Then my girlfriend convinced me to try the first book, under the convincing arguments that both of us are avid Harry Potter fans and it was summer so I needed some light reading. So I set down my collection of San Francisco Beat Poetry and picked up Twilight.
Four days later, I finished the first and needed more. I was consumed, locked up in my little studio apartment's loveseat, devouring every steamy morsel of the story. After finishing the last book, I started shopping around for some swag. But Walmart's commercialized and uninventive merch left me less than dazzled. Whilst searching for a cover for my cell phone, I stumbled on Malena's site on Etsy.com.
Her site features unique and custom Twilight themed items.
Edward Cullen and Bella Swann gazing wistfully into each other's eyes on a cute wristlet for $25 plus shipping.Robert Pattison's bad boy glare on an iPod cover for $12.50 plus shipping. Handbags, T-shirts and panties. There is even an original coffee table mosaic of the twilight book cover for $150.
I gasped, I wanted it all. Furthermore, I could afford it. I thought, the world must know about this.
My personal favorite is the wallet featuring the prom scene from the first flick for $28. It is length-wise so there is room for my checkbook. Plus the image is actually printed on the fabric as opposed to an iron-on.
Malena boasts that custom orders are her specialty, and with so many images from the film available the possibilities are infinite, like Bella and Edward's passion. Or at least as infinite as our obsession with their fictional relationship.
So fans -- and family and friends of fans -- check out this hub of special Twilight gear that will undoubtedly strike up conversation without breaking the bank.-- Arielle Stevenson, Times staffer and guest blogger
Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
Amy Hollyfield is a workaholic mother of two young
daughters, blessed to have a work-at-home husband who makes their life possible. She was born in Detroit and moved around a lot as a kid (read: Air Force brat). She has lived in Florida since the month after she
graduated from Northwestern University. She lives for the yelps, hugs and kisses that greet her on nights that she makes it home before bedtime.
Sherry Robinson was born in the Sunshine State but she feels more comfortable inside a mall than outside at the beach -- thank goodness her husband is the outdoorsy type. He takes their two sons on night hikes, beach runs and bug hunts while Sherry does her best to take care of the homestead -- and find out what is new on the store shelves. A graduate of the University of South Florida in 19noneofyourbusiness, Sherry has been at the Times for nearly 20 years. And with nearly 10 years of parenting experience, Sherry is eager to offer up some great dish on raising kids and keeping your sanity.
Guest blogger Tracey Henry, a.k.a. Suburban Diva, is a frantic, slightly frazzled mother of four. She is a freelance humor writer and author which is the only thing that parenting four children ages 12-1 trains you for, except perhaps court jester and professional bull rider. She and her husband have lived all over the country, but settled in Florida eight years ago because the beachcombing is so much better here than on the banks of the Mississippi. Their family time includes a lot of sport -- both watching and playing -- and fun in the sun and surf. Catch her in Whoa, Momma! and on her site, 
Sherri Day and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world in early 2008. So far, she describes parenthood as exciting, exhausting and exhilarating. A self-described Southern belle with small-town values and big-city idealism, Sherri was born in rural Georgia. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from Clark Atlanta University and her master's of journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She is the Brandon bureau chief for the Times. Sherri moved to Tampa from Brooklyn four years ago.
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