It's the final post for Cowslip's Blastoise! I am so excited to be done with all the writing! I didn't realize how much I would be typing out, but hopefully have learned from this and will type up my builds as I'm making them (lol). This should be the quickest post, as it's all accessories. So, as David Tennant's Doctor said, "Allons-y!"
The BELT: I had to do this twice as the first go was a little too stretchy. The first time, I took 6 strings of the thicker beads as well as 8 strands of the smaller beads to start off. I thought it might have been easier to use the elastic in order to stretch it over my thicc hips, but I was wrong. The beads really weighed the elastic down, so definitely learn from my mistake. The second go around, I used floral wire. It's still flexible, but has less give, so it wouldn't snap.
I made the main belt, randomly picking the beads, then went around and tied the second piece of floral wire at where it diverges in the reference photo. I took the tear drop bead (which I happened to find on accident at JoAnn's while looking for more of the blue beads, and happened to find the clear teardrops) and painted it the blue it needed to be. I put that bead on second after a blue sphere, then tear drop and randomly put the other spheres after. I attached the second end to the ending of the main belt. Then I took the wefts that I bought in the off-chance that I would need them when styling my wig and tied a little fistful for the tuft on the belt. I tied this with leftover bias tape from the bolero/jacket. Make sure you use your waist measurements plus an inch in order to give yourself a little bit of that slouch it needs.
NECKLACE: I used the same method as I did for the belt, but kept the elastic. These are all the larger beads from the belt, as well as the second teardrop bead from the set, painted and sealed. This process only took about 10 minutes, but it came out super cute!
SHOES: Finally, the endgame is in sight! I tried finding a pair of shoes that I could just buy, but my extra self had to make my own. I took some crappy slippers I got from my boyfriend's mother who got them from a hotel on her European River Boat Trip. I took them apart and used the pieces as patterns to construct the shoe out of white Satin. I stitched the satin pieces over the base of the shoe. You can also glue the pieces if your machine isn't as powerful.
To put together everything was absolutely euphoric. I am so glad I had to wear make up or else I would have been crying the whole time over how different I looked. Not a lot of people recognized me, even my friends. I was basically half dressed in my hotel room, brushing on my eyebrows, looking at how absolutely unlike me I was. This is one of my very favorite cosplays, and even though it doesn't look like it, Blastoise is one of my most comfortable cosplays. I was lucky enough to be able to get a couple shots with the ever amazing Mouzycat Photography, and even Tolia took a couple of shots by this little water spot we were able to find at Daisho. And although I didn't win the cosplay contest, I was able to *accidentally and unintentionally* Rick Roll when I went on stage. So many people told me I looked gorgeous, even though they weren't entirely sure who I was supposed to be.
I am so happy I got to bring you readers help on maybe learning a few new tricks for your next build, or if you are making a Blastoise of your own! If you need more in depth help, I am available for 15 minute sessions for free as well as $15/hour sessions where I'll help you find everything you need for the project!
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