Today in NZ it is June 9th – Natalie Portman’s birthday! To celebrate her role as Queen Amidala in the Star Wars Saga, I want to highlight a particularly special Queen Amidala item in my collection – the Limoges Queen Amidala porcelain trinket box. A rare piece from The Phantom Menace era, it is one of my most prized Star Wars collectibles.

It is hard to find much verified information about this rare piece. During my research, I found that it was available from FAO Schwarz in the United States, around the release of The Phantom Menace – 1999 or possibly 2000. There was also a Limoges Yoda porcelain trinket box available at the same time, though I do not own that piece.

Limoges is the name given to porcelain items made by manufacturers in and around the city of Limoges, France. This particular item features a logo bearing the text ‘Atelier de Limoges’ and ‘Les Ateliers de Limoges’ – I am uncertain if this seal is specific to the manufacturer of this Queen Amidala item or a general symbol used by manufacturers in the city of Limoges (like the way the term ‘champagne’ is used for sparkling wine made in the region of Champagne, France).

The packaging box –

My Limoges trinket box came with a blue cardboard box, with a black and metallic gold seal on the top lid that features the printed logo/seal of Atelier de Limoges – Limoges, France. The bottom of the box has the original barcode price sticker from FAO Schwarz – US$225.00.

The Certificate Of Authenticity –

Inside the box there was also a small certificate of authenticity, with information regarding the history of Limoges porcelain trinket boxes, and how to care for the item. This appears to be a generic card supplied by the manufacturer with all their items, as there is no mention of Lucasfilm or Star Wars on it like we would expect today.

My particular box was filled with blue tissue paper, with the Queen Amidala trinket box inside some bubble wrap – I am unable to confirm if this interior packaging is the original, or whether there was anything additional like polystyrene etc. that had been discarded some time ago by the original owner.

I am especially happy to have the original box for my item, and it is in such good condition as well!

I acquired this piece a few years ago now, and it stills looks as brilliant as it did the day it arrived in the mail. It is absolutely stunning in person – the vibrant colours, the glossy finish, and of course, the fine hand painted details. After spending a few years hunting for it, it was so exciting when it finally arrived in the mail, just as beautiful as I dreamed it would be.

The porcelain trinket box measures approximately 9cm tall (3.5″) and 5cm across at the base (2″) – standing slightly shorter than a standard Star Wars 3.75″ action figure.

Queen Amidala is depicted here in her Throne Room gown as seen in The Phantom Menace. The costume details are replicated here so well in miniature form, from her iconic headdress to her vibrant red gown with oval lights – which of course are just painted here, they don’t light up.

For a small hand painted porcelain figure, it still amazes me at the level of detail – especially around the face and headdress. The iconic white and red makeup, the gold details of the headdress, it’s all here in tiny hand painted form.

The gold pattern down the front of Queen Amidala’s dress here is not completely accurate to the original costume design – but I am impressed with how much detail is included here for a hand painted design.

The underside of the trinket box is clean white porcelain, with the seal/logo of ATELIER DE LIMOGES FRANCE’. There is some hand painted text in French – ‘Peint main’ which translates to ‘Hand painted’ – and the signature of the artist, which I think reads A.F. in script/cursive handwriting. I love the hand painted text for the Lucasfilm copyright mark – it really adds to the unique handmade nature of the item.

When viewing the underside of the trinket box, you can see the clasp is a little off center in relation to the hinge – to be honest I don’t know if this is intentional or not. The clasp is metal, and works via tension, which holds the box closed very well. I find it a little tricky to open my particular box, but I don’t mind – I don’t open it very often at all, and would rather it be tight than loose.

The gold-toned metal bands run around both opening edges of the trinket box section. The metal has a slight antique finish – though I am unsure if this is the original finish or it has weathered a little over time.

I love the use of the Fleur-de-lis symbol for the clasp here. The Star Wars royal Naboo symbol takes inspiration from this classic French symbol, so I love to see the reference used here so clearly on an item made in France.

Once opened, you can see inside the trinket box. The Queen Amidala figure on the top is hollow, and is formed as one piece with the lid, not a separate figure placed on top. The inside has a glossy white porcelain finish.

The dish/tray section of the trinket box is fairly flat, so it won’t hold much beyond a piece or two of small jewellery, like a ring or necklace – though of course I do not use this as an actual box for storage.

On the inside of the lower portion of the box, there is a hand painted red Naboo symbol, slightly above centre. Across the symbol, the text ‘QUEEN AMIDALA’ is hand painted in black.

