EPBOT

My friend Renee found a fantastic bracelet this week that's totally going on my wish list:

I spy a certain Jolee's sticker set I've been hanging on to, just waiting for the right project! (I was hoping to find some more flat ornaments [like these] to stick the stickers on and use on my tree, but so far I haven't been able to find them again. Any ideas, guys?)

I'm actually knee-deep in several steampunk Christmas crafts, so it's nice to see I'm not the only one dreaming of a steamy Christmas. Here's another goodie Erin M. shared on the Epbot FB page:

Tiny top hats!! Whether you're a fan of Mad Hatter, steampunk, Victorian fashion, or just whimsical frippery, these are a must-make. (You KNOW I have to make some for my steampunk Christmas tree.) Head over to Seeing Things for the printable template & tutorial!

And speaking of top hats, Lisa Y. made a truly epic top hat topper for her tree:


She started with a blank cardboard hat, adding the swirl design using puff paint, and then she gave the whole thing a pretty aged copper finish. I love all the feathers and wire swirls, and check out the detail on her snowflake/gear and hatband:


Lisa also included a few close-ups of her ornaments, which I'm now in love with:


And finally, veering back into non-holiday 'punkery, Jason W. sent in a really cool music video by Korean singer IU. It's a beautiful fantasy story of a girl living in a clock shop who builds a kind of steampunk TARDIS. Here it is with English subtitles:

- I've been losing more productive hours than I'd care to admit on my new favorite craft blog: True Blue Me and You: Doable Unique DIYs. The name says it all, but I'll add that this is the most ethical Tumblr blog I've ever seen, with a blogger who cares passionately about properly crediting sources and linking back to every site she mentions. She also has an archive that goes on forever (I *still* haven't found the end), helpful tips and summaries, imminently browsable categories tagged clearly in the sidebar, and craft roundups like these sprinkled throughout:

So when you get tired of seeing the same ol' craft and DIY pins over and over on Pinterest, head over to True Blue. Just be prepared to lose the rest of the day when you do!

- GeekMom posted a fabulous fashion & jewelry Etsy gift guide; it helped me add at least three or four things to my wish list:

And for a truly massive gift guide of random delights, also check out BoingBoing's 2012 list. They've got gadgets and gizmos a plenty - and you want thinga-mabobs? THEY GOT TWENTY.

Ahem.


- Hey, do you remember the story of "The Paris Time Capsule Apartment?" It first came out last May, but Lindsay G. reminded me of it this week. Basically a Parisian apartment was left untouched for 70 years, locked up with all its rich furnishings and treasures, and was finally opened for the first time this year.

There's something magical about these pictures, and the story of the apartment's former occupant is so mysterious (the rent was faithfully paid all those years) that I'd love to see Ransom Riggs weave a story around it, with pictures of the apartment sprinkled throughout ala Miss Peregrine's. Anyway, definitely check out that article if you missed it before!


- Prepare for some Extreme Cute with this article M.C. spotted on CNN: World's 20 Cutest Animals - And Where To Find Them.


More than just pictures, this has a short snippet of info on each animal and where you can still see them in the wild. Fun AND educational!


- And finally, hold on to your ear hats, Disney fans, because an honest-to-goodness, flying, fire-breathing DRAGON flew through the skies of new Fantasyland Tuesday night, and you're not going to believe the video:



In fact, I *didn't* believe the video, since there were a few obviously CGI'd teaser promos leaked prior to the big debut, and the video is so dark it doesn't really feel like you're in the park, looking up.  So I went digging around online for more specifics. Turns out, yep, it IS real (!!), and if you'd like to "ruin" the magic by seeing how it's done, there's a photo and article here that explains. (Inside the Magic also has a more realistic looking video & a nice write-up.)

The really baffling thing, though, is that Disney has stated this was a one-time event only, and it was held on an exclusive media preview night, at that, so no regular guests got to see it. Seems like the height of cruelty to me, to show us video and never let us see it ourselves, but many speculate the dragon will still make special appearances from time to time, despite what Disney has told the media. Fingers crossed, 'cuz I'd love to see the dragon in person!

Sometimes I get caught up in my little online bubble here with all of you, and I forget that not everyone thinks it's cool to be a geek. I take for granted how freely I can share things like Portal and Star Trek and my obsession with Ghostbusters, knowing that you guys just GET it - or you at least get *me.*

Still, the sad fact remains that many - if not most - of our next generation geeks face mockery or even bullying because of the things they love.

But here's the good news:

By being ourselves, both online and off, and by proudly showing off our cosplay pics and nerdy art projects, and applauding each other's efforts, and by just unabashedly reveling in our passions instead of secreting them away, we're already helping. We're setting the example. We're helping create communities where it's possible to forget not everyone thinks geeks are cool.


Which is my long-winded way of introducing today's Exemplar: 15-year-old Paige, aka Obadoba. She's given me permission to share her story, so here it is, in her own words [edited slightly for brevity]:

And in case you're like me and have no idea what Homestuck is - it's a webcomic. (Thanks, Google!) And this is Aranea:



Thank you for sharing your story, Paige, and for reminding us that while bullying is still sadly alive and well, that's not where the story ends. It might take some people a little longer to figure out, but trust me, you're the one that's cool.

Aaand relevant video of awesomeness:

Time for more glittery Christmas goodness! I've already posted my favorite trees, so now here are my favorite wreaths from our local Festival of Trees last month:

 

 And finally, these large floor vase thingies were in the museum lobby, and I fell HARD for them:


So how's your decorating coming, guys? If you have pics online, please share links in the comments so I can see! Or you can share your pics directly over on the Epbot Facebook page.

Now if they'll just make a baby version, too, and paint them both white, AND include the rubber Pixar ball for the baby lamp to balance on...



(found via Misty Harris on Smithsonian.com)

The Bloggess said she loves me, you guys - and possibly called me God. YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID. Or something.

Ah, but then - THEN - a random genius named Jordan chimed in:


Which led to this:



Gratuitous quotation marks *and* a bonus Monty Python sacking? Bless you, Jordan Kvochick.

You know, between this and Allie Brosh's picture for me, I really CAN die happy now. (But I think I'll take a nap happy, instead.)



(See, John? I don't have a "Twitter problem," I have a THE BLOGGESS SAID SHE LOVES ME "problem." So there.)

PLS RETWEET.