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Visual Splendor

Visual reviews of apartments, movies and more eye candy.

Visual Splendor

Blog it Forward: On Inspiration

03/22/2010

When I found out about sfgirlbybay‘s project Blog it Foward, I was so excited to be involved. Seeing all the amazing entries has me finding tons of new blog friends to connect with — design is a common language we speak.

What’s most inspiring to me and the work I do is life experiences, love, loss, emotion. There are also some silly things like vintage magazines and Japanese toys I cannot seem to stop collecting. Everything I have in my home inspires me to some deal.. I’m constantly inspired to alter, change and recreate. I’m also inspired by 60s and 70s psychedelic artwork, of course.. sometimes my work is overly colorful but I feel it’s right. If I tried to be less like myself and more like others it would be a boring world.. people inspire me, how different and yet how alike we all are.

Most of all you inspire me, you who visits and encourages me to continue strongly at my dream. With every visit, comment, email I float to the moon and sail through the stars.

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Another thing that has always made my life better — has saved me in so many instances I couldn’t imagine, inspired me endlessly and soothed me to sleep when I felt no comfort…

What inspires you?

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Mew for Today Visual Splendor

Mew for Today: Tickle Me Green

03/17/2010

It’s St. Patrick’s Day, green shamrocks and rainbow bridges to pots of gold. Green beer. It’s time to celebrate because, as if you needed a reason anyway, there’s a holiday underway.

Green is the color of life and the earth. It signifies growth, health, environment and is often used for it’s calming effects.

Spend Your Day Tickled Green

First, start your day by preparing the cutest of the sweets, pistachio macarons at Tartelette. If you’re feeling thirsty grab an iced green tea to refresh and wake you up. Use milk and matcha powder or brewed green tea with ice.
Next get prepared for a night out on the town or for a very-green party at home. Make sure your outfit contains lots of green and is reminiscent of whimsical St. Patrick’s Day for extra fun — I relate green, rainbows and gold to St. Patrick’s Day due to the decorations!
Add a couple of drops of green food coloring to just about anything to green it up in a flash. This is great for beer and drinks as well as baked sweets.
No matter what you do I hope you can spend it with loved ones having fun and enjoying great food as every holiday should be shared.

Dress Up, Go Out

Green Love

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Enchanted Petal Blythe

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Green Tea Cupcake

4-leaf-clover

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Visual Splendor

Locketship Mad Tea Party Collection

03/04/2010
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Locketship Mad Tea Party Collection with original artwork by Amber Renee (of Miseducated). This set will be featured alongside Marialia‘s new Wonderland Collection in Fashion Week Los Angeles at Project Ethos LA (9107 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 450 Beverly Hills, CA) on Friday, March 19 2010.

Stay tuned in to Miseducated for more sneak peeks and information about getting your hands on these Collections in the future!

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Business Features Visual Splendor

Saved by 6% DokiDoki in Harajuku, Japan

12/22/2009

My first time in Harajuku I planned to find 6% DokiDoki and found it with ease, nestled away in it’s little nook of the district. I have always wanted to buy accessories from them due to the drool-worthiness insanity of their items!

I adore the shop and have been many times, it’s absolutely a trip in wonderland. When the antique music started I felt a very familiar feeling rush through me.. it happened that the song was a long, musical version of “A World of my Own – Disney’s Alice” It makes my heart jump talking about it, haha. It was truly a place for me and if it wasn’t always so damn hot and stuffy in there I would stay all day — haha. The perfection doesn’t stop with the decor, the staff wears their own token dokidoki style, sticking the sweet accessories anywhere into their hair or elsewhere. They looked like they fell into a glittery, rainbow, sprinkley, cotton candy ball! I wasn’t allowed to take photos in the store, so these will have to do! It’s rare to be allowed to shoot in a Japanese shop and this one was no exception.

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{ Photos by Amber Renee }

6% DokiDoki Inspiration

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Visual Splendor

Weekly Lollipop: Bath & Beauty

12/11/2009

I’ve been seeing way too many talented ladies and decadent companies that make my eyes spin with delight. I absolutely had to devote a new feature to promote them and let you know what goodies to grab when you hit the luscious internet shopping mall of our dreams. Best of all? Your weekly lollipop is all the sugar and none of the tooth decay (as are all of these delicious eye candy treats specifically made for your body).

LUSH

Lush makes me want to take a bubble bath every hour on the hour and then get delicious massages with their solid massage bars. They have scents for everyone, especially candy lovers.

