we all had to get creative when it came to going about our lives. Some of us stayed creative, some of us didn’t. Some of us learned new skills, some of us focused solely on surviving.

As this year comes to a close, I wanted to make a personal note to myself and other creators. As we stare 2021 in the face with uncertainty and maybe even fear. I want us to be kinder to ourselves and here’s my 7 tip plan for how we can do this.

Remember that you are more than the content you create.
It’s so easy for us to feel that we need to give more of ourselves. It’s also easy for us to beat ourselves up when we fall short of those expectations. 2020 was a year that rocked the world and you were allowed to feel tired and unmotivated. You’re allowed to feel that way now too, It’s not realistic to be creating all the time no matter how much you enjoy it.

2. You cannot compare your day 15 to someone else’s day 1,825
We are all creating and learning at the pace we are meant to go. You may feel that what you deliver isn’t good enough compared to other people in your circle or your general community. These feelings are valid but they need to take the shape of furthering your skill sets, networking with people who share similar goals as you and giving yourself time and space to figure out what makes you unique.

Seriously If you’re reading this know that you are exactly where the universe needs you to be.

3. Surround yourself with people that motivate you & encourage you.
I spent a great deal of 2020 connecting with people who were open to encouraging and pushing me forward in my creative endeavors. Not just a connection but a genuine community. I couldn’t be more thankful for the little circle of creatives I have befriended and learned from. If you feel like you’re flying solo I strongly suggest you seek out other creatives in the same spaces as you. You can grow together and learn from each other and that’s part of the fun.

4. Remember that you are unique on your own
It can sometimes feel like you’re swimming in a sea of very talented people. Sometimes being in this sea can make you feel small. This is another valid feeling, but it’s a feeling that should take the shape of recognizing your talents, achievements, and all else that makes your creative journey fun. I find making a list works well! I’m pretty sure you can list 3 things about yourself right now that you’re amazing at. Research how you can explore those 3 things further.

Are there other people doing similar things that you can collaborate with?
Are there brands you can collaborate with?
Can you take this thing you’re good at and build a story around it?

5. START WHERE YOU ARE

It’s so easy to feel like you need this shiny camera, the best set up, this expensive equipment to create. To elevate your content you will, but do you need those things to get started? No. To give you some perspective I live in a 1 bedroom apartment in NYC, I do photoshoots in my hallway, I do my Youtube streams in my hallway, and I sew all my costumes at my kitchen table. I don’t have an Instagram worthy apartment at all, I don’t have aesthetic props or even furniture. I’ve been creating all 2020 using what I have at my disposal.

6. Keep a notebook
It doesn’t even have to be fancy it could even be a note pad,I find keeping a note-pad of sorts to jot down ideas as they come to me helps! This whole blog post was born from an idea written in my journal so that tells you the power in writing things down as they come to you.

7. Enjoy the journey!
In this age of social media and metrics, we get so caught up in numbers. How many followers, how many subscribers, how many retweets. We get so caught up in these vanity things that we forget to enjoy the creation of the content and the content we create. We forget to fall in love with the things we’ve crafted because we are so driven to want approval from our peers.

This is me and has been me a lot this year. In 2021 I want to give myself more room to create things regardless of how they’re received by the internet because 2020 has made me aware that the only way to be my authentic self is to love the process 1st and appreciate anything that comes after. My greatest wish is that you will do the same.

Simply Sewing Magazine Feature: Cosplay Edition

Last flex before 2020 ends ya’ll My snow-white cosplay made by me and shot by my loving husband was featured in this month’s issue of Simply Sewing Magazine. I approached them earlier this quarter about featuring this cosplay because as you guys know I am working on bridging the gap between standard sewists and cosplayers/costumers and was especially proud of this dress.

My mission statement was received with open arms and excitement by the editors. What was supposed to be a 2021 feature became the final feature of 2020. I am so excited that I could cry because when I came up with the idea to start creating with intention and investing my efforts around my art with intention I had no idea what this would actually look like for me.
It looks like this…It looks like sewing streams on my 2020 launched Youtube channel, it looks like podcast features where I get to share and inspire creativity in my peers, It looks like posts that serve on my blog, It looks like magazine features where I get to break into closed spaces and introduce the weird, the fun, the unconventional.

