Browsing Tag

kawaii

Day With a Camera Visual Splendor

Day With a Camera: The Indiana State Fair

08/09/2017

I’ve always quite a fan of the fair. Something about the red candy apples and the lights of the Ferris wheel sends my heart a flutter and my eyes sparkling like prisms in the sun. Add fancy chickens being shown like prized trophies and I’m in.

So there you have it, this is the fair through the kaleidoscope eyes of Miseducated’s colorfully skewed looking glass.

Thatย was very Warhol of this supermarket sculptor..

This Polish chicken is patiently waiting her time to go home.

As a kid this was always my must-play game.
It was once around $1 for 20 balls and the bowls were all side to side so you won a new pet fish every time.

Esra and I adored the pineapple whip.

Esra and I had a wonderful time and seeing as our fairs are just a bit different than they are in Turkey, it was entertaining for her~ The fair is always a mixed bag.. it’s over-priced, crowded by many people you don’t want to be around and filled with delicious junk food. The lengths I go to for the fair specialties and a few glimpses of chickens is laughable.

Also, pst! If you’re going to be at the fair next Tuesday you’ll be able to see my David Cunningham’s photorealism painting demonstration in the Fine Arts Building.

Event Features

Hello Kitty & 99 Friends show at PIQ, NYC

04/26/2016

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A lot of amazing artists are participating Hello Kitty & 99 Friends show at PIQ which is located in Grand Central in New York City! The artwork is currently available in store and via contacting the store, ask about the list of artwork here: [email protected]. We were all asked to select a Sanrio character from a list of most of the characters they’ve ever had! I somehow got Sugar Bunnies even though I was invited late. I was more than happy to join in.

I got to spend the weekend and reconnect with one of my BFFs from college, Lauren!

I got to spend the weekend and reconnect with one of my BFFs from college, Lauren!

Some of my favorite pop surrealism artists had work in (including Toki Doki) and there was a lovely graphite drawing by Camilla D’Errico (favorite) and a cute dinosaur work by Mab Graves.

Not only is there rad artwork but there's also cute toys and goodies!

Not only is there rad artwork but there’s also cute toys and goodies!

My phone very sadly was dead by the time I got to NYC (I flew in 2 hrs before the show) so all photos below are by Clutter Magazine. Check more photos on social media with the tag #piqhk99 !

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This is the work I made -- I got the Sugar Bunnies!

This is the work I made — I got the Sugar Bunnies!

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Photos above by Clutter Magazine.

Giveaway

Japan Kawaii Candy Box Giveaway

12/27/2015

japan candy box

My readers and friends! How I have missed you while I felt into the abyss of sugar plums and gingerbread decorating! I hope you had a splendid holiday no matter what you did!

I have a little surprise…
Since the last Candy Box giveaway went so swimmingly, and you have asked if there will be another chance, we have another giveaway here for you! The Candy Box folks feel you are the perfect receivers for their surprise crate and there will be more opportunities coming to win cute goods if you miss this win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also if you aren’t sure what Candy Box is you can see the review I did previously on the Kawaii Box here and the Candy Box here! I enjoyed it — I liken it to getting a little surprise package from your penpal every month. My daughters loved it as much if not more than I did, it’s a great gift idea for Japanese snack lovers, kawaii lovers, girls, boys, men and women alike!

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Vlog

Bacon Loves His Holiday Sweater (Too Much)

12/14/2015

Bacon is a bit older now.. He’s just over a year old! His birthday was on Oct 19, wee! (Small for his age — the runt)

He loves: his sweater, butt-scoots, cuddling his mom and dad, chasing his tail or brother Calvin, fried egg, running outside, cat poop.

He HATES: the stairs.

He will not take this sweater off and whenever I try to wash it he gets upset and whines for it back until he gets it back.

Vlog

Secret life of a New YouTuber / Vlogger Tag

12/03/2015

What are Youtube “tag” Videos?

If you’re a new vlogger on youtube you might be wondering what exactly a tagged video is (besides the obvious tags used everywhere online which explain content)… Well a tagged video is a video topic, theme or survey on Youtube where you also tag another Youtube vlogger to answer the same questions or make a similar themed video. There are ALL kinds and it’s generally good etiquette to tag another friend if you are tagged and of course to keep the tags going. I am a “bad girl” because I waited so long to upload mine due to the chaos of wedding planning and traveling.. however here it is! Feel free to tag me in videos or ask for me to tag you in upcoming ones! There are a few more coming soon as well as a camera view you asked for. So stay tuned!

Thanks to Cheyenne Jane Videos for tagging me!! I filmed this awhile ago but wasn’t able to upload it until now! Sorry for the delay~ I’m pretty new still so I’m not on my game with YouTube yet. I still love it! I have a couple of cute requested videos coming next~ stay tuned and thanks for watching! Let me know if you’d like to tag me or me to tag you in the future! I tagged Michelle Shea.

