Merlesque Mermaids Blog - Merlesque Mermaids

Hugh Spence's Photography Success with the Merlesque Mermaids

19/1/2015

Photograph by Hugh Spence

Mermaid Ondine reports:

Well, it may be Blue Monday, but it's not all bad news - we've heard from Hugh Spence, one of the fabulous photographers who joined us for the Merlesque Mermaids underwater photoshoot last August, that one of the pictures he took at the photoshoot (in fact, it's one of me - see the picture opposite!) has been doing really well in various photography competitions!

On the 20th November, this image received the second highest score overall in a four-way photography competition between the St Ives, St Neots, Ely and March photography clubs, out of 32 images from the 4 clubs (it scored 29 points out of a possible 30!).

The same image has also been accepted to three different international photography competitions this year - we'll keep you updated on how it's doing. If you'd like to see more of Hugh's work, you can check out his website by clicking here.

It's wonderful to hear that our photographers are doing so well with pictures from the Merlesque Mermaids photoshoot. If you would be interested in photographing mermaids and underwater models in a film-quality acrylic tank, do contact us with your email address and we can ensure you are kept up-to-date with information on when our next shoot will be.

Real UK Mermaid Performer on Star Radio Cambridge

15/1/2015

Photograph by Star Radio

Mermaid Ondine reports:

Mermaid Melusine was up bright and early this morning to chat to the lovely Lottie on the Star Radio Breakfast show. As you can see from the picture opposite, she seems to match the studio decor pretty much perfectly.

If you'd like to listen to the interview, (in which Melusine and Lottie chat about everything from mermaid life to burly men, and the challenges that escalators present to mermaids) you can hear the whole thing by clicking here!

Mermaid Ondine - Hero of 2014!

8/1/2015

Photograph by Hugh Spence

Mermaid Melusine reports:

Here at Mermaid Towers, we've only just found out that Mermaid Ondine was named as a Hero of 2014 by The Cambridge News paper - we might be a little bit behind the times, but what exciting news! It's their annual list of Cambridgeshire people who have triumphed in the face of adversity, and the article links to some pretty incredible stories, including people who have had to battle post-natal depression, drug addictions and cancer.

Mermaid Ondine's feature follows on from her interview with the paper way back in January 2014 - you can still read the interview online, in which Mermaid Ondine talks about how she was inspired to fulfil her dream of becoming a professional mermaid after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, by clicking here.

A Mermaid's New Year's Resolution

8/1/2015

Mermaid Ondine reports:
Well, we're a week into 2015 already (can you believe it?) and it's getting to that time in January where New Year's Resolutions start to look a little bit wobbly around the edges... Looking around at Mermaid Towers, I can see Mermaid Melusine (who resolved to lay off seaweed for the whole month) tucking into a kelp baguette! But there's one New Year's resolution that we mermaids are sticking to, and we're hoping that you might join us!

The "Scrub It Out" Campaign has been launched by Flora and Fauna International and the Marine Conservation Society, requesting that people sign a pledge not to use toiletries and cosmetic products which contain plastic microbeads. These microbeads are sometimes used in a whole range of products, including toothpaste, bubble bath, soaps and scrubs - they're so small that most of the time you probably have no idea that the product contains these beads. However, when they're washed down the drain and, eventually, out into the ocean, they pose a real danger to marine wildlife - and to us mermaids!

The good news is that there's plenty of organic alternatives that manufacturers can use in place of plastic microbeads, so please sign the pledge now to send the message to UK businesses that consumers don't want plastic microbeads in their products (if you sign, you can even get a free sample of a yummy organic skin scrub!). Plus, Flora and Fauna International have produced a Good Scrub Guide to help you identify which products are marine-friendly, and there's even an app you can download to scan barcodes in shops and check whether products contain microbeads.

It's so easy to avoid using products which contain these marine pollutants - so please, do sign the pledge today, and help keep our oceans happy.

Love and best fishes,

Mermaid Ondine x

Real Mermaids On Film - with 26,000 views!

8/1/2015

Mermaid Ondine reports:
We're so excited that we've hit 26,000 views on the Merlesque Mermaids YouTube channel! Thanks so much to everyone who watches our videos and supports the channel... And if you haven't seen it yet, you should head over there for videos of our real life UK mermaids performing on land and underwater! Here's our most popular video from 2014, which gives a backstage glimpse of our professional mermaids modelling at an underwater photoshoot in Peterborough:

Happy Anniversary Merlesque Mermaids

6/1/2015

Mermaid Ondine reports:

It's difficult to believe that it's been two years now since the very first Merlesque Mermaids photoshoot - but it's true! Those of you who follow us on Facebook will have seen that over the past week or so we've been commemorating the anniversary by releasing a few previously unseen photographs from the shoot - so you can see our mermaids caught on candid camera... If you haven't seen the pictures yet, simply head to our Facebook Page and check them out!

The last two years have been a fabulous rollercoaster and we've enjoyed every minute. We're so excited to see what the third year of being the Merlesque professional mermaids will bring - and we already have some fantastic plans lining up for the year ahead.

Thank you so much to everyone we've worked with: our customers, photographers, fans, friends - and people who are various lovely combinations of all four. We can't wait to see much much more of you all in 2015!

Book A Magical Mermaid Party For Your Child!

1/1/2015

Photograph by Karen Eng

Mermaid Melusine reports:

The weather's slowly getting warmer, and the Merlesque Mermaids' calendar is starting to fill up for the summer! If your little one loves mermaids, and has a special day coming up soon, why not throw them a magical mermaid party? The Merlesque mermaids cater for children's parties both on land and at swimming pools - your child will never forget the incredible experience of meeting (and maybe even swimming alongside) a real life mermaid!

