It begins....

So, Dan likes to build things.  No, no.  He HAS to build things.  It's the weirdest thing.  If he doesn't get to create something with his hands, he gets antsy and fidgety and crazy bored.  It had been a few weeks since the Bane project (see, more to blog about!) so I knew the day was coming till I heard him say, "I just gotta make something!"  (And yes, every time I hear him say that I have a Dane Cook moment and think, "I just gotta dance!") But anyway....

I knew he was getting antsy.  I also knew that Star Wars Celebration 6 was coming up.  SWC6 = absolute nerdgasm.  So not only was I crazy excited to go and get my SW nerd on; but I knew this would be a good place for him to go and absorb all the fun fan created works of art.  And it worked.  Enter the R2 builders!

The R2 builders club is one of the most fascinating and kick ass group of people ever.  Not only do these guys and gals build awesome droids for fun, but they do it to make a difference.  One member, with the help of the group, created a pink droid for a very special little girl who had brain cancer. (She got to snuggle R2!)  And now this droid, adorably named R2-KT after Katie Johnson) helps raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation and The Children's Cancer Fund.  Check out their website at www.r2kt.com.  They also take their droids to schools and functions to promote education and science.  Pretty awesome. 

R2-KT

This group is also unique in that they all want to help each other out.  I was amazed at how long we stayed in the R2 builders room at SWC6 just talking.  These guys want to share how they did things, how they accomplished all the hurdles of their builds.  I was told that this is very unlike most people in the effects industry.  We saw one builder had blue prints for his build on his table, so we ask him, "How do we go about getting blueprints, or how much are they?" And he tells us, "They are free on the website!" So yeah, free blueprints + Dan's under stimulated and over creative mind = Our R2 is born.  

We talked about it for about a week before Dan started buying materials.  Once he got the idea in his head, it was all over.  This was in September, so I am a little far behind with the timeline.  (He told me later that he had always thought about building a droid, but a stationary one.  He said I was the "driving force" to make it now and make it move and talk and whatnot.  And how great it would be to have our kids grow up with an R2.  SWOON!)  

This is a picture I stole from Pinterest.  We saw this droid at SWC6 (I wish I knew the builder to give him/her credit!) But come on, how freaking adorable is this?!?!?!  

Pics to come of our build very soon!  I have a whole month of work to catch up on!


If you would like more information on this kick ass group of people, you can visit their site www.astromech.net and check them out.