Thanksgiving and Black Friday 2012

I had an AMAZING Thanksgiving Holiday! I always travel to my grandmothers in Charlottesville, Va. with my parents and we have a great family dinner with my Grandmother Pritchett, my Uncle, aunt and their son. We will also occasionally see my aunts daughters and son as well (depending on where they do Thanksgiving that year).  
Dinner was amazing! I got to spend lots of time with my family that I love so much! I got to eat some incredibly yummy food and be lazy!
Well this year a lot of stores for  Black Friday decided to open at midnight.  So I was like, well I'm up, Ill go hit up the four stores I really wanted to go too, Best Buy, Old Navy, Ulta and Sephora. So at midnight I went out, made it to the two makeup stores and got some good deals (which I do not get until Christmas, since my parents were awesome and got me some great makeup super cheap).  I then headed to best buy and got some awesome stuff! (Camalot season 1 for $7.99 and Smallville Season 10 for $9.99), then on to Old Navy for some jeans, boots and two really lovely tops! By then it was 3am and I went home to sleeeeep! Later that day we also headed to Walmart and Target where Lego Batman 2 was obtained and Downton Abbey Season 1 was purchased by my father and Vampire Dairies seasons 2 and 3 were bought with a gift card that I received back when I graduated from grad school (yay for me just not shopping a lot at Target!).  I was really pleased with what was bought this year, and all for well under $200 (including what I got with the gift cards) yes my parents paid for most of that, but my father is going to enjoy some of the Tv dvds (well maybe not Vampire Dairies) as much as I will.

Saturday it was back to the D House to do makeup for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark episode two "The Walk" Mariah and I always get to do some pretty fun stuff! I did not get to stay on set the entire time due to lunch with my Grandma Layne and my parents. However I got to stop by the Albemarle Bakery and pick up a thing of French Macaroons, they are delicious so far! Incredibly yummy! They had five flavors (Chocolate, Strawberry, Pistachio, Vanilla, and coffee flavored).

After lunch my father and I checked out the new Trader Joe's that just opened up (got some edamame hummus for us to eat and some fruit strips for lunch next week!) and then checked out Best Buy again, where I then got Supernatural seasons 1 and 7 for 9.99 each (costing me $5 since I had $15 dollars in Best Buy rewards certificates). So because of gift cards and coupons I spent a total of $5 this year for Black Friday (yes my parents spent more buying Christmas presents for me and other members of the family) But I think I did pretty good and beat a lot of the super crazy crowds that everyone seems to dread on Black Friday.

North Carolina Renaissance Festival

What: North Carolina Renaissance Festival 19
When: October 6th-Nov 18th
Location:
 http://royalfaires.com/carolina/


I started going to the NC Renaissance Festival back in 2004 with the UNCG Renaissance music group. We would play recorders, sing, and play other Renaissance instruments at the faire. I have always loved dressing up in garb and going to the faire. The food the music, the shows, all the other fun that there is to be had for the day.

My father and I wandered around and looked at all the merchants first. We then watched the Dead Bob Show, which is always amusing and funny, if not offensive to some, but they pretty much let you know the show if for 18+ and will be vulgar. My Dad actually laughed at a lot of the jokes and the reactions of the audience, so I found that to be really amusing.

We watched a bit of the joust, well what we could see since there were a lot of people there, after a bit we just wandered around, I looked in the shops at all the pretty skirts and corsets. We also hit up the mini petting zoo, I love the sheep, they are so soft and all the other animals are always fun to see and pet and feed.

Watched a bit of a belly dancing troupe dance, Got a delicious piece of cheesecake, and watched some of the wandering musical acts, then headed out. The trip only lasted a few hours but was really fun. Really wish I had not been getting over being sick and could have dressed up and enjoyed myself a bit more, but sadly I had bronchitis this year and the weather in NC was starting to get cold, so I dressed warm, as to not get any worse.

I am really excited for the Renn. Faire this year since I plan on being in perfect health and want to go and have an even better time!

Blood At The Beach 2

What: Blood At The Beach 2
When:November 9-11
Location: Va. Beach, Va.


This was the second show this year for Blood at the Beach. The first one being in April. The first show had an incredible turn out. This show had a bit less, but was still a fun time!

Friday I was up early. Helped my friend get her dealers table set up and then helped out at the Darkstone Table. Also saw a lot of my friends, and got to chat with them.
The second Blood at the Beach was not quite as packed as the first one, but it was still lots of fun to see all the people and all the different events going on.

Saturday I hung out with all my wonderful friends, watched a few of the films I had worked on that were in the film festival, and just had a lot of fun. Got to go to dinner with some of the greatest people in the world as well (I love my Darkstone family <3.) Mariah and I also got some awesome photos with my friend Jarod, who takes amazing photos. We dressed up in some of my steampunk outfits and got some amazing shots!

Sunday I watched the screening of Foodie, a short I did makeup Fx on.  I then hung around until the end of the convention, helped my friends pack up their vending tables, and headed home. Over all a rather fun time!

NekoCon 15 (2012)

What: NekoCon 15 (2012)
When: November 2-4
Location: Hampton Roads, Va.

Nekocon is a great con! I have been going now for about five years straight now, I love this con, I love the people that go and I love getting to hang out and just have fun at a convention.  I work for the video game room every year and love my Otakon family that I get to see. 

Last year I entered the Costume Contest with Matthew after not entering for a few years and we won! Well this year the plan was to enter again with Matthew, but his class schedule did not work out so I entered on my own for craftsmenship.  I finally finished my Amu costume from Shugo Charra that I had planned to do last year.  I love this little outfit! It is poofy and plaid, and I get to walk around in Rocking Horse shoes (which is not incredibly easy).  I ended up winning best overall craftsmenship in the contest, which was really awesome! The prizes were great too! They had lots of awesome sewing gear that anyone who sews would love!

I was also incredibly excited about getting to eat at a Irish pub that actually had shepherds pie that i could eat! Many places have started putting mushrooms in it (which is NOT how it is traditionally made) and since I am allergic to mushrooms that makes me incredibly sad. However this pub did not! which meant I got to enjoy some yummy food! I was sad the Mongolian restaurant across the street from the Hampton Roads convention center had closed though.

I only purchased one thing this time, a ginger bread Dalek Christmas ornament, from the artist alley.  I also got a cute Nyan Cat bag with a gift certificate from Wizzy Wigs. 

Overall NekoCon was GREAT fun and I cannot wait for next years convention!