As one Massachusetts school administrator recently said; this moment with AI is remarkably like the moment when we were introduced to asbestos. Yes, it had some remarkably promising characteristics – fireproofing! – and had some real utility in science, research, and industrial applications. But a profit-driven industry bullied us into inserting it everywhere; into our homes and schools and public spaces, before we really understood the risks. This resulted in decades, if not centuries, of illness, injuries, deaths, and the astronomical financial burden of trying to remove the stuff. As you, the leaders and policymakers in our schools, craft an AI policy for our district, we the undersigned call on you to: 1. Ban AI tools into the classroom, protect our students and teachers from de-skilling and allow them the space and time to engage in assignments themselves. 2. Resist any direct financial relationship or contracts with AI providers, as well as the “training” they might offer. 3. Provide a digital literacy curriculum to help students navigate the current digital landscape, and promote critical engagement with technology. 4. Guarantee that anywhere generative AI has already entered our classrooms or curriculum, an opt-out will allow students and teachers to refuse the use of these products at no risk to their grades, progress or employment.

Love to see community action against this AI nonsense! neighborhoodview.org/2025/11/13/d...

The main reason for the pause was that I couldn’t decide how to finish/trim the dress. In 2020, I decided to cut off the overdress straps entirely (replaced w/ ribbons), & added a lace overlay to the underdress in line with the coronation dress. Photos (w/flash) show before (2) & finished (2). 2/2

My 3rd cosplay was also my 10th/11th(ish), since tho I started it in 2009, I didn’t work on it for over 10 years, & then finished it in 2020. It’s yet another variant, but this time of Arwen: a gold version of her coronation dress, which I call her wedding dress. #sewing #lotr #cosplay 1/2

The first two photos are from autumn 2008 when it was in progress & then finished. The last three photos are from autumn 2024 where I wore it again (ripped an upper arm seam swinging my sword around 😅). 3/3

The whole thing took me several months to make, & there’s also a bunch of issues with it that I want to fix so I can wear it more often (add panels so can have seam allowance so it’s not too tight, add lining, redo the weird skirt attachment for the panel/underskirt, fix the lumpy seams). 2/3

I’m planning to upgrade this one soon - mostly use the extra fabric to make it looser in the torso & upper arms (my seam allowance was about 1/4” which was a bad idea, & one of the upper arm seams ripped when I wore it in 2024), but to also unpick & fix some of the weird sewing for the skirt/lining

My second cosplay was a color variant of Éowyn’s green dress (sensing a theme here?) w/a few other changes. I made the collar piece removable via snaps, & made some arm ties of the same batik as the skirt+sleeve lining; the arbor photos are from 2008; the tree from 2024. Still a favorite 🥰

The errors:
- using stretch black spandex knit
- rolling the inside of the seams: super bulky + completely unnecessary for a knit
- not hemming/reinforcing the neckline
- completely winging it with zero pattern use and zero idea how clothes are made
- messy stitching

#sewingProblems #LiveAndLearn

“Alas, not me, lord!" she said. "Shadow lies on me still. Look not to me for healing! I am a shieldmaiden and my hand is ungentle.” - Tolkien (ROTK)

My 1st me-made cosplay was a comedy of errors (see my reply), but I was so proud of myself for making “shadow Éowyn”

#lotr #eowyn #sewing #cosplay

Yes I’m using a nerf toy for a bow and a bath towel (held together with a hair elastic) for a cloak. “Gandalf the White” is using my own staff and another towel as a cloak (the flashlight is for the “blinding light” in Fangorn) and “Aragorn” is wearing a tunic made from a pillowcase (I think).

“A cosplayer is never late, Frodo Baggins. We post exactly when we mean to!” - Gandalf, probably

My cosplay journey started w/doing a spoof skit of the LOTR movies w/my friends (w/our own ending for ROTK since it wasn’t released yet). Legolas was my 1st closet cosplay.
#lotr #cosplay #originStory

We just wanted to take a moment to thank all our new supporters! Tomorrow, there will be more of us!

