Design Your Life

Social Media Babes: Don’t Fall for These Scams

08/27/2021

I just want to make sure you know about the main scams that have been going around the last few years (or more!) that are specifically designed to catch social media users. I’m going to tell you about the big 3 of them just in case you don’t know — I’m tired of hearing of you superstars getting snagged by some low life~

The Collab or Influencer Offer

Imagine this, you’ve just posted a photo of yourself and you look amazing. You get a comment from an account asking if you’d like to collaborate and asking you to DM another account, the same account, or reply! DON’T. If this is a legit company you will be able to tell immediately by visiting their profile. Companies do not tend to find influencers by commenting — they will email you. (Pro Tip: Always have your email on your bio if you want work!) This is generally a company that will charge you money (not a large amount) to send you a bunch of cheap knock-off clothes or accessories so that you can be one of their “Instagram Influencers.” Sadly however, you are just paying them for cheaply produced clothing and accessories. They may even promote your photo but no one pays attention to these spammy accounts.

The Sugar Daddy Offer

Let’s say you posted a cute photo only you get a message request in your DMs. It’s a random older man and he’s offering to be your “sugar daddy” or pay you an allowance for your attention via chat… as in, you don’t even have to meet! He may offer to Cash App you OR offer to transfer the money to your bank (by asking for your bank info and stealing YOUR money).

They rarely try PayPal but if they do, they will send a FAKE PayPal email to you about a deposit, assuming you will believe it without checking your balance. The same kind of action happens with any online payment app, you will receive a fake notification that money has been deposited and you may even be asked to pay a fee to access it.

It’s all an illusion. There is no money. They are trying to steal your hard earned cash in return for a big fat waste of your time.

The Job, Purchase, or Service Request

They aren’t always “too good to be true” offers. Sometimes it looks like a potential client is contacting you to offer you a job (depending on what you do — I’m a designer so I get offered fake design jobs) and you only need to accept their PayPal payment of X amount of thousands and send back $100 for their partner, fees, or whatever lie they are spitting.

They may also offer to buy something of yours you have listed on some other site, like Craigslist.

After you send the payment they will revoke the former payment, as PayPal often sides with buyers. They will get their illusionary money back and you will be stuck without your “fee.”

Now get back out there and ignore them. x

Design Your Life

Staycations and the Cutest Above Ground Pools

07/08/2021

Listen — I know above ground pools are pretty ugly. They can be a mega eyesore from the siding to the filter. However everyone does not live in the suburbs (I don’t) nor do they have the budget to covert their entire yard into a pool paradise.

These days, especially thanks to quarantine, (dare this be a positive of lockdown?) many people in cities are converting yards into urban gardens, fire pits, eating areas, paradise escapes, playgrounds, and chicken coops! I selected all of the above and so I do not have the space nor desire to evacuate my garden or my massive chicken run. Thus, the above ground pool it is.

The only question is… how can we make it cute?

Enjoy this pool eye candy and please let me know what sort of design techniques you adopted if you also took on this project! I will also say DO NOT assume an above ground pool is less work. In fact managing the water safety, cleaning, and maintaining chemicals in them is a daily task.

Above Ground & Stock Tank Pools

Inflatable Pools

If you’re looking for something a little less intense, try a cute blow up pool and float for the day. In fact, the current kiddie pool options are ADORABLE and perfect for a projected movie at night, snacks, candles, and a close friend.

The Fundamentals

Self Decoration

Dress Me Like One of Your French Girls

07/01/2021

SELKIE. SELยทKIE. ALSO SILยทKIE. NOUN.

A creature or spirit in Scottish and Irish folklore that has the form of a seal but can also assume human form. Alternative forms[edit] saelkie, selky, seilkie, sejlki, shelky, silkey, silkie, sulky

A typical folk-tale is that of a man who steals a female selkie’s skin, finds her naked on the sea shore, and compels her to become his wife. But the wife will spend her time in captivity longing for the sea, her true home, and will often be seen gazing longingly at the ocean.  Once she discovers her skin, she will immediately return to the sea.

Filled with color, exuberance and power, this collection is for the Selkie women everywhere, setting themselves free.

Keep fighting to make the world more beautiful for every race, gender, and animal, but don’t forget about YOU, and the opulent option of covering yourself in pastel organza while you’re doing it.

