Check out my test project: I upgraded an electric fireplace to use programmable lights and WLED. These fancy LED fireplaces are appearing in homes all over the place. I’ve seen them at State Fairs and home shows, and they’re a great alternative to standard...
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I just published my latest guide on the Adafruit Learning system: I hacked a Teddy Ruxpin doll from 2017 and turned him into a talking Figment the Dragon doll, with personalized voices and stories for my baby nieces. This was a really fun project!...
Check my latest tutorial on the Adafruit Learning System. I built a dress using NeoPixel LEDs and Arduino code by Phil Burgess: the amazing Oozemaster 3000 code. This code does a mind-blowing job of mimicking the way water flows, oozes, and drips, so this...
Exciting news! We will be exhibiting art and performing at the Tiki Oasis convention in San Diego on August 2-6 2023. Tiki Oasis is the original and largest Tiki event in the world. Tiki Oasis proudly brings to San Diego five nights and four...
‘I wonder,’ he said to himself, ‘what’s in a book while it’s closed. Oh, I know it’s full of letters printed on paper, but all the same, something must be happening, because as soon as I open it, there’s a whole story with people...
Last month I was interviewed by Paul Cutler, the producer of the Circuit Python Show. The podcast is all about CircuitPython, it’s development, use, and growth. The podcast went live on July 19. You can listen here: EPISODE DESCRIPTION Erin St. Blaine joins the...
I’ve got a new tutorial up at Adafruit.com: make a jellyfish umbrella with lots of animated lights and WLED. This is a pretty easy build, with spectacular results. The lights are easy to control with WLED, a free and open-source web app that allows...
I recently got hired by ThemeDream Productions (IG: @themedreamproductions)to create and wear a Tron costume. They specifically wanted the original 80s Tron look, and while there are a lot of Tron Legacy costumes available online, the original 80s themed ones are hard to find....
I get a lot of questions from folks who are new to the world of LEDs asking what kind of diffusion materials are best for NeoPixels or other addressable LED projects. This isn’t just a newbie question either: LED Electronics makers are constantly...
Check out the recent Redfin article we were featured in: Decorating your apartment with art can add personality and warmth to your living space, but it can be daunting when you’re worried about losing your security deposit. Luckily, there are many creative ways to...
Build a motion-reactive LED Chinese Dragon puppet for Lunar New Year - full tutorial is up!
Bring the magic of the movie Moana to life with this DIY Heart of Te Fiti necklace tutorial. This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating a glowing Heart of Te Fiti necklace using Adafruit’s nOOds – flexible LED filaments and a...
Check out my newest tutorial: NeoPixel Novelty Cufflinks with scrolling text. Full tutorial: https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-novelty-cufflinks-with-scrolling-text/overview In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to make your very own Neopixel Novelty Cufflinks using Adafruit’s QT Py RP2040 and a NeoPixel 5×5 BFF add-on. This project is easy...
Our kid’s show in January was a sold-out success! We had so much fun that we’re doing it again. Come on out on February 26 to the Geery Theater in Sacramento for a fantastic show. We have lots more tickets available this...
There’s a new chocolate cafe in Sacramento! Cafe Xocolatl serves cacao, coffee and tea, and chocolate from around the world. The owners at Cafe Xocolatl wanted beautiful lighting in their new retail space that evoked the cacao culture. I was commissioned to come up...
I just published my latest tutorial over on the Adafruit Learning System: Add Lights to your Costume with nOOds nOOds are pretty cool. They’re little silicone-coated LED strands that are super flexible and really easy to use. They work just like an LED: connect...
Mermaid Glimmer’s Jellyfish Grotto 50 iridescent jellyfish hang silently over the heads of viewers. During the daytime the sunlight filters through the rainbow jellies, creating a beautiful play of light and shadow on the ground. At night, the jellies are illuminated with animated lights,...
Dive Bar is in the process of updating their decor, and have hired me for a couple different light installations. These portholes are the first project, and I have to say, they turned out pretty magical. I feel like I am peeking through into...
Check out my latest project: decorate your fish tank or aquarium with color-changing lights. This tutorial shows how to assemble and waterproof your NeoPixel lights so you can bury them under seashells or sea glass at the bottom of your fish tank. It includes Arduino...
