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Category: Arts & Crafts

Finally, An Easter Wreath 🐰🥕💐

As you may know, I love to craft holiday wreaths! The prospect of creating one for Easter was always alluring given the color scheme and icons of the season. So when my Mom asked for one, I had the motivation I needed to pull it off. I gathered supplies and Read more…


Into the Desert Wilderness🌵
On the Road

Though I needed the Kelso Dunes in the Mojave Desert for a backdrop of a special photoshoot, I only stayed briefly. But these hours were my initiation into the road, an offering to wild time… time that exists outside the constructs of tedium-impractical, untainted, and because of these, unsustainable. Its Read more…


V.V. Holidaze 2022:
The Tree is Up! 🎄

I, like many, are welcoming in the Holiday season. My beloved vintage tree has been decked and trimmed and now the whirlwind of end of year activities begins. I needed to pick up some cheap garland from the discount store. They asked if I needed a bag and said, No, Read more…


September Brooklyn Outtakes {Mostly Pictorial}

Treats hand-off Apologies for tons of selfies, but it has been a while since I cared to dress well. This pistachio chocolate chip cookie from Yard Sale is a new tradition. Merry Merfolk prep Currants I always send him the morning sky. Pad Thai, all the time Fall. Blending in. Read more…


My First Merry Merfolk Parade🌊🧜‍♀️🦪
at the Maritime Festival
Greenport, New York

We were very excited to finally join Long Island’s Merry Merfolk Parade, part of the Annual Maritime Festival in Greenport. The celebration and parade is on a smaller scale than Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade (with a limit of 60 participants), but it is with a serious mission: to raise awareness Read more…


🌊🧜‍♀️🦪Goodbye Mermaid Season {2022}

With only a couple of mermaid shoots this season, I promise more crafted pieces (and shoots) once I gather more seashells. To tide us over (hehe), some of the pretty pictures of the mermaids of 2022.


Vegan Victuals Goes to Spain 🇪🇸
Palau de la Música

Barcelona’s Palau de la Música is drop-dead gorgeous. It is in the style of Art Nouveau and, astonishingly, was constructed 1905 through 1908. It is a World Heritage Site determined by UNESCO, which is a big deal. I just had to see its decorative combination sculpture, mosaic, stained glass and ironwork… Read more…


Vegan Victuals Goes to Spain 🇪🇸
Antoni Gaudí

Architect Antoni Gaudí is a big deal in Barcelona and beyond. Known as God’s architect, his unfinished masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia, was intended to be a 20th century cathedral. And like most cathedrals it has been in active construction for centuries. Of all the Gaudí structures about Barcelona, I chose Read more…


Vegan Victuals Goes to Spain 🇪🇸
Museo Nacional del Prado

There are certain line-ups that are pleasant. Being on a long line of folks who want to look at art is one of them. Every Friday Museo Nacional del Prado is free between the hours of 6pm and 8pm, when they close. And even spending 2 minutes gazing upon the Read more…


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

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…


🧜🏻‍♀️🌊mermaid 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!


🧜🏻‍♀️🌊mermaid 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…


🧜🏻‍♀️🌊mermaid 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…


🧜🏻‍♀️🌊mermaid 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 🧜‍♀️🐚

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 🧜‍♀️🐟🐡 {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 ☀️
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…