GameCraft: Painting Sneakers

On this edition of GameCraft we'll teach you how to decorate your own canvas sneakers with basically anything (but preferably sweet video game references).

Here's what you'll need:
- A pair of canvas sneakers (Vans, Converse, Keds, etc.)
- Some acrylic paint
- Few different sizes of paintbrushes
- Pencil
- Sharpies

 1. Pick out what you want to draw on your sneakers and sketch it out with the pencil to make sure you make the most of the space. I'd recommend doing something on the toe and heel (they offer the most room).

2. Optional: Paint a background. It makes the actual image go on smoother - but isn't necessary (You can see in my pictures I did both one with a background and one without).

3. Paint your picture with acrylic paint. Remember acrylic paints allow you to layer different colors, so be patient and keep adding colors.

4. Outline picture with black sharpie.

5. Let it dry and enjoy your new geeky shoes!

Have fun crafting!

LadySnip3r

GameCraft: Game Room Decorating

This particular GameCraft isn't necessarily a craft, but it is a project. After reading an article on Kotaku about game room decorating, I thought I should post some do's and don'ts of arranging your nerdy collection.

 Do: Leave out game collectibles. 
If you're a passionate gamer, show it! Display your collection for all to see, but...

Don't: Display game collectibles anywhere but game room
You don't really want to stare at your action figures while eating breakfast, now do you?

Do: Use space vertically
Don't just put your statues, guns, etc. on bookcases, put em on the wall. Use hooks to safely attach collectibles to the wall. Just be careful not to scratch anything.

Don't: Put your valuable collectibles in a busy area
Make sure they're out of the way of children, clumsy people, and anything else hazardous to them.

Do: Frame important posters
This one took me a while to start doing, but it's worth it. Let's say you get a sweet collectible poster for a game. You pin it up and in about a year, it looks like crap. If you really want a nice, well-maintained game room, just frame it. It's super cheap at Michaels.

Don't: Use collectible game boxes for everyday play
If you get a limited edition of a game, chances are that it came in a collectible box. It's a pain to get games out of these boxes, so to save time and to protect the sweet box it came in, simply transfer the disc to a plain game box. You can buy a pack of these at Best Buy for around $3.

Do: Get a comfy couch (or two)
You'll be sitting on your butt a lot in this room, might as well invest in a nice couch. Plus, you always want some room for co-op buddies to hangout.

Don't: Make the room overwhelming for non-gamers
Keep it simple. If you display all of your collectibles, don't buy a Gears of War snuggie for your couch. Remember, this is a room first and foremost, so be sure to treat it like one. You want everyone (Gamers and non-gamers) to be comfortable hanging out there.

and most importantly,
Don't: Be worried about what people think of your game room
It's your room and it should reflect you. You'll spend the most time there, so make sure it fits your personality and interests.

I hope these tips help with some game room decor. If you've got a sweet game room or space, post some pics! It's always great to see some new inspiration.

Happy decorating!

As Always,
LadySnip3r

PS. Speaking of game rooms, myself and two other snip3rs (ShadowSnip3r and DarkSnip3r) have started a tumblr account documenting our video game collection. We're really into collecting rare video game pieces and want to share them with you! You can check it out at http://snip3rstash.tumblr.com/

GameCraft: Etched Shot Glasses

I bought this set of very plain, very boring shot glasses from Marshalls a while back and whenever we use them, everyone forgets whose glass is whose. So we decided to do a fun project and etch the glasses with our favorite video game logos.

We used ArmorEtch which can be bought at Michaels for about $15. I know it's pretty pricey, but this little bottle goes a long way - and trust me, once you etch one thing, you'll want to do every glass item you own. We also bought Martha Stewart Adhesive Stencil Paper to create our stencils, but you could easily use paper and tape. The entire project cost around $30 (glasses, ArmorEtch, Stencils) and only took about 30 minutes.

First, we chose a logo that was relatively simple and printed it. We then cut it out onto the Stencil Paper with an Exacto knife. Next, we stuck the stencil on the glass. Be sure to smooth out any bubbles. We painted on the ArmorEtch with a small paintbrush and waited. Now the bottle says wait 5 -10 minutes, and we found out the hard way that it's not enough. I'd recommend waiting 10 - 15 minutes. Also be sure to paint the ArmorEtch on evenly.
Lastly, rinse your glass off with water and voila!

Gears of War Cog

Not necessarily nerdy, but Angels & Airwaves Logo

Tri-Force

Tips
- As mentioned above, paint on evenly and very thick!
- Choose a logo that it's simple and has a good combination of both positive and negative space. Once you cut out your logo, look at it against a window to see how the finished product will look.
- I'd also recommend doing a practice run to get the hangs of things. You can pick up a cheap glass at a thrift store, usually for less than a dollar, to try it out on. 

Happy Crafting!

As Always,
LadySnip3r

GameCraft: Portal Companion Cube Pillow

GameCraft is a new segment on Assassionista with fun tutorials on how to make super nerdy, super awesome video game crafts. If you have any gaming tutorials you'd like to share, please contact me at ladysnip3r@assassionista.com.

I made this cute pillow for my friend Nick's birthday. He's a huge Portal fan, so I knew that I wanted to give him something Portal-y. I was inspired by a similar pillow I found on Etsy (it's no longer there to show), and decided to take it upon myself to make one!

I bought grey fleece at Wal-mart and some darker grey and pink felt pieces at Michaels. I found I used about a yard of fabric for the pillow base and about 2 dark grey pieces and 1 pink piece of felt. I started by measuring out my square pillow. I essentially just used a ruler to make sure all sides were even, than doubled it to create a rectangle. I marked the fold position with a pencil and began to cut out my felt pieces. I made a heart out of pink (easy enough) and used several plates to trace out the dark grey circle and lines. I hand stitched the entire pillow but I'd definitely recommend using a sewing machine for the edges. Remember to turn the pillow inside out while sewing the edges - that way the stitches are hidden! I stuffed the pillow with stuffing and hand sewed the hole I used to stuff.

All in all the pillow took me about 1 hour to complete and it wasn't too hard - this coming from someone who barely knows how to sew. I'd totally recommend it as a fun project, that really looks great when finished.

Tips
- Don't use foam stuffing. I did and it made a mess. It kept sticking to the fleece. I'd definitely avoid this next time I make one.
- Use something light to mark where you're going to cut, you don't any dark lines on the pillow!

Happy Crafting!

As Always,
LadySnip3r