Sperel Activism At Sakura-Con 2012

Yesterday we introduced our Sakura-Con Artist Alley friends through some of the artwork and products that they were selling at the anime fest last weekend. Today, we share photos of some of the cosplayer characters who visited our table to meet the sperels!

For those who weren’t there to see us first hand, we had the foresight to snap a photo of our vendor table setup before the convention doors opened and all the craziness began. The week prior to Sakura-Con, we put some significant thought into creating a display that would make optimal use of our table surface while complimenting the sperel’s cutest characteristics. Perhaps the sperels themselves deserve all the credit for attracting so many new friends and fans to their table, but we like to think that our table presentation had some part in the sperel’s Sakura-Con success as well!
The sperel's Sakura-Con 2012 Artist Alley vendor table setup
One of the final additions to our table display was the printout of our $5 off deal for any cosplayers with wings. The sperels love new adventures of all types, but they were especially happy whenever another winged character would stop by and choose one of them as their new flying companion. Unfortunately, we were somewhat neglectful of our photo duties on Friday, but as the weekend warmed up, we made up for Friday’s missed photo opportunities by taking lots of pictures on Saturday and Sunday! Here are some of the sperel’s newest friends from their Seattle adventure:

Cooro was searching the convention for other +Anima and arrived to our table alerted by the sensation that a +Anima sperel was hiding in our midst.
Cooro cospalyer at Sakura-Con 2012

Similarly convinced of the sperel’s mystical nature, this woodland faerie decided that a sperel was needed back home in her enchanted forest where she promised it would forever enjoy exploring a land of pure wonder.
A woodland faerie and her sperel companion

Morrigan and Lilith took a sperel as their new Darkstalker mascot, and though the sperel left feeling a bit nervous about having to watch its new friends battle enemies all the time, there can be no doubt that this sperel will be well protected under their watch.
Darkstalker cosplayers Morrigan and Lilith save a sperel

Not everyone who stopped by our table was interested in hearing about the sperel’s backstory, and the Umbrella Corporation had actually deployed a very mission-oriented Containment Force into the convention halls to eliminate suspected carriers of what they called the ‘T-Virus’.
Umbrella Corporation, taking excessive precautions to isolate the outbreak

Luckily, an ‘infected’ came by and disposed of the soldiers before they were able to harm the sperel. Not wanting the sperels to be Left 4 Dead, this Hunter took two of them along to add a little bit of cheer into his apocalyptic days.
Left 4 Dead - Hunter Cosplay

Some of the folks who visited our table implemented some rather interesting tactics in their efforts to ‘save a sperel’. Pokémon Trainer Ash hoped he might win a sperel in a Poké Battle as he set loose his Pikachu on our table!
Ash cosplayer sets Pikachu against sperels
In this instance, the sperels were able to avert catastophre by flocking together and convincing Pikachu that they weren’t interested in fighting.

But moments later, we received a visit from this girl who had seen us the previous day, saying she would return sometime later with wings to improve her sperel-saving suitability. As can be seen, instead of wings she came with a net, revealing her true identity as a member of Team Rocket!
Team Rocket cosplayer nets a sperel at Sakura-Con 2012 ‘Gotta catch ‘em all’ is a difficult slogan to resist when in the presence of sperels, but we do hope the sperel that she caught isn’t utilized to capture more peaceful and unsuspecting creatures!

For just about everyone at the convention, the sperels offered something new and unfamiliar to learn about, and, fittingly, many of the characters whom we met were from stories that we knew nothing about either.
Hatsune Miku and Kagamine Rin Sakura-Con cosplayThese girls stopped by all three days, each day cosplaying as a different character! It was their Hatsune Miku and Kagamine Rin costumes which they wore on the final day that introduced us to an entirely new world, and while we still don’t entirely understand the story behind their characters, we’re sure that the sperels they adopted will enjoy whatever random fun lies ahead!

Also unfamiliar were these colorful subjects from the Kingless Kingdom Hearts. Time for some destructive disloyalty? Careful little sperel, those two look like trouble!
Cosplayers of Kingless Kingdom Hearts

When this guy stopped by on Friday, he had a very cool helmet that he had created as the finishing touch for a costume based on a character of his own design. When he stopped by the next day to adopt a sperel, he was sans helmet – which was probably for the best as his sperel was now able to see the trustworthy and peaceful demeanor of its new friend.
Cosplaying a character of his own design at Sakura-Con 2012

These two were full of energy, and the sperel was really attracted to their vibrantly colored ears and springy hair.
Cosplay characters of their own design