It took me a few years of searching to acquire this piece – and now it is one of my most treasured items in my Star Wars collection. The unique hand painted nature, combined with the mysterious history, really make it special.

If you have any further information about this item, I would love to hear from you! Did you see it for sale at FAO Schwarz in store or in a catalogue, or perhaps even bought it yourself back in the day? Do you know when exactly it was released, how many were made, or where they made to order? Was the Limoges Yoda trinket box made in similar quantities – or is one rarer than the other? I would love to know more about my beautiful Limoges Queen Amidala porcelain trinket box.

May the Force be with you!

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I am so excited about today’s unboxing – the Premier Collection Padme’ Amidala statue by Gentle Giant! I have been patiently waiting for this to arrive ever since it was first revealed, and it’s finally here! As a huge Padme’ Amidala fan and collector, of course I had it pre-ordered the second it was available, and the wait was worth it.

Check out my unboxing video –

This statue is part of the Premier Collection line by Gentle Giant (owned by Diamond Select Toys). I have been collecting Gentle Giant for absolutely years now, and while I wish I could collect all of their Star Wars pieces, I tend to focus on my favourite characters like Princess Leia, Padme’ Amidala, and Rey.

This limited edition piece has a edition size of 3,000 – I’m glad it wasn’t a small run, so more fans can add this wonderful statue to their collection. I am always keen for more Padme’ Amidala items to add to my collection, and would have been devastated to miss out on this one!

Of course, the first thing I check for when opening up a new collectible – check for any flaws or damage. Thankfully damage is rare, even with international shipping, but sadly it has happened a few times. This statue arrived safe and sound – a huge relief! A quick check over all the pieces, and it’s time to assemble the statue.

This Premier Collection statue is 1:7 scale, it stands approximately 24cm tall. I have a few other Premier Collection statues, and I think this is really nice scale – big enough for a decently sized statue, but not so big as to take up a lot of display space, and space is always an issue for collectors!

Some Gentle Giant statues are assembled from a number of components, some arrive as one solid sculpt. This Padme’ Amidala statue has three pieces – the large arena base, Padme’ Amidala, and her right arm holding a blaster. So, not very tricky to put together.

Padme’ Amidala herself connects to the base with two metal pins on the underside of her left boot – this connects into place very securely. Her right arm attaches with a magnet – this also clicked into place easily, but I can wiggle the arm up and down. Personally, I am a little worried this might accidentally get knocked out of place, so I will remove that piece when moving the statue to a different display space.

The paint job on Padme’ Amidala is fantastic – the sculpt looks like her, the eyes are good, and the hairstyle is sculpted really well. I really like the details on this statue – including small elements like the texture on her belt that looks like leather, and the subtle arena dust weathering on her boots.

It was a long wait for this statue, and it was worth it. While I know some fans are frustrated that many companies choose Padme’ Amidala’s Episode II arena costume for designs featuring her (when she has so many other amazing costumes to choose from), but I realise that this scene lends itself to some great action poses. Hopefully we will see many more wonderful Gentle Giant statues featuring Padme’ Amidala’s other outfits – I know I would buy them all!

Overall, I am really happy with this Padme’ Amidala statue – I am especially fond of Attack Of The Clones, as that film sparked my Star Wars collecting journey. This statue arrived on 16th May, which coincidentally is the 21st anniversary of the release of Attack Of The Clones – a perfect way to celebrate!

Now I just need to do a bit of rearranging so I can fit it alongside my other favourite Padme’ Amidala pieces – another fine addition to my collection!

May the Force be with you!

The post Premier Collection Padme’ Amidala Statue by Gentle Giant appeared first on Villa Varykino.

After reorganising my Star Wars studio room, I had the opportunity to display some of my favourite collectibles that needed a safe and protected space. To celebrate my favourite Star Wars characters, I put together a Women Of The Star Wars Saga display area, to showcase some of my most treasured collectibles in a spot where I can see them everyday.

Checkout this video of my new Star Wars display –

This is of course not all of my Rey, Amidala, and Leia collectibles, but this display includes some of the largest/heaviest pieces, and ones that really need a secure display space away from sunlight and excess dust. The sturdy drawers provided a great platform for heavy pieces like premium format statues, and they are all now in a room that has blocked out windows to protect from sun damage – a concern of mine, especially with pieces with fabric details.

