So Little Time, So Many Things to Create

09/14/2015

David has been working in the studio a lot lately.. he has a couple shows coming up and some other art events. So I’ve been working up in my half on making a complete mess. As I said in the last video, I’m doing wedding decor so the studio is not video-ready. It looks instead like someone took a big, pastel puke in the middle of my floor. Really though with all of the glitter, ribbons, pompoms and flowers… it was only a matter of time. I’m making just about everything in the wedding and although it will be pretty minimal, the items I make will be pop surrealism crafty cute~ pastel rainbow = my favorite thing forever.

I’ll also be using a lot of these pastel kawaii materials (I got bulk goodies because I found so many great deals on things I LOVE) to make some goodies for the shop but that will probably come around after the wedding is over, maybe not but probably! The shop will be getting a revamp next year due to our new tshirt printer and products getting finalized~

On that notion I also started doing some sketches again in spare time that wasn’t spent crafting. I had painted an entire painting of an alien scene when David left a canvas he didn’t need on my craft table.. and the only thing I liked about it was the HANDS. How often do illustrators feel that way? I’m not sure.. but it’s not common for me. So I wondered why I don’t sketch anymore and how much more fulfilling it would be if I sketched a bunch of my ideas out prior to sketching on a canvas. Like I used to do. So I’ve been doing little sketches of my moods displayed on a cartoon-y girl. I also pulled one into illustrator after David asked why I’m not doing them in Illustrator. Something about the actual sketching (besides the mobility of it) is providing some sort of therapy for me in my late-night busy brain, tired body situations. If I like any enough in the future I might make some prints of them, not sure yet!

And I’ve been doing dolly crocheting again while waiting for things like appointments or meetings to start..

What have you been working on?

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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. 🙂 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

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Uncommon Goods Has Lovely, Creative Gifts

09/09/2015

So I was asked quite awhile ago to review a shop that I was expected to like. I put it off.. I get quite a few requests and I’m always worried it will end up being a shop selling knock-off Chinese products VS a shop supporting actual artists. However I took a look at Uncommon Goods (go get lost in their shop!) and I noticed they carry quite a lot of unique and interesting gifts. Not only that but it is not a cheap wholesale store as their prices are true to cost; they are using actual artist-designed works. On each product you can see who makes them, why and where they’re from.

After looking around and posting online about it I had quite a few friends exclaiming that they love the store Uncommon Goods and buy clever gifts from there often! I felt so left out to have only found out about this shop now and became excited to do a review.

For the review they offered to send a few products. I gave them some ideas as to what I like (rainbows and stones) so they sent the swing tumblers in rainbow colors AND the agate coasters. These items arrived packed very nicely and in a quick manner. The box was even cute with their logo on it branded tape (these small design elements mean a lot to me). Everything inside was in it’s own box direct from the designer. The coasters were from Rablab NY and the swing tumblrs were from a designer in Germany.

I was a little worried about both items as you can see the shop has reviews on the products and there are many good reviews but a few bad ones. I thought maybe the glasses will deteriorate in the dishwasher or the coasters will condensate onto the table.. I made sure to use all items VERY WELL before this review and 1. the glasses have been used and washed a ton and are still as cute as they were when I unpacked them; 2. the coasters did not condensate onto the table and are GORGEOUS. With the coasters however one coaster sent was a product error, it was missing the brand sticker and the rubber balls to keep in place were sticky and odd on only that one. They offered right away to send a new set and let me know they had made a mistake.

Something very interesting about the company is that they not only support artists and small businesses but they support human and animal life as well. They have a very positive brand/company story here if you’re interested in reading it.

We’re committed to offering you a creative and exciting merchandise assortment and are working with our suppliers – from artists to small manufacturers – to make their products in a more socially and environmentally responsible manner. Since our founding, we’ve featured products that contain recycled components and have not sold products containing leather, feathers or fur – our goal is to sell no product that harms humans or animals.

