Preparation for the A to Z Challenge

I've signed up to participate in the A to Z blogging challenge this year.

Basically, for the month of April, you set yourself a theme and blog once a day for each letter of the alphabet (excluding Sundays).  The A to Z blog people explain it best on their webpage:

"Can you post every day except Sundays during this month?  And to up the bar, can you blog thematically from A to Z?  Using this premise, you would start beginning April First with a topic themed on something with the letter A, then on April second another topic with the letter B as the theme, and so on until you finish on April thirtieth with the theme based on the letter Z.  It doesn't even have to be a word--it can be a proper noun, the letter used as a symbol, or the letter itself.  The theme of the day is the letter scheduled for that day."

I'm still trying to decide on my theme.  It is going to be cross-stitch related (of course!) but the problem is, what theme after that?  Keebles (who first mentioned the A to Z challenge to me) got me thinking about my character alphabets, after she requested the Once Upon A Time pattern as a possibility for her theme.

Not that I'm short of options!  Themed alphabets have become my "thing" of late and there are more than a few now available from the Fangirl Stitches website.  This might be a good excuse to stitch one or two of them. :)

Happy Stitching!

The Christmas Alphabet, Discworld Alphabet and Geeky Alphabet

The Veronica Mars Alphabet, Pokemon Alphabet, Whedon Alphabet

Harry Potter Character Alphabet, Doctor Who Alphabet of characters, Mario Brothers Character Alphabet

The Doctor Who Quotes Alphabet, Christmas Carol Alphabet and
Once Upon A Time Character Alphabet

I'm a Marshmallow - It's a new pattern!

I admit it.  I'm a Marshmallow.  I've been one for years, since I saw my first episode.

Marshmallow is the term given to a fan of the awesome television show Veronica Mars and comes from a quote from the pilot episode "You're a Marshamallow, Veronica Mars." Veronica Mars met all my criteria for a good show while I was at Uni - there was a mystery element, there was sass, there was great script writing, there was intrigue.

Meeting some of the VM cast - Wallace, Sherif Lamb, and Logan

I was one of those who was upset when the show finished far too early (and other rubbish was kept on) and who wished there could be more.  It was my second Firefly in that respect.  When I heard they were campaigning to make a movie, at first I didn't believe it (too good to be true) and then I jumped on board to show my support, contributing to the now-famous Kickstarter campaign.  I waited eagerly for the movie, devouring each of Rob Thomas' email updates.  I loved the movie and have re-watched it several times since its release earlier in 2014.  Now I am eagerly waiting for the delivery of the second post-movie novel which I pre-ordered back in July (I received an email last night to say it's on its way - hurray!).

As I said, I'm a Marshmallow.

All of this (there was a point, really) brings me to the exciting news that this week's new pattern on Etsy is...

The Veronica Mars Alphabet

Available from my Etsy store

I had a lot of fun with this one, coming up with different characters, quotes and locations to fill the different letters.  As always, if your favourite is missing you can order a custom pattern instead.

A is for Aaron Echolls, Logan's actor father

B is for Backup, Veronica's faithful companion 

C is for Dick Casablancas, the class clown

D is for Duncan Kane, Veronica's first boyfriend

E is for Logan Echolls, Veronica's true love

F is for the theme song "We used to be Friends"

G is for Gia Goodman, classmate and daughter of Woody Goodman

H is for Neptune High, the main location for the first two seasons

I is for Mars Investigations, Keith's detective business

J is for Jackie, Wallace's girlfriend in season 2

K is for Keith Mars, everyone favourite father

L is for Lilly Kane, who's murder was the basis for season 1

M is for Mac, Veronica's only female friend

N is for Weevil Nevaro, head of the PCHers 

O is for a pilot quote "Be cool Soda Pop"

P is for the PCHers, Neptune's biker gang

Q is for Questions and Answers, the basis of any detective show

R is for Rob Thomas, the creator

S is for Sheriff Lamb, who we love to hate

T is for the eternal debate - are you Team Piz or Team Logan

U is for Undercover surveillance, what every detective must do

V is for Vinnie Van Lowe, Keith's not-really rival

W is for Wallace, Veronica's best friend and ally

X is for Felix Toombs, who died.

