Do you have a tabletop gamer in your universe who has been on the AWESOMESAUCE list? Can’t figure out what to get that d20 high roller? Well, take a gander at a few of these gift suggestions!
What’s great about DiXit is there are 3 expansion sets! That means more illustrations and endless fun!
Asmodee’s Dixit is a favorite in my household. My husband and I have introduced many of our friends to this fun game, which is recommended for folks as young as eight. With beautiful illustrations and tons of replay value, this game is sure to be a favorite with your geek.
Guesstures, 1st Edition
Guesstures, a table top twist of the game charades, is a classic for players 12 years old and up. Act out suggestions from drawn cards and have your team guess them all before the “mimer-timer” runs out.
Dungeons and Dragons Players Handbook, 4th Edition
Now, I just started playing Dungeons and Dragons, and I am having a blast! Whether you’re a seasoned GM (game master) or it’s your first time picking up a character sheet, one can always benefit from some D&D swag!
Do you like some crafting along with your tabletop game? Warhammer is going strong. Visit the Seattle Bunker or a store near you to learn about all the armies and games Games Workshop has been developing. If you are a fan of The Hobbit, there’s a game to go along with it.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey — The Bundle.
You can never go wrong with a couple of accessories! For the steampunk enthusiast, check out this steampunk dice set:
A plethora of dice is a tabletop gamer’s ally.
So many dice and no bags of holding in sight? Check out a few of these dice bags on etsy!
Hey readers! Shubz here with another installment of Ask GGC. We asked our staff how their time with GeekGirlCon made a difference for them in their lives outside of our organization. Here’s what they had to say:
Kristine Hassell
“I’ve started getting back into comics and science, two avenues of geekdom that I enjoyed when I was younger, but fell to the wayside when I discovered RPGs, video games, and anime. I’ve also become more vocal when I find things offensively misogynistic or racist. As a female Filipino-American nerd, it’s important to speak up about these things. Being on staff has stepped up my game on many fronts including how to succinctly convey my thoughts in 140 characters or less when needed without textspeak abbreviations! Grammar nerds FTW!” – Kristine Hassell, Twitter Administrator
Erica striking a pose at GeekGirlCon 2012
“I’ve been an idealist for most of life, and the world has in many ways tried to stop me from believing in the ability to change the world. GeekGirlCon has really proven that through community momentum, we can change the world. When we first started planning for GeekGirlCon ’11, we would’ve been happy if 400 people showed up; but instead we had almost 2,000. And even more for GeekGirlCon ’12. We’ve inspired people, helped build new skills and interests, and fostered women-positive geeky community. We can be the change in the world.” – Erica McGillivray, Director of Marketing
Left to Right: Shubz Blalack, Tammy Vince Cruz, Raye Abellar
“GeekGirlCon changed my life. It opened my eyes, my mind, and best of all, my heart, to an amazing community all working towards a sincere goal. Admittedly, GeekGirlCon consumed me; it consumed my time, my energy, and my life – but it’s all been worth it. I’ve worked with remarkable people, many of which I would consider good friends. Beyond that, the rad folks I’ve had the chance to meet along the way, reinforced that genuine people do exist, and they support what you believe in.
GeekGirlCon pushed me to work my butt off. I’ve produced some of my best pieces for GeekGirlCon. While giving me that challenge, it’s resulted in a rejuvenated design portfolio. I’ve definitely forced myself to learn a lot of better habits when it came to my work – learning communication is vital, especially leading my own team, and overall organization is detrimental to making things run smoothly. I was known as a mute when I was a kid, but helping lead meetings and represent GeekGirlCon helped build my self-confidence, and improve my own public speaking and interaction skills. A lot of these skills I’ve applied to my day job and personal life, and it makes me feel all sorts of awesomely weird – like I’ve definitely stepped full fledge into “grown up” territory. And I’m quite happy with that.
– Tammy Vince Cruz, Manager of Design
Susie and Stephanie cosplaying it up as Hawkgirl and Starbuck, respectively
“Working at GeekGirlCon opened my eyes in so many ways. It opened my eyes to the hundreds of geeky things out there I didn’t even know existed. It opened my eyes to the fantastic community of geeky women and their amazing supporters. And it opened my eyes to the fact that GeekGirlCon is still a needed organization — there are too many people out there who still feel mistreated, misrepresented, and misunderstood. GeekGirlCon staff members bring a range of personalities to the table, which has given me the opportunity to learn and grow in ways I never expected. It has seriously been a gift to be on this staff.” – Susie Rantz, PR Manager
GeekGirlCon is currently looking for enthusiastic and driven individuals to join our staff and continue to make a difference with us. Could that be you? Check out our Open Staff Positions for more information.
