November 8th Dolphin Project Protest

I really enjoyed my time with the loving members of the Mojave dolphin protest. I hope to be able to join them again on December 6th with a new banner dedicated to Rascal aka Wizard, who died only 3.5 years into life at the Death Pool. 

 Please visit their website to find out more ways to help. Donations help them immensely, and their are petitions to sign as well as means to contact Mirage with a polite letter concerning their extortion of non-desert mammals. For the sake of these dolphins in the desert, click here! At the very least, these pox infested sweethearts need the legal holding standards - for seas sake they don't even have shade from the desert sun!

Here I am, Gypsy,  hiding hopeful behind my glittering sign trying to get attention for my friends. I'd slap my fluke on the cement to get people to look, no matter how much it hurt the bottom of my fin. It was hard to tell what tourists really cared from those that acted like we were scary spawns of Davey Jones, but the organizers earned $80 in donations. Next time I'll have a second sign urging pictures for donations, as each gathering takes well over $100 to prepare for. I wish I could have donated more than time, but I am a jobless mermaid at the end of the day.

A few children stopped to talk with me here and there or take pictures. I was shy for my first protest but entertained their questions and learned what more I should talk to these children about, however gently.

At the end of the day, my butt and fluke were nearly black from the harsh cement, and there's some fresh cuts on my tailfin as well that I can't heal, but I really enjoyed myself and wish to come out again and come more out of my clamshell. I, um... also learned to double check my bosom shells sooner than later, I forget how gravity works sometimes. And not to wear that headgear again!

Sea you on the next adventure,
Gypsy

New year, new location, new beginnings!

Expect to see many new updates, including the outdated website. I've already updated the pages including my prices, but the website still has my Utah groups on it.

I've been slow to fix the website because I'm trying to decide between using blogger, or another place like webs.com that has a domain plan.

New stuff, I'm making a new tail, I might share some progress as I go. I'm staying with gold but actual gold, not a yellow that wishes it was gold lol!

I'm in Las Vegas now! Koral and I are part of a wonderful guild of awesome awe-inspiring people, Kingdom of Ourrenland. I was interviewed by Las Vegas Grit, fell in love with Age of Chivalry Renaissance Faire, and excited for Pirate Fest!!

Start booking now for pool parties. Starting to fill up!

Koral sighted at the Renaissance Faire!

It's that time of year when mermaids gather at the Faire! Mam'selle Thalassa and I have been at the Utah Renaissance and Fantasy Faire. Thalassa is our Mermaid Queen, and the mermaids reside within Myrthwood Refugee Camp! Come and see us both. :) It's the debut of my golden Pirates of the Caribbean tail (though I have plans of making one of my own in the future, more below). We also have two more Black Thorn Mermaids; Dottie and Jessica! With us is Mermaids of the Great Salt Lake.

When I'm not swimming in the "mermaid lagoon" which will only grow and improve by next year, you can find me around the Refugee Camp or led anywhere in the Faire on lead. I'm the captive mermaid, a rather naughty one that rather misses White Cap Bay. I sing, dance, and I am one of the mermaids you can actually bid on during "Mermaid Auctions" that first debuted on Sunday and went rather well for such a quiet day and will continue. Come bid on one of the mermaids of Black Thorn and support our guild so we can improve our area and our lagoon!

Koral's story...

"I was born unto a gypsy father and mermaid mother. My species specifically is a Celtic Merrow; we peel our tails from our bodies quite like Selkies, and take to land to find a man. This is what my mother did, and she remains on land with her gypsy. I have been many places, always on the move like the gypsies. I eventually left my family as I prefered the water, and took to the sea where I traveled home to White Cap Bay. I was enthralled by sailors and pirates, calling them to me; singing, dancing, and drinking the night away on board their ships only to take right back to the sea before dawn. I made the mistake of deciding to take to land one day with my skin, grabbing sails and ropes and some netting to make myself decent from the waist down, but some pirates had seen me change! Thus they knew immediately I was a mermaid and captured me. I was auctioned off with an enchanted leash and collar, and they gave my skin to the highest bidder. Thankfully it was the Lady Elizabeth that won the bid. She takes good enough care of me, though I try periodically to escape despite her kindness. I am a mermaid, I need the ocean, I need the water, and I am so far from my home..."

Tail updates...

I do like my gold tail well enough. It will do until I make a better one. I intend on making one from neoprene, a little paint, sequins, and silicone for the fins. I hope to have it done for next Faire, hopefully before then. I will buy the materials slowly and go from there. I'm super excited to begin and make it just the way I want.

Mermaids at the Aquarium! 1/19/13

The Black Thorn Mermaids were at the Aquarium again on January 19th. It would sadly be their last time to the Aquarium. We will severely miss the amazing staff and volunteers at the Aquarium, as well as the amazing guests that enjoyed chatting with us. Our last appearance will never be forgotten, it was an amazing time. Perhaps down the road we can arrange something else.