Amber Renรฉe Fawn Cunningham

Enjoy this donut croissant recipe (cronut) by Spruce Eats.

Eat and be Marie (Antoinette).

Artist & Designer Features Visual Splendor

I Like to Draw Picnics

05/11/2021

I’m not really sure why I’m drawing them now but you know picnics have just hit different since Covid, huh?

Not to be extra, I am just as happy with grabbing a bag of food or a pizza and heading to the park. That’s the best thing about picnics, they can be made out of literally anything. You can be as fancy or as low key as you want and it’s still fun.

What’s your favorite think to take to a picnic?

I’m going to offer postcard packs of these soon! Stay tuned. xx

the FIRST one
for National Mental Health Awareness Month xx

“Artist Amber Reneeโ€™s shop, Miseducated, is ground zero for the best in kitsch, retro, kawaii, whimsical, and psychedelic pins and original art products. Active since 2018, Miseducated has over 600 sales and counting and a solid five-star rating. The positive energy and creativity is infectious and Amber prides herself in putting customer service as a top priority.”

For more information be sure to visit http://www.miseducated.com. And shop at Miseducated here.

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Business Features Visual Splendor

Neko Neko Shokupan, Tokyo, Japanโ€™s Kawaii Cat Bread Bakery

10/16/2020

What? Neko Neko Cheesecake?

“Not just cute.
Savour the fresh baked flavor of the bread, made with 100% Japan-grown wheat flour, mixed with creamy milk.
Every mouthful of the milky soft bread is rich and moist. Nothing but carefully selected Japanese ingredients. The succulent bread explodes with flavour with every bite. Come on in and try it. It’s purr-fect.” – Neko Neko Shokupan

10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Ario Kitasuna 1F, 2-17-1 Kitasuna, Koto City, Tokyo 136-0073

620620
Design Your Life

Me to Me: Stop Stifling Yourself To Make Others Happy

07/15/2020

It’s been quite a long while that I’ve been on this journey of self acceptance. Long ago there was an anonymous submission area on my blog and I got the sweetest message from a reader who said, “I wish you would be yourself and embrace it instead of hiding behind _____.”

I did hide. I hid behind my mom as a child, I hid behind Ben (my first love) as a teen/young adult, and I even hid behind Audrey Kitching and some other friends I did design for (I wasn’t as codependent with them) online and played with offline. I gave Audrey my illustrations and original artwork, I sent her inspirations daily, I blogged for her, I designed for her. We were close then, but I was always in the shadows. She would sometimes copy other designs from other artists and I didn’t want to promote any of my work because I was afraid if I took credit for my Tokyolux cats, designs, and pop art that it would be assumed I was taking credit for ALL of the copies as well.

Let’s get to know each other again.

That often happens to people who were traumatized in their youth. I was happy to create amazing things that everyone loved as long as I got to be in the background and no one really knew me.

When going through divorce or trauma itโ€™s easy to do whatever you can to forget your memories and the pain. Embarrassingly enough, I imploded and โ€œacted a fool.โ€ I even pushed a lot of those friends in that community away back then. I met them all one last time at a Sanrio VIP party right near the end of my shadow self life. I was tired of being in the box I allowed myself to be placed in and I just freaked out and ran away.

I closed my store and I stopped updating my website. I fell off the online world to hide from it and isolated myself.

I’m super into SELKIE right now.

Now I’m 35 and I feel like I’ve been starting all over the last few years. I started traveling again and participating in shows in LA and NYC again (prior to the CORONAVIRUS of course). I started reconnecting with my old friends again. Like actually connecting. As myself.

I also started, 3 years ago, doing work for myself and I’m learning how to be comfortable promoting ME and MY WORK. IT’S HARD. It’s hard everyday. I often slink away and still struggle with quieting myself because I’m afraid. I’m afraid of what you will think of me or what you will say if I’m not who you expect or want me to be…

… but I’m done with that! I’m pushing myself harder each day to be MYSELF for ME. Not anyone else. I’m set on not becoming anything for anyone else. Except of course a loving mom who encourages her daughters to be powerful and NEVER stifle theirselves for ANYONE.

Thanks for coming along. I hope you brought snacks. xx

I haven’t released this anywhere else yet! The new Deericorn pendant at long last!!!