Mermaid Parade, Coney Island, 2010

yesterday Dillon, Alana and I drove to Coney Island to attend the Mermaid Parade (10th year, i believe). all i can say is WOW! we really had a great time. got some sun, had some fun and saw some spectacular costumes. some of the costumes were quite elaborate and impressive. there were all sorts of folks participating as well. The colors were amazing, some groups played music and danced, some were marching bands, lots of people on stilts. and the backdrop of Coney Island couldn't have been any better. i heard there was upwards to 40,000 people there.

if you want to see the individual pictures, from the event, you can see them here on flickr.

finding some fun in all this rain

steampunk class i am working on to teach, here in late aug. or early sept.

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playing in the rain

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due to a mermaid washing ashore, traffic was backed up at exit 98.

things i've been working on.

needs to be added to website (too tired right now to do it!)

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spoon necklace - needs to be added to website

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"fishing widow"

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vintage mermaid w/ her treasures

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here's a fun project. tie dye a vintage slip. then use some fabric spray (tie dye in a bottle @ Micheal's) and stencil on top of the slip skirt.

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while i had the stencil out and it was wet, i used it on this table i bought at a flea market (i repainted it).

back home, but not for long

I am home. got in tonight around 6:30. what a long day! i've unpacked, did my laundry and then repacked again because i leave on Wed. for Artnsoul in Virgina, where i am selling at vendor night. after i return home, whatever jewelry did not sell i will be adding to my new website (finally)! seriously, between the laptop crash, this show and going to cali, i just haven't had the time to work on my website. but it is my # 1 goal upon returning (that and working on some online classes). i received an exciting email while i was away saying my submission to Belle Amoire jewelry had been accepted and will be in the September 2009 issue - yay, clap, clap! (i'm excited)

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here is a class picture from this weekend, hijacked from my new friend and classmate, Julie Prichard. it was a really great group of girls, very laid back, no drama, lots of sharing and caring. we had good food and the company of sweet Gigi who received so much attention. i believe we wore Gigi out! i took so many pictures of Gigi - i feel like a stalker. but every pose Gigi made was adorable, so i couldn't help it. i'm a sucker for cutie patooties! i found it interesting that 4 of the women there (including myself) have special needs children. one of the gals was really cool. her name is Lisa and i overheard her mentioning something, so i called her over and began grilling her. it turns out that Lisa decided to quit her job, get rid of most of her possessions and start living an artful life. she's traveling her car where she sleeps at campgrounds. Suzi's class was the first stop on her interesting adventure. i just think that sounds so fun. i invited her to New Jersey and do hope she takes me up on it. So did anyone see me on the streaming live video that Suzi had going during class? Deidra emailed me and said she saw me when i was wearing my blue mermaid wig!

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after class was over on the 2nd day, anyone who wasn't hitting the road headed to the beach, which was beautiful. perfect conditions: warm, no wind, sunny - it was lovely. from there my cute little friend, Kelly Snelling, called. we had made dinner plans with her and Ruth Rae, so me, Becci and Julie met them for sushi. it was a lovely dinner and the perfect way to end my time in San Diego.

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Patti and i channel our inner mermaids. (i'm a hollywood mermaid with the glam glasses) i made that crown with real shells and it was heavy!

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here is my piece from class. i still have some work to finish up on it. i wasn't getting the whole "shading" concept very well, so need to do more shading on her face before i beeswax the whole surface. oh, and i have to add my words too. i have so many more pictures, but for tonight, i'll leave you with this one of Gigi:

Mermaid hair

I'm flying out to San Diego (Encinatas) on April 22nd to take a 2-day class with Suzi Blu. we are painting mermaids. a few of us have decided to wear colorful mermaid wigs, crowns, bunny ears, etc. all in the name of fun!