2017 in Review

I always like looking back on my year to see how I've grown or improved. It never seems like much until you really sit down and list your accomplishments or scroll through your social media feed. 2017 was no exception. I feel truly accomplished and like I've leveled up so many skills!

Costumes
In 2017 I made EIGHT new cosplays. That's on par with 2016 but I feel like I've learned much. I sewed new things - including a fitted top without a pattern. I even used a pattern for the first time to sew my first bodysuit! I made worbla AND EVA foam armor, and I even pushed some boundaries by doing boudoir inspired and swimsuit cosplay.

I also made a commission piece, and was sponsored a costume for review. The commission opened doors to pepakura builds, and using resin as a hardener. The sponsored costume enlightened me that not all costumes are made equally. Heh.

As I always do, I did several closet cosplays. Both in my #socsbawus group and my 13 days of Halloween challenge. In total, I created 23 different looks using only items from my closet!

That's a total of 33 looks this year!! Holy!

Conventions
Since living in Kamloops, my con count has gone way down. As there's no local cons I'm required to travel and plan in advance every event I want to go to. In 2017 I was able to attend Emerald City Comic Con, Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, and Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo! A lonely three cons, but they were all jam packed with awesomeness.

I got to meet my long distance cos-bae AND cosplay with Fairchild Cosplay at Emerald City. I got to stay with cos-friends, enter the costume contest, and have a well needed con vaca during Calgary Expo. Edmonton Expo will always hold a special place in my heart. It's home, and I get to see friends and family. I got to cosplay with my Shelley Elise cosplay again, and entered the costume contest again.

Goals
I had some goals I wrote out at the beginning of 2017 and while some succeeded, others did not!

My big fails were using SEO on my blog posts, and using a social media scheduler to be more consistent. I did not have the time or focus to learn to do either of these. I knew there would be a lot of upkeep and I'd rather be doing other things.

Some successful goals I completed included getting my own domain, monetizing my blog, and having some sponsored content. I also came to realize that I don't so much like affiliate programs. I also invested in a second hand DSLR camera which makes photo shoots way more professional and high quality. And bless my ever-loving boyfriend for always being willing to brave the elements and strange glances of the public for the sake of sweet photos.

One last goal was to keep track of all my receipts and expenses for the year so I could claim my income AND expenses as an online business. It's very important to hold onto your receipts as proof for your expenses. It's also VERY important to claim your income (patreon, prints, etc) at tax time to avoid being audited. It's the law after all!

I did really well with this and I think I set a good habit for coming years. All of my goals were fairly achievable, it was just a matter of what I wanted to focus on as the year progressed.

Social Media
My social media goals were a little far fetched. To be fair, my growth this year was not as rapid as past years.
Facebook: Started with 482, my goal was 1000, ended with 738.
Twitter: Started with 291, my goal was 600, ended with 370.
Instagram: Started with 6688, my goal was 15,000, ended with 8900.
Youtube: Started with 66, my goal was 22, ended with 156.

Blog
I let the blog slip a bit near the end of the year, and I told myself that was okay. I had been unemployed so juggling a new job and a bog twice a week was a bit much. This year will be a bit less structured as well and will feature content as it becomes available!

My top 5 posts of 2017 were:
2018 Geeky Planner
Why I *Probably* Won't Cosplay Harley Quinn Again
How I Made my Jasmine Blood Elf Cosplay
Uniqso Circle Lens Review
What's so Wrong with Sexy Cosplay?

Thanks so much for the good times this year! Without you, all these adventures are virtually pointless!