Rey collectibles –

• Sideshow Collectibles Rey premium format statue
• Gentle Giant Rey Milestones Statue
• Gentle Giant Rey Dreamer Statue
• Kotobukiya Rey Descendent Of Light Artist Series Figure
• Hot Toys Deluxe Rey and BB-8 12″ Figure Set

Queen Amidala collectibles –

• Robert Tonner Queen Amidala Celebration Gown Doll
• Robert Tonner Queen Amidala Trunk Set Doll
• Gentle Giant Queen Amidala (Throne Room Gown) Mini Bust
• Limoges Queen Amidala Porcelain Trinket Box

Princess Leia collectibles –

• Sideshow Collectibles Princess Leia Premium Format Statue
• Lladró Princess Leia Porcelain Statue
• Royal Selangor Princess Leia Pewter Figure
• Gentle Giant Princess Leia (Bespin Gown) Mini Bust
• The Bradford Exchange Princess Leia Treasured Reflections Statue

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This Star Wars inspiration board DIY is a project I have wanted to make for a while, and January felt like the perfect time. The new year always brings about thoughts of resolutions, inspiring us to make change or reflect on our personal journey – and pin boards are a great way to remind us daily of our goals.

I’ve always loved pin boards, and use them often – I love being able to collect images and quotes that inspire me, and assemble them into visual representations of my goals. This year, I really wanted to create a Star Wars-themed pin board, inspired by my favourite women of Star Wars, and the pretty inspiration/mood/vision board projects from Pinterest.

As I planned out my project, the inspiration board idea evolved into a matching set of three boards, each one inspired by my favourite Star Wars characters – Princess Leia, Padme’ Amidala, and Rey. I created a themed printable sheet for each character, with quotes, inspiring words, and symbols to add to each pin board.

Free Printables to download (select the version for your desired paper size, right-click to download, and print at 300dpi) –

• Rebel and Naboo Symbol stencil cut-outs – A4 version – US Letter version
• Princess Leia – A4 version – US Letter version
• Padme’ Amidala – A4 version – US Letter version
• Rey – A4 version – US Letter version

A quick trip to the craft store and I found all the supplies I needed – minus some I already had, like paint brushes, scissors and ruler. All up, the supplies cost just under NZ$24 – but the most expensive item was actually the hologram alphabet stickers! There were cheaper options, but I just loved the sparkle effect (and I needed two packs just to get the E’s I needed…).

Craft Supplies –

• Small cork board x3 (I used 9″ x 12″ boards)
• Artist/acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Push pins
• Scissors
• Alphabet stickers
• Printed photos of Leia/Padme’/Rey
• Optional – ruler, pencil, spare paper

The first step was painting the wooden frames of each cork board. I chose silver paint, as a colour that coordinated well with each character, and just looks pretty – with some glitter on top of course! I found two styles of glitter paint that I loved – silver glitter to add on the frame, and ‘crystal’ glitter as a subtle accent for the painted symbols.

I used some spare scrap paper to mask the cork surface to avoid getting paint on the cork while I handpainted the wooden frame. It took a few coats of the silver paint to get the finish I was looking for, as I wanted to completely cover the wood grain. Once the silver paint had dried well, I painted a few coats of the glitter paint – the paint I used has a clear base for the glitter, so the silver paint still shows up nicely under the glitter coats.

I used small scissors to carefully cut out the Rebel symbol and Naboo symbol stencils – I printed this page twice, so I had a bit of extra room in case I made a mistake. I took my time here, as the accuracy of the stencil really helps to get a tidy paint design later.

I used a ruler to find the center of the pinboard, then pinned the stencils onto the cork to secure in place. Using a small paint brush, I used the silver paint and carefully hand painted the outline of the symbols.

Once I was happy I had the outline painted, I removed the stencil and filled in the rest of the symbol. I used about two or three coats of the silver paint to get a nice even coverage on the textured cork surface, then finished it off with a few coats of the crystal glitter and silver glitter paints. So sparkly!

Once the painted symbols were fully dry, I got my hologram alphabet stickers to spell out the character names for Padme’, Leia, and Rey. I used a ruler to line up all the letters evenly, and to help get the names as centered as I could. I was able to gently place the stickers on the pinboard and carefully adjust them into place, before pressing them down firmly to stick securely.

I wanted to place the letters on top of the largest sections of paint – I found that I liked the placement of the ‘Padme’ lettering slightly higher on the Naboo symbol, compared to ‘Leia’ and ‘Rey’ lettering placement on the Rebel symbol.

