Special Cosplay edition with Yaya Han

Rating for this post is a PG13. 
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Anck-su-namun – The Mummy

Why I chose to make this costume:

I am a huge fan of the Mummy movies and have always liked the tragically romantic love story of Imhotep and Anck-su-namun. I watch all of those movies often while I’m working on costumes. A few months ago while re-watching the first movie, I thought of Dragoncon coming up and what a perfect opportunity it would be to do the bodypaint of Anck-su-namun at that event. Looking at the footage, it seems easy enough, just very time consuming. The accessories she wears in that scene are also right up my alley with the beading and the Eqyptian theme.

I got really excited to do the costume after talking to some bodypaint friends of ours who were interested in painting me up like that. Sadly they were not able to make it to Dragoncon, but Brian and our friend Patterson, who runs www.savethemummy.com and is just as big of a Mummy geek as I am, stepped up and painted me instead!

How I made this costume:

Of course most of this costume is the painting. It took 6 hours, and that was with us preparing ahead of time. We used Mehron gold to cover my body and Ben Nye water-based black for the designs. Brian and Patterson followed the reference very carefully and we tried to get all the lines and patterns right, down to the correct number of stripes on my legs and arms and the neck piece. I can’t thank these two enough for helping me! I imagined in my mind that Anck-su-namun would be gilded, the more to be untouchable by anyone but the Pharaoh, hence the gold Mehron. But the paint ended up turning out much shinier than the movie version. I think I figured out a way to do it more toned-down next time, but it would have to be a really important occasion before all of us are willing to go through this long painting process again lol. I had to take two long showers to scrub off the paint afterward, and my toes were gold for a week afterward lol.

All painting aside, the accessories were also vital to this outfit. I studied the references for a long time and then set out to replicate them. Because all my beading supplies were packed away for a move, I had to buy everything including beading needles and make it all from scratch. The wrist cuffs, Horus arm bands and ankle cuffs are made of foamie sheets; the beaded belts, necklace and hair piece took several hours of beading, and I made the belt sashes out of a beautiful curtain material. I made the tiny cobra out of model magic, and wore sandals instead of going barefoot to adhere to hotel policies. The only other piece of clothing I wore was a black thong, as I didn’t want to appear naked with a tan or gold one. I did also wear pasties that were painted over and blended into the design. My wig is the same one I used for Cleopatra.

Thoughts on this costume:

I am so happy that, with the help of my friends, I was able to do this costume. It was very strenuous and toe-numbing to stand for 9 hours straight–6 for the painting, 3 to walk around afterward–and I was really exhausted afterward, but it was all worth it. So much love and thanks to my friends who painted me and walked around with me so I didn’t have to be a lonely gold statue so late at night. I posed with Patterson’s “Save the Mummy Franchise” banner while in the costume, and was stalked by a a lot of photographers lol. The best compliment of that night came from the group that did the Bodypainting panel at Dragoncon, who said to Patterson and me that we really accomplished what they were talking about in the panel, which is “dressing someone in paint”.

Sadly I couldn’t find my buddies who were also supposed to dress up from “The Mummy” that night, but it was probably because I got out on the convention floor so late (midnight), I am not sure if I have the stamina to do this again next year, but if my painting friends are up for it, I’ll definitely consider, too! I would have to make an Imhotep costume for Brian, lol.

IOTD

Calendar day; January 23, 2015

Friday, the 23rd of January, 2015 is the 23th day in 2015 and in the 4th calendar week.

General Events:

World Freedom Day
January 23, 2015 in Taiwan / South Korea

World Freedom Day is observed on January 23, 2015. World Freedom Day is a memorial day celebrated each year in Taiwan and South Korea. The event marks the return of some 22,000 ex-communist war prisoners of the Korean War (1950–1953) to Taiwan, of whom 14,000 Chinese soldiers arrived at Keelung harbor on 23 January 1954, and were given the title “Anti-Communist Martyrs”. The Republic of China (ROC) government subsequently declared 23 January as World Freedom Day to honor these soldiers, and created the “Anti-Communist League” to fight communist expansion worldwide. Every year World Freedom Day Celebrations are held in Taiwan, and the event is attended by both locals and foreign delegates from all over the world. Usually, the president of the ROC delivers a congratulatory message, and cultural performances take place.

Where is World Freedom Day?
Nationwide Taiwan / South Korea

Measure Your Feet Day
January 23, 2015 in the World

Measure Your Feet Day is a day to, well it’s a day to measure your feet. At this point, we stop and ask ourselves…why? We pondered this question for a while. Then, we decided it was best not to even speculate.

Although this may be an unfamiliar funday, it’s the perfect occasion to learn about the history of measurement and practice measuring objects using the length of their own feet!

Long ago, units of measurement were loosely based off of body parts—hands, arms, and, yes, even feet. Although there are many stories about how the length of a standard foot was established, it’s believed that the 12-inch foot we use for measurement today came from the average length of a person’s foot.

