Here are some pix from the NY Renaissance Faire last weekend.   Anne took most of the pictures, we're hoping next time to get some more =] we were too busy role-playing this time around!

• Ren Faire 2007 Gallery
  

Here's a funny shot from our filming of "Ikarus" part 2 this week.  In this episode, Rob Morris (who plays as the Ikarus crewman) is bound and gagged in duct tape.. the funny thing is his fiance called in the middle of the shoot, and he answered the phone as-is. 

• More "Ikarus" behind-the-scenes pix 

This was a fun convention, as usual~ I had a great time with Arnand and Jo and even got a chance to meet up with Ashley at "The House".  Jason and I got the opportunity to playtest LOLCATTZ .. but Arnand broke my game

We didn't spend a lot of time on the convention floor this year.. although I did pick up 3 DVDs, a pirate hat, and a leather potion bottle from Griffin leatherworks.  Their stuff always rocks.  Albion was another booth I lingered in for a while... those swords are serious business!  Too bad nothing was under $400 though.. makes for a sad panda.  I'd have gladly shelled out some cash for a sexy boot dagger (to match one of their awesome swords) to hold me over till I can afford something bigger and better. Come'on! Where's that marketing zeal Albion! You're alienating some serious market segment by just bringing 10 sexy swords and not letting anyone buy them! (/end rant) anywho... we more occupied with gaming and idling around the Westin wondering wth happened to "Silk" and certain movies that were scheduled to play but some bobba-bobblehead forgot the DVD thereby completely mucking up the movie schedule.  hmm.. we did get to see Midnight Chronicles at a sneak preview.  It probably would have been more enjoyable had I read the book it was based upon.  For the uninformed, the whole movie was like one giant technobabble runonsentence.. except it wasn't about anything technical.  Just "Valdamar the 7th son of pendragon's wet nurses' sissy brother wants to slay you at dawn... " you don't say? 

Ok in my old age I'm getting crabbier it seems. Here are some pictures.......

   Our azn pirate pack

Arn and Jo lookin good

An $89 purse with succubus wings on it. classic. 

     That's it for now ^_^  Would you like to see more?

• Visit my Gencon2007 gallery
  

My buddy Derek Sonderfan from high school wrote a musical which has show dates in NYC this month!

Check out "Unusual Suspects The Musical" if you're in the area this month, its playing at:

The Players Theatre
115 MacDougal Street
(west side of MacDougal,
just south of West 3rd Street)
A, B, C, D, E, F, V to West 4th Street

 Showtimes are currently scheduled for:

SAT 8/11 @ NOON – 1:45
TUES 8/14 @ 10 – 11:45
WED 8/15 @ 6 – 7:45
TUES 8/21 @ 11:15 – 1am
SAT 8/25 @ 2 – 3:45

• Go to the Unusual Suspects The Musical Website for advance tickets!
  

Garden Labels

The garden needed some labels but all that was available on ebay were the platic popsicle stick variety,

the copper foil on steel variety, and some expensive terra cotta ones that were way too "traditional" looking for my garden. 

Yeah.. I know.. I plant my stuff in 18-gallon totes and it sounds odd that I'd whine about the labels of all things!

However, I wanted something whimsical and original.. 

After searching online and finding nothing cool under $1.50  ea .. I got the idea to make my own from scrap aluminum metal.  Here's what you need:

• Scrap aluminum metal (preferably cutable with scissors) - $0
• Old Nail polish - $0  
• Nail polish remover (if you screw up) - $0
• 12 gauge steel wire ( to make the stems) - $8.99 (for 100 feet)
• mixed bag of small glass marbles - $1
• mixed bag of large glass marbles - $1
• 26 gauge copper craft wire - less than $2.49 (for 30 yds)
• 24 gauge silver craft wire - less than $.99  (for 25 yds)

Total: about $15  in materials for over 30 garden labels
(50 cents each! and the results speak for themselves...)

The herb garden is really kickin' this year! I picked up a new digicam this week for a work project and decided to take some snapshots of my garden to test out the fancy features.  Here's the link to my garden gallery:

• Julia's Herb Garden 2007

We even managed to attract more wild pollinators this year which in turn has yielded more veggies than previous years.  The wildflowers, basil, lavender, bee balm, and hyssop seem to draw them in.  Hopefully some will take refuge in our Mason bee shelter and bumblebee box so they don't have far to go. 

Click read more for pics..