I want to thank everyone this year who inspired me, stuck by me, loudly clapped for me, spoke love over my name in rooms I wasn’t in, and directly gave me opportunities when they saw I spot that I could fill. I’m extremely grateful for every single bit of that support, encouragement, and community.

A Dream Cosplay Realized: Mew Ichigo

I’ve waited 15 years to Cosplay as Ichigo, I first discovered the Tokyo Mew Mew series back in middle school. This was a time where Sailor Moon was popular but getting my hands on merchandise even a comic book was next to impossible for me where I lived and the money my family had for such indulgences (Being a Black girl into Anime wasn’t something I was celebrated for family wise). When I finally started to get an allowance ranging from $10-$20 borders bookstore is where those coins went.

I remember being able to easily find the volumes between borders and barnes and nobles in 2003. I can vividly see the manga’s on the shelves, each one with the same binding color that said “Tokyo Pop” publishing and the beautiful covers that were different colors to represent each member of the Mew Mew crew. Being able to collect this series meant a lot to me because it was more accessible to me than the sailor moon manga which to this day..I still haven’t collected. Having the books meant so much to me because at that time I had no idea what cosplay was or how I would ever get to dress up as the main character whom I loved so much.

Tokyo Mew Mew would eventually be brought over to be broadcasted in the United states in 2006 which I watched religiously on Fox 5 4KIDS TV every saturday morning after G.I Joe but just before Winx Club. I was hooked and I watched every single episode they dubbed in amazement.

Around 2009 is when I was finally able to buy Ichigo’s weapon, I remember finding it on Ebay for both the heart and the wings I paid around $150 USD which was a lot to me but worth every penny. There were many times during the purchase that I thought I may have fallen for a scam. This item was worth more than gold to me at the time and here someone was…selling the toy for only $150..was it a trick? or did they just not realize how valuable this item was?.

Whatever the case after a month of shipping from Japan the coveted Strawberry Bell + Season 2 wand attachment was in my possession. I now owned it and over all of the other magical girl items in my collection, it was my number 1. It’s still my number 1 but with the twist that now in 2020 the end of it I’ve finally had this cosplay dream realized through my own skill, time, and effort.

There is no demand for this character anywhere online and while we’re getting a new anime for it I consider this series to be super obscure and unknown to most. Despite that, it made up so much of my childhood and I wish I could tell myself all those years ago the wait for this cosplay was worth it. I’m happy to cosplay this character even if no one is checking for her, and I hope to suit up in this costume again at a con once we’re able!

If you made it to the bottom of this post, thank you so much for reading about what this series and this costume mean to me. It was a pleasure to share it with you. This costume was made in partnership with Fabric Wholesale Direct which is another testament to how far I’ve come in this cosplay journey.

6 Tips For Creating Cosplay Content @ Home

We have all been home for the past 9-months. It looks like we’re on track to be at home well into 2021. During this, I have spent a lot of time creating content for my social platforms at home in various ways. While it’s not a requirement that you have learned anything new while on quarantine. I have and, I’m going to share with you how I have elevated my picture game as a Cosplayer.

Let me start by saying that I am not a pro by any means at any of this. I’m just a small cosplayer doing the cosplay gods work and sharing what I know.

Here are 6 things to help you start creating better cosplay content at home.

Invest in lighting equipment (Doesn’t have to break the bank)

The type of camera or photo you use isn’t more important than the type of lighting you have available. There are so many affordable options on the internet too. I have used ring lights and umbrella lights to snap my pictures all for under $100. Both work wonders for elevating my makeup and cosplay looks. I have found love and light with Neewer lighting products which can be found at Neewer.com or Amazon.com.

2. Make use of the smartphone (It’s SMART for a reason)

While I own a Nikon DSLR I have found that it is far easier for me to create using my S10 Samsung phone. My pictures come out clear enough for Instagram and for my blog which, you’re currently reading! I’ll let you in on a secret I also use my phone to record my youtube videos.

3. Backdrops are your FRIEND

Backdrops can be as simple as curtains from your local home goods store, or a nicely ironed bedsheet. I’m a fan of seamless paper but have utilized all of these methods to snap a few photos of costumes I’ve made. My biggest suggestion is to go for neutral colors that you can use for any costume.

4. Use a character mood board

This is optional but, whenever I cosplay I try to make sure my poses are natural for the character. This doesn’t have to be hard you can make a mood board on your phone by saving a ton of images from google or referring to the anime, show, or comic book the character comes from.