Greetings readers! November is winding to a close and with it, National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. I thought what better way to highlight writing in the Pacific Northwest than to speak with Development Director at Seattle’s own Richard Hugo House, tireless 826er, and my friend, Rebecca Brinson!
Rebecca Brinson
Hi Rebecca!
Howdy!
Let’s begin with your origin story. How did you land at Hugo House? Tell us what you do for the House?
Well, I ended up at Hugo House the same way many people do—I was an errant creative writing major. After I graduated from the University of Washington’s undergrad creative writing program, I worked for several years in the development department at ACT Theatre. One of my favorite jobs there was as the grants manager, where I got to put my writing talents to good use. Outside of my work at ACT, I co-founded Northwest Essay with a friend of mine. We had both worked as college tutors and saw a need for affordable, high-quality online personal statement essay editing. As Northwest Essay started to show some promise, I wanted to dedicate time to building it up, so I left my full-time job at ACT and ended up working part-time at the front desk at Hugo House. When the development position eventually opened up, I was ready for full-time work again and ended up in fundraising once again.
I still run Northwest Essay on the side, but my responsibility at Hugo House is to raise roughly 50 – 60% of our annual operating budget from institutional grants (gifts from foundations, corporations, and government entities), special fundraising events, and individual donations. I’m a one-person development shop, so I write grants, plan, and produce fundraising events, manage our membership program and our annual giving campaign, work with our executive director on major donor relationships, and generally be an ambassador for the House. I also end up spending a lot of time managing IT, as I’m the administrator of our online patron database and am enough of a web developer that I get under the hood occasionally of our Drupal installation. (PS, we’re looking for a new Drupal developer contractor to help us out with, among other things, the upgrade from Drupal 6 to Drupal 7! If any of your readers are into that, they should contact me.)
Richard Hugo House
I am familiar what Hugo House does but can you explain it to those unfamiliar with its mission?
Richard Hugo House, named after Seattle poet and writing teacher Richard Hugo, is an arts center grounded in the written word. Our mission is to foster writers, build community, and engage the Pacific Northwest in the world of writing. We offer creative writing classes for adults; creative writing camps and writing circles for youths; produce readings, book releases, art shows, and multi-genre performances; commission and premiere new work by established and up-and-coming authors through our Literary Series; employ two writers-in-residence to work on their own writing as well as mentor (for free!) members of the community; and manage ZAPP, the Zine Archive & Publishing Project, one of the largest independent zine archives in the world. Whew! Through all of our programs, we support the creation of new work, encourage artistic risk and cultivate a welcoming community.
Can anyone just come to the house for writing inspiration or do you have to be a member?
ANYONE can come by! Our cabaret space is often (though not always) empty during the day, and it’s a fun place to write. Of course, there are benefits to being a member–members at the Sentence level ($100+) can use our member writing office, which is stocked with a desk, books on the craft of writing, wifi, and general coziness.
What programmes and classes does HH offer to help aspiring authors?
Nearly all of our programs and classes can be useful to aspiring authors. Works in Progress, our twice-a-month open mic, is one great resource. And our writers-in-residence, Tara Hardy and Peter Mountford, are another–they will meet with you for free to talk about writing and your work! You can also choose from many workshop-based (feedback on existing work) or generative (prompts for creating new work) classes. Also, keep an eye out for more “State of the Book Salons” that we present with Seattle7Writers.
Does fostering a community of writers help authors come out of their collective shells?
We talk about this a lot at Hugo House. Writers, after all, are pretty solitary creatures. But we’ve come to the same conclusion that people who regularly travel alone often come to–yes, being alone is fulfilling and key to who you are, but it makes it that much more important to have a landing pad to return to. The writers’ community, of which Hugo House is proudly a part, is that landing pad.
Any words of advice for aspiring authors?
1) Find a niche, and 2) don’t just labor alone in your garret.
