Browsing Tag

chocolate

His & Hers Vlog

His & Hers: The Gingerbread Show-Off: Make a Gingerbread House

12/28/2014

his and hers

Recently I went outside to find a gift bag on my sidewalk filled with graham crackers, handmade icing, gumdrops and assorted candies. It was a surprise from my neighbor, Becky, who is the sweetest ever to even think of such a thing after I had only leant her my mixer. A few weeks prior I made gingerbread houses with the children and so I decided I would ask David to have a gingerbread house making date with me! He, who had never even attempted such a thing and had been pretty anti-holiday decor and kitsch until this year, turned on the Christmas carols and we had a blast. As you can see, he cannot do anything half-way so he made quite a house.. show-off..

David has happily found that holiday kitsch is lovely and he even got the Christmas tree out this year before Thanksgiving after repeatedly telling me not until closer to Christmas. Wee! He says I’ve shown him another side of Christmas that is filled with fun and magic and I couldn’t be more grateful. That is one of my ultimate goals in life spreading magic and whimsical kitschery that induces smiles and heart expansion!

So yes I made a silly video vlog to go along with the gingerbread house making date! I hope your holiday was also filled with laughter and magic! xo

Crafts DIY

DIY: Neons vs Pastels » Craftspiration

04/03/2014

Because I can never decide which one is better so all of my pastel-coated paintings always have a little hot pink strewn through-out and same for my collages. Why choose one when you can have both? Have a hot pink Easter.

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Easy Neon Hanging Planters Tutorial by Brit + Co

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Candy Necklace Inspiration by Love the Day

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Chocolate Surprise Egg DIY for Easter

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Dip Dye Placemats by Design Love Fest

and lastly a breathtakingly beautiful home office and craft studio to inspire you to design your work space to fit your inspiration ala I Love Crafty:

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Design Your Life

Maintaining a Healthy Brain While Working Online

01/18/2013

I’ve recently had the pleasure of chatting with the media-proclaimed “Poker Barbie” Lacey Jones about playing poker on and offline and actually making a living doing it. It seems rather strange to me to rely on a chance game to supply your income but I suppose many people feel the same about freelance design work and professional blogging (sometimes you have tons of jobs and advertising opportunities, sometimes just a few) and so, having had several friends that seem to successfully live this way, I had to learn more about how they are able to make the most of the unconventional (Miseducated) lifestyle and career they chose.

One topic we kept coming back to in our discussion is how to stay healthy while spending the majority of our time sitting down doing mostly brain work and very little body work. In being a blogger and artist I can definitely relate to my body getting the short end of the deal and began to realize that our work actually holds many more similarities than I had previously thought.

So what exactly is needed to run both a healthy brain and a healthy body while sitting for long periods of time? I thought you’d never ask! Let’s take a look at some brain foods, unhealthy foods and health tips used by professional poker players around the globe and use this information to our own benefit whether we be playing poker for money or blogging for fun.

“Add these ‘superfoods’ to your daily diet, and you will increase your odds of maintaining a healthy brain for the rest of your life.” ~ WebMD

Brain Foods

Blueberries
Wild Salmon
Nuts and Seeds
Avacados
Whole Grains
Beans
Pomegranates
Tea
Dark Chocolate // Cacao

“Whether you play live or online, poker guarantees one thing; you spend plenty of time sitting in a chair. In order to be profitable in the long run it’s crucial to revitalize the body and mind with exercise and healthy food.” ~ 9 Essential Health Tips for the Online Poker Grinder

Health Tips

Ergonomic and Comfortable Chair – Make sure your chair is supportive to your back, your monitor is at a comfortable height and your wrists are relaxed.
Take Breaks – Take 2-5 minute breaks every 30-60 minutes to maintain high brain performance and productivity and don’t forget to take a 30 minute lunch in the middle of your work day.
Rest Your Eyes – Remember to look away from the monitor throughout your workday and focus on something farther away for a short time.
Use Routine Exercises and Good Posture – Don’t simply melt into your chair and write away, be sure to keep moving throughout your work day even in the smallest of ways. Roll and stretch your wrists, contract and hold your abdominal and gluteus muscles, exercise your calves by pushing up onto the balls of your feet. Utilize a routine which allows you to be habitual in your seated exercise regimen.

“By reducing or eliminating the foods that should be avoided you will optimize your brain power today and reduce your risk of developing brain related diseases in the future.” ~ LIVESTRONG

Foods to Avoid

Processed Carbohydrates
Trans Fat and Fried Foods
Meat
Fatty Dairy
Sugary Sweets

Diary

Don’t Live in the Past

02/18/2011
Happy Birthday cake :9
My birthday cake.
Package from Audreybug~
Package from Audrey.
Birthday gift from Ben hehe~
Birthday gift from Ben.
This chocolate covered cherry Peep is the best thing I've ever eaten.. today!
Valentine tastiness.