By the way this video was made when it’s late at night and my hair and eyebrows are a mess but this is honest! This is me at night after I’ve been running around like a crazy person all day! HA.

Business Features Vlog

Japan Crate & Japan Candy Box REVIEW COMPARE CONTRAST

09/11/2015

While the studio is out of commission (it’s like a wedding, craft palooza in there right now and if I clean it up it will slow my creation!) I did this subscription box review in my bedroom. I got tired of the general reviews of boxes and thought it’d be interesting to compare and contrast and pick my favorite. You can watch the video to see but it really depends on what you like and who you are! Take a look and let me know which is your favorite! A giveaway for the Japan Candy Box will be coming soon to Miseducated as well so stay tuned~

I had attached a quick video of the crafting going on but it was vertical BOOOO! Sorry. ๐Ÿ™‚ It didn’t make the cut. But I did FINALLY make a new vlog/video and I’m back! As I said.. which also got cut for length.. I quit for awhile due to all my videos having the insta intro YouTube used to offer but doesn’t now! So I was mad all my videos lost their intro! And they’re old so I don’t want to redo them… oh well.. bummer. I’m over it now though and so glad to be back! XO

Recipes

Desserts that are Eye & Tastebud Candy

08/28/2015

So I’ve been on a whirlwind of candy making, eating, fawning over and trying. I’ve been planning what sorts of sweets I’ll make for my wedding in October and which ones will be the best ideas! If you’d like to join me on my trip down the sugar rabbit hole then please grab a cup of tea (preferably with a LID) and jump jump jump!

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Merengue kisses are all the rage these days and they’re super simple to make… Here’s a recipe for the above merengue kisses!

Coconut ice! Cute and tasty~ Learn to make it here.

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What about a SIMPLE but adorable dessert that uses store-bought marshmallows? You can get the information about making this super easy (but cute) dessert here~ what’s better than a bouquet of marshmallow pops?

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Don’t you love marshmallow ropes? Those are adorable! You can learn to MAKE THEM here.

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Make square marshmallows here.

I cannot imagine anything more satisfying than melt-in-your-mouth cotton candy merengue cookies! You can learn to make those here.

cotton candy merengue

Or what about Cotton Candy MOUSSE? i know not everyone is a fan of mousse but I have ALWAYS loved chocolate mousse (chocolate mouse if know the reference from a favorite movie!) however my spouse believes that it’s too much fluff and should be a topping or accessory to the main dessert — ha!

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With my family going on little hikes we often need bagged snacks we can munch on in between meals. My dear friend, Twinkiechan, introduced me to this amazing Lucky Rainbow Chex Mix recipe and I nearly toppled over by sugar high from only seeing the photos~

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Now everyone who’s close to me probably knows my FAVORITE desserts are creme brรปlรฉe and CANDY APPLES. How silly is that pairing? However candy apples have taken a big fall in my experience.. the fairs and festivals tend to have caramel apples and parties usually prefer chocolate apples.. or apples coated in almond bark… and they are NOT the same! I want that hard candy shell. I want the cinnamon candy perfect pairing with the sour, crisp apple. It makes my mouth send me to the moon!

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This is the right kind of candy apple! This recipe teaches you how to make hot pink candy apples (how cute). I would only change the vanilla to cinnamon of course~ I’ve also heard of melting the red generic cinnamon candies for the apples and that seems to go well also! As with all hard candy you have to make sure it’s been heated to the correct temperature lest you have a tacky, teeth pulling shell rather than the crunchy perfection of a candy apple!

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Cooking With Videos

One of the easiest ways to find and follow cute recipes is by doing a quick YouTube search! Then you can see how the process is really done without doing guesswork. It’s a great way to make more complex sweets!

Macarons have been and are ALWAYS a win with me. I have had a life-long almond obsession (both taste and smell!) and they’re made from almond meal (plus other scrumptious flavors!!) and egg whites as well as tasty ganache in the center of the cookie sandwiches. What better way to make them than to give them a little tint of rainbow?

Speaking of rainbows though.. (as I can always be found doing).. let’s add some pastel rainbow to the delicious merengue and VIOLA!

I’m saving the best for last… this is one of my all time favorite cooking videos by decocookie (her channel is amazing). In this cooking lesson she teaches us how to make a Little Twin Stars cookie house! The cutest dessert ever.

Thanks for drooling with me! Check back soon for more inspirational delicacies and feel free to let me know what your favorite desserts are!

Artist & Designer Features

Dream & Death Inspired Artist Sonya Fu

07/16/2015
Sonya Fu next to her work "I love" (2014) at AP Contemporary, Hong Kong

Sonya Fu next to her work “I love” (2014) at AP Contemporary, Hong Kong

Sonya Fu is an artist whose works I feel really drawn to. She has taken inspiration from her dreams visually to a place of solitude. Her work, to me, speaks of the mixture of emotions we feel in dreams and the temporary yet lasting suspension we feel in the dreamworld. Not only do they evoke these feelings in me but she is graphic designer turned artist so her works are done digitally. I think it’s important to share her amazing creations in this age where many contemplate whether digital art is a fine art while it’s so obvious that it is. Enjoy~

You can find more work and information via her Facebook page or her website~

How long have you been creating art?
I started drawing when I was 3 or 4.