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Darla Makeup

I adore Darla Makeup’s eye candy and tattoo paint. Your body is a canvas, decorate it, make it you.

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Soap & Glory

Daily decadence in the shower! I’m a big coke fan and this scrub SMELLS LIKE COCA-COLA. I couldn’t be happier with every product I’ve ever used by Soap & Glory and, even better, when you get bored in the bathroom the instructions on the bottles will make you smile.

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Bonnebell

I know I’m supposed to mature in my lip tastes but I still never have less than 20 different flavors of Lip Smackers stashed around my apartment. Chapstick that comes in the flavor of everything delicious.. Exactly what you need stashed in your pocket or purse!

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Visual Splendor

Sofia Coppola’s Vogue Inspiration Board

11/24/2009

Sofia Coppola’s inspiration board was featured in French Vogue a few years ago and of course I had to save the article and share it as she is a huge inspiration behind Miseducated. Let’s escape to Sofia*land~

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“Everyone in my family is in the film business; I knew I wanted to be creative and it was important in my family to be artistic.”
~Sofia Coppola

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Artist & Designer Features Visual Splendor

Fly to Happiness with Locketship by Maria

11/11/2009


Maria is a wonderful and talented little lady that’s taken vintage and whimsical collages or imagery and used them as a design element for jewelry and oh-so-cute accessories. Locketship pendants are as unique as you might think and their aesthetic is magical, dainty and sweet!

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Locketship is the brainchild of Maria Ewing-Estrada, and like the designer herself, puts a new spin on a classic. Unlike the original locket, which hid its contents, Locketship pendants share their feelings with the world.

All Locketship jewelry is handmade by Maria and her husband Aaron in their Los Angeles home. High school sweethearts, the two married soon after graduation and began melding Maria’s creativity with Aaron’s handiwork.

How sweet and inspiring is that?

Miseducated even selected a few of their favorite items that we might not be able to live without.. when we do a photoshoot with her goodies you’ll be sure to see how pleased we are with the quality and glamour of her shimmery jewels. I know I couldn’t say no to the kitty collection! She knows my weakness! πŸ˜‰

Our Picks

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Visual Splendor

My Little Nest in Chicago

10/23/2009

Let us take a trip
to a vintage land called Chi,
where the streets can tell you stories
and the buildings brush the sky.

chitownapartment012Nestled near the center,
in a place called Lincoln Park,
you’ll find a little haven
where the 20’s left her mark.

As you journey through the courtyard,
please step lightly and with care,
for it’s in this entry garden
you’ll find bunnies with brown hair.

Once inside the building,
behind a door with printed V,
you’ll find a little nook,
home to M and feline Zooey.

The chairs are bathed in velvet
[they’re the best for kitty’s naps];
the hardwood floors are shiny,
one can hardly spot the cracks.

The walls are filled with pictures,
an homage to icons past:
Edie, Audrey, Norma,
with their style unsurpassed.

This space is filled with history,
years are painted in the walls;
braided wire o’er the doorway
was once used to import calls.

The gas stove, it cooks with fire
[such a cozy, retro feel],
tempting single Misses
to don aprons for a meal.

Though not much from door to window,
rays of sunlight kiss the walls;
and there’s one grand walk-in closet
just in case things feel too small.

Wonder fills this palace
[or so it feels to those within],
there’s nothing more like heaven
than to feel your life begin.

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Mew for Today Visual Splendor

Mew for Today: Where in the World?

10/03/2009

It’s been quite a terrible week! What better reason than that to go shopping in Japan? Another department store no less, this one, tailored for us online shoppers! It’s a big stop for Japanese and Americans alike~

I’m a little speechless today because all I want to discuss is the features coming up soon and I’m trying to wait.. πŸ˜‰ You’re probably not as silly as I am, but if you love toys, cuties, and more you’ll be happy!

Speaking of toys, cuties and more… let’s get a load of the goodies I found while searching high and low in the wonderland of Japanese whimsy splashed product. I’m certainly feeling the urge to go back to my heartland soon… Where do you feel you belong in the world? I’ve been questioning this a lot recently as we’ve been prepared to move for quite awhile and yet we find ourselves unable to make a move.. or should I say ME. Until very soon.

So to relieve my worries I’ve always found happiness in being surrounded in cute, lovely, well-designed items.. I’d love to hear your ways of coping with stress and anxiety as well! Feel free to leave them below — much appreciated~

Did I mention How Magazine added us as one of the Top 10 Sites for Designers this month? It’s funny because I *love* that magazine, always looking hot on the shelves begging me to dive into jumpstartworkmode.

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