I’ve changed a lot since starting Mermaid Eyes in March, and I decided it was high time to realign my regular readers with not only my past-present-future selves, but also with my thus-evolved goals & dreams for the blog. Some of these questions I borrowed from various nooks & crannies of the web, and some are questions I ask myself to keep focused, and some are questions I made up on the spot simply because they look fun to answer! Feel free to leave me more questions in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer them for you. Cheers!

What do you consider to be the most beautiful thing in the world?

I would say that the ocean is the most beautiful thing in the world to me because it is raw nature epitomized for human experience. I say that because there is no other nature that you can walk into, stand within it and have it occupy every crevice in your form (essentially wrapping you in nature), and then walk out of. It is not constant, so it has the increased ability to foster a transcendent experience. There are other reasons too; for example, the duality that exists in the fact that our bodies are essentially made up of saltwater, but the saltwater you can find in the ocean will make us sick to our stomachs after a single gulp. It is not us, but it is foreign to us in a raw & primal sense. What about the pulls of the moon on the tide? We as people ebb and flow lunar cycles as well, which is something that is common between us and the sea.

When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a pediatrician, author, or ballerina. These things are significant to me, and actually mesh together to form my love for blogging. Since I wanted to be a doctor, in specific a pediatrician, I wanted to help people who were in my age range and social structure. Since I wanted to be an author, I wanted to write. Ballerinas were of notice to me because they were the first artists I connected with, ever. Thus, here I am: a writer helping people in my social stratosphere though artistic expression. Isn’t that perfect?

 What’s your personal fashion direction going to be like for this winter? 

I’m finding myself, as I explore minimalism, feel increasingly tied down by clothing. Ideally, by the time mid-winter hits I’ll have perfected my system of living out of three boxes of clothing: one for skirts, one for tops, and one for underwear and tights. That being said, I won’t be dressing like anyone else or for anyone else; long skirts and thrift-store tops are the essence of my style, and the goal in my minimalism efforts is to boil everything down to essence. What is the essence of my desk? Can it be brought out with one item as opposed to eight? Same with wardrobe.

I’ll also be wearing considerably less makeup — probably only pink lipstick and a bit of mascara. That isn’t an anti-makeup statement, but a pro-self-expression one. I have exercised the right to wear heavy makeup as an expressive tool, and now I am exercising the right to wear little makeup as an expressive tool.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

At 23, I’ll be in the throes of university working on my master’s in journalism. I’ll be running the blog from my dorm room, creating products in my spare time, and just being delightfully busy.  

Five years ago, where did you see yourself now?

Even though I was twelve five years ago, this is a good question to ask because I have blown myself out of the water! I never, ever, ever would have guessed I’d be this happy and self-motivated doing anything. I’d never have guessed I’d consider myself this confident and crazy. What I expected was more the high school dream, toned down for junior high eyes: a boyfriend, good grades, a tight-knit group of best friends. While I have two out of three of those things, good grades and best friends are not forefront in my mind when I look back on the past three years.

How you first got involved in with blogging?

I’ve always been fascinated with the Internet, and in sophomore year I became interested in blogging through running a semi-successful Christian blog entitled “A Splash of Color”. However, Gala Darling was the site that taught me about secular blogging and hooked me on flirty, fabulous fashion blogging. I ran a few blogs before I hit on Mermaid Eyes, and I think it was the necessity of having just came out and needing the fresh outlet to exploration that made this site explode when no others of mine have.

What do you want to focus on with your site in the coming season? 

Artists, and issues they face. Specifically I want to write about female artists from a spiritual, knowledge-seeking angle. I’m not advertising to the crowd that only does art; I’m advertising the the crowd that lives art and does everyday tasks.

What do you do when you aren’t working on your blog?