On the 19th, we had a lot of fun passing out shells and bracelets as usual. Staff was so amazing, asking if there was anything we needed, taking care of us if we needed the help. We didn't want to be a burden, though. They filled our bowl with tasty goldfish crackers to snack on, and when we took our lunch break they piled goldfish on our pizzas. Who knew goldfish pizza tasted so great!

By the end of the day, I was one tired mermaid. We'd made it to the petting pool when it was quiet, waiting for the last of the guests to leave. I chitchat with the creatures, befriending the pretty grey smooth hound shark that liked to swim up to me for pettings. My good friend the bat ray was not out for attention today, I asked the very kind staff, Brent, where he was. I can tell this one out was not my friend from last time, don't ask how! The other one, my dear friend, was in the back healing up from a nip from some of the other fish in the pool. Brent carried me back to the coral community so I could shed my tail and we could leave.

Outside, my land-ship (our mertender calls it a vehicle) wouldn't turn on! Silly mermaids, I guess we're not meant for land. I forgot to turn out the front lanterns, I mean headlights. Thankfully there was still some staff around, and one maiden along with our hero Brent came to fix my car up so I could head to dinner and then my land home. It was a fun and thrilling day that ended in piles of shrimp at Sizzler and a well deserved rest.

Click here to see the Album of all of our pictures - and give me a like while there! :)

Thank you again to all staff and guests at Living Planet Aquarium, we will miss the amazing workers there that were so welcoming!

Mermaid Koral

Mermaids at the Aquarium! 12/29/12

The Black Thorn Mermaids were at the Living Planet Aquarium today! We arranged it 2 - 3 weeks ago with all the managers and employers, and staff was looking forward to having us come... and we had so much fun when we finally did! Passing out bracelets, magic rocks, and beautiful seashells. Taking pictures with staff and children alike. A lot of kids were in awe of the mermaids on exhibit at the Aquarium, though some were scared of us! 

Each child was a precious joy. One said "you're not real," so our Mertender said "what if I show you a picture of one of them underwater, then would you believe?" They said yes, so Captain Gawain showed them said picture and they became an instant believer. So funny!

One little girl kept coming back to us, handing Thalassa back her bracelet, then would come back for it later. Another took her shoes and socks off, rebelling against foot-covers! What cute little toes. Each one was a joy, even sitting in our laps to visit.

All of the staff absolutely loved having mermaids visit them, and begged to know if we were going to be coming back, hoping that we would. Well, we each have memberships and love to support our local Aquarium, and during the winter we will be making monthly visits back to them! We will bring books to gather the children around to read to, more wearable and keepsake trinkets, and a secret surprise!

We were asked to leave a bunch of business cards with them, and will be offered to Aquarium birthday bash guests as an option! Birthday guests will get a special surprise from us, as well as treasure hunts and craft hour, and of course reading a book or two if they wish!

During the winter we will be making monthly visits. In the summer time we will make either bi-monthly or weekly visits. All appearances will be on Saturdays!

Thank you Living Planet Aquarium for having us at your wonderful Aquarium, we look forward to many more visits and interactions!

To see the full album of photos, check out the album on Facebook!

Happy swimming, maids n' sailors!
Mermaid Koral

Mermaid caught, found at Dickens

Dickens was a LOT of fun to attend! At first my chariot was a plastic wagon. It was great for photos, but hard to be moved around in when one of the wheels collapsed hours into the event. In the beginning I was outside of Designs by Kate vendor, a friend of Black Thorn Court, but eventually my friends and I were told we were blocking the aisle. I was taken to another vendor hall where there was an empty stall, where one of our Black Thorn Court members (and a vendor with DbK) asked if we could take the open stall. I set up there with my blanket and my pirates, where I took pictures and made merry for several more hours. When I WAS given the wheelchair, I vaulted myself right into it with surprising ease and started to zoom myself around in it shouting with glee; "WEEE, I'm a mobile mermaid now!" Everyone got a kick out of my wheelchair excitement antics; "Never put a mermaid on wheels."

Our photo with Father Christmas and Queen Victoria. I adore how cheerful Father Christmas is!

I was also officially knighted by Queen Victoria into Ladyship! I am now "Lady Koral!" Picture soon.

I met a very charming and helpful pirate, Jack Sparrow's cousin named Jim Swallow. I couldn't thank him enough for all the assistance; goodness knows a mermaid needs it when stuck on land. Looks like Koral has a crush. Shhh.

And I want to thank the Pinoy Accent for feeding a hungry mermaid free shrimp at the cost of a photo! :)

The Waiting Game

I finally got my measurements taken professionally, and sent away directions and all that for my new golden POTC tail! I am so excited and I can't WAIT to get it! It will be made of neoprin and SILICONE so I do not have to worry about anyone with latex allergies! Here is a preview of the design I chose:

All that's left is to gradually buy materials to make my new seaweed top to go with it (though, I will end up with a total of 4 tops for this tail to choose from). As well as buying coins so I can make a pair of bracelets and a choker to go best with this tail. Then, decide on what to do for the waist - I may just buy a huge coin belt entirely of coins from Belly Dance Boutique.

...I (do not) disdain all glittering gold...