You asked for them, and they’re here! Purchase your own PaperCraft Crystal Gem kits. Three different styles are available: Infinity Crystals, Khyber Crystals, or Thra Crystals. I’ve stocked my Etsy shop with a couple options: get a digital download of any crystal pattern that’s...
As part of this brand-makeover process I’ve been working on lately, I’ve created a brand new YouTube Intro Video. Come walk around my house and my makerspace and take a look at some of the interactive LED artwork I’ve created over the last couple...
I’ve launched my brand new web site! I’m very excited. Please come take a look! Let me know what you think. I think it’s beayooootiful. If you like having pretty pictures of light up artwork and mermaids delivered directly to your inbox for your...
Halloween is my favorite holiday, but this year I am a little ambivalent. With Covid still running rampant (though admittedly not too much in this area) there are no Halloween parties, no gigs, no parades and no real reason to dress up. I absolutely...
Check out my newest tutorial – just in time for Ada Lovelace Day! Make a lovely glowing bottle lamp with a Circuit Playground Express and a strand of warm white fairy lights. Choose colors or light animations using Microsoft MakeCode, and decorate with your favorite...
I’ve been meaning to upgrade the lights in my bedroom since the day we moved into this house. I’ve added some fun light-up artwork in there, including my paper mache dragon and the new dragon wall sconces. It’s getting very dragonish. But we still...
I’ve been on a quest for the perfect glowing necklace for years, and I think I’ve finally cracked the code. This necklace uses tech from Adafruit, all soldered up into a tiny little package, diffused with an epoxy resin cabochon and set with silver...
Check out my newest project tutorial: make an epoxy resin Minecraft-inspired torch lamp. This lamp has a strand of warm white fairy lights embedded right into the resin, making a lovely starry glow effect. Adding a Circuit Playground Express underneath powers up the lamp with...
I’ve been playing with epoxy resin a whole bunch lately. I’ve seen a lot of these online and the mermaid in me just HAD to try making one. Then the LED artist in me had to make it light up! See the line where...
I refinished this old stained end table with epoxy resin and mica powder and I’m just delighted with how it turned out. I’m feeling more and more confident about resin projects – I’ve been doing them for a couple summers at this point and...
LED Ukulele!! And a fun video shot & created by the increasingly awesome cinematographer Darrell St. Blaine. And of course there’s a tutorial: https://learn.adafruit.com/light-up-reactive-ukulele/ I have wanted Mermaid Glimmer photo-drone footage since.. well, since I built her 8 years ago. Even after dragging her all around the...
I made a magical mermaid fairy fantasy castle out of recycled bottles. I am absolutely in love with it. Here’s a link to the build tutorial at Adafruit Learn System: https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-bottle-castle-and-capacitive-touch-piano The bottles are sitting on top of a diy light box with a NeoPixel...
I love vertical gardens. Every time I see them I get all excited, and I’ve wanted to build one for just ages. We had such a lovely rainy spring this year, and with nothing to do but walk around our neighborhood, I got to...
I’ve got crystal fever. I’ve been spending all my spare time making and folding paper craft crystals, as I wait for the world to end. I’ve been making these paper craft crystals obsessively over the last month, during Shelter-In-Place. It’s helping. The iridescence just...
These things are great! Splice wires together for strong electrical connections without using a soldering iron. They’ve got hot-melt glue in both ends and a melty bit of solder in the middle. This makes a waterproof connection that’s stronger than just using a soldering...
“Smart” plugs for your home can be a lot of fun, allowing you to create lighting scenes, activate security features, or control other things in your home remotely. If you’re a DIY type, here’s a great option for building and controlling your own Smart...
I’ve posted a new tutorial: how to sew a cotton mask to help slow the spread of Covid19. This guide is aimed at beginners or non-sewers who are eager to learn. From the guide: Keep folks safe and stylish this spring by making your...
It’s the first week of Covid19 quarantine and I’m going a little nuts. What’s helping me stay sane is throwing myself into silly ridiculous projects where I can make something blinky and learn something fun, but not too challenging. Enter: the Circuit Playground Game Clock....
