GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ The First Annual Cosplay America Convention 2014 + giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Sunday, September 7, 2014

The First Annual Cosplay America Convention 2014 + giveaway

Cosplay America is the first East Coast Convention dedicated to all things cosplay. This event will gather casual and professional cosplayers, costume makers, prop craftsmen, and photographers. Cosplayers can gather for photo shoots, improve their skills by listening to veteran costume makers, and compete with one another to show off their creativity, acting talents, and craftsmanship skills.-press kit

I just started going to conventions in the past few years and could kick myself for not attending before that. One of my favorite aspects is the costumes. So I was thrilled to learn Cosplay America was being held so close to me in Raleigh/Durham, NC area on Aug 30-31.
email: info@cosplayamerica.com
FB: 

You can head over to the website and check out the types of panels and events held as well as the special guest list. I'm not familiar with the cosplay culture, but they have their superstars, like  special guest Stayxxxx (pronounced Stay) who flew in from Taiwan! She was a lovely and beautiful person willing to take all the pics her fans wanted. Her interpreter was so excited she was practically humming. 

Congratulations to the con director/creator Su Song for bringing in such an exciting guest. You can check out Stayxxxx's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/stay.deep.under

Only able to spend a few hours on Saturday, I didn't attend any panels. I wanted to see costumes! And O.M.G. were there some doozies. Probably 90% of the attendees were dressed up. I met cosplayers from 2 to 50  years old. Most people were between 13 and 25. I also enjoyed the unusual vendors in attendance.

I could talk about all I saw, but in this case pictures tell the best story. Baaart was a ham and enjoyed all the attention. He even has a new dinosaur friend and I ain't talking Barney. Be sure to click after the page break to see the awesome that was 
COSPLAY AMERICA 2014!!

 At the opening ceremony we meet guest of honors Bill Mulligan (left) and Jez Roth (mid). Phil Lee was our charming M.C. (right). Stayxxxx's plane got in late and after her 20 hour flight she needed to rest a bit and missed the ceremony, but showed up right after for her signing!


One of Baaart's favorite photo-ops was with 
Dakota and Friends.
Baaart got up close and personal with Dakota and got a little love from Steampunk Jango Fett!
Dakota was kind of a big deal with his VIP badge and he is also into Steampunk. Check out the awesome animatronic baby dinosaurs. They were made by Preschool Toys a loooong time ago and will respond to your touch. 


For all the costume fun click past the page break to see...


One of the coolest vendors was The FanDames Initiative. They volunteer their time at cons and in this case they provided a costume repair station for attendees. They even had a sewing machine set up.
These are the guys from Boomslank! They sell original anime shirts and artwork. Beautiful stuff! I got 10 art post cards to giveaway at the end of the post  :)
This is the first time I've heard of Star Box-mystery grab boxes of anime stuff! James Carroll use to have a store selling individual items and people were always wanting to buy their mystery boxes. So they closed up the store and started selling Star Boxes! You can find them at conventions all over the US.

 Can you find Baaart in the pile of Llamas?

Three sets of Anna and Elsa!
The littlest set is "Elsa" Arden (5 years old) and he sister "Anna"  Sage (2 years old)

Here we have Brandon Lindsay "Alvcard" (16), "Royal Guard-Star Wars" and Abby Normal "Madam Red" (20)

"Steampool" (40), Kagamine Rin (14) and "Trainer Velma" Kelsey Berkman (25)

"Weeping Angel" Savannah (14), the sweetest little cupcake, Jennifer Somers (13), who was so excited to be here! "Muse Thaila-comedy" Alycia Mitchell (27) 
"Cupid" Aimee Rigsby (32)
and "Astrid" (15) Kyndall Atkins
"Kanaya" (19), "Tereszi Pyrope" (17), "Eridan Ampora" (16). Family fun with "Hit Girl" (5), "Mal Reynolds" (40), "The Confessor" (29)
 "Nepeta- Homestruck (19), "Fiona Human- Adventure Time (13), "Marshal Vampire - Adventure Time (14)
"Irelia-League of Legends" (22) and "Ezreal-League of Legends" (24)
 "Madam Red", "Undertaker" (18) Cheyenne Long,
 "Droceel" (21) Cayanna Carma
 This is a friend of mine from Cary! Rebecca Ti as Alice. She made the costume.
 "Spirit One" (21), "Hello Kitty" Shonna Okada (50), "Iron Man" 
 Ghostbusters! The back pack played the theme and lit up. They tried to capture Baaart!
 OMG, this was such a fun costume. The back legs moved when she walked! And it isn't a con without Darth Vader. 
Zuko did an amazing show swinging a large red cloth by a chain so it looked like she was fire bending. 

Phew! That does it. Be sure to put Cosplay America 2015 on you calendar! I have a feeling this con will grow quickly!

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 comments:

  1. Glad you had so much fun, there were some awesome costumes you got pictures of.

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  2. Oh what fun, thank you so much for sharing it with us :)

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  3. That looks like it was so much fun! We live way too far from any cons that would be a reasonable travel option but I just love cosplay.

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  4. Lovely post, thank you for the hard work ^^

    If possible please correct the link to Stay's FB. The one provided there is only a page made by fans. This is the official FB

    https://www.facebook.com/stay.deep.under

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    Replies
    1. thank you for the correction. I've changed the link :)

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  5. Glad you had fun. Not to be a nit picker, but this is not the first convention devoted to costuming. First one ever started in 1981 and is still going strong. It is called Costumecon. I was at that first one in '81. Next year's: http://cc33charleston.org/wp/ It will not be far from you, Sharon.

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