Susan’s Book Blog

 I’ve had several requests for tips on how to make a custom Funko Pop so I thought I’d put together a step-by-step tutorial for anyone who’s interested. I’ll be using Simon & Baz as examples but just know they are rather advanced Pop-ery - not all pops are this complicated or difficult. But most of the info below is relevant to any custom pop you may want to make. Even if you're not making Simon & Baz, do read through the entire tutorial as there are relevant tips throughout. Leave a comment below if you have any questions or requests for anything you want to see that I haven’t included here.  ❤ ❤ ❤ STUFF YOU’LL NEED Paper towels Cups that fit a funko pop inside (one cup per funko pop) Boiling hot water Acrylic paints & paint brushes (if painting is required) Optional but recommended: Box cutter/X-acto knife Super glue (the gel kind, *not* the liquid) Toothpicks (helpful for small detail paint work & clean-up) Matte Finish spray Here's the Pops I'm working w...

Just a reminder that this beauty is published TODAY!! Buy it, borrow it, request it at your local library.  (Read my review  HERE! ) So This is Ever After by F.T. Lukens ❦  ❦  ❦ Carry On meets Arthurian legend in this funny, subversive young adult fantasy about what happens after the chosen one wins the kingdom and has to get married to keep it…and to stay alive. Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler. So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next. As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower. Except that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a ...

Now that the book is one day away from being released, it’s time to unveil my pop-ified versions of four of its characters. Let me know what you think! Below are the mock-ups I made depicting how I wanted them to look and the excerpts from the book that I based them on. I think they actually turned out quite similar to my plans. I'm very happy with them. I think Arek could be improved upon a bit but honestly I found a very good deal on one particular pop that I was considering using for his body so I couldn't pass it up. It had his brown boots and his big sword, after all. ;) Occasionally I get questions about how I made them or which pops I used so here are the mock-ups again with each individual Funko Pop that I used to construct each character. (I'll be posting a step-by-step photo tutorial on how I make them soon, for those interested.)     So what do you think? Yay? Nay? For me, these are especially fun to do because you can create your own vision of the characters. Th...

We all have our favorite books and series and characters, and one of mine is the Simon Snow series by Rainbow Rowell. It’s a trilogy she just finished up last year and it’s been remarkably popular since the very first book. It’s funny and touching and magical. I’ve gathered my entire Carry On collection for a family portrait for an IG hashtag challenge and thought I’d share the pics here as well. Rowell’s publisher has done something very clever with these books and that is to publish (and REpublish) them with different covers, in special exclusive limited editions, and with new added bonus content. So OF COURSE WE KEEP BUYING THEM. Or at least I do. (We’re not made of money out here, Rainbow.)  I’ve been very lucky that I’ve been able to preorder or find for resale the Waterstones versions with the beautiful floral sprayed edges that mimic Baz’s suit he wore on the cover of Wayward Son. Those are hands down my absolute favorites. They are my BAYBEEZ.  I’ve even been able to l...