I just finished my latest tutorial over on the Adafruit Learning System: make a Burning Wizard staff. It’s got it all: LED NeoPixel lights, sound effects, and motion reactivity to trigger the different animations and modes. It turned out amazing! I’m proud of this one....
My Tree Ent Lives! I have completely made over my guest room. It’s glorious. I’ve been having such a fun time with this project and it’s nearly complete. I’m so very delighted with how it’s turned out. (Full build tutorial here) I started with...
Fairy bottles.I made my first glass fairy bottle almost 10 years ago, before I’d really started on my LED maker journey. It went a little viral on Pinterest and with good reason.. these little bottles are stunningly gorgeous and super easy to make. Put lights inside, and it...
I’ve been redesigning the guest room in my home, and it is becoming the most magical place in the world. I started by painting the ceiling dark blue, with stars and galaxies to create a beautiful deep feeling. The walls were a bright yellow...
It’s the holiday season and I’m feeling a bit festive. I used my Cricut vinyl cutter and a Circuit Playground BlueFruit to make some pretty luminary lanterns to decorate my house. I’m far too lazy to light and maintain real candles, so I had...
Our oceans are our largest natural resource, filled with beauty and mystery and life. There are more than 15 trillion pieces of trash in the ocean. It’s estimated that there is six times as much plastic in the ocean as there is plankton. Plastic bags...
Just launched a new tutorial: make a glowing Crystal Wizard Staff. Here’s the link: https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-interactive-crystal-staff It’s interactive! It does things (wonderful things!!) when you tilt it or shake it. Here’s a video: The staff concept was built for a costume I made for my...
I got a new bike. 🙂 It’s electric! It’s a Specialized power-assist expensive magical device that turns its riders into Superman on the hills. I adore it. But, now I have something I’ve never had before: and OLD bike. Before, I’ve always hung onto...
This week’s project is an upcycled book case, painted with chalk paint. I’m absolutely delighted with it. I’ve had this little book case for probably 15 years. I got it at a thrift store probably 3 houses ago and have used it to store...
This might be the easiest project I’ve ever posted. But the impact is just so stunning that I couldn’t resist. Everyone should have one of these. They’re easy to make and so much fun to wear! Here is the link to the tutorial! But...
I just published a new tutorial: create amazing cosplay glowing crystal gems! From the guide: Crystal Gems will always save the day! Create a stunning paper craft crystal from laminated cellophane wrap. Add NeoPixels and watch it sparkle! We’ve included two different build sizes...
I love her so much. I got inspired to make a paper mache dragon by Dan Reeder, who writes amazingly delightful books about making paper mache dragons. I had way too much fun with this project. Of course I had to add lights, and...
I spend a lot of my time developing and performing with LEDs. My company, Fire Pixie Entertainment, offers a really popular LED dance show, with light-up hula hoops, poi, doublestaff, and of course, lots of light up costumes. The programming behind all these things is a...
I just published a new tutorial over at the Adafruit Learning System: make a PowerPuff Girl themed Valentine candy box with a Circuit Playground Express and copper tape. Use MakeCode to add lights and sounds. It’s multimedia! A multimedia candy box. I have officially...
This might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever made. We moved away from the San Francisco Bay Area to the California foothills this past summer, and I finally have the space to dream a little bigger. Costume building is a perfect hobby, if...
This is my new favorite necklace! It changes color when you touch it. I get obsessed with a particular type of project and keep on making it again and again until I’m satisfied. I’ve made probably a dozen different LED necklaces. The first one...
I may have outdone myself this year for Halloween. It took me months of trying, failing, swearing, and trying again. I’m such a noob when it comes to animatronics and robotics. But I’m really pleased with how this turned out. The headdress is two...
I made a birdhouse. It lives in my soul. Backstory! I’ve recently moved out of the San Francisco Bay Area, two hours away to the Sierra Nevada foothills. There’s no more traffic. Things are affordable. There are artists everywhere — this is where everyone...
This year’s big project: we’ve sold our house and are moving away from Fremont, to the foothills. We lived in our wonderful house in Fremont for around 17 years, and have a lot of memories there. We built our business, Fire Pixie Entertainment, and grew it...