The writers that I see succeeding in Seattle and beyond are, more often than not, those that lay claim to a certain subject matter, audience, genre or subgenre, reading style, or area of expertise, and are willing to make connections with others. It’s not “networking”–it’s being part of a community. If you go to people’s readings, they will come to yours. Honestly, it isn’t about being a perfect writer–it’s about being a good-enough writer that stands out in your chosen field who’s always trying to improve and who’s willing to be a part of something bigger.
How has HH helped YOU grow as an author?
Osmosis! Well, sort of–just being around this many writers, and this much writing, on a daily basis really forces you to bring your A-game. And while most of my writing energy is used up at work for grants, letters, blog posts, annual reports, and the like, I’ve found that my editing muscles have really bulked up. Part of that is training and practice I’ve pursued outside of Hugo House (my continuing work with Northwest Essay, the nine-month certificate in editing I got from the UW, joining the Northwest Independent Editors Guild), but much of it is editing material here at work–and having my own materials edited, too!
1st Annual Richard Hugo House Local Celebrity Spelling Bee Logo
As a lifelong word nerd, I participated in spelling bees when I was younger. When I heard about the Celebrity Spelling Bee, it was an easy decision to attend. Whose idea was it to do a twist on such an American school tradition?
Brian McGuigan, the program director, and I came up with it together. We knew we wanted a lower-level fundraising event to balance out our $150/plate springtime dinner auction and we knew we wanted it to be raucous and irreverent. Taking the general spelling bee model, and adding local celebrities, cheating (people can bid money to cheat their faves into the next round), and a bar…well, the math made sense, and the Celebrity Spelling Bee was born. We’ve done it for two years now, and I hope we do it for many more. It’s got some room to grow; I hope we can make it a landmark event.
As I mentioned earlier, you are also a tutor with 826 Seattle. One of our Community Business Partners just happens to be one of my favorite shops in Seattle, the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. located easily enough, on Greenwood. Can you talk a little about the 826 Seattle connection with all things spacey?
Sure! The original 826 is 826 Valencia in San Francisco; 826 Seattle is now one of eight chapters around the country. The basic model is that there is a wacky retail store out front and a tutoring and writing center in the back (I believe this tradition descended from the retail zoning of the 826 Valencia location). For us here in Seattle, the theme is space travel, which riffs on our “Jet City” history. Hugo House and 826 Seattle are great complements to each other, and great resources for writers of all ages in Seattle; you’ll often find some of the same adult volunteers contributing time to Hugo House and 826. As far as youth writing instruction goes, I view it as a two-tiered system: 826 Seattle is about welcoming access to writing support and encouraging creative and critical expression; Hugo House youth programming is welcoming, too, but asks more of its participants, who tend to self-identify as “writers” and are looking to develop their craft. We have a fair share of those kids at 826, too, of course, but the time commitment alone required of Hugo youth programs (for example, two straight weeks of the Scribes summer camp) means you really gotta be into it.
826 Seattle
How long have you been a tutor with 826 Seattle?
I started volunteering as a tutor at 826 in October of 2005. Apparently, I was the first person to fill out the online volunteer application, which is a fun not-actually-an-award to have. I still tutor; I’ve also led many workshops and helped out with multiple fundraising efforts, too. Plus, I met my now-husband there–so I feel like I got a pretty good deal out of it all!
What’s in store for the rest of 2012 and can you share a little of what can we look forward to in 2013 for Hugo House and 826 Seattle?
For me, I’ll be focusing on Hugo House’s year-end fundraising campaign, tutoring on Monday nights at 826 Seattle, and editing essays through Northwest Essay (right now is our busy time, as people are readying their applications for undergrad and graduate programs). At Hugo House, through the end of the year and next spring, we have the three remaining events in our 2012-13 Literary Series (featuring writers like Ryan Boudinot, Patricia Smith, and Cheryl Strayed), as well as many other events and tons of classes. 826 Seattle is in the midst of after-school tutoring (including high school-only tutoring from 6 – 8 p.m., M – Th!), field trips, workshops, and more, which will continue through the rest of the school year.
Finally, we here at GeekGirlCon, love sharing our geekdoms. What have you been geeking over lately?
Bread! I do a lot of amateur baking; currently I’m tweaking flour ratios and testing new baking vessels for my basic naturally leavened bread, which I make with a sourdough culture that lives in a jar on my kitchen table. My next step is to create a system of note-taking about changes that I make. It’s fun to make things up based on memory, but not as effective for improvement, perhaps, as methodically tracking my every baking move.
Bread! Delicious!