A visit from the Animaniacs kept us on our toes as they taught the sperels the best way to behave at any anime fest. And the best way to behave is? CRAZY, of course!!! Don’t worry – the mallet head was made out of foam. No sperels were hurt during the course of the event.
The Animaniacs, being their mischievous selves at our Sakura-Con table

The sperels were also very impressed to learn that some creatures could fly despite not having any wings. The Nyan Cat flew by, ready to break the monotony of its meme by adding a new flying partner into its video. Hopefully the sperel is able to tolerate that never-ending nyan song!
Nyan Cat cosplayer ready for perpetual flight

Another flying friend, Neo dropped in to save the sperel from being inserted into a whole different kind of enslavement in the Matrix.
Neo saves a sperel from the Matrix

These two students of Witchcraft & Wizardry found a perfect pair of animal companions to take with them next year to Hogwarts…
Hogwarts cosplay students and their animal companions

…while Princess Monoke took along a sperel for the purpose of guiding her to Joldabrun where she swore she would protect the sperels’ homeland from further destruction.
Princess Monoke cosplayer at Sakura-Con 2012

Adventure was the theme of the weekend, and this group of traveling warriors immediately recognized the sperel as the ‘special item’ that would aid them in their ambitious quest!
Lady Vader and Rikku form part of an eclectic cast of cosplayers

And that was a pretty full glimpse of the sperel’s first exhibiting experience! Sakura-Con (and presumably other Anime Fests of its kind) really provides a perfect environment for the sperels to make new friends, and we hope to be back there again for more fun next year! Who knows what adventures will unfold between now and then, but one path we might soon fly down was encouraged by our friend Adrian whom we had a chance to meet up with before leaving Seattle on Sunday. Adrian is a professional concept artist, and he had some very worthwhile insight in the area of independent game development. Could a mobile app or downloadable game be the next step in spreading sperel awareness? Such a big step is probably a bit farther in the future, but if you or anyone you know has any game development insight or experience, the sperels would love to chat about it any time!

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Posted in Events on April 14th, 2012

Sakura-Con Artist Alley Mates

At the time of our last update, we had a very big weekend ahead of us with Sakura-Con in the near distance, unlocking its gates but for the briefest of moments like some secret garden of the equinox, visible and accessible only at the right time, and only to a certain type of traveler. Given our lack of convention exhibiting experience, the sperels were understandably nervous, unsure whether they would find acceptance in an environment so full of visual stimulation, but all in all our first Artist Alley experience couldn’t have gone better. For three (and a half) days, the convention’s exhibitor hall was in essence our home, and the enjoyment experienced therein was partially due to having some really great Artist Alley neighbors.
We’ve got some rather fun photos of the sperels interacting with some of the folks who visited our table throughout the weekend, but before sharing those images and stories we’d like to introduce our neighboring Artist Alley friends who were there with us all weekend long.

MilkInk, the artistic duo of ‘Pokémon Specialists’ Miguel and Jordan, demonstrated the legitimacy of their title with stickers, art prints, and on-site commissions that attracted endless attention from Poké enthusiasts throughout the weekend.
MilkInk Pokemon commission display at Sakura-Con 2012While their fan art gives tribute to other properties as well, MilkInk also creates their own characters, and their artistic style is so well polished that they ended up making several impressive business contacts during the weekend! Here, one of the sperels admires their work while contemplating a sperel+Pokémon commission.

Sharing the table with MilkInk was artist Bunny Lee, whose side of the table was populated with all sorts of cute little creatures on buttons, stickers, tote bags, t-shirts, prints, and greeting cards.
Bunny Lee 's character based Greeting Cards
This sperel was particularly attracted to the diversity of characters on miss Bunny’s greeting cards, and would love to see them all in plush form some day as they would undoubtedly make excellent play friends!

One of the very first friends we made at Sakura-Con was Josh, who runs superOrange and was busy setting up at the time of our arrival in the next row behind us with his apparel, buttons, and tote bags featuring parody slogans inspired by anime, geek, and tech culture.  In the photo below, it must appear as though the sperel is using its wing to censor the slogan on this t-shirt, but rest assured that all of superOrange’s products are G-rated, with this particular t-shirt referencing a central conflict of the protagonists in the popular anime Soul Eater.
Soul Eater Parody T-Shirt by Super Orange
The funny(er) thing about this photo is that I specifically told the sperel to move a bit to the left when its wing was initially only covering the ‘A’ of ‘Ain’t', but apparently I was in too much of a rush to realize the error in its re-positioning. Admittedly, the sperels didn’t ‘get’ all of the references on superOrange’s products, but it would seem that just about everyone else at Sakura-Con did!  Being in the last row of Artist Alley, the sperels generally received visitors after the preceding rows, and it was always comforting to them when a new fan would adopt a sperel and then place it inside one of the superOrange tote bags that they had bought just a moment before!

