After a whirlwind weekend at Megacon, I have returned, blogosphere.
We had this trip planned for some time, and it just happened to land at the most opportune time. We needed an escape, and we definitely got one in the form of mass geekery. The hubs and I attend conventions because we love the lifestyle and the culture of geek fandom, but also because we really enjoy meeting new people, discovering new artists and supporting them. There is also a special vibe at these conventions. There is an air of comradery, love and acceptance, and it was exactly what I needed.

While there, I did stumble upon some pretty amazing artists, vendors, human beings and here they are in no particular order:

1. Sarah Wilkinson; I had a physical reaction to this woman’s art. As I was walking down Artist Alley, I had to suck in my breath when I saw this particular piece because I felt like it had been knocked out of me. It moved me beyond belief, and I was so happy to hear that she had similar experiences with other con-goers. She even told me a man began to cry as he described what the piece meant to him, which of course, caused her to cry and that it was a beautiful experience. I can only imagine that moments like those are why you make art. Although I did not get personal with her on my feelings towards the piece, I’m sure my tear-filled eyes said enough as I stared at it and made my purchase.

2. Evie Tees; this is an Etsy shop that I had been following for some time now. I adore their taste level when it comes to fandom tees – something that I truly appreciate. It’s fun, but doesn’t forgo quality. I actually was immediately drawn to their booth without knowing it was actually theirs! I loved what I saw and immediately started soaking it all up, until I recognized their adorable lapel pins. What made the experience even better was that Elena, the owner of the shop, and her friend Jessica, were truly amazing people. They were easy to talk to and incredibly sweet. So much so that we swung by to say hello not once, not twice, but every day of the convention.

3. Clark Orr; there are art prints you find at conventions, and then there are Clark‘s designs. Wow. Each piece had some sort of additional element, like 3D printing, black light capability, etc. The hubs was immediately drawn to the Back To The Future 3D Hoverboard print, and I could not argue. It was gorgeously done (& even came with a pair of old school 3D glasses). Again, what made him even more spectacular was that he was such a nice dude. I love it when you can strike up a conversation with an artist and its not just a purchase.

4. Jessica Grundy; Absolutely beautiful, fanciful, and sometimes somber, sketches of little girls. Her booth immediately caught my attention and the more I looked through her prints, the more I fell in love. Ultimately, batgirl stole my heart, but without even realizing, I stopped at her booth again the following day before realizing I had already been there and purchased something! When it’s good, it’s good. I can’t wait to continue stocking up via Etsy.

Special shout outs go to WeLoveFine (great tee site) and Art of Danny (whom I featured in my Supercon post last year).

Is it terrible to admit that I didn’t expect much from our local comic book convention, Supercon? Blame it on my multiple Comic Con experiences, but I was fully prepared to walk around pulling a major McKayla. Man, was I proved wrong. Like, really wrong. I was especially blown away with the talent in the Artist Alley upstairs. I did not know Miami/Florida housed so many amazing artists that fed into the geeky culture. I mean, I didn’t even know Miami had a geeky culture, but again, I was proved wrong based on the line that snaked around the entire Radisson hotel. Color me surprised, Miami. I’m kind of proud of you.

I figured rather than just posting a bunch of pictures chronicling our experience, I would share with you all the talent I experienced by providing you with links to my favorite artists/vendors. Check ‘em out, support local artists and businesses and, most importantly, enjoy!

Clockwise (l to r): Andrew Heath (we actually bought this exact Tobias print), Brian Reedy (amazing woodcut art – snagged two pieces from him), Sugar Fueled (so adorable/creepy, I can’t get enough) & Art of Danny (gorgeous split persona’s you have probably seen on Pinterest 1223426 times).

I love sending snail mail, especially when it is adorned with special stickers and stamps. Receiving a package in the mail jumps up 10,000 more points when it is pretty to look at, so I am loving all over these state address stamps. And before you scoff at the asking price, know that they are each hand-lettered. Delicious.

I can’t get enough of photobooths. Say what you will, but I don’t think they will ever go out of style. Something that pushes it even further is when it has been slaved over by the party planners themselves. I am no stranger to creating photobooths and know they can be a lot of work, but the pay off is huge. I mean, remember my Harry Potter booth? That was a classic. This one is sure to be as well because I’m pretty sure I’m going to rip off this design for my 90’s party!

I may be the last person on Earth to hear about this website, but I love it! You can do virtually anything with your Instagram shots: make an album, stickers (!!!) or get yourself some nifty square prints (pictured). I’m loving this for gift ideas and I’m definitely inspired to order a few of these squares for myself to put somewhere.

It really is the 90’s all over again, isn’t it? But seriously, I always missed the Palazzo pant when it went the way of the dinosaur. What’s not to love? Easy, breezy and effortlessly chic. This is why I couldn’t be happier that it is making a comeback! Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find the right ones yet (why are they all in these crazy prints? ugh), but I am hopeful that I will be find my match soon just in time for beautiful Miami beach days.