Today I spent a little time roaming around my parent’s home. Isn’t it strange when you’re reminded so vividly of a past that was both horrifying and magical?

I remember laying in my comfortable cloud bed knowing that it would be my last night staying at my parent’s home.. I would be getting married the very next day and then we would be off to Japan to celebrate.

We discussed in group therapy yesterday that really rings true.. it was about being present; forgetting about yesterday and tomorrow. There is only today. Don’t waste it.

A sign at the cemetery where I used to roam and have chats with my deceased grandmother reads, “LOVE.” It’s the best advice I’ve had all day.

Design Your Life

Confessions of a Confection Obsession

10/20/2009

Everyone loves sweets right? But how long do those sweets last?

Well, I have stumbled upon a little secret to make them stylish, cute, and last forever; perfect for the sweet lover in all of us. Sprinkles, cupcakes, candies, and chocolates are so yummy, and look almost too good to eat. So now you can accessorize yourself with them and let the whole world know about your confection obsession. With all the colors, the textures, and the sugary goodness, who can resist? I know I cannot, so my inspiration is to make something that looks sweet enough to eat, and cute enough to wear.

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My sweet goodies are kitschy art pieces of sweet eye candy. Mix together some sprinkles, glitter, crystals, and cast in clear or colored resin, and then you are good to go like the sweet diva you are! These yummy treats are made to be rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pins, and everything, to make a scene.

These are the sweets that won’t go bad, won’t give us cavities, or even the calories. These are accessories we can put on to make us smile and feel happy. My goodies, can remind us of the fun times we had when we were just kiddies. Like the birthday parties we went to, the ice cream shops we visited, and the treats we’d get when we were good little boys and girls. These times are often forgotten in the fast paced life a lot of us live. These were the simpler times in our life, filled with childhood dreams, rainbows, and sweets along the way,

So you too can go back to that place and live out your childhood dreams, or just relive them and have fun. I hope my pieces can take you back to that place. One of my favorite childhood pastimes were playing with jewelry and dressing up, and here I am today living that dream. This is what keeps me going, I love what I do and have fun doing it. This is my chance, a chance to love and be with my family, while I live out my passion to create. It is all I ever wanted, and I going for it.

If you should take anything from this piece, I hope you take with you the love and inspiration to live out your dreams. This is the very thing that will keep you going and not want to stop. It makes living that much more worth living. It is wonderful when you love what you do, and get to share it with the world. It makes living that much more sweeter ;o) and soo miseducated!!!

Crafts DIY

Decadently Decorate your Camera

09/30/2009
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Once I saw the milk chocolate camera on Fuji’s official website, I knew I had to decorate it with sweets and delicious desserts as much as I could! haha

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Here I bought some very cute plastic sweets (cabochons) from shops at Yu Chau Street in Hong Kong. The street is very popular for its accessory shops. You can find a broad variety of components with different styles, which can be used in DIY (such as earrings, brooches, etc.) or to customize anything you like!

WOW… yummy!!!

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This is my nude camera and the components.

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Finally I squeezed all the sweets and cream on it! haha!!!! Love it so much! 😀

My boyfriend nearly cried after seeing the new look of the camera (that HE had bought me). He thinks it is to abnormal for one to carry such a cluttered, exaggerated camera to take photos. hehe.. but then I read the information about Miseducated, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss, hoho! That’s right! I know my boyfriend really doesn’t mind my crazy works. It’s really important for us to be who we are or else we will lose our own personalities and the ability to imagine and create new things! 😀

DIY Recipes

Recipes for Chocolate Spa Night

06/24/2009

I know I’m not alone when I say that I love every kind of chocolate there is. Chocolate bars, hot chocolate, chocolate ice cream, dark chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies…the list of “delicious types of chocolate” is a list that never ceases.

Recently, though, I’ve become slightly obsessed with beauty products that infuse delicious chocolately-goodness! I figured that if the big stores like Philosophy and others are making their own chocolate products, why can’t I? And on that same note, why can’t you?

Here are 3 delectable DIY beauty recipes that use chocolate as their main ingredient.

Scrumptious Chocolate Facial Mask

What’s it for? Moisturizing dry skin
Indulge yourself with this sweet face mask. It serves as a moisturizing agent and leaves your skin ultra soft to the touch. Here’s what you need to gather:

3 tbs. heavy cream
2 tsp. cottage cheese
1/4 cup honey
3 tsp. oatmeal
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl and stir until you have a smooth and consistent texture. Get rid of any lumps and bumps!

If you have a blender it would probably be easier to mix the ingredients that way.

Once your mixture is ready to go, tie your hair up and apply it to your face. Let it set for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and follow with a splash of cold water to tighten your pores. Gently pat dry.

Decadent Chocolate Body Scrub

What’s it for? Exfoliating skin
This recipe yields one fierce body polishing agent! And it smells great, too! This is what you need:

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup powdered cocoa
A few drops of chocolate and/or raspberry fragrance oil (optional)
In a large bowl combine all of your ingredients. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and consistent in texture.