Our neighbors to the right – Becky and Brenna of xskyskipper – had a variety of product at their table, but what really caught the sperels’ eyes were these extremely cute little steampunk hats!
Sperel in a xskyskipper steampunk hat
They had numerous designs – all uniquely different – and each of the sperels wanted a hat of their own.  It was difficult explaining to them that I would have to significantly increase their adoption price if they were to all come with their own unique steampunk hats.  In the end, they settled on enjoying the opportunity to at least try the hats on.  Of course the hats are designed for human wear, but as it happens that they fit the sperels perfectly, anyone who would like to accessorize their sperel with such an item is encouraged to get in touch with xskyskipper!

Blurry images and partially obscured subject matter really truly are not a common occurrence in Mr. Sperelman’s photography, but here we see yet another flawed photo effort, this time as the sperel wears a painted mask and phone wrist charm from Sorbet Jungle.
Sperel wearing a mask by Sorbet Jungle

With so many cosplayers roaming about the convention floor, one of the sperels was inspired to find a disguise of its own and was smart to fly a couple tables down and enlist the help of Sorbet Jungle’s Deanne and Christi. Of all our new Artist Alley friends, these two ladies were the veterans of our row! This year alone, they’ve already traveled to and exhibited at five different anime conventions, and they’re planning for many more before the year is through! The sperels are jealous to say the least! Check their tour calendar and be sure to visit Sorbet Jungle if you’re at one of these same events!
Perhaps it’s best that this photo came out blurry so as not to provide any clear clues to The Masked Sperel’s identity, but still we would like to make sure that our introduction of Sorbet Jungle faithfully represents the cuteness of their brand. In addition to the mask seen on the sperel above, they also sell an array of adorable jewelry, cell phone charms and covers, scarves, hats… and… what’s this?

It appears that one of Sorbet Jungle’s Onigiri Plush was so intrigued by the sperels that it snuck into our display packaging to travel home with us!
An Onigiri from Sorbet Jungle stowed itself away to come home with us!
The sperels are equally intrigued by their new onigiri friend, and despite learning that the onigiri would be deliciously edible if ever they hungered for such a cute little ball of rice, the sperels sympathize with its past hardships and have taken to watching over the onigiri to ensure it remains safe from harm.

As for all of our non-onigiri Artist Alley friends, the sperels wish you well in your growth and hope to see each of you again at more conventions in the future!

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Posted in Events on April 13th, 2012

Sakura-Con 2012: A Celebration of Wings!

A couple weeks ago we received a very last-minute offer to exhibit at Sakura-Con, an Anime Convention that takes place in Seattle every year. The sperels had managed to get onto the convention’s Artist Alley waiting list back in September, and after months of ‘waiting’ assumed that they would just have to try again next year. What a great surprise it was to find out that a table was available and that all the other previously hopefuls who were ahead of us on the waiting list had declined the opportunity.
Surprise! Hope the sperels can be ready in time for this huge event with just two weeks to prepare!
And now with the big weekend just two days away, can we report positively that the sperels are fully prepared? Hardly! Or, no, that’s not true – they are mostly prepared, although Mr. Sperelman still expects little rest tonight as the sperels haven’t quite got the hang of packing themselves for travel yet. One thing though that the sperels have been very helpful with is the idea behind this ‘$5 off’ promo for our Sakura-Con table:
$5 off deal for winged cosplayersRecognizing that they won’t be the only ones flying into the event this weekend, the sperels want to show their appreciation to any winged cosplayers by taking $5 off the total of their purchase from the sperel’s table! Know anyone with wings who will be flying to Sakura-Con in Seattle this weekend? Make sure and tell ‘em to pay a visit to Artist Alley table #615 to show off their wingspan for the sperels!

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Posted in Contests, Events on April 4th, 2012

National Park Week

Associated stories coming soon…. For the time being, just enjoy the photos!
Cedar Ridge, a vista point along the South Kaibab trailhead in Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Beautiful emerald green river, carving the landscape of East Zion

Cottonwoods along the Virgin River in Zion Canyon

Hikers admiring the view from Scout Lookout

Characteristic vista of Bryce Canyon's hoodoo landscape

Hiking into Bryce Canyon on the snow-covered trail of Peek-A-Boo Loop

Standing with the hoodoos on a relatively dry segment of Peek-A-Boo Loop trail in Bryce Canyon

Among the hoodoos of Peek-A-Boo Loop in Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

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Posted in Migration 2011 on February 25th, 2012

New T-Shirts!