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule and if you are interested in any of the programs that Rebecca mentioned above, please click through to read more!
– Kristine Hassell is the Twitter Administrator for GeekGirlCon.
Check out this sweet Galileo ornament! Festive! (Photo by Sarah Grant)
Happy Holidays from your friends at GeekGirlCon! If the winter chill has got a hold of you, gander at our awesome list of geeky events to keep you warm with nerd comfort and joy!
Friday, November 30 — Tuesday, December 4:Princess Bride Quote-a-Long From the event page: “The swashbuckling fairy tale to end all swashbuckling fairy tales returns to the big screen complete with quote along subtitles for all the best lines, free inflatable sword props, and Rodents of Unusual Size LIVE in the auditorium!”
Saturday, December 1:: Molly Lewis and The Doubleclicks: The Dammit Liz Holiday Special From the Facebook event page: “Known for organizing and producing geeky and off-the-wall events and entertainment, “Dammit” Liz Smith brings together some talented nerd folk for a holiday extravaganza! Get ready for an evening of music, comedy, and holiday merriment in this all-ages show! Featuring special guests Molly Lewis, The Doubleclicks, Kyle Stevens (Kirby Krackle), NerdProv, and Stepto! Holiday cosplay encouraged.”
Saturday, December 1 — Sunday, December 2:Urban Craft Uprising From the webpage: “At Urban Craft Uprising’s shows, fans can choose from a wide variety of hand-crafted goods including clothing of all types, jewelry, gifts, bags, wallets, buttons, accessories, aprons, children’s goods, toys, housewares, paper goods, candles, journals, art, food & much, much more. Each Urban Craft Uprising show is carefully curated and juried to ensure the best mix of crafts and arts along with originality and uniqueness.”
Tuesday, December 4:Buffy the Vampire Slayer Trivia Night at Central Cinema (SOLD OUT) From the Facebook event page: “Hosted by the inimitable Brandon Ryan, inscrutable Shane Regan, special guest host Brittany Cox, and MAP Theatre! Teams of 1-5 are welcome. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & last place, door prize, costume prize, and random other prizes for being awesome. You don’t have to be good at trivia … just come on down to ole Sunnydale and relive the Glorificus with us.”
Thursday, December 6GeekWire Gala From the website: “Make our gala your holiday party, close out 2012, and ring in the New Year in style. Join the “geeks who give back” and consider supporting Vittana. Bring old friends, your colleagues—and yes, your significant or insignificant others—and enjoy an evening of conversation, tasty treats and festive cocktails with our region’s vibrant tech community.”
Friday, December 7:Ladies Gaming Night at The Raygun Lounge From the Facebook event page: “The Raygun Lounge will be hosting the first Queer Geek! Ladies Gaming Night! All LGBT-friendly female-identified individuals are invited. Hetero ladies are welcome, but no dudes- it’s our turn to hog the games! Beer and food will be available at Raygun, and some board games will be provided. Feel free to bring your own games as well. If you’re new to tabletop, role-playing, or board games, come on out- we’re a friendly bunch and happy to show you the ropes.”
Friday, December 7:Teens Celebrate Art with GeekGirlCon and SAM From the press release: “Join GeekGirlCon and the Seattle Art Museum for an evening in celebrating the accomplishments of women and the arts. Hear live music, watch dance performances, play instruments, talk about global women’s issues, and create your own works of art at workshops inspired by Elles: Women Artists from the Centre Pompidou Paris and Elles: SAM. Free admission for teens 13-18 (and accompanying adults). Stop by the GeekGirlCon booth in the South Hall to play a game of “10 Things I Know About You,” a game about female geeks and geekery. Spin the wheel for a topic and then name everything you can think of about it for the next 30 seconds. Surprise yourself with how much you know and maybe even win a prize!”
Friday, December 7:Slog Happy Hour From the event page: “We’ve been telling you about the Raygun Lounge, the bar-and-gaming venue that was Kickstartered into existence by the good folks at Gamma Ray Games, for months now. The Lounge’s temporary liquor license finally came through this morning, which means that it’s time to celebrate with Slog’s nerdiest nerds.”
Friday, December 7 — Sunday, December 9:Gremlins at Central Cinema The rules are simple: 1. Never expose them to sunlight. 2. Never get them wet. 3. Never EVER feed them after midnight! This holiday season, Central Cinema is going to be full of GREMLINS!