Seven were forged. Behold! Summon the Horde Rune necklaces, modeled in Fusion360 and 3d printed, then sanded, molded and cast in pewter. I’m so proud of this. I’m not a sculptor. I took a clay sculpting class in college and I was the worst one in the...
The Horde Fierce female fighters who fear nothing. Fabulously feathered and filled with fire and ferocious fancy. (Photos by Lee Harland) NAME: Othilia (She who Bites) LAND OF ORIGIN: Born in Scandanavia and raised in the mediterranean TOTEM: Unicorn SEASON: Late Summer WEAPON: Staff, Wayfinder...
I made some art. This is a bit of a departure for me. I’m not a painter (well, except for face and body painting), and I have very little experience painting acrylic on canvas. It seems like such an art-school thing to do. But...
I love Angel’s Trumpet flowers. They smell amazing, they look beautiful, and they bloom all year round. The moment you pick one, and put it in your hair, it begins to wilt and droop — these flowers only last about 15 minutes off the...
Just a sneak peek of my favorite behind-the-scenes photo… pro images coming soon! 🙂 🙂#summonthehorde
I absolutely love these neopixel strands from Adafruit.com. They’re rugged, nearly indestructible. They come in 4″ or 2″ spacing. They’re WS2812B neopixels inside and they’re just so easy to get up and running without hours and hours of soldering. And they don’t break! I have so...
Check out my newest tutorial over at the Adafruit Learning System: a magical capacitive touch wearable unicorn horn! It’s got a 12-neopixel ring inside that makes a pretty color-shifting rainbow glow. When you touch the copper tape spiral, the rainbow fades out and the light...
My fabulous husband and mer-tender captured this pretty video clip of Mermaid Glimmer swimming at a private school fundraiser party this past weekend. I made a gif! We love performing at school fundraiser parties — the idea of people getting together to have a...
They asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I couldn’t think of anything, so I asked for inflatable costumes. They delivered. Here is a ridiculous video of an inflatable dinosaur chasing an inflatable unicorn. Here’s hoping the new year will bring plenty of love,...
The Sonic Runway.. a tunnel of sound reactive LED lighted hoops with beautiful light animations that strobe over and around and through as you dance your way along beneath them. This just opened in downtown San Jose, CA, right in front of City Hall. It’ll...
New tutorial is live over at Adafruit.com: make a creepy electronic Eye of Newt just in time for Halloween. First I put it inside a jar. Jars are great. Eye of Newt belongs in a jar. I love jars. But I love costumes even more. ...
Hello all! I just finished up a tutorial about how I made these fiber optic whips. Here’s a little bit of backstory.. I was getting ready for last week’s LED light show and one of the things I’d agreed to provide was illuminated stilt walkers....
Hello lovely readers. I’m writing to you from the comfort of my dodgy motel room in Salem, Oregon. I’m here for just under two weeks, performing a nightly fire dancing show with the Sacred Fire Dance troupe, at the Oregon State Fair. We’re just over halfway through...
This past July I had the good fortune to travel to Mexico with Way Beyond Productions to shoot photos and video of my LED mermaid tail, Mermaid Glimmer. We got some absolutely incredible shots. I’ve been posting them on my new Mermaid Glimmer Instagram page, so...
I am a magical rainbow unicorn. This was my very first attempt at anything involving animatronics, robotics, automatons, servos, or Making Things Move With Electricity. I think I may be hooked. I’m a bit surprised at how long it took me to dip my...
The new Wonder Woman movie is coming out June 2.. do you have your costume ready? Make these super awesome Wonder Woman cosplay bracers using Circuit Playground, side-glow acrylic and Worbla. Circuit Playground’s built-in sensors make it easy to add motion and sound reactivity. The neopixel light...
I just published a new tutorial at the Adafruit Learning System: it’s a quick and easy Neopixel Jewel necklace. This is a really simple project but it’s oh-so pretty and sparkly when it’s done! It’s also really easy to customize and make your...
I have one of the best jobs in the world: I work as an LED light dancer at high tech events and corporate galas in the San Francisco Bay Area. Being a professional event performer in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley means I...