“What grace has given me, let it pass to him… let him be spared.”-Arwen

✨Cosplay made and modeled by me; Luthien wig by @ardawigs.bsky.social
✨Photography by The Husband

#arwen #LordOfTheRings #cosplay #cosplayer #sewing #handmade #costume #fantasy #LOTR #MiddleEarth #winter #snow #velvet
#dress

Silhouette's favourite fabric stores! Silhouette published a post on Ko-fi

I made a lil blog post about my fave fabric stores! Some of these are well known, some less so, but these are places I look for my materials!

(You do NOT need to be a ko-fi member to view this one! Public post for everyone ☺️)

Finding a few moments of peace in this chaotic world… at golden hour in a snowy forest.

✨Cosplay made/modeled by me (yes that’s my hair not a wig 🤣)
✨Photography by The Husband

#cosplay #winter #LordOfTheRings #elf #costume #sewing #cosplayer #fantasy #princess #cosplaymaker #snow

IT'S ACCOUNTABILITY O'CLOCK. WATCH THIS SPACE.

Conversely, why have 'good guys' become so cringe, so unrelatable, so one-note? Bc 'good guys' are historically portrayed as rule-followers. Law-abiders. Both-sides-ers. For the last few decades, that means that the 'good guys' end up defending the same broken system *that produces the villains.*

It started snowing around 5pm today, and the sun had set - so what better time to get more Snow Queen photos? ❄️
✨Cosplay made/modeled by me; Luthien wig from @ardawigs.bsky.social
✨Photography by The Husband; no edits
#winter #snow #cosplay #handmade #sewing #costume #fantasy #SnowQueen #fae

Mike Pence just reposted an old article he wrote about the limitations on the powers of a president. For some reason. Here is a part of it.

Is anyone surprised that the attacker in Sweden was a neofascist?

When are we going to wake up&treat domestic terrorism from neofascists the same as Islamic terrorists?

If an imam called for terror in a mosque, he'd have the police at his door.

So should the damn fascisr podcasters
&politicos.

PVC Pipe Connectors with Twist Locks [3D Print Files] Elevate your cosplay with PVC Pipe Connectors with Twist Locks [3D Print Files] by DangerousLadies.

Another major update to our PVC pipe-connecting twist locks files! This file set now includes a version with far less tolerance that is super tight, and a screw version that can print without any supports. dangerousladies.ca/products/pvc...

Hope y’all aren’t tired of Arwen in the snow… it was too pretty - even if too cold - to not get photos of several cosplays that day❄️

✨Cosplay made/modeled by me; wig is Luthien by @ardawigs.bsky.social
✨Photography by The Husband

#LOTR #cosplay #winter #arwen #sewing #handmade #cosplayer #snow

Thank you so much!!

Awww thank you so much!! 🥰 Though the snow was lovely scenery, it was quite chilly (20F not counting wind chill 🤣) so he was in full winter gear for the 15 minutes or so we were getting photos

Thank you!! He’s a gem, and enjoys honing his photography skills 🥰

Arwen in a snowstorm ❄️
(…snow falling off tree branches, anyway… taking advantage of a recent snowfall)

✨Arwen cranberry dress cosplay made/modeled by me; wig by @ardawigs.bsky.social
✨Photography by The Husband

#LOTR #LordOfTheRings #Arwen #fantasy #cosplay #sewing #CosplayMaker #winter #snow

Superman poster from 1950s. He is talking to school kids saying ...AND REMEMBER, BOYS AND GIRLS, YOUR SCHOOL - LIKE OUR COUNTRY-IS MADE UP OF AMERICANS OF MANY DIFFERENT RACES. RELIGIONS AND NATIONAL ORIGINS. 50... ..if YOU hear anybody talk against a schoolmate or anyone else because of his religion, race or national origin-don't wait: tell him THAT KIND OF TALK IS UN-AMERICAN.

Hey America. Just saying.

Actual pro tip: the best way to break into any creative profession is by helping to support and advance other creators. Your peers are not your adversaries. They are your support group.

“I thought this was ai at first” is not the compliment some people think it is. I’ve gotten a few of these lately and I am over it.

“Your hours of skill and creativity look like a machine spat them out” is one of the least flattering things I have ever heard, actually! 😬

AI cannot do what I do.

Friends, PLEASE do not feel like a bad person because you have tattoos based on works where the creator turned out to be a monster after inking. Harry Potter meant something to you. Sandman meant something to you. Firefly meant something to you. You will never find judgement from me on that front ❤️‍