Where is this event?
Worldwide

Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day
January 23, 2015 in the World

This holiday is another wellcat.com holiday. It was created to give those snowplow drivers a day to have fun for once. Every winter they are gracious and kind enough to mow through our snowy roads, allowing us to get to school and work (wahoo) so Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day gives them a chance to get something in return for their boring work. Here’s how to play: See how far you can whack a mailbox with just your snowplow! 20 extra points if you hit it out of the zip code!

If you have access to a snowplow, please keep in mind that there are laws against that sort of thing.

Note: Living in a rural area, there are us that believe there are some snowplow operaters that have absolutely no need for a special day for this activity.

Where is this event?
Worldwide

National Handwriting Day
January 23, 2015 in the USA

National Handwriting Day is observed on January 23, 2015. Handwriting refers to a person’s unique style of writing characters created with a writing utensil such as a pen or pencil. Handwriting is separate from calligraphy or typeface.

Because each person’s handwriting is unique, it can be used to verify a document’s writer. The deterioration of a person’s handwriting is also a symptom or result of certain diseases. Even identical twins write differently. A person’s handwriting is also relatively stable and changes little over time. Because handwriting is relatively stable, a change in the handwriting can be indicative of the nervousness or intoxication of the writer.

Handwriting that is hard to read or unreadable due to the deformity, or illegibility of characters is commonly called worst. A common stereotype is that doctors have bad handwriting. According to Time, doctors’ sloppy handwriting kills more than 7,000 people annually.

Where is the event?
Nationwide USA

National Rhubarb Pie Day
January 23, 2015 in the USA

In warm climates, rhubarb will grow all year round, but in colder climates the parts of the plant above the ground disappear completely during winter, and begin to grow again from the root in early spring. It’s one of the first things to be edible in a prairie garden (along with asparagus).

Meat pies appeared in England in the 12th century. The crusts at that time were referred to as “coffyn” and they held fillings made from fowl. The legs were in fact left hanging over the sides of the dish and used as handles. Fruit pies and tarts began to appear in the 1500’s. Queen Elizabeth 1 is actually credited with the making of the first cherry pie.

The Colonists, or first English settlers brought their pies to America. They referred to the crusts as “coffins” and they were not eaten. The only purpose of the crust was to hold filling. That changed during the American-Revolution, and the term “coffin” or “coffyn” was changed to “crust.” Pie has become over the years, a tradition and much loved dessert.

Where is the event?
Nationwide USA

Historical Events on 23rd January:

909 – John of Rila aka Saint Ivan and the fable of two pies.

971 – In China, the war elephant corps of the Southern Han are soundly defeated at Shao by crossbow fire from Song Dynasty troops. The Southern Han state is forced to submit to the Song Dynasty, ending Southern Han rule, also first regular war elephant corps employed in Chinese army

1368 – In a coronation ceremony, Zhu Yuanzhang ascends to the throne of China as the Hongwu Emperor, initiating Ming Dynasty rule over China that would last for three centuries.

1556 – Shaanxi Earthquake – deadliest ever recorded kills 830,000 in Shensi Province, China

1579 – Union of Utrecht signed, forming protestant Dutch Republic

1647 – Scottish Presbyterians sell captured Charles I to English parliament

1793 – 2nd partition of Poland, between Prussia & Russia

1855 – The first bridge over the Mississippi River opens in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota, a crossing made today by the Father Louis Hennepin Bridge.

1859 – Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii begins an eruption that lasts 300 days

1870 – 173 Blackfoot (140 women & children) killed in Montana by US Army

1897 – Elva Zona Heaster is found dead in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The resulting murder trial of her husband is perhaps the only case in United States history where the alleged testimony of a ghost helped secure a conviction

1904 – Ålesund Fire: the Norwegian coastal town Ålesund is devastated by fire, leaving 10,000 people homeless and one person dead. Kaiser Wilhelm II funds the rebuilding of the town in Jugendstil style.

1912 – The International Opium Convention is signed at The Hague.

1932 – El Salvador army kills 4,000 protesting farmers

1950 – Israeli Knesset resolves Jerusalem is capital of Israel

1960 – Bathosphere “Trieste”, crewed by Jacques Piccard and US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh, reaches bottom of Pacific (10,900 m)

1961 – Venezuela adopts constitution

1968 – Spy ship USS Pueblo & 83-man crew seized in Sea of Japan by North Korea

1970 – Dolle Mina’s burns her bra in Amsterdam

1972 – Entire population of Istanbul under 24 hour house arrest

1973 – US President Nixon announces an accord has been reached to end Vietnam War

1977 – Miniseries “Roots” premieres on ABC

1978 – Sweden becomes the first nation in the world to ban aerosol sprays, believed to be damaging to earth’s ozone layer

1983 – Russian radioactive satellite falls into Indian Ocean

1994 – Worldwide Day for peace in Bosnia-Hercegovina