I just published a new tutorial on the Adafruit Learning System: how to make an LED and glass pebble floor border. Check it out! https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-and-glass-pebble-floor/introduction I used to have a raised tatami Japanese-style table in my dining room. We loved it for a while,...
My LED light dance show is getting complicated. Problem 1: Dancers When I’m onstage dancing, my focus is in my body. I feel the flow of the props, feel the music, and feel the audience. It’s a wonderful state to be in. It does not lend...
It’s beginning to be that season where I get to go out to fancy events and play with all the crazy toys and costumes I worked on all winter. Here’s a fun little .gif from last night’s “Rave” party at a winery in Napa...
I joined an all-female barbarian cosplay group. We’re called “the Horde”. I’ve been working on my barbarian costume and I have to admit — this character is really speaking to me. I call her Othilia, which means “One who Bites.” She’s a Viking Priestess...
New from the Adafruit Learning System: Sparkle Skirt Playground. Use the Circuit Playground board to create costume art with motion sensitive, sound reactive and custom color palette modes. Circuit Playground’s built-in sensors make it easy to build, and the 3d printed Circuit Playground case makes it easy...
January 21-22 found me at NC MerMania 2017: the largest gathering of Mermaids and Merfolk in the world. Performers and hobbyists from all over the globe came to splash around, connect, giggle and play at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, NC. This was the largest Merfolk...
My Rainbow Chakra hoodie guide is live at the Adafruit Learning System: Rainbow Chakra Hoodie Tutorial Festivals and events can get chilly at night. What better way to warm up than with a glowing hoodie — especially one with interactive buttons that engage everyone...
I’m not very good at relaxing. Every time I take a vacation I always seem to find a way to work. This month I took my new neoprene Ariel mermaid tail to Hawaii and did an underwater photo shoot with the fabulous folks at Sea Through Sea....
Making myself a third set of POV LED Supernova poi this week. I finally updated the Adafruit Industries tutorial with the new switch design — the original design was a little twitchy, this one’s much more robust. I’m using polycarbonate tubes I had on-hand...
I just finished making this gorgeous brand-new Ariel cosplay mermaid tail. (Awesome underwater photos here!) It’s made from neoprene and lots of paint with a custom made translucent monofin inside the fluke. I’ve been using this handmade Ariel tail for 3 1/2 years, and it’s still...
Once upon a time the Moon, weary of her travels, set rashly upon the ocean and sank to the bottom of the sea. Her glow from the deepest trench did not go unnoticed. Quicker than a wink, she was pursued into the deeps by...
I made a very very pretty hoodie. I found this amazing hoodie at Maker Faire, made by Kinetic Couture. I couldn’t resist it, and decided to take it home and add lots and lots of pretty lights to it. It’s controlled by 7 glowing 3d...
I was invited to perform part of my light dancing show at GlowCon 2016. GlowCon describes itself as “an LED convention and party celebrating everything that glows. An electrical forest of cutting-edge LED technology and art.” It was a day-long event at NWBLK in San...
It’s been hot the last couple of weeks, and we’ve been trying very hard to get away from our computer screens and out into the bright, blinky sunshine. We even found a whole week to escape — we headed with some good friends to Camp Mather for a...
Mermaid Glimmer is the world’s only swimmable LED mermaid tail (as far as I know). She’s my pride and joy, and probably the most difficult and troublesome thing I’ve ever made. Creating an arduino controlled, battery operated illuminated costume that can hold up to...
This past weekend was the 16th annual Maker Faire in the Bay Area. I got to go for the very first time and experience the madness. The place was huge, and although I spent one and a half days there I feel like I only...
This video will walk you through how to create, convert, and choreograph images using the KineticPOV code that is featured in our Supernova Poi and MorningStar Double Staff guides. You can download the images and music that I used in this video below. It’s a great starting place...
Once upon a time I transformed a boring candelabra wall sconce from Target into a delightful LED remote controlled art piece with 3d printed candle holders and rainbow LED tea lights. Because I am far too lazy to bother to actually light candles. I...
Finally found a minute to photograph and post this is a gorgeous one-of-a-kind 3d printed Sunspot necklace with color-shifting rainbow LEDs inside. I’ve listed this for sale on my Etsy page! https://www.etsy.com/listing/287623845/glowing-sun-pendant-necklace Hand painted silver 3d printed ABS encases a beautiful sun shape that...