Swim with a Real Mermaid!
If your child loves to swim, a mermaid pool party is the perfect choice for them! Your mermaid will play a host of fantastic games with the kids, including 'Mermaid School', where they'll have the chance to learn how to swim like a mermaid, play mermaid races, and find out all about life in the magical Mermaid Kingdom under the sea.

Meet a Real Mermaid!
If your child's party is taking place on dry land, don't fret - they still have the chance to meet a real mermaid! On land, our mermaid will sing all their favourite songs (and yes, parents - we do sing 'Let It Go' from Frozen!), run fantastic mermaid arts-and-crafts activities, and play lots of fun sea-themed games.

Merlesque's magical mermaid parties will be tailored to your child, and are suitable for a range of ages from 3 years up. Every child is different, so every party is different - simply get in touch with us now to discuss exactly how we can make your little one's dreams come true!

Real Mermaids On Facebook!

1/1/2015

Photograph by Dave Stewart

Mermaid Melusine reports:

Don't forget - the Merlesque Mermaids are on Facebook! Like our page now to keep up-to-date with all the latest mermaid shenanigans, including magical underwater photographs and video, pictures from our most recent performances, and news on our upcoming acts.

We also post updates on our public gigs, so you can find out where to go to meet a real life mermaid in the flesh...

We'd love to see you there!

Love and best fishes,

Mermaid Melusine x

Hilarious Mermaid Cabaret!

1/1/2015

Mermaid Melusine reports:
If you're looking for a musical comedy act that's hilarious and completely different - look no further! The Merlesque Mermaids cabaret act is perfect for a wide variety of events and can be tailored to be family-friendly - or a little bit more grown-up...

Mermaids Ondine and Melusine present a cheeky selection of comic songs and stories as they share everything you ever wished to know about life beneath the waves: how do mermaids date? Why have they come to the human world? And what do mermaids get up to in their spare time?

"It's difficult to pin down exactly what's so erotically magnetic about a pair of murderous ukelele-wielding half woman half fish girls... they launched into a twisted cover of Part of My World mixed up with references to cut-throat capitalism and Karl Marx. Be still my beating heart!"

London City Nights review of Merlesque at Cabaret Roulette.

Our sparkling comedy cabaret act has gone down a storm at venues ranging from the Folkestone Mermaid Festival to the White Mischief Hallowe'en Ball at The Scala in London. Acts are typically 10, 15 or 20 minutes in length, but timings can be tailored to your event. By prior arrangement, we are even able to write and perform a song tailor-made for your event! If you're interested in booking a mermaid cabaret show, we can provide video of previous performances - please contact us to find out more.

Photograph by Rhinoa's Photography

Photograph by Andrew Childs

Happy New Year 2015 from the Merlesque Mermaids!

1/1/2015

The Merlesque Mermaids report:

Happy New Year from the Merlesque Mermaids! Wow - what a year 2014 has been for us. We can but hope that 2015 proves to be just as exciting.

The year got off to a good start for Mermaid Lily La Mer in January, when she flew off halfway around the world on a mermaiding tour of Australia and South East Asia - check out the beautiful Miss La Mer on a surfboard, opposite!

At the same time, back in the UK, Mermaids Ondine and Melusine were developing the Merlesque cabaret act, which has been a great hit this year - we've performed everywhere from Madam Jojos to The Scala, and from private parties to the Empire Casino, Leicester Square.

It's also been a big year for underwater photography, and the Merlesque mermaids have taken part in several underwater photoshoots - they've even occasionally used a little mermaid magic to take on human form when modelling underwater. You can see a video of one of our photoshoots by clicking here.

In August, we ran the first ever Merlesque Photoshoot. Photographers interested in experiencing underwater photography (without getting their feet wet!) came along to photograph the mermaids in a film-quality water tank. We were delighted to see all the wonderful pictures that they were able to take of our stunning sirens, and there was so much positive feedback that we're planning to run another shoot again soon - if you're a photographer who would be interested in taking part, you can contact us to be added to our mailing list.

Photograph by Dave Stewart

Our mermaids have also been enchanting young and old at aquariums across the country. Merlesque Mermaid Lily La Mer swam at the Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire during the summer, and mermaids Melusine and Ondine were the stars of the Magical Mermaids Weekend at Deep Sea World Aquarium in Edinburgh, where they were kept busy swimming alongside seven sand tiger sharks and meeting lots of very excited little humans. The water in Deep Sea World's shark tank is icy cold - check out Mermaid Melusine warming up in a sink, opposite! Plus you can see a video of our mermaids in action by clicking here.

There have also been plenty of magical children's parties to keep our real mermaids occupied, plus a whole range of exciting events too numerous to mention; some of our personal highlights have been the Folkestone Mermaid Festival and the Summer House Weekend. Plus our mermaids have been featured regularly in the press, including Mermaid Lily La Mer who appeared in the Daily Mail, and Mermaid Ondine who made the front page of the Cambridge News.

Phew! There's so much more we could say after an incredibly busy year for our mermaids - but we appreciate you might be feeling a little the worse for wear after last night's celebrations... So we'll just give a huge mermaidenly THANK YOU! to everyone who has helped to make 2014 such an amazing year for Merlesque - shout out to the incredible photographers who have worked with us, the amazing streamies who have given up their time to help us out, and of course all of our wonderful customers, fans, and collaborators, without whom none of this would be possible. May 2015 bring you all plenty of bubbles and magic!

Love and best fishes,

The Merlesque Mermaids x

Photograph by Andrew Stawarz