5. Have the intentions

I have many times tried to get dressed up in a costume and take pictures without actually having true motivation. Do you know what the result was? A failed shoot with stray hairs on my wig, makeup not correctly applied, and a costume that should have been ironed but wasn’t. My point is if you don’t have the mojo to create the content..don’t even try. You won’t be happy with it yourself and for sure won’t feel proud to post that content.

6. Have FUN (Really)

Whatever type of content you create its going to be amazing because you created it. Don’t worry about if its not the best at this moment. Each shoot is an opportunity for you to make better content.

Corset Sewing Tips For Beginners Simplicity 5006

I recently tried my hand at making another corset for my recent Elizabeth Bioshock cosplay! Since this is the 2nd time I’ve made a corset I wanted to share some tips with you guys on what to know and expect when doing this.

Shop around for patterns!
I know a lot of people aren’t fans of patterns or they don’t know how to use them but I do encourage you to try when making your first. I used simplicity 5006 and my brother CE7070PRW to make this corset for Elizabeth but here are some other patterns that might suit your needs!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/674091625/mccalls-pattern-7915-e5-angela-clayton?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=corset+mccalls&ref=sr_gallery-1-3&organic_search_click=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/826774998/mccalls-7339-corset-cosplay-yaya-han?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=corset+mccalls&ref=sr_gallery-1-6&organic_search_click=1&frs=1&sca=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/796453924/mccalls-m6151-fitted-interfaced-boned?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=corset+mccalls&ref=sr_gallery-1-44&organic_search_click=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/807373367/mccalls-m7306-civil-war-under-garments?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=corset+mccalls&ref=sr_gallery-2-6&organic_search_click=1&sca=1

2. Size down!
Your corset needs to be smaller than your actual body. The purpose of a corset is to cinch your waist and flatter your curves. When I was making this I made sure to size down from a size 14 to a size 10 to ensure negative ease and that my corset would be snug when laced up.

3. Corset making for cosplay doesn’t need to be costly!
For this corset, I used cable ties as boning but you can also use feather light boning which is a type of boning that you can sew through! For fabric, you can use just about anything that fits the character you’re trying to become.

4. Make a mockup
I hate doing this… its worth it so you don’t ruin your fashion fabric. There have been many times I have made cosplays that didn’t come out as great as they could have been if I had just made a practice version of it. The good thing about mockups for corsets is so you can use cotton to get the fit right! I made a mock-up for this corset and found that the fit was so perfect I decided to use it as the lining for the main piece!

5. Don’t rush!
This corset took me 8 hours to make as in.. 8 hours over a few days because I had to focus when making this piece. If you’re careful and take time to do everything carefully your piece will come out beautifully!

Have any more questions about the making of this corset? let me know below!

Princess Zelda Apron Review: Simplicity 8279 Sewing Pattern

I’ll start this post by saying I have never envisioned myself cosplaying Princess Zelda. She’s super regal and enchanting and I never saw myself in that way (Not sure if it’s bad to admit that?) but I have always loved the series. I proudly own a LOZ leather bag, plush throw, and now this really cute apron!

As a huge fan of patterns, I couldn’t ignore this really cute apron pattern because as you can see from the cover of the packaging it was made for Cosplayers and I had no choice but to pick it up! This pattern was perfect to scratch my quarantine boredom itch! This pattern took about 5 hours to make? It’s also really easy to sew a straight stitch is all you need to create this so regardless of your sewing skill level YOU yes you reading this blog can make this cute apron!

I used pink and yellow cotton to make this apron but I’m sure you could use other materials too! I enjoyed the seam instructions on this being made of entirely straight stitches and minimal complications. This pattern is VERY versatile and can be used to make aprons for other characters too but I appreciate the fact they gave you some pretty sweet options within the pattern itself!

The only thing that posed a bit of a challenge for me was the bias binding which I used some of the fabric to make but bias binding is easy to make although kinda monotonous. Overall I liked this pattern and will probably pick it up to make another nerdy apron! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about this creation!

Lovecraft Country Episode 1 Review

Ahead of the 2020 Halloween season, the spooks come early for Black women and men who don’t often get to see themselves represented in mainstream horror on their TV screens. In ways that center Black culture, struggle, and horror. Jordan Peeles newest HBO series “Lovecraft Country”; Is a refreshing addition to the Horror Genre because for the 1st time ever we are the center of the story and everyone else is plot development.