We’ve recently expanded the Sperel Apparel catalogue with some new t-shirt designs! Unfortunately, this is one of those ‘Good News / Bad News’ updates, and the downside of this announcement is that several of the sizes for the ‘Skyward’ design are currently very short-stocked due to our screen printer running into some complications while printing that design. Still, new t-shirts are available, so we figured we might as well share what we’ve got! Check ‘em out, and if the size that you want is temporarily out of stock, fear not – we’ll be receiving the remainder of our order soon, at which point we’ll take some fun model photos and update with a more fitting announcement for the new designs!

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Posted in Sperel Apparel on February 17th, 2012

Castles In The Sun

Nestled in a kingdom of towering red rock palaces, Sedona Arizona is a world full of enchantment. The mystical landscape bestows a multitude of mini-adventures, and we took the opportunity to explore as much of this kingdom as we could. There is much, I’m sure, that the sperels would love to express about the impression that was left upon our spirits by Sedona. This impression is perhaps best conveyed through what has become one of our favorite photos of the migration:
Amidst the sun-glowing spires of Cathedral Rock - Sedona, Arizona
The town of Sedona itself is quite small, but the surrounding wilderness is seemingly endless! With intriguing rock bluffs and spires in every direction, it almost feels as though every side road leads to some secret and amazing destination.
A hint to the location of one our many enjoyable Sedona discoveries
There are indeed many secrets in Sedona to discover and explore, and while the sperels are by no means the most knowledgeable explorers of the region, they are experienced enough to have obtained a worthy list of recommendations for any adventurer who might one day visit the land.

Vista Trail (which spurs off from the beginning of Boynton Canyon Trail) is just a short climb up to gorgeous views in every direction, placing hikers on a ridge occupied not only by Boynton Canyon Spire, but also by an area that is considered by some to be an Energy Vortex. Whether or not one is inclined to believe in the physicality of Sedona’s Energy Vortexes hardly matters here – the beauty and serenity of the location flows forth regardless.
Boynton Canyon's Vista Trail leads to a perch with a view!
Devil’s Bridge gives hikers an opportunity to test their nerve, posing for photos atop or walking all the way across the narrow crag that leads nowhere other than a steep drop off at the end.
Crossing Devil's Bridge in Sedona
Cathedral Rock is a delightfully unique hiking experience which, for best results, should be taken first thing in the morning, for two reasons. First of these reasons is the temperature, which was perfectly pleasant on our way up the rock. But not long after we began our descent, the morning sun already felt unbearably hot – and it was hardly past 7:30am! Had we to deal with such heat at the outset, the upward journey would have required considerably more effort on my part. As for the sperels’ ascent, they could have all together avoided the ground obstacles should the temperature have demanded a more judicious rationing of energy, but (prior to 7:30!) they enjoyed playing on the Cathedral’s stair-like path to the top.
View of Cathedral Rock's distinguishing features
Of course Sedona’s heat might also be adequately avoided by visiting during one of the cooler months of the year, but our second reason for advising an early morning experience of Cathedral Rock is dictated by the unwavering schedule of the sun. The first photo in this journal entry is of Cathedral Rock’s central spire, as viewed from the Cathedral’s ‘saddle’ at the top of the trail. This photo was taken at 6:16am (and 56 seconds, according to the camera’s digital time stamp), at which time the rocks were at their most radiant in the morning sun. Thirty minutes later, the sunrise’s extraordinary effect was all but gone, and to witness the view any later than we did simply wouldn’t have been the same.

Though the heavy heat discourages midday hiking, the waters of Oak Creek Canyon offer perfect temperatures for play throughout the day. Slide Rock State Park is a popular destination for adventurers of all ages and is thoroughly enjoyable, whether you choose to glide (over and over again) through the natural water chutes and slippery rapids that give the park its name…
The popular stretch of river in Slide Rock State Park; Sedona, AZ
…or you just want to enjoy a lazy day on the river’s smooth sandstone banks.
Beyond the slippery chutes of Slide Rock, the Oak Creek Canyon river gets a bit more tranquil
What we expected to be a one day stay turned into a three day adventure full of surprises, and still this was not enough time to uncover all that this area had to offer. Should the sperels take me with them on future migrations, I certainly hope that they will fly once again to Sedona.