I’m very pleased and have planned quite a few items for my spouse’s birthday coming up on October the 8th! You can’t go wrong here. There are great products (especially the ones for the home~) and they have excellent customer service. I have found a new favorite web store, that’s for sure!

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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!

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.

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?

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

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.

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!

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~

Now everyone who’s close to me probably knows my FAVORITE desserts are creme brûlée 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!

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!

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!

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Day With a Camera: Being Thrifty (While Splurging) in Saraga Market

08/24/2015

This is my attempt to update my blog using both Siri and my WordPress app because I very rarely have the patience…

So Emma and I found we had a break in our work day and decided we would spend our lunch hour going to Saraga International Market (which is really an excuse for me to pile junk food in my cart).

If there is anything good to say about Saraga it’s that it has 1. very inexpensive produce and 2. junk food from all over the world, everywhere.

If you have a craving to eat turkish delight while drinking Ramune soda and sitting on a bag of kawaii mexican marshmallow ropes, YOU CAN DO THAT HERE! OR if you want some hot pink duck eggs, onion naan, dumplings and buns of absolutely any flavor ever imagined and a pound of squid? YOU CAN FIND THOSE HERE! And if you want Japanese junk food and produce because you are supposed to be “grocery shopping” for “necessities” but found your snack cabinet and bubble tea jars low (so what else can you do?), do it here here here! Be responsible with inexpensive produce and splurge on the best junk food and sweets all in the same market!

These are DUCK eggs died pink.. *shrug*

And stay tuned because there are upcoming YouTube vlogs on a couple of Japanese snack crates that asked for a review so I decided to compare and contrast~ xx!

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Hoosier Salon vs iMOCA in Indianapolis

08/09/2015

In this one weekend only competition iMOCA iNSIDERS and Hoosier Salon members are invited to present their work side by side to be voted on by the public and determine which pieces are the most popular. The creators of the top five favorite pieces in the show will win special prize packages.

On Friday we went to the opening at iMOCA, because David submitted his new drawing (“My Sun Sets to Rise Again” 17.5″x24″ Black and White Charcoal on Paper) into the competition, and we were happy we did. I love seeing new art-events in Indianapolis, especially one like this that exposes one genre to another genre.

Today is your last day to view the show. It’s only open this weekend: August 7 – August 9 until 7:00pm in iMOCA located at 1043 Virginia Ave Suite 5, Indianapolis, Indiana 46203

IMOCA is pretty self-explanatory. Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art. I’ve been to quite a few of their events, in fact, Jamie and I actually dressed up in blood for their campy halloween vampire movie viewing a couple of years ago. Meanwhile, the Hoosier Salon’s art is much more traditional but still contemporary in the way that it is currently being created. Richard Anderson, “People like to forget that all art created at this time is contemporary.”

Robert Horvath, Narcissus #4

The much adored Richard Anderson, gallery manager at the Carmel Hoosier Salon Gallery, along with Paula Katz, gallery manager at iMOCA, wanted to try new ways to expose and blend art and artists to new audiences as well as their organizations. As artist David Cunningham said, “It broadens the audience. You have people that are interested in contemporary work looking at traditional art while those who prefer traditional art are now seeing contemporary art. It also exposes contemporary artists of one genre to contemporary artists of another genre.”

All participating iMOCA iNSIDERs and Hoosier Salon members were allowed to submit one piece of work within a 30″ size limit, no video was allowed.

You have one last chance today to view the work if you haven’t yet!

More Information

Hoosier Salon vs iMOCA Event Page
iMOCA
Hoosier Salon
NUVO Article

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Contemporary Realism Painter David Cunningham aka Mistereducated

07/31/2015

You may or may not know that David Cunningham is my fiancé and long term love with whom I raise 4 children with, but before all of that he was an artist. We met because he was an artist, an art professor to be exact, and I’ve always felt strongly that his work is stunning. I felt this way prior to falling in love with him, his work is just shockingly rich. He inspired me endlessly to push myself further than I thought as a professor and as an artist and I never forgot those lessons.

