Star Wars Episode 1 Pepsi Cans

Lately my mom's been bringing me bags full of old, often musty smelling things.  These happen to be my things, saved items from my youth that my parents no longer want to store (for good reason).

There's a not-quite-TV-worthy-but-still-pretty-bad hoarding gene on my mother's side of the family. And I have it too. When my room would get super cluttered, I would refuse to throw or donate my belongings, so my mom would give me a plastic bin (affectionately dubbed "my box") and I would put things that I wanted to save in it.  Then the box would be stored outside in the shed, much like the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, rarely ever to be seen again.

I think I had about 3 or 4 of these boxes, which my mom is now bringing over to my house.

So, the question is - what did young Penga think was worthy of saving back in the late 90's?

Well, this for one, would be a case of empty soda cans. @_@

I was in middle school, in the full swing of my Star Wars fever, anxiously awaiting the prequels.  I ate up pretty much anything Star Wars related - books, magazines, comics, cards, action figures, why yes - even Pepsi cans.

To my teenage credit, it does say they are "collector" cans.

Look, there's so many to collect!

I'm fairly sure that I had family help in collecting cans, because I don't remember drinking that much soda, and I'm not really all that into Pepsi.  Maybe many of the cans came from my paternal grandparents? Pepsi always seems to be present at Grandma's house.

Anyway, Sak, anti-hoarder-unless-it-is-electronic, said that there was no way old dented cans were going to stay in our house.  As he moved to bring the case to the recycle bin, my hoarding instinct flared up in a panic.  Throw away? Precious items small-me worked hard to collect and save all these years?

I dunno how to to describe it, but it's kind of a painful feeling.  But adult-me realizes that these cans should not stay, because 1) They aren't worth anything 2) I don't have the full set (unless there's another yet undiscovered case at my parent's home) 3) Many are dented or rusted.

So I told Sak I would recycle them once I took pictures of them and wrote about it for memory.  Which seems to be fairly cathartic, actually.

So here they are, 13 of the 24 can designs.

Yeah, it's unlike me to only have half of a collection.  I tend to go all-in or nothing.  So that probably means there's another case somewhere in my mom's giant shed.

Well, we'll see how I do come recycle pick-up day, but so far I think this is a good way to "preserve" the memories and feelings of my youth without physically taking up house space.  And I have plenty of other things in those boxes, so you might see more of these types of posts. :P

Did anyone else save weird things from their youth?

Star Wars Exhibit at The Tech

Last Fall for our joint birthdays (I'm older by about 2 weeks), my parents gave Sak and I tickets to the Star Wars exhibit that was coming to the Tech museum in San Jose.

I thought, being that it was at the Tech, that'd it'd be about the science (or lack of science) in Star Wars.  Turns out it's more to showcase the models and costumes from the movies - so I was simultaneously excited and dissapointed, if that makes any sense at all.

There were quite a few model hobbyists there the day we went (maybe a club?) and they were understandably very excited to pore over all the movie models.

Love the big green LED in the Falcon's cockpit, haha.

Such detail!

My mom gave me a Star Wars model kit a little while ago (Yoda's hut, lol), and I watched about an hour of Youtube tutorial videos - getting increasingly overwhelmed by the amount of time, skill and thought that goes into creating realistic models. I'm still too scared to even try it. :P

The inside of Vader's helmet.

"Because he's holding a thermal detonator!"

They used mirrors on the base of the speeder to reflect the sand and hide the wheels - movie magic hover!

Luke's hand. >.>"

The exhibit also proved a treasure trove for costumers, I'm sure!

Who knew Obi-wan had such a fancy belt?

argghh ragghh ragghh rggghh

Wampa is smaller in real life :P

As for actual learning, there were a few interactive zones such as magnetic hover propulsion and robotics.  Sak diligently waited in line with the kiddos so he could test them out.  An A for effort, but his robot had a crappy turn radius. lol.