Saturday, December 8:JENGA Tournament at Central Cinema 32 players enter…….
Only one remains victorious!
Prepare yourselves for JENGA Thunderdome
Saturday, December 8: Second Saturday SciFi Cinema at Wayward Coffeehouse,
6417 Roosevelt Way NE #104, Seattle It’s a brand new monthly event at Wayward Coffeehouse, hosted by SciFi Commons and Wayward Coffeehouse. This month’s cinematic feature is Santa Claus Conquers the Martians!
Sunday, December 9:December Mourning Market From the website: “Mourning Market is Seattle’s premiere dark themed market. An artists collective, featuring the Pacific Northwest’s spookiest artists, crafters and vendors. Hosted at El Corazon, Mourning Market is not your average show. It is an experience. Encouraging artists and supporting its unique culture and dark romanticism.”
Thusday, December 13:Seattle Girl Geek Dinners Enjoy dinner, and a guest speaker for the holidays with Seattle Girl Geek Dinners! Featured speaker is Lisa Koutek, Senior Director of Customer Experience at Cobalt.
Friday, December 14:The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Release Date Join Bilbo Baggins for the first of three movies adapted from The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien!
Saturday, December 15 — Sunday, December 16:GeekFest From the website: “The holidays are coming, and you don’t want to be caught without some shiny gifts to give to your friends and family. Now’s your chance to get all your holiday shopping done and get your groove on with some geeky entertainment. We’re bringing together vendors from all over the Pacific Northwest with wares sure to charm your inner geek. Special guests include Kirby Krackle, Hello, the Future, NERDprov, and many others.”
Got a geeky event you’d like to see on our Geek About Town? Email Shubz at shubz@geekgirlcon.com! We at GeekGirlCon do reserve the right to include or not include any submissions.
These are just a few of the things I “geek out” over.
For those scratching your heads, these are stats used in baseball, football, and soccer—stats I analyze while playing fantasy football or rooting for my favorite players and teams.
You see, I grew up wanting to play basketball like Gary “The Glove” Payton. I will never forget that night, during the magical season of 1995, when Ken Griffey Jr. rounded third base and scored the game-winning run to beat the Yankees. Or being live at the Rose Bowl to watch Brandi Chastain tear off her jersey when the U.S. Women’s Soccer team won the World Cup.
And I am not a crier, but this song makes me tear up.
If it wasn’t clear already, let me say it loud and proud: I love sports. I love feeling a part of a team, a part of a culture that spans the world. I love that a sport can empower girls to feel strong, to feel in control, to feel limitless.
But it amazes me when those in the geek community put sports down, as if you cannot be into “geeky” things and love sports at the same time. Perhaps it is because the jocks from our younger years were the meanest to us. I’m not sure, but I hear it again and again—little jabs or snide comments to feel above those who enjoy sports.
As a “geek girl” and “sports girl,” I find this sad. Particularly because the same mistreatment of women and girls found in geekdom occurs in sports as well. Let me give you some examples of the common themes I hear in both worlds.
Girls can’t be “real” sports fans. (Girls can’t be “real” geeks.)
Girls don’t know how to play fantasy football. (Girls suck at playing video games.)
Girls’ sports are boring; they don’t sell. (Movies with strong female leads don’t sell.)
Let me infuse these statements with a few facts.
Fact: The U.S. women’s victory over Japan in the gold medal soccer game at the London Olympics attracted 4.35 million viewers, a record for the NBC Sports Network. An additional 1.5 million streamed the event live online, a high for any Olympic event.
Fact:Twenty percent of all fantasy football players are women. These numbers grow about 27 percent each season.
Fact: Female participation in high school sports has increased 979% since Title IX passed in 1972.
Women and girls can be sports fans. They can play sports. They can also like Doctor Who, Star Trek, video games, and coding.
Case in point: This gymnast from Mexico, who performed an Olympic floor routine to the Legend of Zelda theme song. A lifelong gamer and an athlete.
It’s time to move on from the stereotype that women can’t like comics AND cricket, Buffy AND basketball, or Hellboy AND hockey. And it’s time to stop arguing that women can’t be “real” geeks or sports fans.
I know I have fellow sports geeks out there. So tell me, what’s your favorite sports team?
Hiya, readers! For this edition of Ask GeekGirlCon, we asked our staff what their favorite part of being on staff was. Here is what some of them shared:
Kristine on the GeekGirlCon clock giving you the updates from the Twitterverse!
