New blog location!!

Hey fellow Nerds!!! I moved my blog to a new website and have to up and running! I still have some more tweaks that I want to do but I like what it's like so far! I still need to put some videos up. I like I'm going to have to put them on Youtube first then put them in my blog. :) Come check it out! And if you have any suggestions please let me know!
www.cometothenerdside.com

Moving my blog to a new website

Hello fellow nerd friends! Their are changes on the horizon! This post is just to let you know I am moving my blog. I am going to give self hosting a a try. Which basically means I will have my own website!! So all of the content that I post will be owned by me and not by someone else. :) I am super excited because that way I can post some of my videos! (Fingers crossed!) I have some awesome videos of Comic Con and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter that I haven't been able to put on my blog as of yet because of technical difficulties. I am trying to get that switched over as quickly as a can and still make it amazing!!!  I'll post again once I get it all set up and continue the nerdy-ness at a new location.  It's gonna be epic!!

Stephen Amell and David Ramsey come to SLC Comic Con

So for me there were a couple really memorable panels at Comic Con; Stephen Amell and David Ramsey, Mark Hamill, and Billy Boyd's panel. I want to share my experience attending the Stephen Amell and David Ramsey panel. The other ones will be coming in later blog posts, don't you worry. ;) One of the reasons that this panel was so memorable is because of how the celebrities interacted with the fans. I liked how they focused on the person asking the question. Their was one question that was asked of Amell wondering if it would be possible to have hot pink t-shirts for his "F*** Cancer" campaign, because hot pink symbolizes all the young women who get breast cancer. He told us that the next time he posts about the t-shirts for the campaign on his Facebook page to comment with "hot pink", then he said something along the lines of "then even someone like me will remember". I was really impressed!

The second reason that this panel was memorable was for the information that I don't think they were supposed to share. "I really miss John (Barrowman)," Stephen Amell. "I really miss him too," David Ramsey. Then once they realize what they said Stephen proceeds to start heading off stage. What happens to John's character?!?!

The third thing that was extremely memorable was when Stephen Amell announced that he's going to do American Ninja Warrior in 2017!!!!!!! An attendee asked a question about when he was planning on doing it. Stephen said that the desire to do the show has only gotten worse, as in it hasn't gone away. Then their was a long drawn out pause, I thought that he was done answering the question.  Then he said in 2017! He said that he said he hadn't even talked to his producers and that he was streaming this to his Facebook page so no he has to do it. As you can imagine the audience went NUTS!! Myself included. :)

I am so grateful I was able to attend this panel and I'm so grateful to Bryan Brandenburg and Dan Farr for getting these two amazing people to Salt Late!!

PS- Check out David's arms!! 

Salt Lake City Comic Con 2016!!!!

So I (of course) went to Salt Lake City Comic Con! I went with my two sisters and we had a super amazing time! Was it perfect?...  no. Was it still awesome?.... HECK YES!!!!! Here are some pictures to give you some idea of how much fun we had!

We found the concubines from Mulan! These guys are utterly fantastic, and they were so nice to us! I like how I match the one I'm with! ;) 

Doctor Strange and Moaning Myrtle... not a combination I ever thought I would see! ;) Didn't my friend do an amazing job on his costume!!!

I had Evanna Lynch sign the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which come to find out is her favorite book! How perfect is that?!

It wouldn't be Comic Con without a picture in the TARDIS. Especially when you're Amy and your sister is Rose..

Elizabeth Bennet (from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), an assassin, and Moaning Myrtle.....

I love my sisters!

We are such nerds... And I love it!!!

Moaning Myrtle on the Throne??

Amy and Rose

I kid you not, when I said, "Jack can I have a picture?" His response was, "Their should be a Captain in there somewhere". I loved him!

The thing I heard most frequently on Saturday was "I found Waldo!" I even got asked to take my picture, which made me so extremely happy!

Arthur Darvill, aka Rory Pond and Rip Hunter.