While I intend for this review to be spoiler-free I cannot guarantee it. If you have not seen episode 1 of this series I strongly suggest signing up for a free trial of HBO max via Hulu. If you have seen episode 1 come take a walk with me as we proceed into why this was a horrifying and anxiety-inducing episode.

Let’s start with the title of Episode 1 “Sundown” when I first saw this hit the screen my Black self immediately knew where this episode was going (I didn’t) I have known for a very long time what sundown meant for Black people in the rural south. My Non-black husband however wasn’t privy to this until last Sunday night. The entire episode I was confronted with discomfort at the racism expressed to Black people otherwise just going about their daily lives. Just taking a bus while Black and having it go out of service was a struggle that I can’t imagine ever having to face.

Going out of town and sitting in a restaurant to get lunch and not having to worry about being attacked is something I can say that I for sure took for granted (Especially now in these Covid-19 times) The truth is while I have read and heard many stories about racism in the south from Black people some being my own family. I was never as emotionally and mentally compromised as I was while watching this episode. Watching people who look like me get mistreated, shot at, and blatantly sacrificed just for looking the way I do was the real horror that I experienced sitting on my couch that Sunday night.

As I prepare myself for Sunday nights episode 2 I realize that this was the point. In a world full of blood driven beasts, the real monsters are the people that walk among us. I have heard the stories, the tales, I’ve been given the cautionary by my mother “Be home before the street lights come on” I’ve been trained from an early age to never let the sun come down on me while I was away from my home. Jordan did such a great job expressing the anxiety, and fear that happens when Black people of the 1950’s south didn’t heed that warning and while I am uncomfortable I am eager to see what happens in tonight’s episode.

Sailor Neptune Cosplay Review: Mccalls M6030 Pattern

My favorite Sailor Moon character has been Sailor Moon herself and Sailor Neptune 2nd the soldier of the seas! In the 90’s show and modern day remake,I absolutely adore her style and transformation sequences often wishing at just 12 years old I could be just as refined! Well…that didn’t happen and now at 27 I am still not as elegant of this outer planet scout but I can hope and I can dream and I’m making those dreams realized through cosplay!

To make this costume I used the following items

Satin & voile fabric
Mccalls M6030 sewing pattern
Brother sewing machine
Brother serger 1034D this is my baby!

While I’m still not brave enough to sew a sailor fuku just yet! I’ve decided that I was still going to Cosplay as Neptune but in her princess dress instead! To do so I enlisted the help of Mccalls M6030 “create it” pattern!

I used satin fabric to create this dress because I know that Satin is what sailor Neptune deserved and in reality, this is probably the material Naoko Takeuchi imagined when she came up with the design (At least I hope it was because this satin was absolutely gorgeous)

Using this pattern was fairly straight forward but the bodice was the 2nd time in all my years of sewing that I had to make an inner corset piece with boning (I used featherlight boning) and truth be told I was so nervous about how it would look! but I pulled through it! I even took a moment to add some rhinestone buttons and make a train!

While not apart of the pattern the train was absolutely gorgeous but hard to make! I used satin and voile for this project (Voile being another 1st) ruffling this fabric wasn’t simple whatsoever and I had the thread snap on me 3 times before I could get it to drape the way sailor Neptune would wear it.

This pattern is absolutely versatile and I am sure that it could be used to make other Sailor Senshi dresses as well!

How to be a Non-Black ally post #Blacklivesmatter

This entry is going to literally be a word salad for some people and a 5-course meal for others. I wrote this with a lot of passion Monday, June 1st, 2020 and I hope that it’s an evergreen piece that lives on even past the events that occurred before and during its conception.

Good Morning,

I want to address 2 groups here today.

Black people & Non-Black people

I’ll start with Black people, I know what you’re going through I know how we’re feeling and despite what is said our anger is justified and the hurt we feel is valid. Know that you are not obligated to be active at this time, you can take a break you have earned it. You can unplug and you can rest until you’re okay.You don’t have to do anything right now take pause you’re worth more than productivity.

I want you to utilize the block button, you don’t owe anyone your energy or free labor of educating. We’re past that and that time is over. I love you, I love us so much. Our official given label is “Black” but we’re so many things, we’re multifaceted and I know its hard to feel like you matter at this time, but you do. Your existence is our ancestor’s resistance you are meant to be here and I’m happy that you are.