This is just so…me. If you know me for more than a few hours, you will realize that my conversation will somehow land on…well, bathroom business. I have no idea why, but it never ever fails. I’m completely serious. While having breakfast with friends last weekend, it totally happened. Over bagels and eggs. There is no rhyme or reason. This is why I need this bathroom journal in my life. Best part? I know I will have so many willing participants. I just hope they wash their hands first.

As if they weren’t cute enough, they are also limited edition (only 50 of each!) so make sure you get your hands on one as quickly as possible – I think they’d make great holiday gifts!

However, if you are more of a gambler, you’re in luck! I will be giving away TWO artist series Chubby Books from both Piktorama and Crowded Teeth to one lucky reader! All you have to do is follow Melificent on Facebook & Pink Ghost on Twitter! Easy, right? Make sure you sign up below as the contest will close on Sunday, December 16th at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be announced that Monday in a blog post! So what are you waiting for? ENTER!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Like every girl, I have a hobby. It just turns out that mine consists of changing into unique frocks and playing dress-up for a day. Thanks to the ladies at Terribly Girly Photography, I can look different for a day and have snapshots to remember the look by.

The last time I played dress-up, I decided to go with an 80’s theme. Inspired by JEM and everything truly outrageous, I posed in candy-colors and bright shoes. The pictures were a hit.

Want to play dress-up yourself? Check out Terribly Girly Photography and sign up for their newsletter to get informed on their great photo package deals. Hey, every girl deserves to treat themselves to a girly day of fun. And make sure to like their Facebook page so you can stay informed and take a peek at some of their shoots. Amazing, right?

xo, Aurora

Did any of you participate in the super fun February photo a day on Instagram?
I had a great time compiling photos for all the 28 29 days and thought I would share them with all of you! For those of you that didn’t get a chance to play, there is one for March! Jump on it!

I’m pretty sure Kate Spade should pay me at this point for the incessant promotion on my blog, or at least offer me some free swag, don’t you think? I can’t help that all her designs are so perfectly feminine with just the right touch of rebellion. Case in point: these gorgeous pumps. Vibrant yellow seems like it is going to be the shade of the spring, and paired with this playfully striped heel, you’ll be the life of the party. Or at least the target for jealous glances.

I feel really bad for Lowe’s and Home Depot. Their paint swatch department must be at an all-time low with all these amazing DIY’s making their rounds around Pinterest. I know I’ve been a culprit: stealthily making my way over to the paint section and quickly shoving handful after handful of swatches in my purse while wearing the most “I’m not guilty” look on my face. Anyone else? No? OK. However, the guilt and embarrassment is well worth it if it results in something that looks as gorgeous and dainty as this chandelier. Gah!

I love a good handwritten font. What do I love more? A true handwritten font! These customizable address stamps have been created by someone’s actual hand using a calligraphy pen just for you and your future snail mail. However, make sure before you buy that you have found the place as these will set you back $65. Wanderlusters need not apply!

Glitter is a way of life for me, not just an accent for holiday cheer. A good glitter can go a long way. But not everything that glitters is gold. Whew. Sorry. I seemed to have gotten a little carried away. Sparkles tend to do that to me. With that said, I am totally loving this glitter-effect curtain from the one and only Anthropologie. Although it is not physically made with glitter, the way the petals are laid out give it a similar feel. Again, it unfortunately comes with a hefty price tag (theme of this Friday?), so I am crossing my fingers and toes that it either (a.) goes on super sale after Christmas or (b.) gets successfully ripped off by another company (I’m looking at you, Target).

As if I needed another excuse to feed my ever-growing nail polish hoarding behavior (I believe I’m over 50 at this point), I just discovered that China Glaze will be coming out with a Hunger Games inspired collection to celebrate its release in theaters. At this point, it’s pretty common knowledge that I am a full blown tribute (aka; fan of the popular trilogy), so this is super exciting for me (wow, I’m a nerd). However, it seems like there was some legal dilemmas surrounding this product, and in the scuffle, we lost out on some pretty stellar names (Joined at the Seam, Catnip, and my personal favorite, Cinna-mon, just to name a few) and were left with the more mundane, run-of-the-mill ones you see above. However, that will not deter me from buying every single shade in the collection, so help me Peeta.

One thing I absolutely love about the holiday season is the ability to wear sparkles and sequins with reckless abandon. Granted, in my world, it would be year round, but in an attempt not to be greedy, I’ll take what I can get. Although I don’t tend to have events worthy of all those glorious sequined dresses, I can totally justify the purchase of this fabulous sequined scarf. I think it would compliment a casual Christmas lunch or dinner outfit perfectly!

I really like dressing up, and it doesn’t just apply to my wardrobe. I like dressing up tables, drinks and now, apparently, pies and cakes. A big trend seems to be banners to adorn those special baked goods, but after searching Etsy, they can be a bit expensive. That’s why I was so happy to see this creative DIY project that is totally doable and unique: messages with alphabet pasta! Again, with it being holiday season, this is a project that I see being extremely useful for all of those Martha’s planning festivities and wanting to make them as special as possible (I’m one of them)!