…When am I not working on my blog? Mentally, usually this site is forefront in my mind a lot of the time. I suppose when school starts on the 23rd, I’ll feel a bit of pull and focus there. But as is, I don’t like to not be working on my blog! It gives me too much satisfaction.

xoxo, KAYTE

photo by Meredith_Farmer on flickr

There is no book update today, except the release date is delayed a bit longer (sad face!!!) because I haven’t been working. There’s no real quality articles today either — just an apology, and a promise for more posting and continuing with plans ASAP! I’ve had the stomach flu; it wavered for a few days then hit full bore yesterday. I’m definitely feeling better now in general — I’ve been eating real food, hooray! – but I’m about to crawl back into bed for the evening and pray for a calmer belly in the AM. In the meantime, I want to give whoever needs it a bit of choice advice on upset stomachs of all kinds.

First, there’s not much that’s going to get rid of your nausea. There’s stuff that will make you more comfortable while you’re nauseous, and you should do all that you can to achieve that, but practically nothing except for good medicine is going to make the icky achy feeling leave you alone. If it bothers you enough, I have nothing against taking medicine!

Second, eat what you want when you want. I had a hamburger for lunch this afternoon because that was what I craved, I hadn’t eaten anything in about a day, and it seemed like it would stay down. It did! Your body will crave what it needs, and if that’s not tea, toast, or applesauce, and if it’s not a regular mealtime, it doesn’t matter as long as the calories and nutrients are staying in  your body. If you’re still in the can’t-keep-food-down phase, don’t worry about eating.

Third, DRINK FLUIDS. Even if your body is probably going to reject them, take that risk and keep hydrated. I like gatorade the day after a flu, because it soothes my stomach and is supposed to be better at re-hydrating than a lot of other fluids. (Water, of course, is the best option.)

Fourth, rest. Don’t get out of bed if you don’t need to. SERIOUSLY.

Anyways…

Have a beautiful night, lovely mermaid readers! I’ll return soon.

xoxo, KAYTE

Why? you may be asking. Well, I was writing Sunday, working madly on final touches and editing and throwing in fabulous goodies to go along with the text, and I thought: this is a big deal. This is a massive, massive deal! The chapter I was loving typing away at is truly the first product I have produced. Not only that, but it is also a representative project that has been going on mostly behind the scenes since May.

It’s a big deal, and I want it to be incredible.

Don’t get me wrong; the chapter itself would be incredible whenever it was released. What I’m getting at is that I want it to be a celebration of both my blog and my self, of those who have been readers since the beginning & those who are coming in the future. I want it to be an event. & when I looked at what I was visualizing in my mind, & have been all along, it wasn’t something that could be totally and lovingly finished in the amount of time I had available. Those three extra days are enough to get all of us really edge-of-the-seat excited.

There’s some wonderful stuff coming in the next seven days, starting today (!!!) and I don’t want to rush any of it. That’s why I’m delaying! (Also, the anticipation is blessed as well as blissful.)

I’m off to make some more creative magic. I’ll be checking back in around 6 o’clock AK time (that’s around 10 EST.) You can like the facebook page to keep updated — I post there nearly every time I post here. Peace, goddesses!

xoxo ,KAYTE

photo by  gerougos on flickr

Femme mermaid trivia fact: I take my weekends from Thursday night through Saturday if I can, since I feel ridiculously motivated by Sundays, the prospect of the new week, etc. In honor of my iminent work break, I decided to copycat a fellow fabulous blogger with a new feature. Kaileen Elise runs something called “Creative Weekend To-Do List” and it seems like it’s made for me: to-do lists, plans, creativity, and blogging? PERFECT! Thus, without further adue, I present to you my weekend daydreams for August 4th-6th 2011.

• figure out how I can wear black lipstick (in jest, of course) without looking gothic. It’s a personal challenge!
• wake up with my body’s clock, whatever time that may be
• play with brewing my own tea
• visit art galleries with amazing friends
• put something lovely in the mail
• indulge in early morning chai
• wander the library
• bathe by candlelight

xoxo, KAYTE

P.S. — I’ve been wanting to try out Instagram lately, as I already had it on my nifty iPhone, so I finally gave it a shot & I love-love-love the results. What do you guys think?