Non-Black people this is for you. I want you to know that your work doesn’t stop as soon as the dust settles. In fact at that time your work TRULY begins. It’s not enough to amplify our voices during times like protests. You must do this work ALL THE TIME. How you may ask? It’s simple uplift Black voices in every space.

Did you know that while we are experts on our experiences we also have voices in many other arena’s? We love Cosplay, we love anime, we love gaming, we love fashion, we love wrestling, we love kink, we love comics, we love movies, we love pop-culture (We are THE culture and don’t you forget it), we love beauty, we love music, we love sneakers, food. We have voices in all of those places! But when it comes time to showcase us its not surprising but its tiring that we’re only asked or praised for our thoughts when it comes to racism, and injustice.

We’re retweeted the most when we’re angry, we get more followers and subscribers when we’re angry. It seems that when we express hurt, despair, and pain we’re hyper visible to everyone. Yet when we talk about the things we’re passionate about, excited about, we are invisible. You want to be an ally to us? give us opportunities to make our voices and passions heard. Collaborate with us on your online cons, your pop-culture podcasts, your streams, ask us about our thoughts on the newest animes dropping we have a lot to say, Talk with us about makeup and beauty.

We’re here and we exist in these spaces. You want to find us? look at the hashtags you’re using and take a look at the profiles using them I promise you we’re only a few clicks away online. There is no room for “How do I find more black people to collaborate with” in 2020 If you can use a hashtag to find the latest topic to stream about you can find and reach out to black creatives.

You have done the bare minimum for a long time and at this point we’re not settling for half baked allyship. We’re also not settling for your virtue signaling posts today so that you can go back to ignoring us next week. Yeah its admirable that those before us clawed their way into spaces but they shouldn’t have had to. I’m calling on all of you right now You want to be an Ally? Think of us for collaborations, and other creative opportunities, recommend us for shit to get us a seat in the room.

Share our posts about things we’re interested in. My next interviewer could be on your timeline. Black people are more than just resources for brands and internet personalities to take from, we’re more than our thoughts on racism and injustice and it’s high time that ya’ll started opening your eyes to us beyond our skin color. You want to do more? Offer your services to help us reach our creative goals if you have the energy help us upgrade our pitches, media kits, content.

There are so many ways that you could be an ally to us beyond retweeting and donating. Help us secure our bags from our aspirations. We have so much to offer the world besides justified anger. Thank you for the retweets and the donations, whats next? What are you willing to do?

If you made it this far thank you so much for reading and if you have questions or ideas please email me at Kiasangria93@gmail.com

Lash Application For Beginners

2020-04-28-13-22-27-715

They say you can tell a lot about a lady by the way she bats her eyelashes and by “They” I mean me!. If you clicked this article it means you like many other baddies in training are trying to figure out how to get your lashes on point! Here are some tips to take your eye looks from Blah to Ahah!

1. When you’re first learning to put on lashes it can be easy to feel like the more expensive the lash the easier it will be to apply. Not so fast! with brands like Absolute NY, you can get top-quality lashes at drugstore prices. These lashes here are from their divine collection the band is thin, the lash fibers are made out of silk for a 3D effect, and best of all they retail for just $5.99 which you can get for an even deeper discount when you use my code KSANGRIA10!

2. Do your falsies a favor and put on the mascara first. Doing this will ensure your natural lashes will blend right in without the risk of you gunking up your false lashes. Mascara on false lashes is a sure-fire way to cut their longevity short because the oils in the mascara can damage the fibers.

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3. Give your glue time to get tacky! Ideally 20-30 seconds. Doing this will allow your lash to adhere better and you remove the risk of glue getting on that eyeshadow application you just performed. I have been a victim of getting glue all over my eyes when I first started wearing lashes and trust me having to redo my eyeshadow was the most painful apart of the experience.

4. I have not yet mastered the art of applying my lashes by hand. So if you’re like me you will need to employ the help of tweezers or lash applicators to help you get the right placement on your eye.

5. Treat your lashes like silk! (In my case they are) It doesn’t matter how much you paid for them. Your lashes will last a good while if you properly take care of them. It’s easier than it sounds I promise you! I care for my lashes by keeping them in the case they arrived in. My lashes from Absolute NY arrived in a case that’s not only aesthetically pleasing but is made from sturdy plastic ensuring my lashes stay pristine and dust-free!

Full Face Makeup