Hello from canada!

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Hello everyone! I am very happy to be here! Im jamie and ive been a mermaid enthusiast for as long as i can remember. I live in Red Deer, a crappy little city in alberta, canada.

My favourite movie was the little mermaid growing up, but i think the point in time i decided i really wanted to actually be one was after seeing the movie Hook. I plan on having a few full differently styled "mer sets" but my first and the only one i own thus far is based off the pink mermaid from that movie.

i own one tail, a silicone neoPRIN :mad: from the mertailor. I wont get into that here. I shall write a review as soon as i get some more photos from my underwater shoot i recently did. (My day job is being a model)

since getting my tail, ive decided i would much rather make my own so i am currently in the process of making moulds to build my own. I just finished glueing scales and now im saving for clay for a fluke sculpt and the dragonskin. Ive been working with resin and moulds and latex for a while so i figured go big or go home!

Between here and youtube i think im set and im so glad there are lots of others who enjoy mermaiding. My hope now that im here is that i can find a few other mers close to me! Id love to hit the water with at least one more!

[AniaR]

Hello! I'm Raina, I run Canadian Mermaids Inc :) We are launching a program by the end of the year that will help mermaids across Canada get more work, better pay, insurance, services to help them develop professionally (training), resources, and discounts on products mermaids buy a lot (like underwater makeup). We haven't launched yet but you can check out our website www.canadianmermaids.com and our facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Canadian-Mermaids-Inc/1522333807997260?fref=ts

Personally, I run a group in Halifax Nova Scotia, www.halifaxmermaids.com and I also run an agency for mermaids in Atlantic Canada. www.atlanticmermaids.com :) If you need some free resources to help you develop your mermaid persona I have a lot listed here: http://halifaxmermaids.weebly.com/how-to-be-a-mermaid.html along with my book I sell.

I get so excited when more Canadian mermaids join, there are so few of us and I am really dedicated to making sure we get more and everyone has support. If you feel like adding me to FB I have a mermaid profile here: https://www.facebook.com/raina.mer.5

I started out with a neoprin tail too, yours looks similar to my old one.. I know that can be frustrating. I think it's awesome you want to make tails but I will let you know, dragonskin silicone from smoothon wont ship to Canada. It doesn't pass our import laws for individuals to get through customs because the materials can be potentially dangerous (in the same way they wont let certain beauty products across the border for individuals). Also, Smoothon wont ship it too far North because of the potential for the materials to become corrupt during harsh weather changes. I've emailed them a few times to see if something can be worked out, along with speaking to customs officials but no luck yet.

I am trying to find a canadian supplier for silicone, or a production company that can get it in that mermaids can buy from. All part of the advocating for mermaids work we're trying to do through Canadian mermaids. I'll keep you posted if I find anything new or any information! Best of luck. I know you can get latex here. A merman I know was able to get it shipped.

I'm not close to you but I think there may be a merman in your area.

[Miyu]

Psst... Look into getting aquarium sealer silicone... It's what Fifi Tigg uses in her (totally awesome) tails, and you'll know it's safe for both people and marine life! Plus, so many people have aquariums that I'm positive you guys should be able to find some up there somehow! :)

[SeaGlass Siren]

yayyy more canadians!! welcome welcome!

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Thanks for all the info raina! I only knew of two other Canadian mermaids, you and one in vancouver and i cannot remember her name. I knew there had to be a few more! Yay! I plan on doing some travelling around canada next summer when my inlaws have my kids for two weeks so i will definately have to find everyone in canada and see if we cant get in some water time!

im currently talking with a company in Calgary that carries smooth on to see if they can get it here. I know they have the latex but i really wanted silicone due to the high allergy risk of latex. I had a latex top made for the tail and i can only wear it in certain places that arent available to the general public like private studios. Even if they can only get it during the warm months here i would be ok with that. If thats the case maybe ill whip up a real neoprene one and paint it.


im sure as you can see in my photo the tail is fulll of bubbles in the fluke, and i found it almost impossible to sink down in it, even when its full of water

miyu i will look into that for sure. Thank you.

seaglass siren, thank you for the welcome! Im very happy to be here.

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

I found a company called sculpture supply canada and they say they ship north america wide and have the dragonskin. 211$ per gallon of the medium cure speed dragonskin 10
http://www.sculpturesupply.com/list.php?sf=subcategory&vl=Dragon+Skin+10+Medium&cat=Rubber+Silicones

it unfortunately ships by ups so im going to look at alternative methods before i order online. It would be nice to find a company to order through that i can drive to and pick it up. Ups leaves things outside on doorsteps, even if its the wrong doorstep!

[AniaR]

there ya go! that's the way to do it. go through a company who has the import # and license to import the stuff :)

[SeaGlass Siren]

jamie you can now add me as the third mermaid (i'm in toronto but i don't perform. it's more recreational.) :P there's also canadian mermaid marie from montreal. and there's also mermaid michelle in london ontario! (or was it hamilton i can't remember)

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Horray! I have friends in ontario so there is a much higher chance of me getting out there more often!

today is silicone hunting day!

[SeaGlass Siren]

siick!!

[MerMatt]

Welcome Jamie. I live just a short drive down in Airdrie. I was wondering if there were any pools up there that allow tails. Its seems hard to find pools that allow tails here. So if you know of one that would be great.

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

No luck for answers on silicone yesterday but the guy from one company said hed check and see if he can ge smaller amounts in.

Hello mermatt! I have good news in that department! The collicut center has allowed be to bring my tail in. They are going to let me in and see how it goes. Its not a normal pool its a tapered wave pool but in the mornings the waves are off. Im still looking at the other pools here since they are bigger. One even has a dive tank. Thats the one im hoping to be able to use. Ive been a little under the weather so I havent been in yet. Once I have ill let you know for ill make sure to ask if there can be more the one of us at a time!

[MerMatt]

Thats very good to know. Thank you and please keep me updated. We should meet up sometime since its a very quick drive up there.

Cheers
Matt

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Thats very good to know. Thank you and please keep me updated. We should meet up sometime since its a very quick drive up there.

Cheers
Matt

Absolutely! Ill try and navigate to send you a pm with my info in it!

Im sorry ive been away. Hyrule warriors came out so the inner nerd in me had to game out.

Im going to the pool in the morning. The last few days were pretty busy so fins crossed!

[MerMatt]

Cool. Have fun. Hopefully they allow a couple of mers in at a time.

[deepblue]

Welcome, Jamie. :)

[Merman Jamie]

Welcome to the forum

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Thank you Surlyseanymph and merman Jamie! Glad to be here, i love this place!


success on the dragonskin front!
Gyptek had two one gallon kits of the slow cure 10 and the silc pig sample pack in stock and are willing to send it on a nice warm bus to me! They also have appropriate sculpting clay! He recommending the same layering color technique i had planned on using so thats definitely a sign im headed in the right direction!

[Genevieve]

Hello, Jamie! Best wishes on your tailmaking journey. :)

Peter Pan and Hook marked the start of my interest in mermaids too. And while I might not be a Canadian mermaid at the moment, I grew up there (Mississauga) but we moved downstream.

[Mermaid Clara]

Welcome Jamie!

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Genevieve, still a canadian at heart!
Thank you Kelly!


Silicone is ordered and will be here tomorrow. Thank god! My mertailor tail is falling apart now and wont be more then a few swims away from the monofin tearing through the bottom of my tail.