I’ve had this painted on my wall for over a year, which is a rather big deal with how often I redecorate and paint over and remove things. It used to say “Define By Love”, which it mostly still does if you image the E on the end of “define”. (It leaked over onto the wall besides it, which got repainted beige about exactly one year ago.) The phrase “define by love ” has meant several different things to me since I painted it on; at first it carried religious connotations about telling who is and isn’t a follower of Christ, and now it just means to love everyone, no judgement or condemnation or conversion attached.

This is the light above my sink, and the handprints are from a painting sessions I had directly after I had painted my room red. (They’re from me, my sister, and my friend Dana.)

Sign (handpainted using stencils), pink curtain on window, photos I’ve taken, prayer flags from Oregon, and a ribbon that wrapped a special gift from my mother. This is the wall behind my computer desk, and it has a mirror and pink rug beneath it.

iPhone photography never looked so good as it does now: Instagram edit, pink phone case, painted mirror. Perfection!

More prayer flags as well as a scarf my grandma gave me a few years back.

HOT ART MESS! Here I have my watercolors out as well as my general art tote. You can see the pink rug and mirror I mentioned, as well as my ABJD Nilla and my strobe light.

This is a pride poster that I made and hung on our float in the July 4th 2011 community parade. “Baby, I was BORN this way!” It hangs at the foot of my bed and gives me fa irst-thing-in-the-morning confidence boost if I need it.

This was a gift given to me by a very special friend. I really have no background with the idol herself and know little about her, but it doesn’t bother me or make me want to research her since the friend who bestowed her to me is special to me — despite the fact I’ve only met him once. (He made a huge impression!)

Cozy bed, unmade (as always) with notebook and brightly colored bedding.

More supplies for art projects, just laying on my floor. I was making a fashion dream-board earlier and never finished, so I’m leaving them out until bedtime.

My doorway! No, I have never seen Suckerpunch. Yes, I hung it up because of the gorgeous girl on the front. My fairy lights are strung around the door (that’s the colored strand) and I have a poster with summer photos on it also.

The rainbow flag is a gift from a super close friend who is leaving in about three weeks and needed to get rid of 90% of her possessions. I adore it!

Finally, here’s the top of my closet and my bookshelf. Hope you enjoyed them mini tour, lovelies! Have a fabulous evening.

xoxo, KAYTE

photo by Tayrawr Fortune on flickr

Perhaps it’s just the early morning air I’m breathing or the ridiculously potent coffee I’m sipping, but this morning I am full of fabulous goals and adventurous longings. The projects I wrote on a blog-dreams list a few weeks back seem close enough to share — not all of them, naturally, for the sake of surprise — and my personal life goals seem dew-sprinkled with hope as well. Finally, I feel full and re-energized after a few months of spotty inspiration and rampant exhaustion — and I feel ready to share with my readers the lithe bubbling ideas I’ve been incubating. (If you want more info on any of these, e-mail me at femme.mermaid@yahoo.com.) Ready?

photo by Βethan on flickr

FIRST AID FOR CLOSET ECCENTRICS

This is a project you may have heard about, especially if you’ve hung around Mermaid Eyes long enough. However, the whole book has had a serious revamp since we last touched base! It was supposed to be a full-length one-topic book, with about 150-200 typed pages relating to one idea. However, I absolutely cannot stick to one topic right now, especially for my first long work — I’m too enthused about so many different things! Thus (and thanks to the lovely Miss Becky for this idea!) I’m writing 15 chapters of about 10,000 words each — and because I don’t have to produce just one product, I’ll be releasing these chapters in five bundles of three starting next week (!!!) on Friday the 12th  and ending on October 15th. The chapters will be $10 for a single chapter of $25 if you buy three at once. What a deal! (There may also be some discount deals, so keep tuning back — or simply like the fan page for updates!)

photo by Alex Dram on flickr

PROJECT 365

I’ve been doing a 365 project since January. However, if the statement that “it’s the journey, not the product, that’s important” than my 365 is hugely unimportant because it has taken a massive leap from forefront of my mind to the way back burner of the closet in the back of my brain. I’ve attempted several 365 projects and completed none, yet am bettered by the experience every single time. I think that says something in and of itself! Today (August 3rd, 2011) I’m starting another attempt at a self-portrait oriented project, because last time I tried that I ended up with uber creative results! I’ll be posting the photos over at my flickr stream, like I was doing previously, and I’ll put up the specific link when I have the set started!