Katie Cassidy, aka Laurel Lance/ Black Canary

Henry Winkler, aka THE FONZ! "Do NOT snap at women! That only works on television".

Evanna Lynch, aka Luna Lovegood. "Spread the Lovegood-ness around."

Billy Boyd, aka Pippin. We brought him "second breakfast"!

This is just a little bit of the awesome-ness that went down at Comic Con, and I didn't even mention Mark Hamill and Stephen Amell! ;) I will talk about some of my favorite moments in some later posts. I also took a TON of pictures but I figured that this post is long enough as it is. ;)

Putting together a costume for Comic Con

With Comic Con right around the corner I thought I would talk about putting together a costume. I have been called the "MacGyver of Costumes", I've made quite a few costumes and have helped people make them so hopefully this will be helpful. With that being said I am not a professional in anyway, shape, or form. And yes, you can throw together a costume with only a week left until Comic Con. :)

Tips for costuming for Comic Con-

Try to make a costume with separates that you will actually wear again. I have found that this is the most cost effective thing that you can do. Who wants to spend a ton of money on an outfit that you will only wear once? Not me!

Superman shirt that has a cape (it has velcro so it can be taken off), blue leggings, and red shorts. All of this came from Walmart, and all of the items I have worn multiple times!

Where's Waldo. Red and white striped shirt and "nerd glasses" are from Amazon. Blue skinny jeans and tennis shoes are from Walmart. I made the hat. All of these items are basics that I will be wearing or have worn again. 

Amy Pond. Red flannel shirt (that I love!) and the red wig are from Amazon. Blue skinny jeans and tennis shoes are from Walmart.
See what I mean about re-wearable separates? ;)

Think outside the box. The costume that I got the most comments and requests for pictures on I was wearing sweats! Not only did the costume look cool but I was super comfy to!

Prison Bellatrix Lestrange. Sweats from Walmart. Grey and black striped shirt is from a thrift store. The sign is yarn and cardboard that I drew on to look like Bellatrix's prison card. And the tattoo... that's crayola marker. :)

If you are handy with a sewing machine sew something. You are guaranteed to have the only costume at the Con that will look like that! You would be surprised what you can find instructions for online to make, whether it be a full costume or an accessory.

Soothsayer from the Fires of Pompeii Doctor Who. I made the dress from scratch, the hood took a little while to get it right. And I made the beaded necklace.

These are most of the costumes that I have put together for Comic Con, I've got a couple more that I have done in the past. Hopefully, this has helped you to get some ideas about possible costumes of your own. And if you see me looking like Where's Waldo and Amy Pond from above feel free to come and say "Hi!" Then it really will be like Where's Waldo! ;) I also will be doing Moaning Myrtle one day but that costume has a few more tweaks that need to be done on it. :)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

On July 28, 2016 I had one of the best experiences of my life! My sisters and I went to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in California!!

I grew up reading Harry Potter. I went to to the midnight book release to be able to by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at Borders. I read the seventh book in eleven hours, straight through the night to finish before I had to go to work the next afternoon. I dressed up as Moaning Myrtle, Cho Chang, and Bellatrix Lestrange to go see the midnight premieres of the movies. I have loved the world of Harry Potter ever since I read the Sorceror's Stone. So to be able to go with my sisters was un-freaking-believable!!

Me and my sisters,

When we got to the park we had to pay for parking, no surprise their. My advice, spend the 30.00 to get the preferred parking. It ended up being one of the smartest decisions that we made that day!! Because we got preferred parking we were able to park in the Terrace, so our car wasn't roasting when we got out of the park!  Which would have been miserable because it was about 94 degrees Fahrenheit that day!! But the best part about getting preferred parking is that you go up an escalator thing and you are right at the park entrance! And for someone like me who has had four knee procedures that is a HUGE bonus!

Here are a couple things that we learned from this adventure. Buy your tickets online in advance!!!!  I can't emphasis this enough!!  Because we bought our tickets online in advance we were able to get into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter an hour earlier than the normal start time, which (trust me) makes a WORLD of difference!