His paintings themselves look as though they are windows peering into a space of stylized almost-photographicly delicate realism. I can most assure you that you will be amazed that *all* the small images below are actually paintings (or drawings) that he has spent hours upon hours on while detailing each square inch. The finished paintings are even more rich where you can really see the details; they are amazing because of the reality he creates within them. I’m a lucky girl to have this beauty and skill under my roof. Although he is male, and we have rarely featured males, I think it’s time. Skill and beauty know no sex, race or religion and nor does the unconventionality that is Miseducated.

How long have you been creating art?
That depends on what your definition of “art” is. Like most kids, I loved to draw, color, paint, build models, play with playdough, etc. Unlike most kids, I never stopped. As for “art” , art only happens on occasion. It is unique, personal, and beyond me as the creator. I think the first time that happened was around 2003.

What is your preferred medium?
Nothing beats the lumosity and color richness you can achieve with oil paint.

Did it ever become your main focus and when?
After Undergraduate school I opened up my own studio and made work full time (mostly ceramics.) Honestly, it was a very lonely time for me. I worked 8-10 hours every day and would go several days without seeing anyone. This was the days before podcasts and audiobooks a plenty that keep me company these days in the studio. It was lonely. I am an introvert but not that introverted. I found out in graduate school that teaching helped me become a better artist. It balanced me… giving me an opportunity to interact with others and exchange ideas. I have been balancing teaching as an art professor and studio work ever sense.

What has been your favorite exhibition or event to be involved in?
One of my stone paintings won Best in Show at the Contemporary Realism Biennial several years back. It really floored me. It was a national show featuring some of the best realistic art in America. It was an honor just to be included…to win was epic.

What inspires you most?
Beauty. Not beauty that others can easily recognize, but beauty that is overlooked. That is one of the things that I like about painting stones. They are extraordinary but no one really pays attention to them. The work I have to do as an artist is to make others see the beauty that I see.

How do you deal with artist’s block?
I make work. Often this isn’t the afore mentioned “art” but just studies or master copies. Anything to keep working. Pressure to perform… to make something great scares away the muse.

What has been your favorite work you’ve created?
I don’t really have favorites. Some are clearly better than others, but they are all my children. I am always surprised at what work connects with people. That is why I do it. It isn’t really important if it connects with me. My job is just to make the work. That’s it. Show up and do it.

Do you have any odd stories about one of your pieces?
I had a large painting that I had spent many hours on and all of the parts were beautifully painted, but the composition was off. I tried to sell it for cheap with no takers. I then got the idea to cut it up into 4 small paintings. Each of the small paintings sold for more than I was asking for the whole painting.

Favorites:
Color? blue-grey
Food? watermelon, steak, lobster
Animal? goats
Music? Coldplay, Radiohead, mellow indie rock
Magazine? I don’t have time to read! I listen to audio books and podcasts though.
Movie? Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction
Book? The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Do you have any advice for readers interested in turning their hobby into their main focus?
Read the War of Art and do what it says. Live as modestly as you can so you have as much time as possible to make your work. Don’t give up. Art is a war of attrition. Perseverance and hard work beats talent.

What do you feel is a recipe for success?
First you have to define what success is. Otherwise, how will you know if you hit it? Secondly, find mentors (people who are doing what you want to do). Do what they do and you will get what they get.

Would you say you’re Miseducated?
I am Mistereducated. Predictably logical unless you are a woman then I am a mystery.

Learn more here:
David Cunningham Official Web Portfolio & Shop
Official Facebook Page

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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 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! 🙂

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

How do you deal with artist’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 you’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.

tender_stillness_by_sonya_fu

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!

inner_child_by_Sonya_Fu

I_love_by_SonyaFu

see_you_in_the_dark_by_sonya_fu

I_see_by_SonyaFu

I_imagine_by_SonyaFu

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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

Happy Mail Day
by Jenna Templeton

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

Mail Art

by Nasya Kopteva

by Omiyage Blogs

by Boheme Circus

by Super Kitina

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

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My Soul Mate Asked Me to Marry Him

07/02/2015

This past weekend on June 13, 2015 (Saturday) the man of my dreams, my soul mate, someone I’ve been through hell and heaven with, and every fantasy I’ve ever had, asked me to marry him. To spend my life with him. To give him the opportunity to love and heal and grow with me forever. I can’t imagine a better gift from God and the universe than he. My Colette and my fiance, I feel so blessed. I’ve been floating on a sort of love I can’t come down from. I feel like my love meter has been raised and I can’t get enough. He’s the only person I’ve known (besides my daughter) that I can’t be angry at for longer than a few seconds. It’s just not worth it to be separate!