What is your preferred medium?
I work mostly with digital mediums. Digital paintings in which I paint brush stroke by brush stroke using a drawing tablet.

Did it ever become your main focus and when?
It’s become my main focus in 2010. I had my first group show invitation when I was still a graphic designer at the time.

What has been your favorite exhibition or event to be involved in?
This is a tough one because I enjoyed all of them!! They are all unique and they are all special! ๐Ÿ™‚

What inspires you most?
Dreams. My crazy, wonderful, beautiful, whimsical, disgusting, scary dreams. Also meditation, mindfulness and music.

How do you deal with artistโ€™s block?
I doodle, meditate, look at art magazines/blogs, talk to other artists, do things that I feel good about (when I feel good inspiration flows in faster).

What has been your favorite work youโ€™ve created?
Another tough one! They are all special to me!

Do you have any crazy stories about one of your pieces?
Yes! My work “Tender Stillness”, the giant serpent girl, I dreamed about her a few times, she hovered in the sky and raised tsunami.

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Favorites:
Color? Black
Food? Kimchi fried rice served in hot stone bowl (no meat)
Animal? ALL
Music? Space music, Ambient music, Pink Floyd, Portishead, the Silent Hill OST… the list can go and on!
Magazine? Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Hi-Fructose, Juxtapoz etc. I appreciate all art mags and art blogs, they are always so supportive of the artists.
Movie? Beetlejuice, Alien series
Book? Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul

Do you have any advice for readers interested in turning their hobby into their main focus?
Stay focused, believe in yourself, be positive and remember “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents” like Bob Ross said.

What do you feel is a recipe for success?
Believing in yourself and what you do, positive thinking, being appreciative and grateful, being a good team player, keeping your commitments, meeting deadlines, good time management, being picky about yourself and your work so you make the best out of it, welcoming and being open-minded about criticism because it helps us improve.

Are you Miseducated?
-I guess yes haha, I am both whimsical and unconventional!

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I_love_by_SonyaFu

see_you_in_the_dark_by_sonya_fu

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Visual Splendor

Snail Mail Me to the Wall, Penpals

07/04/2015

Few things make me happier than receiving a handwritten letter. I love snail mail. A lot. I love penpals, I love envelopes, I love bubble packs, I love zines (as you know). Throughout my life I’ve had tons of snail mail friends, both friends I only knew by conversing via letters and friends who live far enough away that to give them gifts requires a trip to the post office. My very first penpal (besides school friends that moved away) was a girl I wrote as a kid from Finland. I got her as a penpal through this snail mail elementary school project and we SO loved swapping photos and decorated letters. After awhile I had so many penpals I was sending gifts to that it was becoming quite an expensive hobby plus I was so busy in college that I backed off quite a bit.

I miss them — the decos, FBs and lovely decorated letters and packages. I’ve got a few long-distance friends that I need to write back and I’m inspired to find a few more to write soon. If you’re interested just let me know and I’ll try to fit you in~ also let me know if you’re interested in receiving a package of decos to send on!

P.S. Remember the old Penpal Cafe we have for finding penpals? I find one of my favorite ways to find new penpals is just asking long-distance friends if they’d like to swap letters and mail art. Have fun!

Mail Books/Zines

HappymaildayzinebyJennaTempleton(c)2014Happy Mail Day
by Jenna Templeton

51lge1f4UKLSnail Mail: Rediscovering the Art and Craft of Handmade Correspondence
by Michelle Mackintosh

Mail Art

circus-decorated-envelope-by-nasya-kopteva-of-fish-mail-art
by Nasya Kopteva

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by Omiyage Blogs

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by Boheme Circus

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by Super Kitina

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Snail Mail: Tip Mini Series #2 by Nadia van der Mescht

Portfolio

We Love Fine’s Bee & Puppycat Contest: Le Puppycat Macaron

06/12/2015

Remember when I entered my minimal Bee & Puppycat tshirt design in We Love Fine’s contest? I posted about it on my blog and on our Facebook fanpage a few times and thanks to YOU (everyone who voted) I won! So now they’re selling the Le Puppycat Macaron shirt and I’m so excited~ It’s been a (long) while since I’ve felt compelled to enter in any digital design contests and so happy you enjoyed the tee!

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Wee! I feel so honored! And thankful! And this is of course how I looked when I won. Keep in mind this is after a long day of working from home while 4 kids are on summer break, taking them to the zoo after work and then walking over to the baseball park to eat with David’s coworkers and play in the sunshine. I’m surprised I’m even still awake but it was the first moment I had to myself all day! And how exciting to hear my design won a place in the contest full of amazing designs by other fans! I fell asleep before this was taken. Yes before.

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Buy the tshirt HERE!