As I was really excited by how the painted symbols came out, I was a little unsure if I wanted to put stickers over top – but I’m so glad I went with my original idea! I like the mixed media effect, which really suits the ‘gathered materials’ style of inspiration boards. Plus the hologram finish is so pretty against the silver glitter symbols!

Next up – the print outs. I really enjoyed creating the printed elements for my inspiration boards. I had a general idea of the layout I wanted, which included the same number of elements for each each character board –

• Three quotes on square designs
• One printed character photo (square)
• Three associated words
• Two small circular symbols

I spent quite a while really thinking about what inspires me most about each character. The idea behind these inspiration boards is that they will be hung on the wall where I will see them everyday, to remind me of what I love about each character, so I felt it was important to find words, symbols, and quotes that personally mean a lot to me.

Defining words –

• Rey – Jedi, Strong, Resist
• Padme’ – Queen, Love, Defend
• Leia – Princess, Hope, Rebel

Symbols –

• Rey – Jedi Order symbol, Force ‘Light Side’ symbol
• Padme’ – Naboo royal emblem, Republic Senate symbol
• Leia – Organa crest symbol, Jedi Order symbol

Taking my small scissors, I cut out each of the quote squares and round symbols, as well as a photo of each character I printed separately (I just found promo photos I liked online and printed them out in the same sized square as my quote designs).

For the single word prints, I originally cut them out in rectangles, but after seeing them all cut out together, I decided I wanted a ‘closer’ cut-out style for the words. It adds a scrapbook effect to the text, as if I cut them out from a magazine, which was my reason for using different fonts anyway.

The final step! Laying all the paper elements out on each board and playing around with different layout designs. I knew I wanted a square print in each corner, with the single words and round symbols scattered around. It was fun to see the final designs come together!

I wasn’t sure what colour pins I wanted to use, but in the end I went with white pins, with a few black pins for the quote squares with darker backgrounds. I felt black and white pins coordinated well with my printed text and silver painted elements. Once I had decided on my final layout, I secured the cut-outs in place with pins.

I am so very happy with how this DIY project came out – they look exactly as I hoped they would! Translating my scribbled sketches on scrap paper to final finished boards I can hang on my wall. From the first steps of choosing quotes, words, and symbols to represent each character, to creating printables, and painting symbols – it’s been a fun and thoughtful DIY project.

Every morning, I get up and see these Star Wars inspiration boards and smile. A reminder of the characters I love so much, and why they continue to inspire me every day. I really enjoyed the creative process of designing and making these inspiration boards, and celebrating these amazing women of Star Wars.

You can check out this DIY project on YouTube too (and subscribe to our channel for more Star Wars DIY projects as well as other ways to incorporate more Star Wars into your life).

If you’d like to create a Star Wars inspiration board for yourself, feel free to download and print out these character quote designs – these are also included in the free printable sheets which you can download via links at the top of this post.

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I enjoy monthly social media challenges, so when the annual ‘Fall For Costume’ Instagram event rolled around in October this year, it was a great opportunity to dig through older photos and share some of our favorite costume memories.

Hosted by redthreaded, the challenge lasts for the month of October – which is often associated with costumes as Halloween season. There is a different word prompt for each day, which you can interpret anyway you like, to fit your costume range. For us, our costumes are predominately from Star Wars, comics, and science fiction – check out our daily posts below –

#FallForCostume 2019 Instagram challenge hosted by @redthreaded

• Day 1 ‘Intro’ – Padme Amidala and Republic Commando

Hello ? We’re Kristy and Matt Glasgow – married Star Wars fans and costumers. Star Wars is how we met, and is a huge part of our lives. ⠀
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Our costumes include some of our favourite Star Wars characters, like Padme’ Amidala and Republic Commando Boss. ⠀
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We love to travel, and attend international costume events/conventions like DragonCon and Star Wars Celebration

• Day 2 ‘Red’ – Legend Of The Seeker Sister of The Dark

The tv series Legend Of The Seeker was filmed in NZ – Matt was an extra for several episodes, so we’re quite fond of the show. ⠀
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They auctioned off most of the costumes and props after the series ended, and we managed to get this hero Sister Marissa costume. ⠀
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Matt made my dacra weapon, which survived the international trip to DragonCon and back!

