A River runs through it

I am Dreadfully sorry for my long internet absence, but things have been Frightfully busy lately.

Not least of which is getting ready for Phoenix Comicon 15 this weekend!

Whee!

This week I intend to feature some of the Comicon guests Momma, Clementine, and I are most excited about.

Clementine is especially excited about meeting Summer Glau, better known as River Tam in Firefly and the feature film, Serenity.

Summer Glau is an American prima ballerina and actress, who is best known for for her iconic characters River Tam in Joss Whedon's TV series Firefly and the feature film, Serenity and Cameron Philips in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Summer got her start in Joss Whedon's much acclaimed TV series Angel playing a cursed Prima Ballerina in the 2002 episode "Waiting in the wings." Contributing to her Sci Fi credit were roles in USA's The 4400 as Tess, a Schizophrenic that can control others with her mind and followed it with a return to the Whedonverse in Dollhouse as Echo's long lost nemesis, Bennet Halverson.

2010 saw Summer fulfilling two lifelong dreams by starring in both a Lifetime movie Deadly Honeymoon, and filming a Western The Legend of Hells Gate: An America Conspiracy. Summer revisited TV screens in 2011 in NBC's highly anticipated The Cape as Orwell, an investigative blogger who teams up with Vince/The Cape in order to fight crime and restore justice. Most recently Summer did an impressive guest appearance on Alphas. And, it has just been announced that she will now be seen in the CBS TV pilot Scent of the Missing as Sedona with Tricia Helfer.

First Kaylee (Jewel Staite) in 2013, then Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) in 2014, and now River!

Clementine is over the moon!

Inspiring imagination

Momma and I are proud to reveal Momma's contribution for the upcoming Dolls for a Cause auction benefitting Kids Need to Read.  

(Please forgive the quality of the photographs, but Momma was in a terrible rush.)

Founded by Nathan Fillion, Kids Need to Read works to create a culture of reading for children by providing inspiring books to underfunded schools, libraries, and literacy programs across the United States, especially those serving disadvantaged children.

The inspiration for Momma's donation came from one of Momma's favorite books. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published on May 17, 1900, it has been described as the original American fairy tale.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has since been reprinted many times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of the well-known 1939 moving picture.

"Dorothy had only one other dress, but that happened to be clean and was hanging on a peg beside her bed. It was gingham, with checks of white and blue; and although the blue was somewhat faded with many washings, it was still a pretty frock. The girl washed herself carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied her pink sunbonnet on her head. She took a little basket and filled it with bread from the cupboard, laying a white cloth over the top. Then she looked down at her feet and noticed how old and worn her shoes were. 

"At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East. 

"She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones, which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her."

Based upon the original book description and illustrations, this auction includes:

• Dorothy's faded blue gingham dress
• white petticoat
• pink sunbonnet
• silver shoes  (purchased)
• mini basket and and a white cloth
• loaf of bread (by Pippaloo)
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz paperback (purchased)
• miniature copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by American Girl
• Susan Winget red poppies storage box (purchased)
• Toto, too!
• buttons and bookmarks from Kids Need to Read

A pair of ruby shoes (purchased) is also included to honor the 75th anniversary of the epic 1939 movie!

Everything will be carefully packed in a collectable red poppy box before being packed inside another box for mailing.

The auction starts on Nov. 9, 2014 and ends Nov. 16, 2014.

Happy bidding!

Fez-o-rama!

Sorry for my absence lately, but Momma and I have been insanely busy.

Not only have we been insanely busy, but it appears that most of my blogs about Phoenix Comicon have been absorbed into the æther!

The Shame! The Horror!

Looking back, other than having my photo taken with Nathan Fillion, Fez-o-rama was one of my PC14 highlights.

A fez is a traditional felt hat of two types: either a cone or a short cylinder, both usually with a tassel attached to the top.

Fez-o-rama LLC has produced thousands of fezzes since it began in 2005. Fez-o-rama is a unique small business that produces fine hand-made, embroidered velvet fezzes and caps, fez accessories, and original art. What makes them a truly unique company is not only what they make, but also the fact that they are artist owned and operated. 

Momma and I have loved Fez-o-rama for years, so imagine my delight when we stopped by and saw they had not one, not two, but  four mini fezzes in my size!

• The Orloj Fez
• The Mimic Fez
• The Feznovian Fez
• The Cthulhu Fez

Sadly, the $30 mini fezzes are not available online at this time, but if you contact them you should be able to order one. 

Tell 'em Steampunk Addie sent you.

Fez-o-rama LLC gets my Gear of Approval!

This week in the Civil War: July 6, 1864

The Battle That Saved Washington, D.C.

