About
Hi, I'm Nicole (she/her)!
I'm the person behind Munespice! I live in California with my partner (also in this photo) and my two cats (bosses) Pelly and Nadi. The person drawing the frogs, packing the orders, and replying with a bunch of typos to your IG comments... that's all me!
Munespice (pronounced "moon-spice") was created in 2019 with the idea that anyone can create and has since evolved to encompass my other passions & interests: education, connecting with nature, round animals, and creating cozy+fun spaces.
I have a MSc in Art Therapy and strongly believe in the importance of finding activities that benefit our mental, physical, & emotional health, specifically in what works for each of us. I also believe in the fun and power of imagination, having always been inspired by magical tales and the worlds that they create.
I hope the products on this site can provide a little extra fun, knowledge, and happiness into your daily life. Thanks so much for being here! Have a wonderful week. ♥Nicole
Why Frogs?
Glad you asked! *cracks knuckles and begins typing*
First, frogs are amazing creatures and deserve to be admired solely for their existence and importance to ecosystems around the world.
And then personally, they have a lot of meaning to me! I grew up in Florida where frogs were a part of life since childhood. For one example, my childhood home had a retention behind it so I frequently saw tree frogs on the patio screen and remember their songs at night. Because of these positive associations, frogs have always been one of my favorite animals.
I am often asked: Do you have pet frogs? I do not now, but I had African Dwarf Frogs when I was in elementary/middle school and loved them. But frogs, other amphibians, and animals in general require a lot of care and specific knowledge on how to help them live their best lives. Pets deserve all of the intentionality and research before adoption. Cats are best for my lifestyle now but I'd love to work toward adopting more frogs someday. :D
If you'd like to learn more about frogs, there are so many amazing resources! I like this page on amphibians from National Geographic (though be aware it is a resource page so there may be some articles bringing awareness to some unfortunate amphibian-related news).
✿fun facts✿
I've always had a love for the outdoors and the natural world! When I was a kid, I bug collected with my grandma in the summertime. Here's a picture of me metal detecting with my dad (identity protected haha) when I was about 5/6. I also always had a stuffed animal on me, as seen here with this rabbit.
Pokemon has been one of my biggest loves since it arrived in the USA in 1998. I collected bulbasaur line merch for many years. Here's me at the very first Pokemon Worlds in Orlando, 2004.
Even though I didn't start vending at cons until 2022, I've been regularly attending conventions and cosplaying since 2005/2006! I didn't know which picture to put here but I decided to pay homage to 13 year old me in this Hinata cosplay.
The first drawing I ever remember feeling proud of (and my family had framed) was this chalk pastel drawing of a frog from 2006! I tried a lot of things as a kid, but a local art class was the only outside-school activity I kept up with and really loved.
These are my 4 favorite toys growing up! Rusty (dog), Aang (frog, which yes was named when ATLA first came out), Bulba (bulbasaur), and Oddi (Oddish). As an adult, they are the 4 plush I take wherever I move. It's not a stretch to see my lifelong inspirations looking at these.
About my cats!! Pelly (left) is 8 this year and from Florida like me! Pelly has been on a plane, wow. Nadi (right) is 2 this year. My partner and I adopted her in 2021. Pelly is chaos incarnate and Nadi is the sweetest gremlin. They are the best.