• Day 3 ‘Soft’ – Clone Wars Micro Series Padme’ Amidala

It’s simple, but my Snowbunny cape is one of my favourite things I’ve ever made. ⠀
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I love the soft white fleece and blue marabou trim, it’s so cuddly and warm

• Day 4 ‘Structured’ – Captain America Dancing Girl

My Captain America dancing girl outfit is my most structured costume, in both construction process and technique. ⠀
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As well as following the detailed sewing instructions to match the group, it was also my first attempt at hat-making. ⠀
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It was a last-minute costume that stressed me out to finish on time, but I had such an awesome time with my fellow dancers at DragonCon

• Day 5 ‘Inside’ – Tonner Dolls Deliciously Deco Renee’ Devereaux

I’m not confident in my sewing abilities to be brave enough to show the inside of anything I’ve made, but this dress at least has an interesting story. ⠀
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For some reason I was hell-bent on making this costume with less than two weeks until DragonCon! Unable to find proper fringe anywhere locally, I bought a huge amount of black cord…. ⠀
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Of course having all the cord ends along the seams makes this dress very scratchy on the inside! Lesson learnt – don’t do last minute projects unless I have the proper materials ?

• Day 6 ‘Outside’ – Republic Commando Boss RC-1138

The weathering on my Republic Commando took a lot of paint layers to achieve. ⠀
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The metallic silver weathering isn’t painted on, it’s an entire paint layer under the white topcoat, and worn down in selected areas. ⠀
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A time consuming process, but now any addition wear from scratches and scuffs will only add to the effect

• Day 7 ‘Machinery’ – Vac-form table (Padme’ Amidala Holster)

For my Clone Wars ‘Snowbunny’ Padme’ Amidala costume, we wanted to replicate the animated style – which meant custom accessories.⠀
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We made our own vac-form machine, and used it to make a custom blaster holster, belt pouch, and the blaster. ⠀
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I really love the cute cartoon look, and creating props via vac-forming was a neat process to learn

• Day 8 ‘Black’ – Star Wars Imperial Officer

In 2005 I joined the 501st Legion with a classic Imperial Officer costume. Matt has been a member since 2001 with his Stormtrooper armour, and I decided to join him on the Dark Side. ⠀
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A novice seamstress back then (and still), I bought all the fabric components, while Matt made my belt buckle and rank badge. ⠀
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ID-947 and TK-944 – Troopers In Love ?

• Day 9 ‘White’ – Gentle Giant Animated Maquette Princess Leia

I love the Star Wars animation style statues by @gentlegiantltd – the Princess Leia & R2-D2 statue is one of my favourites in my collection. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
So when I was invited to join a group of GG Leia’s for a local convention, I jumped at the awesome opportunity. We had so much fun together! ⠀
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I’m still not great at patten drafting, sewing, or working with wigs, but I love my GG Leia

• Day 10 ‘Past’ – Austin Powers Dancer Girl

Throwing it back to the 60’s for this one – my Austin Powers dancer girl. ⠀
I joined a group of friends for the 2011 DragonCon Masquerade, picking this bright orange and pink outfit from the opening sequence of the first film. ⠀
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Custom printed fabric, custom earrings, a very hastily made hat, purple stockings, and bright orange go-go boots. ⠀
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A little bit rushed, as my DragonCon costumes tend to be – but I had so much fun dancing on stage with my friends ?

• Day 11 ‘Present’ – Heroes Claire Bennet

I loved the early seasons of Heroes. I put together this quick Claire Bennet costume when Zachary Quinto was announced for a local convention. ⠀
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Unfortunately he cancelled, but I’m still glad I made the costume. ⠀
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I took it along to DragonCon 2011 as a comfy change between costumes

• Day 12 ‘Future’ – Anovos Star Wars Original Series Costumes

Kind of a sad story for this one – years ago we bought these @anovos premier Star Trek costumes, for a future DragonCon trip. ⠀
The trip didn’t happen because of life’s hurdles, and we had to sell the costumes too. ⠀
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We still love Star Trek, and still plan to costume together from the original series… just not with these costumes. ⠀
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Life has certainly thrown some ‘adventures’ our way these past few years, but we’re looking toward the future with hope and optimism

• Day 13 ‘Space’ – Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter Pilot

We have quite a few costumes that fit the ‘space’ theme, but a space pilot seemed to fit the best. ⠀
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When we met, we had one costume each, on opposite sides – Matt had his Stormtrooper armour, I had my Jedi robes. ⠀
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Since then, we’ve both crossed to ‘each other’s side’, and now we both have costumes for the Light Side and the Dark Side. From a Stormtrooper to a Rebel Pilot. ⠀
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Someday I’ll finish my X-Wing pilot costume so we can match ?

