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Category: Arts & Crafts

Apex Surplus
▢️ Buttons to Push Buttons ▢️

On my Los Angeles list was a stop at Apex Surplus, a “museum” (to me at least) of industry and histechnology (I made that up.) It was an odd excursion I guess, but I really like the look of vintage machinery. Though the coolest goodies are reserved for serving as Read more…


Mermaid of Lake Ontario (2022)

When I saw this rock at Chimney Bluffs State Park in April, I knew I would be returning for a sunset mermaid shoot. And though there were more clouds during our eventual visit, the subtle sunset proved to be perfect for the shoot I had dreamed up in my mind. Read more…


Where My Fairies At? 🧚

Fairy tops are a new favorite craft. They’re so much lighter and faster than a mermaid top… a different kind of collage. And because of the fairy tops, I’ve been using this ridiculous filter. I was excited to try it ou on my first fairy shoot. But first, the couch. Read more…


The Mermaid Parade 2022
Coney Island, Brooklyn

After a two-year in-person hiatus, finally the Mermaid Parade returned to Coney Island, Brooklyn! That meant I need to transform into a mermaid… starting with my hair. Well, I suppose it was mostly not my hair. But it sure made me want to grow it out! Now if my hair Read more…


πŸ§œπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸŒŠmermaid season ’22
Basking in Mermaid Excitement

My first merman piece! I’m making a lot of crowns Trying on the accessories… Since there’s no try-on room Trying to decide what top to wear! This crown needs some repairing To uncomfortable to march in but I can still admire them Can’t wait till next week!


πŸ§œπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸŒŠmermaid season ’22 Some New Mermaid Items {Pictorial}


Shelling at Great Kills Park 🐚
Gateway Recreation Area

After seeing the seashelled shores of Staten Island’s Great Kills Park during my mermaid shoot I knew I’d have to get back soon. With my supplies running low and the weather perfect, I spent the afternoon picking up a great selection of goodies. Some seclusion was just what I wanted.. Read more…


πŸ§œπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸŒŠmermaid season ’22
The First Mermaid Shoot
Great Kills Beach, Staten Island

It’s that time of year again! Time to recruit models for my new tops. To start, a reliable mermaid who has sat for several shoots last year. She scouted this location–Great Kills Beach on Staten Island, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and we set a sunset date. The Read more…


πŸ§œπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸŒŠmermaid season ’22
Crafting & Cupcakes

It’s time to get ready for this year’s Mermaid Parade! The first in several years, I’m really excited to be part of it. That means I need something to wear… and so does the rest of Team Algae Bra! SO I’ll keep working on this top because I really enjoy Read more…


Spring Break Decay-tion
Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

Part of my personal roadtrip philosophy is the belief that at the start of any roadtrip you have to pay some dues to the road up front… to indebt yourself to it, prove yourself worthy of its plentiful fruits. This usually entails an immediate long drive with minimal stops after Read more…


Getting Back Into Crafting
Mermaid Season 2022 πŸ§œβ€β™€οΈπŸš

I’m happy to be mermaid crafting again. Besides freeing up space by utilizing my stash of seashells, I am excited to be using some new bases for my shell collage: Thick-banded plus sized bras for a more sturdy top. So much surface area! This top has great shells, but looks Read more…


Vegan in Fairbanks, Alaska
Ice Art Park {Pictorial}


🧚My Second Fairy Top🧚

Since I need a friend to fairy it up with, a special birthday gift… my second fairy top. Let us get to dewy forest in the Spring quickly to don our wares!


The First Fairy Top 🧚

If I had a dime for every blog post I started with “I’m really excited…” I would be a rich lady able to do even more exciting things! But… I‘m really excited about this fairy top… and the prospect of making others to appeal to a whole other subculture of Read more…


V.V. Holidaze:
Vintage Christmas Love

Vintage holiday shoots are my fave. I get to test out different ideas that accrue all year in my photo-obsessed brain. And one day, when I am running my own vintage shoot photography business, I’ll shoot someone other than myself. For now, I’ll do. And these real vintage ladies. Curlers. Read more…


Mermaid Update πŸ§œβ€β™€οΈπŸŸπŸ‘ {2021}

Despite creating a ton of new tops and shooting them on a slew of wonderful mermaid models, I have decided not to vend at MerMagi Con this year after all. I won’t bore you with the details, but the ease of my rolling over my reservation to next year helped Read more…


California Desert Adventure β˜€οΈ
Borrego Springs (Night)

Last time I was in Borrego Springs in February of 2020, it was the trial of my then-new camera base. Since then I have discovered that the settings were way off when I did my night shoot, resulting in disappointing shots. This time, much more exciting and dynamic shots near Read more…


California Desert Adventure β˜€οΈ
East Jesus in Slab City

Off-season in Slab City is like a Ghost Town. We drove through the self-sufficient community of wanderers out of curiosity and found our way to the sculpture park East Jesus, impressed by their fascinating display of art installations. I will leave their interpretation up to you, because: Art. Things to Read more…


California Desert Adventure β˜€οΈ
Salvation Mountain

Leonard Knight’s Salvation Mountain has a simple statement: God is Love. Apparently this message is best conveyed with bright colorful paint upon the area’s pale stone, local adobe clay and other such happenstance canvases. Entering the Dr. Suessian land you can feel the urgency of Knight’s saved soul even if Read more…


California Desert Adventure β˜€οΈ
Bombay Beach

It was this stop that began this whole desert itinerary. Bombay Beach, California–an abandoned resort town turned artist community next to the Salton Sea, which I just told you about. To follow, a gallery of images from our visit.


California Desert Adventure β˜€οΈ
The Salton Sea

In short, the Salton Sea is an ecological anomaly, proof that sometimes Nature can create the conditions to kill itself despite its characteristic web of interconnected purpose. Then, add some human error and you get a full-blown environmental catastrophe… millions of dead fish and wildlife and a mass exodus of Read more…


Mermaid Excursions🐚
Mermaid Season 2021 πŸ§œπŸ½β€β™€οΈπŸ‘

I got the whole world in my bag. Getting ready with pretty pastel wigs. Green Driving while mermaid… en route to a beautiful spot There was no horizon as the sky and sea merged A perfect haze Green-velvet covered rocks would be our thrones Baby mermaid feet A little mermaid Read more…


Cosmic Nature πŸ”΄ πŸ”΄ πŸ”΄
New York Botanical Garden

Wanting to catch Yayoi Kusama’s Cosmic Nature art installation throughout New York Botanical Garden‘s beautiful grounds, I took a quick trip to the New York City borough I am in least often… The Bronx. With Spring’s blooms in effect and warm weather, the winding paths were bustling with life. It Read more…


Making Mermaid🐚
Mermaid Season 2021 πŸ§œπŸ½β€β™€οΈπŸ‘

I am going full speed ahead with mermaid crafting, excited that the forecast is looking better for in-person mermaid events. Though I am trying to make a range of styles, I always wind up making exactly the top I want to make. This was the most different one yet. Love Read more…


Let’s Shell-ebrate! 🐚
It’s Mermaid Season 2021 πŸ§œπŸ½β€β™€οΈπŸ‘

Spring is Summer’s first step… and it is also the official start of my Mermaid Season. Even though I’ve been crafting for weeks (months? I am not even sure…) in hopes to have a fully stocked space at MerMagicCon, I am happy to report a new wave of excitement now Read more…


Pretty Pictures of Mermaid Tasks

After learning that I had been approved to sell my mermaid wares at the largest Mermaid Convention in the world, I had a lot of work to do! Thankfully my school recess travel plans had to be cancelled because of the weather and my days could be devoted to getting Read more…