About Me

SO, I'M MICHELLE, ALSO KNOWN AS SANCTUARY MEMORY. I'VE BEEN COSPLAYING SINCE 2002 AND I AM MOSTLY SELF-TAUGHT. MY GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT ME SOME BASICS AND THEN WHEN I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO MAKE MORE THAN BASIC COSTUMES, I WAS KIND OF LEFT ON MY OWN TO EXPERIMENT. I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT I DON'T KNOW, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW, I THINK I'M PRETTY DECENT AT - WHICH IS MOSTLY GIANT BALL GOWNS, BOW MAKING, GLUING GEMS TO EVERYTHING IN SIGHT, AND HAVING COSTUME DREAMS BIGGER THAN MY SEWING SKILLS. FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME AS A COSPLAYER, I'VE BEEN A SINGULAR PERSON, WITH A FEW DABBLES IN A COUPLE OF GROUPS.
 

I was a talented art student for seven years, so I know a variety of art skills, and my grandparents own a ceramic shop, so I used to compete in ceramic competitions (successfully) as a child.  I have two culinary degrees, so I guess I'm an okay baker. I currently do not work in a bakery though because I was diagnosed with MS in 2009 which limits my ability to work long hours in hot conditions. In high school, I was a JROTC Drill commander for Boys' Unarmed Exhibition, Armed Exhibition, and Boys/Girls Color Guard, so I guess I can be kind of bossy. In my spare time I like to watch movies, pretend I'm still emo and rock climb.

As a cosplayer, I've won a couple awards, including best in show, performance, and best craftsmanship awards. I was also a World Cosplay Summit USA Preliminary 2014 Finalist. My costumes have been featured in several magazines over the years. I've even been on NHK in Japan on a segment on one of the Nola-Japan Earthquake funds around 2011. I've been a judge and panelist in the past, but I've recently set my focus on running the cosplay competitions. I've worked for multiple shows in Louisiana and Texas behind the scenes, putting the contests together. I also have knowledge in Idol Festivals and J-Fashion Shows.
I never really had a good time competing when I was first starting out, and I never wanted anyone else to feel that way, so when I was given the opportunity to improve the contests for other cosplayers and make sure they have the best time possible, I jumped on that - the cosplay community is super important to me.

Other than that, I have two dogs I really love and a husband, and I stay home and try to motivate myself to sew. I absolutely ADORE sleeping and eating. And pink. And idols. And rock climbing. And watching really depressing anime. And talking about "that one time I was in Japan..."