• Day 14 ‘Stitching’ – DC Comics Harley Quinn and The Joker

I made our Harley Quinn and Joker costumes for @armageddonexponz Auckland 2007, as HQ co-creator Bruce Timm was a guest. ⠀
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We also entered into the Cosplay Competition – and won Best In Show! The one and only time I’ve had the confidence to perform a skit, complete with animated-style Harley Quinn voice. Matt even grew his hair long for me so I could paint it green. ⠀
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Despite being quite basic by modern cosplay standards (this was *12* years ago!), I am still proud of them. The most hand-stitching I’ve ever done – I got so obsessed with making the Joker costume and accessories that I nearly didn’t get HQ finished in time!

• Day 15 ‘Blue’ – Star Wars Battlefront II Darktrooper

For Armageddon Expo Auckland 2017, Matt debuted his Darktrooper armour, from the original Battlefront II video game. ⠀
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The trooper armour is a unique shade of blue, which really stands out alongside classic white stormtrooper armour. ⠀
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Made by Oota Goota workshop, the armour is made from vac-formed plastic, and custom fit for Matt. We are big fans of the original Battlefront games, so it was a great experience to get to debut a new costume build of a unique armour design from the game

• Day 16 ‘First’ – Star Wars Jedi Knight

One of the few photos of my first costume, completed in April 2004. It started by finding a custom wool robe online, and was soon followed by custom leather boots, FX lightsaber, and figuring out how to sew. ⠀
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Halloween wasn’t even a thing here in NZ when I was a child, so Star Wars was my first introduction to costuming. ⠀
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I learnt so much making that first costume, I remade the tunics pretty soon after (and a few more time after that). ⠀
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My sewing skills still have a long way to go, but I’m so happy for all the amazing friends I’ve made through costuming and cosplay ?

• Day 17 ‘Last’ – Star Wars Twi’lek Jedi Historian

The last costume I made for myself, the latest in a series of 5 different Jedi costume variations I’ve made since 2004 – Jedi Historian. ⠀
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This is my original concept, based on Jocasta Nu from AOTC, and Atris from KOTOR2 – I finished and debuted the costume in 2011.⠀
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The tabbard designs are all hand drawn in fabric marker on both sides, based on a template Matt drew for me (a mix of patterns from both Jocasta and Atris). ⠀
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Comfortable, fun to wear, and I can wear it with or without the lekku headpiece – made by the wonderful @twilek_pam 

• Day 18′ Historical’ – 300 Spartan Warrior

Matt and I joined the @300dcspartans forums in January 2008, and debuted our Spartan and Queen Gorgo costumes at a local convention that year. ⠀
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In 2009 we made the journey to DragonCon to meet up with our Spartan friends, and had so much fun, we returned in 2011 and 2012. ⠀
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Someday we’ll make it back again!

• Day 19 ‘Fantasy’ – Disney Tinkerbell Wings

A work in (very slow) progress – Tinker Bell ? I got these gorgeous wings from @fancyfairyangela many years ago, and have stored them safely away ever since. ⠀
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I grew up with Disney, and have loved Peter Pan ever since I was little. ⠀
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As a little girl I dreamed of flying like Peter and Tink, and while that particular fantasy can’t come true, the sight of these beautiful wings gives me so many happy thoughts

• Day 20 ‘Big’ – The Chronicles Of Riddick (Screen Used)

Our biggest costume purchase – this screen-used Vin Diesel costume from The Chronicles Of Riddick. ⠀
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The screen used costume includes the top, pants, boots, belt, arm guards, backpack, and breather prop – we sourced and/or made the knives, backpack straps, and goggles. ⠀
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Funny story – I was halfway through making a Riddick costume for Matt when we bought this real one! I never did finish making my version….

• Day 21 ‘Small’ – Twilight New Moon Bella Swan

My ‘smallest’ costuming project was my Bella Swan cosplay for DragonCon 2011. ⠀
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The costume and jewelry are licensed replicas, the Vans shoes and headband are screen accurate. ⠀
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The only bit of sewing I did was to crop a cheap black cardigan a little shorter to match. ⠀
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Easy to make, easy to wear

• Day 22 ‘Green’ – DC Comics Poison Ivy

A popular costume idea, but I had a spare corset I didn’t need for my wedding dress, so of course I was going to use for a quick and easy costume. ⠀
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Cheap red wig, green stockings, green heels, lots of fake leaves, and boom – Poison Ivy costume. ⠀
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I’ve worn it a few times, and made some upgrades for DragonCon 2011. Still need to upgrade the wig (and drastically improve my makeup skills) but I love this comfy costume ?