Y is for the ultimate quote "You're a marshmallow, Veronica Mars"

Z is for Piz, Veronica's season 3 boyfriend

Happy Stitching!

Oz Comic Con, Veronica Mars, and me

The Oz Comic Con is happening at the moment, with days in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, and, for the first time ever, Brisbane!!

So I went.

Of course I went. Was there ever any doubt I would? 

With my brother, waiting for one of the Q&As to start

October last year I went to the London MCM Comic Con.  I had so much fun I decided I wanted to go to one in Australia with one or more of my brothers as there was a lot of anime and computer game stuff that they are into and which I don't understand. Found out it was on in Brisbane, gave my brother a ticket for his birthday present (which is in January, so he had a bit of a wait!) and booked my flights.

I had a great time.

In the lead-up when guests where being announced, there weren't any that I was really excited about. There were a couple of people from Stargate coming which was cool, but no one else. Sorry William Shatner - I'm just not a super-duper fan.

Nicholas and Emma in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".
Image from bbc.co.uk

This all changed about two weeks out (when I realised that I hadn't actually bought tickets, I just thought I had, but it all worked out okay), when I found out that Nicholas Brendon (Xander) and Emma Caulfield (Anya) were going to be guests.  I have loved Buffy The Vampire Slayer since I was a teenager.  The wit, the sheer cleverness of it, plus the great characters... What's not to love? Joss Whedon is a brilliant writer, and Xander was always one of my favourite characters. So I was pretty excited.

The cast of Veronica Mars.
Image from warnerbros.com.au

But not as excited as when I saw that Jason Dohring (Logan), Percy Daggs III (Wallace) and Michael Muhney (Sherif Lamb) were coming to Brisbane. Veronica Mars, people.  Check it out.  Buffy was my high school show.  Veronica Mars was my uni show.  Intrigue, plot, characters, dialogue, one-liners, twists and turns, heartache, plus utter cuteness of the male cast.  I was sad when it was cancelled.  I backed the Kickstarter campaign for the movie.  I waited in anticipation for the movie's release and the book and enjoyed both.  It's not Doctor Who or Discworld, but it's pretty damn good.  And I was very excited to see the cast were coming to Brisbane.

Finn the Human

Oh, and Orlando Bloom was there too.  Quite a coup for Brisbane.  I was excited, but not as much as for Veronica Mars and Buffy. My brother was pretty excited about Orlando. And about the guy from Game of Thrones, Jason Momoa.  I don't watch Game of Thrones, so can't comment.

My Comic Con costume

I enjoyed Oz Comic Con. I loved looking at the costumes and admiring the cosplay.  I enjoyed wandering around the stalls and checking out the games and merch for sale.  Bought my brother's Christmas and birthday presents. I had fun chatting to other fans and getting the chance to wear my Harry Potter cloak.

I really enjoyed attending the Q&As with Michael Muhney, Percy Daggs III, and Jason Dohring. So much fun.

Percy and Michael's Q&A

But the major Fangirl, squeal-enticing, shaking-so-I-couldn't-sit-down moments: having a photo with the three Veronica Mars boys.

With Percy, Michael and Jason

Oh and one with Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon.

With Emma and Nicholas

My brother went back on Sunday for a photo with Orlando Bloom and to listen to the Q&A with Jason Momoa. I had to fly back home. Downside of living in a small town in Central Queensland.

With Orlando Bloom!

But I got to hug Percy, Michael and Jason, so it all works out I guess!

Some more pics from our adventure:

My brother's Comic Con buys

I'm now a toy!

Facing off against the Black Knight
(Monty Python's Holy Grail)

My other brother posing

Finn and I in line

How do you finish up a day at Comic Con?
With Magic the Gathering and dodgy cartoons of course!

Happy Stitching and Geeking!!