Bay Area Maker Faire 2016

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 saw maybe 20% of the projects on display.  Granted, I spent almost all my time in the LED tent since that's where all the blinkiest rainbowy projects were.  But there sure was lots to see.

I hung out for a while with Nick Donaldson from Got Robots and his amazing hexapod Marauder.   Marauder is a roller skating, dancing, singing giant buglike creature and was far and away the most lifelike robot I saw at the event.  He was constantly surrounded by crowds of admirers and it was really fun to watch the kids react to him.

Inside the LED tent there were so many beautiful things to see.  My favorite was probably getting to watch the fashion show.  There were maybe 8-10 designers showcasing a really broad range of LED dresses and wearables.  I loved the Chinese lantern-inspired dresses -- they were incredibly detailed and unique.

I visited the FlowToys booth and got to play in the LED forest, and really enjoyed all the interactive installations.

But my favorite part was the people.  It was so exciting and inspiring to get to wander around and meet so many artists, inventors, innovators and creators in such a small space.  In one afternoon I got to see so much incredible LED artwor, watch a neon tube bending demonstration, feel the heat from large scale fire art sculptures, geek out with fashion vendors and jewelry makers, hang with robots and get hugs from incredibly realistic dragon puppets.   Really, the only thing missing was a mermaid presence!  Maybe I'll have to bring Glimmer out next year. 

Little Princesses That Make Us Go "Awwww!"

We do so many parties, and pose for so many pictures with adorable, happy little ones, but it's not every day that we actually get to see them. Sometimes, though, when we check the palace mail, we find treasures! 

Erin was Elsa for this very special 4th birthday a few weeks ago. There was magic, singing, face painting, balloon twisting, and games, and clearly Erin made quite the impression.

It's easy to forget just how much what we do means to our party hosts and their little Princesses. For us, it might be just another day at the office, but for them, it's creating memories they'll treasure always. So thanks for the reminders, Miranda! We'll keep them where we need them most:

Fire Pixie HQ

New Birthday Princess and Fairy Costumes, and Inspiration

Springtime is in full swing in the San Francisco Bay Area, and as I was walking through our Fremont neighborhood yesterday I saw maybe the most beautiful perfect rose I have ever seen.  It blazed at me in so many colors: red to pink to peach to bright yellow at the center, with the sweetest scent and the most delicate petals, right at the peak of full bloom.

Usually on my way to Suju's Coffee I walk with a purpose.  Got to get there.  Caffeinate.  Burn some calories.  Get back to the office before I miss too many phone calls.  However, last weekend at a fire show I pulled a groin muscle and this week I haven't been able to walk at my usual breakneck pace.  

So yesterday I meandered.  I dawdled and lollygagged.  I stopped and noticed the roses.  This morning my head is spinning with ideas.  New monarch butterfly princess costume.  Mermaid-riding-a-turtle costume.  New ideas for magic tricks and stories.  Peacock Fairy costume.  (this one's in the works and is going to be astonishingly beautiful)  I can't wait to get to it all.

As a costume designer and performer, I'm constantly amazed whenever I find inspiration.  Sometimes I feel like all my creativity has run dry, but then I walk around the corner and encounter the worlds most perfect rose, and I remember that the world is infinitely larger and more mysterious and magical than I will ever be able to discover or explore.