• Day 23 ‘Steam’ – 300 Queen Gorgo (Secret Meeting)

The problem with long haul flights for overseas conventions – my costumes get so creased in my suitcase! ⠀
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My little handheld steamer doesn’t work on US voltage, so I leave it at home. Really wish I’d been able to steam my costumes at DragonCon, especially my Queen Gorgo – but I really didn’t trust the hotel room iron that year. ⠀
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In the future, I’d like to find a cheaper steamer in the US, so I have that option for conventions

• Day 24 ‘Tools’ – Star Wars Femtrooper

The costume we used the most tools to create – my Star Wars femtrooper armour. ⠀
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Debuted in 2008, the armour is vac-formed, with a custom fibreglass chest piece sculpted over my chest cast. ⠀
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The ‘fem’ style armour isn’t common any more, but I still love this costume

• Day 25 ‘Warm’ – Star Wars Barriss Offee

I have a few costumes with cloaks, but the warmest is my Barriss Offee costume. ⠀
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Full length dress with turtleneck collar, long sleeves and hood, with two layers of velvet over the top. ⠀
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Somehow I always end up wearing this costume in warm places – Anaheim, Atlanta, Orlando…. ⠀
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I need to wear it to a convention somewhere cold so I can get decent photos where I’m not sweating off the intricate diamond pattern makeup!

• Day 26 ‘Cold’ – 300 Queen Gorgo (Farewell)

Perhaps not the coldest to wear, but the first costume I think of – my Queen Gorgo ‘farewell’ dress. ⠀
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I made this for DragonCon 2011 – August is the middle of winter here, and this dress is all about draped fabric…. ⠀
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Which meant spending many hours pretty much naked in my sewing room, while I draped fabric around myself, sewing it in place, trying it on again… ⠀
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I had the curtains and doors closed, the heater blasting on high, and it was still really cold! Worth it though – that dress fit like a glove

• Day 27 ‘Purple’ – DC Comics The Joker

I made our Harley Quinn and Joker costumes for @armageddonexponz Auckland 2007, as HQ co-creator Bruce Timm was a guest. ⠀
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A good friend wore his Batman costume that year as well, so we got some fun group photos. ⠀
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Matt’s costume was inspired by the animated series, with the Joker voiced by Mark Hamill – this was a year before ‘The Dark Knight’ film was released, so Joker costumes weren’t as common back then ?

• Day 28 ‘Romantic’ – Star Wars Padme’ Amidala

In 2006 Matt and I traveled across the world to visit the Star Wars AOTC filming location in Italy. ⠀
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Two weeks before the trip I had the crazy idea to make Padme’s lake dress, with my very basic sewing skills. ⠀
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No pattern, drafted the dress with bedsheets wrapped around me, and used fabric paint… but I think it worked out okay. ⠀
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The best part – Matt surprised me by proposing in the spot Anakin and Padme’ were married ?

• Day 29 ‘Spooky’ – The Chronicles of Riddick (Screen Used)

The ‘spookiest’ costumes we own – screen used Necromonger captain and convert costumes from The Chronicles Of Riddick. ⠀
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We bought these from @prop_store back in 2005, our first ‘couple cosplay’ – it was so exciting to own costumes from the first film we ever saw together. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀
I’ve worn my Necromonger convert costume several times, at different conventions around the world – but Matt’s captain costume won’t fit in a suitcase, so we wear them together at local conventions ?

• Day 30 ‘Beginings’ – Star Wars Stormtrooper

The beginning of our love of costumes – Matt’s first costume, Star Wars stormtrooper armour. ⠀
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He bought it from the US in 2001, and joined the @official501st that same year. ⠀
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A few years later, I made my first costume, a Jedi Knight. We soon found each other through our shared love of Star Wars, collecting, and costuming. ⠀
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Passions we still share to this day, after 12 years of marriage and still going strong

• Day 31 ‘Endings’ – The Chronicles Of Riddick (Self Made)

As I’m sure most costumers can relate, I have a few costume projects that have been put aside for one reason or another, waiting to be finished someday. ⠀
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This Riddick costume is an odd one out from my stash, in that I’m pretty certain I’ll never finish it. ⠀
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I got this far before I ran out of time for DragonCon 2009 – made the shirt, arm guards and shoulder harness, and finished it off with store-bought boots, pants and belt. ⠀
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The reason this will never get finished? We now own a real Vin Diesel screen used Riddick costume! Doesn’t seem much point to keep sewing the rest of this version, when it could never compare to the real one we have

We really enjoyed the nostalgic look back at our costuming highlights, and look forward to participating in the Fall For Costume challenge again next year!