Anyway, it was small, but well put together in my opinion.  I wanted to do the millennium falcon experience (whatever that is), but it was sold out already.  Kinda made me want to do a marathon. It's been too long! :)

Aunt Beruuuu! Adopt me too!

DIY Star Wars Fabric Dress

Although we didn't do any real cosplay for Comicon, I did make a new dress! (With Sak's help on the tricky parts..zippers are tricky! :P)

I used McCall pattern M6504, which I had picked up on one of those dollar pattern sales at Joann's.  It's a little disturbing how many unused patterns I have collected, so it was good to finally use one!

I chose this pattern (view A) cause it said it was easy, and because you can use several different types of fabrics.  I wanted to use Star Wars fabric, and even with a 40% off coupon, licensed fabric is expensive!  This pattern let me use some less expensive coordinating fabric to go with the pricey stuff.

But the Star Wars fabric is pretty awesome.  It looks like comic book covers, perfect for Comicon, yeah?

Anyway, the pattern wasn't too bad.  I don't think I'd call it easy though.  At first it was, but a fitted dress is kind of hard to make! I had to re-pin like twenty times trying to get the shape around my chest correct. :P  I guess it'd be easier if I had a dress form or a flat chest! Even though the shape came out alright in the end, I still felt it looked better with a belt.

I love how flowey the bottom of the dress is though. I wish I had had time to make a fun colored petticoat to really poof it out. I still have time to make one before the premiere of Episode VII, right? :)

To go with my dress, I made a little rebel alliance felty hairclip.

And wore the Star Wars necklace my fellow SW-loving cousin H made me when I was in middle school!

We used to read the books together and have our own little two person sci-fi book club.  Good times, good times!

Anyway, even though many people had homemade dresses at Comicon, mine got several compliments, so I figure it turned out okay! It was nice to wear something practical (light, airy, not a cardboard box) yet still be sporting some convention spirit! I only regret that I didn't make Sak a matching vest or at least a bow tie! Another thing to do before the movie comes out!

Just My Two Cents

I'm sure you've all heard by now - Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm and plans to bring Star Wars Episodes 7, 8, 9 (and possibly more) to the screen, the first by 2015.

After the initial force disturbance shock and images of Star Wars High School Musical parading cruelly around my mind, I calmed down and thought about what it meant to me as a fan.  I mean, when Episode 1 came out I was beyond ecstatic - anything for more Star Wars.  I skipped school for the first time to stand in line for the midnight show, and the watched it a total of 11 times in the theater.

But now? I'm kind of dreading the new movies. Not necessarily because Disney will be behind them - I'm sure some things will be better even, like the writing. I'm sure they can find a better script writer..."you torment my soul", anyone?

What I dread is the movies themselves. The plot. The characters.  Because it'll be Episode 7. POST original trilogy. POST something that was perfect, ending just as it did.

Besides, there's already extensive storylines written out for the happens after, in the form of expanded universe (EU) books and comics.  I'm worried they will dump the EU altogether, as it looks like it's headed that way. Will Jacen, Jaina, Anakin and Ben (Solo and Skywalker kids) still exist? What about Mara Jade! If she doesn't play a part in the story, I can't even imagine. Will they recast Han, Leia and Luke? And if they keep the EU, can they even do it justice? Is it better to leave the EU alone, left for joy of the nerdy folks and not the mainstream? Will Disney continue to make novels and comics? There's so many unknowns.

Reading my favorite series back in Jr High

Also, with Disney's love for the campy and familiar, I wouldn't be surprised if they resurrect Vader and Yoda simply for the chance for further marketing. I hope they don't beat a dead horse jedi.

"Reading is good, but don't you ever try to branch out a bit, daughter?"

So basically, due to my attachment to the characters and novels in the EU, I'm currently hedging towards the dark-sided opinion of this announcement.

Vacation? I'd rather be in a galaxy far, far away.

However, I'm sure as the movie draws closer and more details are released, my excitement will grow once again like it did over a decade ago.  A fan is a fan, afterall. Good or bad. Jar Jar or no Jar Jar.

