“Geeks on a Mission” is a new Anomalous Musings blog series. Every week, I’ll introduce you to another intriguing blog or podcast. Be sure to check these geeks out!

The Nifty Nerd. She’s a Geek on a Mission…

Today we’re talking to our new friend Jessica, from The Nifty Nerd! I met Jessica on the Female Geek Blogger’s Google Plus Community and eventually through Twitter. Her site is really cool.

Can you tell our readers about The Nifty Nerd?

The Nifty Nerd is a hobby blog I run by myself in my free time. My aim it to fuse geek passions & nerd culture with classic style. I cover any and all fandoms with nerdy DIY craft projects, cosplay tutorials and tips, fandom inspired cooking recipes, home decor, and general geekiness. My goal is to be geek chic, fun, and inspirational.

How did you get started?

It was more by happenstance that The Nifty Nerd was born. I had graduated from college and couldn’t find work in my field. I had just moved into my boyfriend’s apartment and was looking for both additional experience to build up my resume and purposeful ways to fill my week days. One day, while crafting nerd decor for our apartment (I grew up loving arts & crafts), it donned on me that I could build a website and share my ideas with others (aka fill my days with something “useful”) . Since my college degree was in marketing, I figured I could use my knowledge in internet marketing to promote my website (aka gain experience for my resume). So I set up my website, started a blog, and opened an Etsy shop to support my efforts and bring in some income -it was the perfect solution to the situation I was in!

Do you have any favorite Nifty Nerd DIY projects?

This question is a tough one; especially since I have a long list of exciting projects ideas on my blog to-do list that I have yet to start/share yet. If I were to pick a project I’ve already done on my blog, it’d probably be my fandom-themed collage silhouettes made from both comic books and chapter books.

It was a fun, easy, and very geek chic project that I love having on my walls. The runner up would probably be the Legend of Zelda and Super Mario themed snowflakes I made.  They’re a little out of season at the moment, but I had a lot of fun designing the patterns when I made them.

What should newbie nerd crafters keep in mind when planning and beginning a project?

Every craft material has a learning curve. If you’re new to using it, give yourself some time to experiment and test with it. I remember using Worbla, the thermoplastic, for the first time. Yes I got frustrated (have patience!), but I also learned a lot. b. Research is your friend. The more you know about materials and processes, the better things will go. c. It WILL take longer than you think; don’t get discouraged or give up. The process makes the end result that much more rewarding!

What is your favorite crafting medium? Fabric? Paper? Food? :)

While food is good and paper can be fun, I’d have to go with option D/E ;-) -foam or worbla. The versatility of these items is fantastic. I will say that fabric is my dream goal. Learning how to sew better is on my to-do list!

Which character would you cosplay on a $15 budget?

Can I one-up that? I’ve already cosplayed the Pokemon, squirtle, for only $5! I made the costume out of a plastic tablecloth, a dish towel, a pool noodle, a ball cap, and a hanging plant basket. My additional materials included tape and glue for construction plus a black marker.

Do any specific properties or genres inspire your projects? Why?

I’ll be honest -all fandoms inspire my projects. I love books, video games, anime, gaming, movies, and more. They all have so many different motifs, characters, and lands…how could I limit myself?! Of course, some of my biggest influences come from my favorite loves; Lord of the Rings, Hayao Miyazaki animations, Nintendo…

If you could travel to any fictional universe and live there, where would you go? What skillz would you have?

Only one fictional universe? Then I’d probably have to go with Middle Earth. I’d like to reside in The Shire or one of the elven realms. I’d be a skilled warrior in both sword and bow and I’d know multiple languages….so, more or less, a female Aragorn? :-)

You are hosting a Christmas party and can invite three characters to attend with all your friends and family. Who would you choose? Why?

1. Eowyn from Lord of the Rings. In a nutshell, she’s a BA chick who wields a sword, yet is eloquent and refined.
2. Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus. So this one’s a random throwback to my childhood. “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy” …A Christmas party with the Frizz would be entertaining and educational to say the least.
3. Tough to narrow it down with only one spot left…perhaps Crowley from Supernatural. A bit unconventional, but he’s sure to keep things interesting with his mannerisms and sense of humor…I’ll just have to make sure he doesn’t cajole his way into a deal with any of my friends or family.

Do you use Pinterest? Do you have any boards that you would recommend to our readers?

I do use Pinterest. The Female Geek Bloggers board is a fun one. I’m part of a group of great geeky females on Google. This board is a compilation of pins from all the members, so you get lots of fun, nerdy content on a regular basis. I also enjoy my General Geekiness board. It’s my misc. board until I have a enough pins to create a newly themed board. The fandoms and topics are pretty fun and interesting here too.

Thanks for talking with us Jessica! Hope to meet you in person some day!