“Joss Whedon once said that he was a great believer in ‘found families,’ and I really lucked out with the family that I found in GeekGirlCon. I don’t have to explain my current nerd obsession or be apprehensive about my fandoms — they just get it and then share their own! My co-workers are smart, witty, and all-around amazing people that never cease to inspire me and crack me up. I less-than-three you all.” – Kristine Hassell, Twitter Administrator
Erica with the Chicks Dig Comics Panel geeking out and sharing in camaraderie
“I love being part of GeekGirlCon’s staff because I truly do believe we can change the world or, at least, geekdom. We’ve created a wonderful space for celebrating geeky women of all stripes. The best reward for being on staff is the smiles on our event-goers faces; seeing amazing cosplay; meeting creators, shakers, and makers; and hearing all the incredible stories. We’ve helped women (and our allies) get new jobs, build skill sets, make new friends, and just generally have a safe space to gather.” – Erica McGillivray, Marketing Director and President
Great minds think alike! Melanie with another Princess Peach cosplayer
“My favorite part is being able to look back on GeekGirlCon ‘12 and know I totally made some little geeky girl’s day. :D” – Melanie Werts, Customer Service Coordinator
Are you interested in joining the ranks of our staff? Check out our Open Staff Positions!
It’s Black Friday, and you know what that means! We are gearing up for the holidays, and GeekGirlCon brings you a series on geeky gifts this year. We start off with some geek gifts on a budget. Whether you are creating your own wishlist, or buying for a partner, child, companion, or fellow-saver-of-the-universe, we’ve got some goodies for you! Some gift shoppers are looking for deals, so we present to you: Geek Gifts on a Budget.
GeekGirlCon encourages you to patronize our past and current sponsors, exhibitors, and artists alley residents. In addition, Small Business Saturday® arrives tomorrow and presents an opportunity for you to support your local business and get good deals. If you live in the Seattle area, both today and tomorrow, visit etsyRAIN’s 4th annual handmade holiday show. You’ll find many geeky gifts for every budget.
Every geek needs a wash (who doesn’t?). They’ll enjoy their baths and showers more if they have super geeky soap, such as these SNES parody soaps.
SNES Parody Soap
After getting nice and clean, the geek in your life may like to dress up a bit. Geek jewelry is prolific on the internet. Is your geek giftee a fan of Sailor Moon? Check out these Sailor Moon ribbon necklaces (inner senshi only at this time – great for all ages – although it has small parts, and if you have skin sensitivity issues, some extra precaution)!
If gaming or science is more the style, here are a few more pieces of jewelry:
Orange and Blue Portal Friendship Bracelets
1up Necklaces
Handblown Glass DNA Strand Capsule Pendant
Now dressed up and all set to go, the geek in your life may wish to decorate their accessories with these Smartphone Earphone Jack Plug – they add decoration to your phone and keep the jack free from dust. For example, this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Earphone Jack Accessory:
If your geeky cook is a Star Wars aficionado, be sure to accompany the Star Wars cookbooks with Star Wars spatulas, cookie cutters, or pancake shapers from Williams-Sonoma. Or maybe your geeky cook is more into the Marvel Universe, and loves the Hulk, Cap, Spidey, and Iron Man. Williams-Sonoma has you covered on that, too.
Star Wars Cookie Cutters
Star Wars Pancake Shapers
Marvel Cookware
There are any number of books and movies available this holiday season, which are always a great budget item. While reading a book or watching a movie, the geek in your life might like something to cuddle with. What better than a plushie? Super Mario Fans may enjoy an Invincibility Star or a Red Power Up Mushroom.
If you’ve got a geek in your life (or are a geek yourself), you know how hard it can be to find the “perfect” gift. Most geeks are first in line or online to snag the latest [insert cool geek object of affection here] before the rest of the population even knows it exists!
Whatever the geeky inclination, get thee to etsyRAIN’s 4th Annual Handmade Holiday Show Black Friday Weekend (November 23 and 24, 2012) to check out 70 craft makers and artisans featuring their handmade wares. The show will be held on two floors of the Marion McCaw Hall at the Seattle Center featuring gifts in the following categories:
Bags and Purses
Bath and Body items
Candles
Ceramics and Pottery
Children’s Products
Clothing and Accessories
Edibles/Food
Fine Art/2D
Glass (Not jewelry)
Housewares
Jewelry (Beadwork, Metalwork, other materials)
Knitting/Crochet/Needlework/Fiber Art
Paper Goods
And Much More!