photo by GraceOda on flickr

PHOTOSHOOTS

Honestly, I don’t like charging for photoshoots, and 90% of the time I won’t because 90% of the time I am approaching the model with the shoot idea and we are coming up with our own combined creative vision. It’s mostly when the model approaches me with a specific idea in mind and the money to pay me. Since I love photography so much, I have no problems doing it for free, and I’ve even been known to refuse payment when close friends have offered it. As I’m growing more confident in my skills, I’ll probably charge you if you ask for the shoot, but if I offer you a shoot that means I want portfolio building time or I just really want to work with you as a model, and that shouldn’t be something you pay for!

As a general guideline, I’ll charge $3o for a basic shoot with a CD of the photos included about 2 weeks afterwards. A basic shoot is somewhere between 200 and 500 photos taken, which translates to somewhere between 100 and 200 photos that are final product quality and will go on the CD. That takes usually between an hour and two hours to shoot. (It mostly depends on if we change locations; I can get 200 photos easily in 45 minutes if we stay in one spot.) If you want more photos, I’ll double the amount of photos I take to between 400 and 1000 for $45, CD included. That takes a bit longer to shoot, somewhere between two and three hours as an estimate. (Again, transport  makes a big difference.) Prints are available but I’d have to link to your personal shoot page (which is available by link only and usually only created upon request) for you to see those prices because there are too many options for me to list off here. I don’t have packages set up, but that’s also easily arranged and I can give you a price for those upon request.

I’m backlogging portrait shoots on my flickr this morning, so check that out to get an idea of my style.

photo by LaughingRhoda on flickr

MERMAID MAIL NETWORK

I love my mermaid community, and I would love for us all to interconnect and form a beautiful little society. After all, it’s because of our common interests that we’re all here, right? & if not common interests, we’re all human, and all intertwined in that very specific, very integral similarity. The Mermaid Mail Network will be simple to join: fill out a form, e-mail it in to me, and I’ll match you up with a pen-pal according to your forms. (At first, you might end up writing letters to whoever signed up most recently, unless there’s a huge influx of submissions — but either way, I have confidence in the spirit of our community to hold up and love strong!) At first, I’ll definitely be matching you up individually myself, but it might become automated as time goes on and there are more submissions — I’m not entirely sure. After I match you up, I’ll send you each other’s addresses (e-mail as well as mailing, if you want a snail mail penpal. E-mail buddies are fine too, just be sure to specify that preference!) The Mermaid Mail Network is going to be ABSOLUTELY FREE and will be launched with the new layout. EEK!

photo by BrittneyBush on flickr

MONTHLY MATCHBOXES

If the Mermaid Mail Network is you guys connecting with each other, Monthly Matchboxes is my way of connecting with you! That will also be launched with the layout, and will cost $45 for six months subscription ($75 for a year) but it’s such a cool idea I believe it’ll be worth it! (Plus that’s only about $7 a month total!) The subscription is for a matchbox, decorated and filled with themed goodies, that will be mailed to you on the 25th of every month. You can also pay for each month separately at $7/month, and that can be paid anytime before the 15th of the month you wish to receive the matchbox. I’m incredibly excited about this project, especially since it gives me the opportunity to really interact with my readers.

photo by Luke Redmond on flickr

BLOGROLL ADVERTISING

My new design has a blogroll where I am wanting to do some advertising! Since I’m not a massively popular blog — I get between 150-550 views a day — I’m only going to charge $7 for a week of advertising! I won’t sell anything in less than week increments, since it’s only $1 a day — but I will sell multiple weeks for a potential discount! (Let’s get in contact!) The ads will be in the form of text links with a short blurb I’ve written and you’ve okay-ed. I will say good things, I promise! I just want to be able to give my review since it’s my site and that feels much more authentic.