My newest post at the Adafruit Learning Center is up.. learn to make a light-up twinkling parasol. This parasol will shield you from the fierce rays of the sun, and protect you from the dark, fearsome things of the night.Neopixels surround the parasol’s edge, giving a beautiful,...
I’m always getting excited and posting photos of my LED props and costumes in action. Since I create most of this stuff myself, I’m also fascinated with what’s “under the hood” and how things work. Long exposure photos of LED props look amazing, but...
I had the opportunity to perform for Chinese New Year celebration for the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce last night at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Union City. I had a lot of fun putting this show together. I opened with my color thief cloak, then...
This morning I got to visit the teamLab art installation in Palo Alto at the Pace Gallery. teamLab (f. 2001, Tokyo, by Toshiyuki Inoko) is an interdisciplinary group of ultra-technologists whose collaborative practice seeks to navigate the confluence of art, technology, design and the...
I just completed a new guide on the Adafruit Learning Center detailing how to build your own giant 36 pixel LED poi. You can upload hundreds of images, and they have a really great giant battery that will last all night long. Build your...
I got a pewter Ingot for Christmas this year. Ingot. What a great word. Ingot. It just feels so great on my tongue. Ingot. I also like to say words like Crucible. Foundry. Slag. Lost wax casting. Ok, that’s a phrase, but what a...
It’s been just over a year since I got my 3d printer, and for this whole year I’ve been modeling in Tinkercad. It’s high time I learned a *real* 3d modeling program. Don’t get me wrong.. Tinkercad is awesome! It’s easy to use, and if...
I have a magical fairy bedroom. It just became a big more magical this week with the addition of my new 3d printed wall sconce fairy lights creation. I’ve had the basic frame for years. I got it at Target or some such place...
I managed to finish this costume just in time for the holiday season to start, and just took it out on its inaugural flight at the Niles Electric Lights Parade. It was really well received — I couldn’t go more than a few steps without...
For those following along, I’ve spent the last month working on this Wasp costume for Adafruit’s #ElectronicHalloween project. Here’s the last blog installment, with details on building the animatronic wing pack. Phil did an absolutely amazing job in record time and I wore...
As summer winds to a close I’ve been lucky enough to book Mermaid Glimmer at a fair number of events. She’s finding her audience! The people who seem to appreciate Mermaid Glimmer the most are, somewhat surprisingly, men at their 40th and 50th birthday parties. I...
Last Spring, I built a neoprene mermaid tail that was a reimagining of Queen Elsa from Frozen, if she were to change herself into a mermaid. It has 3d printed snowflakes and a competitor monofin. You can read about the construction here: Elsa Mermaid...
Reblogged from Adafruit.com — more about our Electronic Halloween Wasp Costume construction! Here’s the original post.. reblogged here for your reading pleasure! #ElectronicHalloween 2015 at Adafruit – 9/22 Update It’s the eve of the equinox. Fall aromas fill the air, pumpkin spice everything is on store...
3d printed Wasp Halloween costume helmet goodness!! I’m so excited. Orignal post here #ElectronicHalloween 2015 at Adafruit – 9/25 Update Prior installments: 9/14, 9/22.Halloween dress-up is fun and all, but it’s time for this to get…you know…really Adafruit-y. A prominent feature of the Wasp outfit as teased...
I’ve got a new Adafruit Learning Center guide up: how to make your own LED, persistence-of-vision double staffs. I’m calling them Morning Star Double Staffs. They’re pretty great. They’re based on the Genesis Poi tutorial code, but I’ve added an infrared sensor, so I can change brightness, patterns and...
I’m working with Adafruit.com on a super exciting Halloween costume project. Halloween’s my most favorite holiday, and this year I’m building something ambitious: From the Adafruit Blog: Halloween is our favorite holiday at Adafruit. It’s the “maker’s holiday,” whatever your medium of choice. Each...
My company, Fire Pixie Entertainment, was selected to perform at the ISES NCC Gala in San Francisco this year. The theme was Bright Lights, Big Glam and I got all excited at the opportunity to bring out all my LED costumes, dress up all my...