Know a geek who loves Zelda? How about some Hyrule and Hottie Zelda cufflinks from Portland, Oregon’s pixelparty? Or maybe a Soft Kitty Cross Stitch Pattern for your Big Bang Theory fan from Seattle’s own Stitch Dutchess? And, if your favorite geek is all about Totoro, they’ll be over the moon if you got them a 20” x 16” acrylic on canvas painting of Totoro’s “ridiculously excited face” by KellyMCookArt. Handmade geekery is the hallmark of San Francisco’s NERDJerk, where you’ll find Rubix Cube Brooches, DIY Nerdy Cross-Stitch Kits and plush Super Mario characters — Mega, anyone?
EtsyRAIN is Etsy’s official Seattle Metropolitan “Street Team” made up of regional artists and craft makers who own independent shops on Etsy.com. Members reside in the Seattle metropolitan area, as far north as Port Townsend and as far south as Olympia. Their mission is to nurture a supportive local community of artists and craft makers that will inspire, educate and promote the growth of their individual shops on Etsy.
Laurel McJannet is GeekGirlCon’s Web Content Producer. Laurel writes, designs and consults as a marketing communications professional. There isn’t a CMS she doesn’t like, she’s mastered the art of translating tech-speak for the non-techie, and she is proof positive that Marketing and IT can co-exist and not implode.
How’s it going, readers? Shubz here, presenting you with a new blog piece called “Geeks Run the World,” where we learn a little more about some of our geeky peers that operate their own business! Kicking it off is our very own Meg Humphrey, who is the owner, designer, and operator of The Force is Strong with this One.
Star Wars Comics Skirt courtesy of Meg
1: Tell us about The Force is Strong with this One.
The Force is Strong with this One is an idea that spawned from too many people asking me if I have an Etsy store. I’ve been sewing my own nerdy/whatever-I-think-is-cute clothing since I was 13. I’ve always gotten compliments on my skirts and dresses whenever I wear them, especially at conventions. I’m really open about my obsessive and nerdy interests so it was only natural that I’d make myself Star Wars dresses, Disney skirts, or cupcake headbands.
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed more and more people want to wear things that I’ve been sporting for over a decade. There is still a kitsch factor to the clothes and accessories, but it’s becoming more ordinary to see Chewbacca’s face on someone’s clothing or Iron Man on their handbag. At Emerald City Comicon 2012, I was so bombarded with questions about my clothes, if I have store, if I do commissions, etc., that I decided to take the plunge. I spent all of April and May making products and had my first show in June at VanConShow. Five months, a tumblr, five conventions as a vendor, and a BRAND NEW ETSY later, I feel like I’ve gotten the swing of things!
2: What separates your business from other online clothing stores out there?
I’m not sure it really separates me, but everything I make I would want to wear myself! Being a bigger girl (and much bigger when I started sewing), I make a wider range of sizes and try to only make things that I think would be comfortable and flattering. But really, I just think everything I make is cute! I think a lot about what colors work well (even down to the color of the thread I use), and I’m pretty careful when I choose patterns. Just because a fabric has Spider-Man or whoever on it, doesn’t mean I’ll automatically use it. I also try really hard not to overcharge. I understand what goes into sewing. So when I see a skirt of basically equal quality, material, and design going for $65 (mine are priced $20-30), I think it’s just ridiculous! I wouldn’t pay that much so I don’t charge that much. I’m want to support and be available for the everyday nerd!
3: What is your favorite piece you’ve created?
The Empire Strikes Back Apron (Take 2) courtesy of Meg
That would have to be my Empire Strikes Back Apron (Take 2)! At Rose City Comic Con, Tyler from A Wave Blue World bought it to wear while he cooks for his wife. When I saw him again at Jet City Comic Show, he told me she loves it! I’m also super happy with how my tote bags and drawstring backpacks have turned out. I get told by customers that they get a ton of compliments! It’s super important to me that everyone is happy with what they buy.
4: What is the most valuable lesson you have learned as a woman in business?