First we packed a picnic and he took me kayaking — we have a two-person kayak and I love going because we always find animals swimming around (otters and beavers!) and we dock and explore the forest a bit (I’ve always adored the forest). We live right near Fall Creek which is lovely, it goes through the woods and you never know what you’ll find. We went further back to drop our boat in than we had before and it started RAINING HARD as soon as we got in the water. Luckily it was right beside a bridge so we rowed under it and maybe 5 minutes later the sun came out so off we went. I’m sure there were rainbows but I could only see the trees canopying over the creek. David said we had reservations that night so we needed to get home to get dressed up. Eeek! It was taking longer than expected to get near home. We had to call an uber car to give us a ride to our van so we could pick up the boat and everything happened so smoothly I was just in a daze.

We both got ready, took a quick rest and then David drove us downtown where we arrived at a lovely horse drawn carriage. I always wanted to ride one of those around the city. The horse was so cute! We got to pet her and she had painted, pastel, sparkly feet for the Pride Parade that day and had big flowers in her hair. Inside the carriage was a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates from this tasty chocolate cafe on the circle. The horse took us on a tour around the city, even cute vintage-looking parts I hadn’t seen before. I loved it. It was so wonderful and I’ll never forget it.

Then we went to sit beside the fountain and share chocolates after the carriage ride was over. David was asking me about my plans for the next 5 years and things that were important for me to accomplish.. I was really loving our date night and feeling so close. He said he had something in his briefcase and he kneeled down on the steps and I just started crying. He told me everything I’ve ever dreamed someone would say to me since I was a young girl watching cheesy 90s teen romance movies hoping things like that really happened. He promised to always love me and always work towards being a better man and doing any healing and work for us to be a better us. He told me so many things I never thought anyone could even verbalize that were just music to my heart. He asked if I would marry him and I said yes while the tears rolled down my cheeks. He then handed me a letter he wrote to me conveying everything he just said in a personal format I could keep. I’ve never felt so loved and cherished in my entire life.

I have known since we met 9 years ago he was very special and I loved being around him. We both felt a connection and knew we should stay in touch even through we were both in different stages in life. Since we started dating 3 years ago I knew he was the one, getting to know him more deeply has felt like remembering someone my heart already knew. I just didn’t imagine everything would happen as it did over all those years but we got through hell together and have arrived at this wonderful place where we can just enjoy life and love. I’m so grateful. I feel so honored that this is the man for me.

After this he said we STILL weren’t done with our date night so we went on a little evening walk and arrived to Indy’s little treasure St. Elmo Steakhouse (world’s best shrimp cocktail) to have an amazingly rich dinner and more flowers waiting for me there. He said he planned to propose there but thought it would be more special at a public place we can visit and associate that special moment with it. All of the waiters knew of course so they all stopped by to congratulate us. He said he tried to incorporate most of the parts of our lives into this day and hoped it was special.. meanwhile.. I’m still just in shock.

We walked home hand in hand under the street lights and on sidewalks aglow with rainbow glitter from the pride parade just that morning while every passerby donning rainbow beads (I wanted some!) yelled, “Congratulations” as though they knew what cloud I was floating on. I was carrying so many flowers I’m sure I looked as though I’d won an award or been the lead on a broadway musical. I still float on that pink cloud throughout the days and even when I’m stressed or sad I think of this special day and know that I did succeed in finding my soul mate, completing our family and being filled with joy we’re devoted to spending the rest of our lives together.

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