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Posted in Migration 2011 on February 5th, 2012

Sperels Vs. Scorpion

(Sperel Migration 2011, continued)

Crossing the California border into Arizona, the arid heat works to exaggerate the desert’s harshest traits, making even the most meager roadside conveniences shimmer like some irresistible mirage. The simple lure of a picnic table beneath a shaded canopy compels us to take advantage of an early rest stop, where we are greeted with a warning:

'POISONOUS SNAKES AND INSECTS' sign at an Arizona rest stopWhile I’m known to walk a sperel out around town on a leash from time to time, I don’t consider them as pets. Indeed, a goal of this ‘migration’ has been to instill the sperels with a greater sense of independence and to help dissolve what traits of subservience and domestication still remain from their days of slavery. Whenever we get out into open space, I try to let them be as independent as possible, but knowing that the sperels have yet to experience any significant threats in ‘the free world’, I was unsure if they understood the gravity of this warning or, for that matter, if they had any awareness at all of the existence of such potentially dangerous creatures as snakes and scorpions.
As they flew about in much appreciated relief from the restricted space of my truck, there was no keeping them from crossing into the ostensibly hazardous area. Thankfully, they stayed airborne most of the time, reducing my need to constantly keep watch. Still I could not help but be a bit nervous, giving them free reign as I ate my lunch. Admittedly I tried (though without success) to bring them back within the sign-suggested pet boundaries by tossing pinches of food for them around my table.

It wasn’t until later that day, as we explored the streets of downtown Phoenix, that the sperels found themselves face to face with one of Arizona’s pesky poisonous threats… albeit in one of its less aggressive forms.
Sperels Vs. Scorpion: five sperels challenge a giant scorpion in downtown Phoenix, Arizona.The sperel’s reaction to this Tom Otterness art installation gave me and a few other passing pedestrians quite a chuckle as these five brave little ones organized themselves for some sort of calculated offense – possibly to help resolve the apparent conflict between the scorpion and the little bronze men who were grappling with it over several stacks of coins nearby?
Close-up of Scorpion sculpture by Tom OtternessAlong with providing some amusement for the evening, the sperels’ inadvertent evocation of a Ray Harryhausen production also provided me with an excellent concept for, perhaps, a future t-shirt design! Speaking of which… new Sperel Apparel t-shirts are in hand and very nearly ready to present! We’re just waiting for a break in the rain to allow an appropriate climate for a t-shirt modelling & photo session. Stay tuned!

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Posted in Migration 2011 on January 22nd, 2012

The Adventures Of Reed KD

Back in September, we had the opportunity to take a day trip out to the coast and meet up with my friend Reed as he was passing through Oregon on his latest adventure. While Portland is only an hour and a half’s drive from the coast, that distance is the farthest away that I’ve ever lived from the ocean and for that reason this city can sometimes make me feel as though the ocean has become a receding horizon that I might henceforth only experience through fleeting encounters and far away glimpses. But I take inspiration from the sperels – if they can conquer their constraints to realign with nature, surely I can do the same with less obstacles in my way.

The sperels got to meet Reed once before when we passed through Hollywood – but Hollywood, being the city that it is, did not offer the sperels the occasion to understand just how much Reed’s thirst for authentic experience resembles their own. From cross-country music tours to powder-blasting backcountry sledding adventures, Reed pursues life with enthusiasm and appreciation for the myriad of opportunities that it holds.We catch up with Reed on his latest bicycling journey.
Despite the pungent ‘road cologne’ produced by several rigorous weeks of cycling, as soon as Reed reached camp and unloaded his gear, a sperel was there at his side, inspecting the various accessories of the bicycle journey – and demonstrating its readiness to hit the road by donning Reed’s bike helmet. A tad bit over-sized for adequate sperel protection, but as popular as biking is here in Portland, I’m sure the resources are available to equip the sperels with whatever customized gear they would need to follow in Reed’s tire treads.
A sperel 'helmeting up' for the ride
Reed has recently finished chronicling the highlights of his latest bike tour on his blog, which you can check out at RoadCologne.com. While he may currently be resting up from this last outing, snow season is right around the corner so I’m sure it won’t be long before Reed is sharing accounts of his next high-flying adventure.

Of course Reed’s introduction would not be complete without mention of his music. Under the name Reed KD, he’s released several albums over the years, all of which are very well-crafted, professionally recorded, mixed, mastered, and packaged. I would describe his last two albums – The Ashes Bloom and In Case The Comet Comes as excellent soundtracks for road trips and other such adventures where fun is free to mingle with the necessary solitude for productive introspection… but knowing that the songs themselves will provide better representation of Reed’s music than any written portrayal of mine, the sperels have embedded a tasty selection of sonic samplings below! Enjoy!

Get Reed KD’s music:

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Posted in Introductions, Music on October 17th, 2011

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