Check it out! I was interviewed by 16 Hertz, a New York based web site and store focusing on bringing products to young and beginner-makers, getting them interested in arduino and LED makering. Interview with Mermaid Glimmer on 16 Hertz
I just finished up and shipped off a gorgeous custom black and gold Wizard hoodie. I have been getting away from making hoodies lately — it’s been hot and working with fleece isn’t as much fun in the heat.. and also I’ve been really...
I just completed a new tutorial over at Adafruit.com — make your own Galaxy Pendant. I wanted an LED necklace I could wear swimming or hot tubbing. Really, it was Mermaid Glimmer who insisted on it.. she’s getting a lot of use this summer and wanted a...
Fire Pixie will be performing at the NCC ISES gala event on Tuesday. I’m spending this week working on accessories and light-up costumes, getting everything ready. We’ll have 6 fantastic performers showing off all the LED costumes I can squeeze onto the dance floor. I can’t...
I had a fantastic fire dancing – and – swimming mermaid gig last weekend and got some wonderful video of Glimmer swimming. The pool I was in was lit just perfectly — the footage is really otherworldly and so much fun. Enjoy!
I had the very good fortune of visiting Venice this spring. Venice.. the city of Carnival, canals, masks, and the Aperol Spritz. I’ve heard about Venice for years — who hasn’t? But nothing quite prepared me for the amazing experience of getting lost in...
Last week I was in Venice. If you haven’t been to Venice, GO. It was amazing. It was more beautiful, gritty, exciting, delicious, and REAL than I could have possibly imagined. It was Diagon Alley, only full of boats and muggles. It was inspiring....
The construction is all done on my Elsa Mermaid tail, and it’s time to make it PRETTY!(part one, construction, is here)I used Jones Tones sparkle paint in about 5 different shades of blue and silver. Elsa’s skirt fabric from the Frozen movie has vertical...
I got it into my head that I must have yet another swimming mermaid tail. I will not repeat the folly of taking on another Glimmer LED Swimming Mermaid project, but I did want to use tech, and I want something that will be loved and...
For some reason, I always seem to lose my focus and motivation in the spring time. Maybe it’s the weather.. spring fever is running rampant and California’s spring sunshine is beckoning. Maybe it’s because I often get sick when the seasons change, and this...
My favorite kind of project is the kind of project that makes me happy and also makes someone else’s day. Recently I was asked to contribute to a superhero costume for Super Hope. Super Hope is an awesome organization that works with kids who have...
The new DotStar LEDs from Adafruit.com just arrived a couple weeks ago and I am the lucky lucky duck who got to play with them. The cool thing about DotStars as opposed to NeoPixels (Adafruit’s older LED type, and what I used for Glimmer the LED Mermaid and...
I just got back from NCMerFest in North Carolina. I am a Mermaid performer and this is the best Mermaid convention I’ve ever been to — I had a whole year’s worth of fun and it’s only January 7. I’ve got some tremendously great Mermaid friends who I...
My second Adafruit tutorial post is live! Cosmic Turtle Loves you. Check it out! I made this for my brother’s girlfriend as a Christmas gift and I loved it so much that I wanted to make myself one too.. but then I realized that...
I got an UP! Mini 3D printer for Christmas this year. Wowza. I’m SO excited.. I haven’t stopped playing with it since just about the minute I unwrapped it and I’m having tons of fun. I printed a mermaid seashell, then I printed Elsa’s crown from Frozen which...
I’m having a blast with my new 3D Printer, and the first thing I’m printing is jewelry. Tiaras, necklaces, pendants, LED jewelry enclosures.. all the perfectly sized things I’ve always wanted but haven’t been able to make until now. There’s just one problem… this printer...
So, this is exciting. I’ve been invited to become a contributor to the Adafruit Learning Center — Adafruit’s online shop is where I buy most of the supplies for all the light-up costumes I’ve been making lately. Adafruit’s tutorial style is right up my alley. They have a...
My latest project is officially finished! I made my first set of LED Isis Wings and they are, of course, my new favorite thing ever. Here they are in action: The iridescent Wings of Isis are gorgeous on their own, but with the lights...