Some 15,000 Confederate troops under the command of Jubal Early* surged northward into Maryland in the summer of 1864, reaching the outskirts of Frederick, Md., hoping to slide around toward the lightly defended nation's capital. The Confedreate surge northward came amid a bid by Robert E. Lee to pressure Washington, D.C., even as the Union was plunging deep into Virginia. But Northern railroad agents, detecting the Confederate incursion, quickly alerted federal authorities. By July 9, 1864, the rival sides were battling each other fiercely along the Monocacy River in Maryland, the Union throwing some 5,800 fighters into the fray. It would be the final time the Confederates took the battle to the North. "INVASION!!" a headline in the Philadelphia Inquirer blared. "EXCITING NEWS FROM WASHINGTON. THE NATIONAL CAPITAL IN DANGER." Fighting raged for hours that day, but the Union pressure on the Confederates gave the Union time to reinforce defenses around the nation's capital. The fight subsequently became known as the "Battle That Saved Washington." And an Associated Press, in a dispatch July 12, 1864, confirmed the Confederates had been driven out of Frederick, Maryland. One smaller outcome, AP noted, Frederick residents complained hungry rebel foraging parties had rounded up their livestock and horses. "At times the main streets of Frederic were literally filled with horses and cattle, all of which were driven down to the fords and sent across into Virginia," AP noted.


*Did you know that actor Nathan Fillion says he is a descendent of General Jubal Early? In the final episode of Fillion's short-lived series Firefly, "Objects in Space,"  the bounty hunter was named Jubal Early after Fillion's ancestor. Early was played by Richard Brooks (who is, ironically, an African-American). 

Shiny

I swooned, Momma looks like a deer caught in the headlights, but Nathan Fillion really is ruggedly handsome.

(A copy of this photograph will go to the lucky winner of the Dorothy of Oz outfit I am wearing. It will be one of three book-related collections auctioned in August by Dolls for a Cause for Fillion's organization, Kids Need to Read.)

Holy Comicon, Batman!

phoenixcomicon.com

Oh. My. Goodness.

The upcoming Phoenix Comicon 14 is shaping into a Doozy.

Not only are actor Nathan Fillion (swoon!) and author Charlaine Harris scheduled to appear, but now the cast of the 1960s television classic, Batman!

That's right kids, Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar are scheduled to be there!

Batman was a 1960s American live action television series that aired on the ABC network for three seasons from Jan. 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968.  It was based upon the DC comic book character and starred West as Batman, Ward as Robin, and Newmar as Cat Woman.

I hope they like my Super Suit!

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na, Batman!

Shindig

fox.com

Heaven help me.

pixiefaire.com

Clementine has decided what she wants to wear when she meets Captain Malcolm Reynolds, I mean Nathan Fillion, at Phoenix Comicon.

She wants Momma to make her a Firefly-inspired dress from Melody Valerie Couture's Ardith pattern.

Captain Reynolds hurt Kaylee's feelings in the Firefly episode "Shindig." To apologize, he bought her a fancy pink dress she wanted and took her to a party.

And now Clementine wants her own version.

Shiny.

I aim to misbehave

abc.com

Clementine is in a dither and, I must admit, I am not much better.

It was announced today that Nathan Fillion is a scheduled guest for Phoenix Comicon.

fox.com

Swoon!

For those poor souls who don't know who he is, Fillion is an actor best known for his role as Richard Castle on the television series Castle, as well as Captain Malcolm Reynolds in both the television series Firefly and its moving picture sequel, Serenity.

Clementine loves both Firefly and Serenity and got actress Jewel Staite's autograph last year at Phoenix Comicon. (I do Star Trek and she does Firefly.)

Not only is he a hilarious actor (who really is ruggedly handsome), but in 2007 Fillion co-founded the non-profit organization Kids Need to Read with author PJ Haarsma.

What's not to like?

Now please excuse me. Clementine and I only have two-and-a-half months to get ready for our photo op with Fillion.

Whatever shall we wear?

An arm and a leg

Christopher Bright

I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately, but Momma was hospitalized three times last month which ultimated in Surgery and a Lengthy Convalescence.

However, I'm taking a quick nursing break to show you this photograph.

The Artificer of My Dreams has done it yet again.

I have long dreamed of having a replacement arm similar to Richard Castle's on ABC's Castle, Season 3, Episode 4: Punked.

As worn by actor Nathan Fillion, this has become quite possibly the most recognizable piece of steampunk costuming ever. 

ABC

(Castle primarily traces the lives of Richard Castle, a best-selling mystery novelist, and New York Police Department's Detective Kate Beckett as they solve various unusual crimes in New York City.)

A human-sized version of the Dr. Grimmelore Superior Replacement Arm can be yours for a mere $1,999.

Gulp.

I can only hope mine won't cost quite that much.

Artificer Christopher Bright says it's in its infancy and he has to let his mind "spin a bit" and come up with more "steamy goodness" for it.

Thanks again, Christopher!