Because I feel like being helpful tonight:

*Note* Please excuse the crappy photos and the glasses, I ran out of contacts and haven't gotten around to ordering more >.<

Let's start with materials...



I got everything at Wal-Mart, total was $10.50. Although I ran out of tape. Since I bought the pretty Pink tape it comes on a smaller roll than your typical silver duct tape.

I would recommend buying the cheap silver and then doing the last layer in colored to achieve the same look.

I would recommend even *more* instead of Duck Tape, buying the brown packing tape that requires water to activate the glue. It gives a paper mache like finished product, which is a little nicer and you can pin to it. (I was planning on using this but for some reason Wal-Mart didn't have it)



Since I wasn't using the Brown Paper Tape like I wanted I decided not to waste a perfectly good t-shirt and (with my neighbor Dave's help) I wrapped myself in plastic wrap so the tape wouldn't stick to my skin (ouch!).

We just started wrapping from the bottom and since it sticks to it self we covered my shoulders and chest with smaller pieces.



Since I originally wanted to have kind of a caped sleeve we started at the bottom so we could do a few (3) layers being able to lift my arms to get underneath and then go back and do the chest and shoulders. Unfortunately, I realized I didn't have enough tape at this point so I nixed the cap sleeve idea.

Once your done taping, have someone *VERY* carefully cut straight up the back so you can get out of it. Take some tape and tape up the back so that it's solid again.

*IMPORTANT* Have some water standing by and make sure your place isn't too hot. I actually felt like I couldn't breathe and was going to pass out once it got around and above my chest (since you need it fairly snug to get the right size). Have a pair of scissors handy just in case you have a freak out and need a quick exit.



To make the base, I took the toilet brush caddy (sans the brush) and the mop and stuffed it into where the brush head is supposed to go (check close up). The mop head is great because it takes up the extra room and gives it a little support. To hold it in place, take strips of tape and starting about 6 to 8 inches from the base, wrap the tape around the handle a couple of times and then straight down onto the caddy. Do this several times for support. Make sure that it can stand on it's own before you stop taping. I had to use clear tape so it's kind of hard to see.

To attach the Body form to the base handle (Note:I'm 5'7" and as is this was pretty much the perfect height, depending on your high you may want to tape the hanger lower or get some card board or wood to add height.) Take the hanger and break of the curved part (SAVE IT), then break it at one of the 3 corners (easiest just to break it at the top). Theres a hole on the top of the mops handle, slip the hanger through the hole (might take a little work), move it around so the bottom is through the hole and tape in place (if your making it shorter ignore this and just tape the hanger as is at whatever height you need). Tape the broken part back together. Take the curved part that you broke off and tape it upside down as a brace (see photo).

You can then slip the body form up from the bottom or you can slip it over the top before you tape the hanger on (might be a little easier to get the form on but makes taping slightly more difficult).

At this point I recommend stuffing it, carefully so as not to distort the shape. Run some more tape across the bottom so it doesn't fall out.

Mine seems fine when on solid ground and to some degree on carpet, but to add some weight and stability to the bottom so it can stand better, try taping (or gluing) it to a cheap (but not paper or plastic) plate. That'll add weight and a larger base so it should tip over.

The great this is, it's pretty easy to change out the body form (for different people?) and still have a really usable base. And it's cheaper than PVC pipe and plywood.

There you good, it won't hold up a wedding dress but for sun dresses or skirts or something lighter you can't beat this method.

Cheap and Cheerful!!

Today was supposed to be a really great day. It was beautiful out, I have my new hair and Chris got paid yesterday so I was going to go down to UTC, do a little shopping and see the "Bodies" exhibit. Figured afterward come home go for a swim, maybe BBQ, maybe go out. It was supposed to be a good day.....

Then my phone rang.....

It was my mom calling to tell me that my Grandma has Cancer. My mom said that the prognosis looks good, that she'll have chemo for 3 months and then they'll operate and then more chemo, although to be honest I wouldn't put it past my mom to lie to me about it. I don't want to call my Grandma and ask for obvious reasons, my aunt is up there with her now, I think I'll call her when she gets home and ask.

Thing is, even if the Dr's think the prognosis is good I'm not sure it'll matter. My mom didn't say it but she knows as well as I do......No one in our family has *ever* survived Cancer.

This time that's not a happy scribble.....it's an angry one....