Another bit of advice, get to the castle ASAP!! Because if you don't get on the castle ride first thing you may have to stand in line for over TWO HOURS! Because we hurried to the castle we were in line for about fifteen to twenty minutes to get inside. The line does continue inside the castle but that to me seemed like part of the ride because the inside of the castle is utterly amazing!!!  It was so cool to see things that I had seen in the movies and fell in love with while reading the books!

House points. Slytherin is catching up! ;)

Mirror of Erised.
"It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live."

Random statue in Hogwarts. Pity it didn't move. ;)

Don't mind me, I'm just going to go visit Dumbledore in his office,

Some of the pictures were moving. The big one in the lower left is Salaazar Slytherin.

The big picture in the lower right is Helga Hufflepuff.
Sorry I didn't get Godric Gryffindor or Rowena Ravenclaw. Their pictures were there too,

Dumbledore's office. Sorry for the horrible quality picture!!  I didn't have much time to try to get a good one. :(

Sorting Hat. It is animatronic and moves!

At the start of the castle ride their is lockers to put your things, the first two hours is free and after that you have to pay. After walking through the castle you sit in a cupboard that Hermione has bewitched to fly. This part is the more "traditional" type of ride, you know where they strap you in type thing. The workers give you a pair of 3-D glasses that look like something that Luna Lovegood would wear. That was a nice touch. The ride takes you around the castle and over the Quidditch pitch.  During the ride their are 3-D screens interspaced with bits of the castle, for example the Chamber of Secrets. I tried to grab the Snitch when it darted out in front of me, :) The first time we were on the ride it broke down and we were laying horizontal in our "cupboard" with Dementors above us. Not a prime spot to stop if you ask me. ;) When the ride started up again the screen in front of us was blank. Because that screen wasn't working and we still had time left on our locker rental we went on the ride again!! This time the line was even shorter! So we went on the castle ride twice in about an hour! It was phenomenal! Once you get off the ride you can go shopping in Filch's Emporium. I got some Harry Potter playing cards that have cool quotes on them!

I have won the Tri-Wizard Cup!!

My sister being a goofball. :)

After going on the castle ride we hoped on the Hippogriff ride, which passes by Hagrid's hut. This one was a super short ride and still fun but not as great as the castle ride. It was so hot standing in line!!  I love that Universal has misters and fans that can help to keep you cool while you wait though!

Hey Buckbeak, what's up?

Hagrid's hut

After going on the rides we went and checked out Hogsmeade, and I loved every second of it!!

Hogsmeade

Honeydukes

So much delightful candy!

You can't go wrong with a good ol' chocolate frog.

Zonko's Joke Shop

Make sure to stop in to Ollivanders

Another bit of advice, don't get your Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice from the vendors in the carts. Stop in to the Three Broomsticks and get it there along with a delicious meal!

Super delicious meal!! $13.99 for the meal and $5.99 for the frozen Butterbeer. And that was a ton of food!!

So yummy!!!

Cheers!

The service was so excellent and the food was delightful!! I loved it!!

The conductor was so in character!!

Hogwarts Express

The last piece of advice I will give about Harry Potter World is to have them deliver your purchases to the front of the park so that you don't have to have your chocolate frog melting into a gooey mess! It's completely free and if you are super lucky you will have a worker explain to you that "the owls will deliver your purchase to the front of the park, and that they even will work on the muggle side".

You can't go to Harry Potter World and not get some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! The earthworm one is especially..... interesting. $10.95

This was a required purchase! $10.95

Hello Godric Gryffindor.

To give you an idea of how big the frogs are, this is my sisters iPhone 5c. It was huge!

Totally recommend!

Never ending pop rock type things inside the bon bons. They seemed to last forever! So much fun, and so tasty too!

Hopefully one day soon we'll get to go to the park in Florida! They have Diagon Alley there!

Thank you The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I'm sure we'll meet again! :)