Living with Boys

For Sunday, I had purchased a J2 photo op, and managed to convince my husband to go in with me by suggesting that he offer to fight Jensen for our Blade. He laughed at that, and mimed an elaborate presentation, as if to say "It's all yours." We agreed that was the better idea. He surprised me that morning by asking me if he should put on his Cain clothes for the photo--though he drew the line at graying up his beard again.

So we entered the photo op room--he in full Cain gear, me in an olive canvas jacket (because I wasn't putting that crinoline on again, thank you very much)--Blade in hand. The room was a large meeting room, and the line went along one wall. Jared, Jensen and Chris the photographer were hidden behind a large backdrop and lighting rig, but, as I noted our first time through a Creation con, the line moved very quickly, and pretty soon it was our turn.

My husband went in first, and shook Jared's and then Jensen's hands, which made Jensen grin. Then he said--"My wife painted this. I'm going to present it to you, and they," looking towards Jared, "are going to try and stop me." Jared said, "Nice!" and put his arm around my shoulder. Which I was not expecting! But hey, if my husband could roll with the situation, so could I.

I happened to be looking down at the Blade in my husband's hand, and then just before the camera click I looked up at Jensen. He had a look in his eye like a small kid about to get the best candy--

And I think that's when I made the face I'm making.

( If you've read this far, you deserve to see the picture! )

It's a project that began in the simple observation that my husband's winter beard was attaining Cain-like proportions, coupled with the fact that I had talked him into attending another Creation SPN Con, this time in Seattle. While I was trying to convince him that a Cain cosplay would be amazing and fun, and he could absolutely pull it off, I started looking around for a First Blade replica. There are a lot of ideas for this out there, from versions that would come completely finished and with a Magnus-worthy stand to some pretty cool DIY ideas, but finally I found what I felt was the perfect combination, from an Etsy store called RoadSoFar, which sells a resin replica of the Blade that I could paint myself. One of my hobbies, before school and then SPN took over my life, was painting miniatures so I had the supplies, though my painting skills were quite rusty. (The little figure I talk about in that early link remains unfinished, btw.) A full scale project like this one was something I had never done. But I ordered the piece and started trying to remember how to do it. Luckily, the owner of the Etsy shop knows his stuff, and he also sent instructions!

( Here's a more detailed look )