Ok, well not really, but almost, if I hadn't been eating Jack in the Box I might not have. Apparently, there's no age that's too young to start the political indoctrination. There are new children's books written by both political parties, "Help! Mommy! There are Liberals under my Bed" for the republicans and "Why Mommy is a Democrat" for the democrats.

Let me just say.......ARE YOU MOTHER FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?!

They're kids, they're like 5 years old? Isn't this just a little insane (and not to mention *very* badly written). How many elementary age children actually understand (I mean actually understand, not just know they're different) what the political parties stand for or the differences between them. What ever happened to allowing children to grow up and find themselves by them selves? Politics is disgusting as it is, but this really is a new low. The writers of the books defend themselves by saying that it's up to the parents to pick and choose what they're young kids are reading.

Like that makes what they're doing ok......there's just so much wrong with this....I'm just going to stop there, really don't want to get going on this or I'll never stop......

.....Apparently, emoticons are just as ground breaking and important as the above or the war ( ::coughcoughBULLSHITcoughcough:: or other international affairs. Today is the 25th anniversary of emoticons which has just been reported on the 12 o'clock Headline news........

The very serious news anchor woman again on Headline News just wished me a "Happy Hump Day".....

........What is happening to the world......correction, what the hell is wrong with America?

Why can't I get the BBC on my digital cable?

So, Chris' new monitor is actually *too* big. It's so big that all the movies we've downloaded don't fit on the screen, for some reason when we full screen one it gets all these lines in it and shit. I'm watching "At World's End" right now on half the screen and typing this on the other half^^ I was using my laptop right next to the monitor earlier and it has a much better picture than mine does ;.; I was hoping that my camera would get here today but no such luck, it's not like it's coming from that far away.

Tonight is preview night, I'm more or less just going to pick up my badge since I'll have more than enough time to walk around over the rest of the Con. I've managed to put together a couple of costumes with clothing and costumes pieces I had about the apartment. I've managed a pirate and a Hogwort's student. I'd been thinking of doing a female version of Jack Sparrow, although the colors I have right now aren't quite right for it but I guess for now I can't just be the sexy nameless pirate. My Hogworts won't be the best either, I'm using my old graduation gown for the robes, and I have to do the 5th movie costume version since I have black skirt and sweater instead of grey. I've also been thinking I have this old white sheet from college that I could fashion into one of the dresses that the Queen wears in 300. It has a few stops where my rabbit chewed through it and it's cotton instead of the same fabric as in the movie but I guess it's the best I can do on pretty much zero budget and no time.

They're pressure washing our building so we have to keep our windows closed for two days and even with our two fans it's getting hot as hell in here. I wish I could go out to the pool but again they're pressure washing, that and I haven't shaved and I need to get ready to go later tonight. Blah.....It's just too fucking hot.....And loud as fuck......

Yay, here comes Jack's father!!! Hehe....Sea turtles mate.....Although I do have one question, is Jack's father immortal? I've always wonder because of the one line he says to Jack about how it's not living for ever it's living with yourself for ever.

Anyway, I suppose I should probably go although, it's only 2:30pm and preview night doesn't actually start until 6pm. There starting to give out the badges at 4pm but I don't really want to wait forever in line so I'm wondering if it would be worth it to just wait a while and let the crowd die down a bit before I go. At the very least I'm going to finish this movie.

I've just been informed that the *****FUCKING BLACK PEARL***** has just arrived at Comic Con on a flat bed truck. Now I'm going to have to wear the wanna be pirate costume I've thrown together. I'm really quite bouncy over this. I was on a forum last night and was reading a few post when I came across one concerning Comic Con (ironically enough written by an old friend of mine from high school, Kristina), she was complaining about how Con never informed the public that they were limiting the 4 days passes and had no idea what the 3 day passes where about. She was upset because she hadn't bought one and they ran out a few weeks ago and Saturday is sold out completely, no at the door passes will be sold at all. Well, although considering who wrote it I shouldn't be surprised, but it was all over the Comic Con website about how because of last year they were limiting, even I knew. Her whole thing was that she shouldn't be expected to check the Con website everyday.

How the hell else do you expect to get information about the Con? It's not like they run commercials (or at least very rarely). Plus it's been up for *weeks* about the passes and the 3 day is meant to be a cheaper alternative to people who skip Saturday anyway because of the *FREAKISHLY* large crowds or for people who still want to go the majority of the days but missed out on the 4-day.

*sigh* Stupidity bothers me....I'm going to play DDR........