photo by pangalactic gargleblaster and the heart of gold on flickr

HIGH TEA

High Tea is a bit more complicated to develop, will require your feedback, and won’t be launched until late September or early October. It will also ideally be a free service, unless I can’t find open-source software to run it. (Skype will probably work though.)  The idea is that a group of us will gather via video chat at a certain time every week to discuss ideas, creativity, our lives, and whatever else comes up. It’s my way of integrating myself into the community, not just being a distant blogger who gathers people but doesn’t like to interact. Ew!

photo by Juin Hoo on flickr

xoxo, KAYTE

Are there any perfect family memories you’d like to share? Tell me all about in the comments, or if you want to write about it on your own site, link me up!

xoxo, Kayte

photo by moominsean

I am a mermaid.

I am a mermaid — or, at least, I want to be.  Having held a lifetime fascination with the creature, it isn’t surprising that I would wish to identify as one.  After all, the Little Mermaid remains my favorite cartoon and I find the ocean to be a source of supreme connection with nature. Still, I was having trouble pinpointing why I wanted to be a mermaid, and what on earth that it meant when I called myself one. What parts of mermaid lifestyle did I want to embody? What elements of their lore runs through my veins? Even as mythical creatures, they are very real influences in our culture — I personally have felt more influenced by the nonsensical concept of a mermaid than by my dog, who has weight and mass but less spiritual connection. Perhaps mermaids are more intriguing because they are figments of our imagination, natural human elements embodied in a daydream flesh. This is the mental conflict from which this article rose.

Why do you think you are a mermaid? You probably don’t have fins or a tail instead of legs, but perhaps there is a part of you that empathizes with the ocean. Maybe you are a good singer, have red hair, or — like me — have an odd love for these mythical sea-bound beings. When I talk about being a mermaid, I mean that you feel like you are a mermaid — not that you have physically transformed to something new. I would be terrified were I to sprout a long scaly tail, but I can still identify as merfolk because on the inside, I feel like and act like and understand mermaids — not as if they were literal, physical beings, but as if they were a spirit that I am choosing to embody. In this article, we will go over what it means to identify as a mermaid — what history you are choosing to emulate (and what history to avoid!) to name an example — as well as tips to guide you on your journey to understanding of this sacred feminine seafarer. 

Mermaid History Class

Mermaids are known as beings, half animal and half woman, with identities strongly rooted in womanhood. Animal and woman coexist in the same body — ever transforming, always alternating between intriguing and morbid. The mermaid can be perceived as expressing a  basic, primal human mental process: that our species’ nature is inherently inconsistent with its delusions of glamour and uniqueness, that our similarities with and differences from the earth’s other creatures are too mysterious and profound to understand — and that within this connection to our natural world lies both the key to hell and hope for a key to the infinite. Mermaids are symbolic of both death and immortality.

I like the African mermaid stories and characters best. For example, Mami Wata is described as a woman who surpasses beauty, whose beauty is so supreme it is supernatural.  Her clothes are so new they seem to shine, and they possess a timeless fashion that no designer could dream to imitate.  She possesses unimaginable wealth and dazzling jewelry.  Her hair is black and straight, her skin fair. (Keep in mind this is African mythology, and those portrayed with a gold mirror or comb. Like the European mermaids she is often combing her long hair while gazing into the aforementioned golden mirror. Mami Wata also bears similarity to many Greek goddesses with both her spunky personality and aloof indifference.

Another mermaid myth from Africa features Yemaya. In West African mythology Yemaya is a pivotal goddess. She rules the waters of the world, for they are literally her blood. She was the first mother and brought fertility to the world. Since she is the spirit of water nothing can live without her. All things, plant and animal, are partly made from her. Often she is called Queen of the World.

Mermaid Symbolism

In African mythology, Mami Wata’s colors are red and white. Red is male, symbolizing blood and violence as well as death. White is female, symbolizing spirituality and beauty as well as the quality of being translucent. The fact that her colors have opposite meanings is an important characteristic of merfolk; they symbolized natural forces that do not follow human ideas of good and evil. Yemaya, the other African mermaid I mentioned, is a very primitive goddess, with less complex symbolism. Like other water goddesses she is associated with the moon, fertility and sexuality.