In terms of home goods, I absolutely adore all the ceramic animals floating around. Now that I just bought a console table waiting to be decorated, I’ve been giving them a little extra attention and this sly guy definitely caught it. Jonathan Adler always has beautiful collections, so it’s no surprise I’m in love with his mod menagerie line. I just wish it came with a better price tag – guess I’ll just patiently wait until those fantastic after Christmas sales!

Anthropologie really knows how to make the most mundane things charming. Cue these adorable Farmer’s Market containers turned stoneware. With an array of happy colors and a very reasonable price tag ($14), what’s not to love! I can see these possibly making an appearance on my new console table!

I have no idea what this is, where it came from, or who made it, but I LOVE IT. Although birds scare me in real life (they are not trustworthy, OK?), I love them in design and decor. Add adorable little crowns on these fat suckers, and I can’t handle it! Must have! So if anyone recognizes this print and knows if it’s for sale, let me know! I’d love to have it somewhere in my home.

1. Kleancolor’s chunky holo nail polish colors

Like Miss Melificent herself, I adore a fun manicure. When I came across the above manicure from The Swatchaholic the other day, I knew I had to look into these colors more. Turns out: there are a ton! Even better? On BeautyJoint.com they’re only $1.75 a piece. I haven’t placed an order myself yet, but at that price I feel like you kind of can’t go wrong. I also found swatches of all the chunky holo colors on Swatch and Learnso check that out if you want to see how a particular color looks.

2. Odds In Your Favor print

I’m sure I’ve been on Society6 before, but I really fell down the rabbit hole the other night. If you haven’t checked the site out, you should rectify that situation immediately! It’s full to the brim with amazing work, all by independent artists. The above Hunger Games-inspired “Odds In Your Favor” print was one of my favorite finds.

3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Okay, full disclosure: I just bought this book today so I haven’t finished it yet, but I have been excited about it for months. Mindy isn’t much older than I am and she’s been a writer for The Office from the beginning. She’s up there with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as far as my lady heroes go. Naturally, when I read excerpts from her book a few months ago, I got very excited. The “Best Friends Rights and Responsibilities” chapter is particularly perfect, with rules such as “I Will Hate and Re-Like People For You” and “We Sleep in the Same Bed.” Basically, I can’t wait to read the entire thing.

4. Pool at The Raleigh

I came across this image while browsing Pinterest and thought that pool looked like perfection. I looked into it and found out it’s in Meli’s town: Miami! Perhaps sometime I’ll make it to The Raleigh on a visit out that way. I envision a striped maillot de bain and a big floppy hat. Heaven!

Anyway, my lovelies, this will be my last post at Melificent! I had fun filling in and I hope you enjoyed this week. I’ll still be posting over on my blog and I’d love to see some of you there. Have a great weekend.

Follow the author: anikaguldstrand.com ; @lilypads

I may be so late to this game, but I was lent the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy by a friend last week and I am so dunzo. In fact, I’m sure by the time this posts (in a couple of days), I’ll be done with the entire series. I’m currently on the last book, Mockingjay, since I basically annihilated my way through them. I don’t think I’ve ever been so addicted to a book series since I was a kid. I just can’t get enough of it. Katniss is such a positive role model for young girls – forget Bella Swan. This is true empowerment! And now I couldn’t be more excited for the film release in March – I totally see a gaggle of girls in matching Hunger Games fandom shirts. And I love it.

I can’t express how much I love colored animal figures as decor at events. They just add a perfect amount of kitsch to any party – and are so affordable! I used a couple of dinosaur figures that I found at Michael’s for a mere $1 – I paired them with some pink paint and bam! Cutest part of my crafting party by far. The rest of this wedding was absolutely adorable as well, so make sure to scroll around, just keep some tissues handy to wipe the drool off your chin.

Oh, sparkles. Aside from The Hunger Games trilogy, I’m pretty sure they will be the death of me. How great would this look paired with….OK, basically everything? Would that be overkill? Betsey Johnson can do not wrong in my book, and this just reinforces the thought. Unfortunately, it seems like it is no longer available (and yes, I even scoured Ebay), but Kate Spade has some fun alternatives, in case you were wondering (aka; lusting).

My life has kind of been baby crazed lately – a lot of my friends are either pregnant or have just given birth so I basically have a baby shower every month and plenty of baby visits. This means I’ve been looking at a lot more baby products lately, and man – Etsy sure is a baby gold mine! There are just so many cute things every where you look – I fear my future when I decide to be a mommy. Cue unnecessary, but absolutely adorable baby sandals! I mean, I know they are ridiculous but the cuteness factor is off the charts! I mean seriously, how can you resist? Simple. You can’t (ps; this store also carries baby boots – I die).

This is another fabulous child gift. Paloma’s Nest has been a go-to for special gifts for me for a couple of years now. Her items are always so gorgeously made and meaningful. I think I’ve gotten gasps and tears (sometimes simultaneously) at the receiving end of these gifts, so I am beyond excited at her newest products: wooden birthday crowns. These are considered heirlooms, as they are meant to be kept throughout the years, celebrating each and every milestone with its owner. How special would these be as a gift for a 1st birthday? I’m such a sucker for traditions.