The post Fall For Costume 2019 appeared first on Villa Varykino.

I play Star Wars Galaxy Of Heroes daily, and enjoy collecting all my favourite characters in the game and building up my squads. In particular, I love to collect the female Star Wars characters like Rey and Princess Leia – and now I finally have Padme’ Amidala too!

Padme’ Amidala was only just recently added to the game, as part of the recent focus on Prequel and Clone Wars characters. Her unlock event requires a well geared Separatist squad to beat – which I was nowhere close to having ready when her event first launched. Fast forward a few months, and finally her event has returned for a second time.

I wasn’t sure if my Separatist toons were geared enough to beat the event – but after a bit of trial and error with different team members, I finally beat the fifth level of the event – which is the minimum required to unlock her!

Now to get back to work gearing my Separatist toons so I’m ready to beat the harder levels when the event returns – I want to get Padme’ geared up and ready to join my high level squads.

I’ll have to wait for the event to return in order to try and beat the 6th and 7th levels to get Padme’ to 7 stars/maximum level, but in the mean time having her unlocked means I can start working on her gear. I already have a reasonable Galactic Republic squad, so I’m happy to finally have Padme’ Amidala to lead them into battle!

Screenshots sourced from and belong to Star Wars Galaxy Of Heroes.

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Today is the 17th anniversary of the release of Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones – a movie that has a special place in our personal story. This promotional banner for Attack of the Clones was the collectible behind the first time Kristy and I met in person. A meeting that took place on Valentine’s Day, no less.

The 150cm x 280cm vinyl banner is an advertising banner originally displayed in an Auckland, New Zealand cinema complex, and also used to promote the movie at Auckland Armageddon Expo in 2003. The banner features Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, with the teaser poster tagline ‘A Jedi Shall Not Know Anger. Nor Hatred. Nor Love.’

I was selling it on behalf of a friend, and Kristy was the keen buyer of this collectible. We’d made arrangements for Kristy to pick it up at an SWNZ swap meet, which happened to fall on 14th of February 2004 (they swap meet was originally set to take place on the 7th of February, but had to be re-scheduled due to booking conflicts at the venue).

Although we’d known of each other beforehand, through the SWNZ community, and had talked on the topic of Star Wars many times, that Star Wars memorabilia transaction was our first meeting. It was not entirely coincidental that an encounter based on a poster of Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker ultimately paved the way to our engagement at Villa Balbianello, in Italy, the Episode II location where Padmé and Anakin’s wedding scene was filmed.

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This Legacy Collection carded figure has a slightly unusual history behind it – it was not formally released. Apparently, the story goes that it was part of a planned release to celebrate the theatrical release of Attack Of The Clones in 3D (following on from The Phantom Menace in 3D in 2012). Then Disney bought Lucasfilm, and cancelled the release of the film – and so this figure was unreleased. It showed up through random sources some time later – I was able to track one down via eBay. While I usually uncard my Padme’ Amidala action figures to display together, I have kept this one carded, as has an different history to the rest of the Padme’ Amidala figures (the action figure itself is the same as the Black Series 3 3/4″ #01 figure, released in 2013).

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It is always exciting to see Queen Amidala featured in any Star Wars collectible range, so this Queen Amidala mini-bust by Gentle Giant was a must-have. Originally released in 2008, this was part of the short lived ‘Classics’ line of mini busts, which were smaller than the standard/regular Gentle Giant mini busts. Measuring just under 13cm high, the sculpt depicts Queen Amidala in her Red Throne Room Gown, as seen in The Phantom Menace. The bottom of the mini-bust is not numbered, but has a hologram foil sticker that reads ‘Star Wars Classics Queen Amidala Gentle Giant Ltd’.

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In 2009 costume replica company Museum Replicas announced their Star Wars collection, which included Padme’ Amidala’s ‘packing’ outfit from Attack Of The Clones. I was excited to see the custom leather shoes were available to purchase separately from the costume. They aren’t really visible on screen, but I wanted the shoes to wear with Padme’ costumes, and with Padme’ inspired outfits. I love the style, with it’s ‘Coruscant Curve’ design of the heel – you can read more about these shoes here.

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