Other things that mermaids symbolize include: knowledge, serenity, the intrinsic pain of being different (vindictiveness), growth, renewal, and post-mortem soul-guides.

Salt Veins

Water has powerful symbolic value, and it is intrinsic to mermaids to feel an attachment to it. After all, mythical mermaids were as bound to the sea as fish! If you identify as a mermaid, you probably feel a similar (emotional rather than physical) binding.

A beginning spot to satisfy your aquatic cravings:

•  Spend some time at natural water sources if at all possible. You don’t have to visit every day, but when you do, make it an event or ritual; perhaps play trance music in the drive over, wear a ball gown, or go swimming at a random cove. I’m sure you have other suggestions!
• Make your room into a seashell, iridescent, underwater paradise.  Select items that reflect the sea, in colors of blue, aquamarine, turquoise, corals etc, and items which refract light such as prisms and stained glass.  Include not only stereotypical ”mermaid” items, but also ones that make you feel like a primordial water goddess.  Display items that make you feel feminine, mysterious, and natural.  Also display things that represent duality and opposites, as mermaid lore is entrenched in the concept of two halves to the human spirit. (I like the idea of mermaid statues, but it’s really up to you. )
• Practice a daily baptism in the morning:  dab your face with a washcloth while saying self-blessing phrases.

Water is also a duality, able to sustain and comfort and renew and purge, but also capable of destructive and death.

But I Can’t Sing.

I can’t sing either. I also have short hair, a limited budget, and no spare energy or time to bike down to the beach daily. So what? Becoming a mermaid is not a formula, it is a mindset: the mindset of being a strong, beautiful, confident, nature-borne female. The reality is — I don’t want to delude you — mermaids are unreal. They have never existed, there is no physicality to them, and though they are important personifications of our psyche, it is hard to sing without a throat or mouth or face or lungs or chest or body. Thus, it doesn’t really matter if you are tone deaf and sound like a strangled ferret when you try to sing. The idea of a mermaid is what we are trying to capture, not the physical requirements outlined in mythology. After all, you don’t have a tail, do you? And you probably don’t drag men down to the bottom of the ocean when you are in love with them. (If you do, I strongly recommend stopping. It’s hard to breathe down there.)

Two Last Tips:

• Choose a new  name. Use a geography book to assist you, or read old myths about sea maidens. Be creative!
• Rebirth your personality, cleansing the contaminated parts of your psyche while protecting and comforting the perfect portions.

photo by Neil Krug on flickr

Be beautiful, mermaids! Let me know if you choose to embark, and if so how your journey progresses. I’m always curious about your lives! 

xoxo, Kayte

On Thursday night, I started writing an ideal day description, which manifested into a list of goals for the next few years of my life, and it became increasingly obvious as I thought and wrote that I am destined for mermaid mama-hood. I’ve doubted before that I am the type of girl who will be a good mom, or the type of girl who will even enjoy being a mom — but those are absolutely and completely untrue statements. My cousin is one of my favorite people and he’s only six; I smile without even considering my facial expression when I see a child. Pregnancy and labor are, in my eyes, a beautifully dark side of womanhood, and I speak fluent kindergarten. At seventeen, I am not ready to care for an infant — but I know when my time comes I will cherish child-rearing with every segment of my spirit. However, when I do have a baby, this is the wishlist I anticipate longing for. (Consider it a bit of mommy-focused Etsy-based link loving!)

• Whatever a pacifier clip is, I love this one! (and this one, and this one!)
• Funky tie dye cloth diapers.
• I love these three newborn baby hats.
• Dr. Seuss aprons (one and two) would be precious when the kids got a bit older.
• Crazy funky baby blankets?
• OMG, cutest bibs ever!
• Onesies are hard for me to ignore. (I’m aware some of these are transfers only. STILL!)
• Set of five yellow burp cloths, and a blue changing pad.
• Most adorable washcloths.
• Retro fabric dolls.