So the panel on Saturday went fairly well.  We had some minor set up hiccups as our rigging wasn’t as stable as we needed and Quat forgot her computer in the hotel room.  Luckily she is quick and got back in a good amount of time.  For where the panel was located; which was on the opposite end of the convention center as the con was we had a decent turn out.  I was only there for Saturday so I’m not sure if Quat and Kelsey got to do any promotion like they wanted too.  I was pretty happy with the outcome; it was my first panel so I was a touch nervous and OMG sweating…it was so hot in there!  Would really like to do another kimono panel at some point in the near future; maybe Anime Punch…but I’d like to have another outfit to wear and I’m not sure if that is feasible by April.  Overall it was a good time and a good con.  I was a little dissapointed with the lady I normally buy stuff from in the dealers room though; she didn’t have a very bit selection this year and since I was looking for specific items I didn’t find anything.    Part of me would love to become a dealer and go to conventions but I don’t know how well I would be able to part with things.  I get attached so easily!

I couldn’t help myself and I just bought this little beauty from Ichiroya.  It was one of the pieces I really don’t think I could of lived with myself if I had let it get away.  You see I sort of have a thing for maple leaf motifs and plan on getting a few tattooed on my back; that is if I can stop spending money on kimono!  The real kicker is that I have absolutely nothing to wear this with either.  hahahahahaha…

My new mitsudomoe obi was waiting for me on my door step this afternoon so I decided to try working with it this evening.  OMG!  New obi is amazing…it’s wonderfully long and has a nice consistency to the fabric.  Also yesterday I went thrifting with some buddies and found what I’m pretty sure is a men’s nemaki(pj’s).  I saw it randomly sticking out of the mens rob section.  The thing is huge at least in length but it still seems to me that the sleeves are rather short.  The construction is right and it has the original tagging that says made in Japan with the size number on it.  It even has the size sticker still on the back.  Honestly I don’t even think it has been worn.  I’m thinking of maybe shortening it and just using it for sleepwear myself.  It definetly needs a wash first though!

We have now been given a place and time for the kimono kitsuke panel.  We will be doing the panel at noon on Saturday in panel room 9.  If I can find a map of the facility I’ll put that up as well to help direct people.  I’m still waiting to get in touch with the panel organizer to finalize what all I need to bring and figure out what we are doing for promotion on Friday.  So far things are looking pretty good but I still haven’t recieved my obi from Ichiroya yet.

I am feeling particularly crafty and cleaver today.  For my cultural diversity class we have to do a group project on a country and give a presentation on cultural aspects.  I got our group to do Japan!  I know I’m such a nerd and this isn’t really kimono related but I got really excited.  One of my topics is traditions so I thought I’d either wear(depending on weather) or bring in one of my pieces to show the class.  I am also required to do a more serious topic and I picked polygamy but I might talk to my professor and see if I can adress suicide instead.  I know it’s not very pleasent but it is an interesting cultural difference to talk about.

Well I think they are sort of like resoultions anyway.  There are certain things I want to obtain this year as far as kimono and kitsuke are concerned.

I really want something with either waves or skulls on it this year be it obi or kimono.

I’d like to aquire a nice pair of zori this year as well.

Be able to comfortably and confidently dress myself in basic kimono in a reasonable amount of time.  I’ve found that dressing someone else is a lot easier for me.

Learn a new musubi and possibly purchase a more formal obi such as Fukuro or Maru.

Participate in at least one Kimono centralized event this year.  I’m not counting Ohayocon because we are only doing  a panel.  I’d like to be able to do something like when Cody and I went to canton for the kimono festival.  I’m willing to drive out of state for this if necessary.

Either make or purchase appropriate under garments.  I know I’m fully capable of making a decent juban I just never seem to have the time to sew anymore.

That’s about it really and if I get those things acomplished then more room for other things!

This obi will be in my collection shortly.  My hunny ordered it for me today.  The design on the drum part is mitsudomoe which translates something like, “man, water & sky”.  It is often a symbol used on taiko drums which I absolutely love!  The symbol on the front closing resembles the triforce from Legend of Zelda so my inner gammer is incredibly happy as well.  Really I just couldn’t pass this up and I’m hoping it will go with my komon better than the blue obi I already have.  It seems rather orange in the photo but I am hoping it’s a bit more pink in actuality.  Still some very cool symbols and I’m eager to have it in my collection.  I’ll take photos once it arrives if I have time to dress, if not I’ll just have pics taken at ohayocon with it.

So last night my buddies Coey and Aki came over and Coey let me practice dressing her.  It was quite fun and I got to practice both dressing her in my yukata and komon.  I feel pretty confident in being able to dress someone else in about 15-20 minutes…I’d like to get it under that before the panel if I can though.  Still debating on whether I want to wear this one or just my yukata to the panel.  I’d really like to have another obi to go with it but I’ll make due with what I have.  Anyway…enjoy the picture of Coey being silly.

Myself and two other girls are doing a begginer/intermediate kimono dressing panel at Ohayo con this year.  I’m really excited and nervous as it will be my first panel but I’m pretty good at speaking in front of people so I should be fine.  We are wanting to do three demonstrations with varying formality; a yukata, komon, and furisode.  The date and time have not been announced as of yet but I shouldn’t have trouble getting cleared for that weekend off from work.  I really need to start practicing dressing someone besides myself!

I bought my first magazine a few days ago.  Technically it is just for yukata but this will be very helpful once I get my hands on a hanhaba obi.  There were quite a few yukata musubi in the back so I picked out my favorite and thought I would share it here.  There are many cute outfits and a lot of hair styling tips.  I think I may try some of them, so if I do I’ll post some pictures of those too.  I love this magazine as the instructions are very clear and precise and it also has some really beautiful pictures as well.  The magazine is for this past summer but I guess being yukata centered it would be.  The place I went had some larger more exspensive kimono magazines which I may try to aquire later.