(Just please, please keep Leia out of the Disney princess line-up? That'd be weird.)

DIY Han Solo Soap

Oh blog, how I've missed you....*pets*

Luckily, my test is over! Unluckily, I'll probably have to retake it in October. It was so hard! Either way, I have at least six weeks to wait before the results come out. Glurgh. By the way, open letter to the proctor who gave me a hard time because my signature didn't exactly match the one on my driver's license: when you are newly married and signing the stupid card at the DMV, how are you supposed to predict how your signature is really going to turn out?! /vent

So! I have a lot to catch up on...How about we make some soap? Some Han Solo in carbonite soap!

Friend E bought us the super awesome Star Wars Han Solo ice cube tray for Christmas, and with a couple Michael's 40% off coupons, we picked up a 2 pound block of opaque glycerin and some essential oil.

Simply set up the trusty double-boiler pot-in-pot, and melt some soap! (We used three "segments" of our 2 pound box. Roughly 3 ounces.)

I bought the green tea cucumber essential oil, it smells so good! It reminds me of the cucumber melon scented body splash I had as a teen. So fun.

We put in three drops once the soap was melted.

Mix, and pour into the mold!

I read somewhere that spraying alcohol on the soap and mold helps take care of the bubbling, but I didn't try it this time. It didn't seem too bad, but it's not the most even either.

We left it to cool while we went grocery shopping, and popped them out easily once we returned (A half hour or so).  Silicone molds are heavenly.

So funny!

The little guys are too small to really be used as soap, but I had leftovers. I might melt them down again to make more of the big ones, though unfortunately I can only make one at a time! I think I should learn how to make my own molds while we're at it.

Sak thinks maybe I should add color to the soap to make the relief stand out more, but something about coppery, metal colored carbonite soap freaks me out.  Soap should look like it makes you cleaner, right?  If I added a little red just to the "Han" part of the soap, would that help? Or would it just look like a scary bloody man coming out of a door? Haha.

Anyway, the soap works pretty good, and leaves your hands smelling nice and cucumber-y afterwards! I plan to let them sit out for a day or so to sufficiently dry out and harden.  A perfect gift for May 4th, yeah? :)

Next I want to try making oatmeal soap, it's my favorite! Do you have a favorite soap type?

(Update!)  I tried again, this time mixing red, yellow, blue and green food coloring to get a brownish color.  It's not too unappealing, and actually makes the relief stand out much better!

The Force of Pancakes

Ever since Japan and that delicious Twinkie-ized pancake of fat and sugar, I've had cravings for pancakes. Nearly every single day. It's just not right, folks.

Pancakieeeee! I miss you.

And if it wasn't for my laziness when it comes to cooking, and the fact that frozen pancakes are usually soggy and not so tasty, I'd probably be up 20 pounds instead of the five I've gained post-Japan.

And then look!

(source)

Want!

(source)

I don't know what's more random - the fact that there is Vader shaped molds, or the fact that it's Williams-Sonoma selling them. They both blow my mind.

Anyway, there's no way Sak would let me get them. I'm a kitchen gadget collector who doesn't cook.

I bought frozen mini pancakes a while back thinking it was pancake minus all the calories since I would obviously only take a few to work at a time to prevent overeating. But mini pancakes just aren't the same, there's not enough pancake flavor/fluffiness/magic in the little things! So I fed them all to Sak's brother when he was here. He didn't mind.

I think I just have to go with making them myself. And when I say by myself I mean from a pancake mix box.  Do you think I could cook pancake mix in my taiyaki mold? Sak's a little peeved at me for buying it in L.A., making him check his luggage just because of my giant pan, and then not using it once. Ehh..

(source) Same pan that I have!

I think it'll work. Then I can fill it with maple syrup and butter! Or nutella! Or bananas and melty choco! Mmmm.

Custard flavor!

How do you like your pancakes?