::continued:: So apparently Drew Carrey is taking over the Price is right. I don't know how I feel about this, I mean yeah, he's funny as hell, but I just don't know if he fits with the Price is Right. I mean, Bob Barker isn't exactly a comedian.

It kind of sucks, I just realized that I'm going to have to go to Con late on Thursday. Chris bought me a really kick ass new camera (Casio Exlim 10.1 mega pixel, and it's a pretty blue, he flat out refused to get me the pink one;.;) He bought himself a monitor at the same time which arrived yesterday and we expected the camera to be shipped at the same time in the same box. They weren't and the camera isn't getting here until Thursday morning. And I have to sign for it, on the plus side I'll have it for Con but it still kind of pisses me off. He paid for rush processing and everything last week and they didn't even ship it until yesterday.

I'm *STILL* waiting for Chris to finish reading Harry Potter, he's taking he sweet damn time with it. I keep threatening to give him spoilers if he doesn't finish soon. I had to kick him out of the apartment last night because we were watching a show that was doing a story on it with spoilers.

..........Jerry Springer needs to be removed from the airwaves completely.....His topic for the show is "I'm not Gay" although the guy he's got on there now is *EXTREMELY* gay and admits it. Like I'm almost wondering if this is an act, I mean there's no way any one is THAT gay.....I mean.....really.....it has to be an act.

It's like a train wreck, I just can't look away............................

It dawned on me as I waited in line at Borders for two hours to get my wrist band for the Harry Potter release party tonight. Once I get their, they'll call us up group by group (Luckily I'm in the first group) and then we get to wait in line AGAIN to actually get the book. I really wanted to dress up (again another reason I'm giving up fighting the nerdy-ness) but I just didn't have time....well that and Chris wouldn't give me any extra money to get what I would need. He is paying for me to go to Con so I guess I can deal.

I'm excited about getting the finally book, I have a few theories about what's going to happen. I really do think she's going to kill Harry, I've heard that she doesn't want others taking up the story where she left off, but I also give it a very good chance that she'll let him live. I think Ginny and Nevile are going to become a full couple and so will Ron and Hermione. I also agree with others who say that Snape's as good as dead, and I think Malfoy too. I have a pet theory that Fawkes will become Harry Phoenix since Dumbledore is gone.

I've heard a couple of people say that Nevile will turn out to be the child of the prophecy but that can't be since part of the prophecy was that the "Dark Lord will mark him as his equal" and since he went after Harry marking him (remember the scar) it can't be Nevile. Anyway, that's just a couple of ideas I have, there are a few more but I'll leave them for now.

Anyway, I need to get going, I'm hungry and the party starts at 9pm. Plus I think I need to stop downtown on my way because Chris forgot his phone charger, although I have *NO* idea how I'm supposed to get it to him since all I have is an address and parking won't be possible because of the baseball game. I can't call him to come out and get it because his phone is off. Not to mention, I'm not sure how to get there because they have some of the roads closed. So if I can't get ahold of him I'm not sure what I'm going to do, I'm not going to go down there and just drive around for two hours looking for parking or pay $18-$20 to drop this damn thing off. I feel kind of bad about it but he turns 22 in a week and a half, he should be able to remember to plug his damn phone in.

Hooray!!! I get to go to Comic Con!! I finally talked Chris in to letting me go and I just bought my badge online, although they were sold out of the 4 day pass I did manage to get a three day one. Yeah, I'll miss Saturday but as much as I'd like to go, it's always a mad house and a pain in the ass though so I'm ok with it.

The icon is a happy scribble, even if it looks angry^^

I'd like to cosplay but I dunno if I'll finish my costume in time. Anyway, yeah, don't really have much to say, I'm just excited. ♥

Really, maybe Chris isn't the worst excuse for a man on the planet^^ So yesterday he got off work early (that is to say he got off on time which has now become early). Said that he wanted me to come with him to Fry's or Best Buy to pick something up and instead he took me to SeaWorld and we had a really great night. Basically the way I think it is is he's clueless till I get pissed off enough to yell at him and then he figures it out and makes up for it. Be nice if he could just *do* it without the yelling but at this point I'll take what I can get.

Apparently we're going to DisneyLand this weekend, Chris decided this last night while we were at SeaWorld. He's expecting a huge paycheck and wants to spend I think all of it on completely useless things that we don't need, except a computer monitor, that I will grant him he does need. Although not a 22in flat panel HD wide screen monitor, I don't think he needs one that spiffy.