Halloween costume #3: Aeronaut Erin and her magical arduino powered flaming rocket pack. 🙂 Featuring interactive steampunk goggles, a glowing fairy bottle, my glowing soul caster on my wrist and my “secret of nimh sparkly” necklace, and of course my brand new LED isis wings running FastLED. The rocket pack is made...
This upcycled leather Steampunk Festival Belt is really fun. It’s got a steampunk octopus. Who doesn’t love a steampunk octopus? It also has a steampunk dragonfly on the other side, and tentacles embroidered on the iPhone pocket in the back. It has magnetic...
So, I have been making stuff. I never stop making stuff. I just haven’t been posting about it all. 🙂 Too busy traveling the world as a Mermaid, I think. But this one is so much fun I want to share! This necklace reminds...
I’m finally getting caught up with life after 5 days in Mexico with the Mermaid Portfolio Workshop followed by a crazy-busy weekend — I came home and jumped into 3 fire shows, 3 Frozen Elsa shows, and a Tinkerbell show over the next 3 days. Monday? I slept on Monday....
This year has been all about mermaids. I’m going on Bob and Malena’s Mermaid Portfolio Workshop to Centoes in Mexico in just a couple weeks, and I’m working day and night to be sure my LED tail is finished and robust enough to handle international travel...
I’m listening to the audiobook verion of Stormlight by Brandon Sanderson while working on things, and woke up this morning gripped with the inescapable need for a Soulcaster of my own. From Wikepedia: Soulcasting is a practice where objects are changed from one form...
Now that my LED Mermaid Tail is functional, I’ve been spending every waking minute adding bells and whistles, animations and robust-ification. I’ve got a pool lined up for my very first swim-test on Friday and I’m both terrified and deliciously excited. Will it all short...
I haven’t posted in the last few months because I’ve been pouring all my energy into creating this. I call her Glimmer the Mermaid. 🙂 (She’s even got her own Facebook Page so that makes her “real”) I made the LED swimmable mermaid seashells at the end...
My current plan for world-domination through illuminated fashion: a programmable LED swimmable mermaid tail.Electronics and water don’t play well together. I am starting small, though I have to admit the more I play around with LED wearables, the grander my vision gets. I’d...
Today I finished my first glow-fur project. It’s a glowing silver-and-white fur lined jacket, and the cuffs and collar fur glow with delicious rainbow colors and animations. I used Adafruit’s Gemma chip along with their neopixels and neopixel strips. The jacket is powered by a lithium...
I woke up in the middle of the night and heard a very odd sucking noise in the bathroom. Bleary-eyed, I stumbled in there and saw something purple and squishy slurping up out of the drain. I don’t know how he got there or...
I’ve been modifying my light-up shoes and now they’re extra-awesome. I got some new velostat, which works a treat. The velostat is a pressure sensitive material which basically gets turned into a sensor, so the shoes light up when I step down, instead of just being...
I have always wanted a pair of light-up shoes. All the kids are wearing them. They can stomp and their shoes light up with red or blue or sparkly and I’ve always been SO JEALOUS.Tonight, I finished my very first set of light-up shoes....
I got home from a fire show the other night, exhausted from a very long day. As I was unloading the car, my body told me she was quite finished, and instead of carefully bending down to place the fire show box on the floor, I...
It’s finished! It’s finally finally finished! Well, except for all the additional decorating and sequining and seaweed and such. But it’s finished enough for Prime Time. How to Make a Mermaid Tail Materials: 1 sheet of 3 mm dark green neoprene (I got mine...
I finished this peacock fairy costume yesterday. With the sunset getting later and later this time of year, there was plenty of time to head out to the arboretum for a photo shoot yesterday evening. I’m really pleased with how this costume turned out!...
My new embroidery machine arrived today!!! I am SO excited. It’s a Brother SE400 Embroidery and Sewing Machine. Originally I got the PE500, but the 500 does only embroidery, not regular sewing, and keeping that one would mean I would have to manage 3 sewing machines...
Wow! So, I’ve been out of the country, fire dancing at a theme park in Japan, for most of the winter. I’m back now and I got an embroidery machine for Christmas, which I haven’t even taken out of the box yet, because of the aforementioned...