There are so many things! I think the most important lesson is that there will always be something you’ll forget. When I started this up, I was overwhelmed by everything I hadn’t thought about – a website, business cards, table displays, a cash box, etc. A business is never JUST the product, but that was the only thing I really knew about when I started. Plus, I think at every convention I’ve sold at I’ve forgotten SOMETHING – my swatch books, some price tags, once I even forgot to bring money for my cash box! Thankfully, my dad knows me well enough and had some fives and ones stashed away for such an occasion. You can’t freak out over this stuff – especially if you’re at a con out-of-town. You have to go with the flow and make it work. If you can, make sure you have friends and family who have been through the same experience or at least be willing to help you when you need it. I wouldn’t be in business at all if my friend Kami (TalisX on deviant art.) hadn’t really pushed me into it. I wouldn’t have business cards or a website if my boyfriend wasn’t much more savvy with computers than I am!
5: You are also on staff for GeekGirlCon, as well as holding it down with a day job WHILE running your business – how do balance it all?
I’m also the Panels Coordinator for Sakura-Con, and I’m planning on going to grad school soon. Thankfully, I’m one of those people who always needs something to work on, and I’m a chronic multitasker. If I’m chilling and watching some anime or crime shows, I’ll be pinning a garment, sketching patterns, or doing con work. Now I’m not saying that I’m spot on with my time tables – sometimes I take too long to respond to emails or I have to put projects on the back burner or stay up waaaay too late to finish my job. The key is that as much as I may complain about my workload and stress out about deadlines, I really love what I’m doing and the amazing folks I’ve met. Treating myself to a super amazing dinner every now and then as a reward for hard work doesn’t hurt either!
Hello Kitty Drawstring Bag courtesy of Meg (This one is Shubz’ favorite!)
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share about your business, Meg! For more about The Force is Strong with this One, visit http://www.etsy.com/shop/ForceApparel. Readers, how do you manage your busy geeky lifestyle? Shoot us a comment below!
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Got a blog idea or want to know how to contribute content to our blog? Email Shubz Blalack at shubz@geekgirlcon.com!
Hey GeekGirlCon fans! This is Adrienne Fox, former GeekGirlCon copywriter turned guest blogger, reporting on Steamcon IV at Shubz’s request.
Steamcon is a regional convention in the Pacific Northwest dedicated to steampunk. Steampunk, if you are not familiar with it, is a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy based on steam-powered mechanisms focused in the 19th century, most often during the Victorian era. But, that is a very simple description. The steampunk aesthetic has grown beyond literature to art, music, costumes, clothing, and even Justin Bieber. After four successful conventions, Steamcon shows no sign of slowing down.
I chose to go the monster hunter route so I could vanquish the likes of any vampires or werewolves lurking in the glow of gaslight. It is always better to patrol in pairs so I bought along my friend—and her crossbow.
Even a monocled, gentleman werewolf was not safe from our pursuit.
Batgirl and Supergirl lent a hand to rid the con of evil…
…and mad scientists. (But seriously this extra-capacity brain set up is totally amazing.)
So amazing that I believe another view of that awesome mad scientist is necessary. And check out the antique syringes on the belt.
Lots more families donning the steampunk garb at Steamcon IV. So cute!
Steampunk has a neat aesthetic no doubt, and it’s easy to get caught up in a word of mad science, shiny brass gears, bustles, and buckles. However, because the Victorian era was also one of extreme racism, classism, and sexism, it can be problematic to adopt uncritically the styles, etiquette, and habits of the period. Just as GeekGirlCon strives to create space for everyone, including the often marginalized fans, there is a dedicated group in steampunk working toward inclusiveness. Check out blogs like Silver Goggles, Beyond Victoriana, and Steampunk Emma Goldman for critical insights into the era and the steampunk community itself.
Next year, the Steamcon theme is “Around the World.” I might pull out the ol’ airship mechanic coveralls inspired by Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker for next year. Or do something totally new—who knows. If you were to attend Steamcon V, what kind of costume would you put together?
– Adrienne Fox is a conservationist by day, but by night this geek unwinds on the couch with some Firefly and Hammer horror. Or you might find her cozied up with a stack of comics and steaming cup of Earl Grey. Adrienne came to Seattle by way of a childhood in Pennsylvania and college years in Rhode Island. For as long as she can remember she’s been amassing geek collectibles, like the mail-away for Boba Fett, her 12-inch talking Tick, and recently obtained BSG Top Gun stein. Also a rabid soccer fan, her love of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Manchester United, and the Seattle Sounders knows no bounds. You may see her at Emerald City Comicon, Steamcon, the “Clink,” and random comic shops around town.
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