But if we go (it's not totally set in stone for Disney yet) it will be nice, you know get out of town for a couple of days. Just a little mini vacation. Although I loathe to think about what the crowds will be like.....even SeaWorld was a bit crowded, not too bad for a summer night but still a lot more people than during the winter. It's hard to believe that I haven't been to Disney (well, Disney world) in over a year. When me and Chris had season passes we used to go almost every month. It was great since my grandparents lived so close by we didn't have to get a hotel or anything, we'd just drive up there go for a couple of days and then head home, we only really needed money for gas.

I got my dates wrong for the Harry Potter book release, it's *next* Friday, not this Friday. That's kind of depressing, but I'm dealing. Hopefully we'll go see the movie this weekend (whether we go to Disney or not). Before all the Disney talk we were talking about doing a nice 'date' night, go see the movie and then have dinner at OutBack at the mall.

Alright, I guess that's it for now, I'm been promising myself I'd go to the beach today but I'm really just not feeling like going that far, I might just spend the day at the pool instead.

See, I made my LJ all pretty and stuff. Don't know why I didn't do it earlier guess I kind of forgot I could. The more I think about it the more I think I really should use this thing more, don't know why but I do. Kind of wish I could upgrade, maybe if I spent actual money on it I might use it a bit more.

Spent all day yesterday cleaning, not really sure why, place already looks messy again (oh, the joys of living in a studio). I was supposed to do laundry today, but some how I just don't feel like it. Maybe I'll do it after Chris comes home with the car so I don't have to carry it down to the coin laundry.

I reserved my copy of the new Harry Potter book yesterday. The bookstore is having a huge party the night before, I was thinking about going and then Chris gave me shit about wanting to go to a party filled with 7-10 year olds (although it's not like we'll be doing anything else that night).

Chris called a little while ago and said he was sorry for last night (I can't help but wonder if he actually meant it though). The thing is he always says really fucked up shit and then says he's sorry about it later. I would think if he was really as sorry as he says he is then maybe he would stop talking shit. It's always the same, he says something that I can't imagine that he doesn't know would upset me and then gets angry when I get upset.

Fucking men.....

Hopefully we'll be getting cable soon, Chris wants to have it installed with the next paycheck. I think we should wait, our apartment manager Melissa is doing everything she can to get us evicted (literally for no reason other than we're young and don't have screaming children). She gave us a noise violation for two nights we weren't even outside. When we asked her to remove them for that reason she gave us a whole bunch of shit about how she wasn't going to do it again. Yeah, because it's fair that we're getting noise violations for nights when we're quietly watching movies or when we're fucking *SLEEPING* (yes that's right, she gave us a noise violation for a night when we were asleep, apparently sleeping is just that noisy).

So because of all this, we're expecting to have to move when our lease is up. Which we can afford but barely (in the sense that we have to save every penny from now till then). Money wise it would be best if we could stay here for another 6 months or even a year, just till we can get all our debt paid off. By then we would want to move anyway, this studio is starting to get a little cramped.

Alright, I'm hungry, I'm going to go make me somethings to eat.

Yeah......I guess it's been a while......I think 10 weeks by my little LJ timer thingy....Italy was fun, got a lot of photos, my neighbor let me borrow his nice digital camera (I so want one now). Still trying to find a job...still answering every want ad that I can find, still having zero luck.

Chris and I got into another fight last night. I've been trying to get him to live healthier (no I haven't asked him to stop smoking, just trying to get him to eat good food, sleep better and get a little exercise). He's acting like I'm trying to force him to eat poison or something. The thing is he's always tired, and I mean *ALWAYS*. He's not even wake most days for longer than 14 hours. He gets up, goes to work, comes home, eats (maybe), bugs me for sex and then falls asleep maybe an hour or two (if I'm lucky) after he walks through the door. 90% of what he eats is fast food since he's on the road all day (which is not only unhealthy but expensive too). He's even put on several pounds (not saying that he doesn't need a few extra pounds but it's all bad fat he's adding). He's refusing to even TRY anything that might help, says he doesn't care, that he likes sleeping.

To me there's a problem when someone can't even say awake for a full day, when I was in school I was dealing with 18+ hour days all the time and I didn't get nearly as tired as he does.

It's getting to the point where he's breaking every promise he makes to me because he's "too tired" (of course he's never too tired to go out drinking and playing Halo with the neighbors, some how he always finds energy for that).

I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone who doesn't care enough about me to take care of himself (however selfish that sounds it's true).