Liberally apply the contents to your body with a washcloth or loofah. Gently massage it into your skin in a circular motion while in the shower. Rinse off and feel refreshed!

*This recipe will yield plenty so there is enough for future uses! Store the remains in an airtight container. It will last for up to 6 months.

Sweet, Sweet Chocolate and Honey Scrub

What’s it for? Exfoliating and moisturizing
This is similar to the above recipe only this one incorporates a little bit of honey (which adds moisture) and uses salt instead of sugar for a less-course mixture! This is great if you are looking for a refreshing scrub-down! This is what you need:

2 cups honey
1/2 cup grape seed oil
6 tbs. unsweetened chocolate
2 cups kosher salt

First, grate your unsweetened chocolate into a medium sized bowl.

In a separate bowl, place your honey and grape seed oil until the two are blended together. Add the chocolate and salt. Mix completely until you have a texture that is smooth and consistent.

Liberally apply the contents to your body with a washcloth or loofah. Gently massage it into your skin in a circular motion while in the shower. Rinse off and feel refreshed!

*This recipe will yield 2 uses. Store the remains in an airtight container.

Crafts DIY

Create and Flavor Your Own Lipgloss

05/06/2009

Miseducated girls like to stand out in a crowd. Which is precisely why this make-it-yourself, fully customizable lip gloss recipe is perfect. (Not to mention, Miseducated-mavens always have pretty puckers).

Read through this super easy recipe and then feel free to add whatever your heart desires (within reason, of course!) to make your very own lip gloss.

creating lipgloss

You Need

Option 1 (the extra-easy route)
Have you ever applied Vaseline to your lips? Well whether you have or haven’t, it’s a great moisturizer for your puckers. If you prefer to take the easy route (which is great when you’re in a bind), can use this as your base and then customize the rest.

Option 2
Take 1 tablespoon of beeswax and place it in a clean glass jar. Place the jar in very hot water. Be careful not to get water in it as the two don’t mix well. With a toothpick or stick-like device, stir until you see that the wax has softened.

Next, add a tablespoon of almond oil. Mix thoroughly. If you want, you can add a capsule of Vitamin E which preserves your gloss for a longer amount of time and also adds nutrients. Another option is to add ½ a teaspoon of honey. This makes it a little sweeter and also adds nutrients.

If you’re a simple lassie then you can stop here. If you’re in the mood to customize, here are a few ideas to give a go:

Customize your Gloss

Fresh and Fruity
Add a few berries to your mixture while it’s hot. Crush the berries and pick out the skin or strain it. Some great berries to try are cranberries (which create a lovely shade of dark pink) or blueberries which create a pinky-tone. [Check out my Berry Beauty article which has a great Blueberry Honey gloss].

Mighty Mint
Add a few drops of peppermint or spearmint oil, mix it up and you’re set to go! Refreshing!

Cola Queen
Add a few drops of your favorite cola (try Sprite or Orange!) and mix thoroughly. Yum!

Charming Chocolate
You can either purchase chocolate scented oil or melt a little piece of chocolate with your beeswax. Guaranteed to melt on your lips! That’s a good thing.

Whimsical Flowers
Feeling romantic and whimsy? Try a little jasmine, rose or lavender oil!

Brewed Beer Gloss
That’s right! Infuse your lips with the scent of beer! Just add a few drops of your favorite brew and mix it up.

Lemon Lady
If citrus is your thing, squeeze a bit o’ lemon, lime or orange juice into your beeswax and mix thoroughly. Zing!

These are just a few ideas. Let your mind go free and you’re sure to come up with even better customizations!

*Make this gloss in small doses as it does not last forever. Store it in your fridge at night to make it last longer. Oh, and if you want to bring it out with you (a total “do”), store it in a recycled lip gloss container or even a fabulous little pill box!

Design Your Life

Cake is Love: A Japanese Chef

11/16/2008

I graduated from Le Cordon Blue in Tokyo. My major was French cake making and my teachers were french chefs whom taught me a lot of details. My teacher’s actions, skills, techniques, designs, chocolates, all kinds of sweets, everything really impressed me very much. They inspired me a lot and are still living in the bottom of my heart. Those experiences made me improve myself.

Since then I have been working at a french cake shop (a shop of long standing), the head office is in France. I wanted to study more and more so I decided to study many subjects in a correspondence course while working at the same time. I finally got a license. I wanted to get it, really. My wish was to broaden my horizon.

I think sweets are art. A chocolate is a jewel, cake is love. I love seeing people think about cakes a lot, which cake they will get (maybe for oneself? or for parents? or for a special person?). I have seen a lot of wonderful things in my life. A thousand broad smiles spread over everyone’s face. It’s like a magic.

Story: Erika Yoshida
Photos: Erika Yoshida