~ Touchwriter for iPad
I saw this in Kera magazine and thought it was so cute I just had to feature it. This tutorial also teaches you to create the perfect bow which can be used for just about anything!
Have an ordinary hoodie you want to transform from boring into cute couture?
I see these hoodies all the time at department stores for inexpensive prices and wish they had a little something more, why not just DIY?
Ribbon Tip
Tie the end of your ribbon to the end of your hoodie’s string after you cut the knot off and pull through.
I really wanted to make a big, cheesy collage for this post like I did when I started Miseducated.. remember those days?
I miss those.
Where do you find inspiration when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
I always ask the artists we feature here but I’ve never gotten to ask you!
When I’m feeling overwhelmed and can’t focus I like to flip through my inspiration drawers filled with old photos, papers and all sorts of useless things I’ve collected through the years. Useless to the onlooker that is but quite important to me! My favorite place for my brain to play is old magazines.. I love soaking up the eye-candy in 60s women’s zines most of all. I can’t get enough!
What can you not get enough of? What inspires you?
Goldiloks and I met awhile ago through this website. She raved about whimsy, color and all of the things we love here at Miseducated and we instantly became pals.
She’s been creating art since she can imagine and has been making her career revolve around it. She’s a prime example of why you have to keep doing what you believe in. Your dreams just may come true!
How long have you been painting?
Painting, all my life but I guess to narrow it down, around 2004 I started taking it seriously. Back then I was more into street art but slowly worked my way into using different mediums.
What is your favorite piece or set you’ve made?
Hamburger Playland. It’s a Junkyard Window piece I created for my daughter… I love it becuz… I dont know.. It represents everything I think a kid’s imagination should be filled with…. lots of pretty colors, whimsical characters and smiling things.
What inspires you most?
Pretty things. Clever things. Anything that make me feel good. If I see something that makes me smile, or want to be around it, It’s usually something that inspires me. Makes me want to create. which is a huge cycle, becuz of course, once you create something, it inspires you to produce more.
If you were having the worst writer’s block ever what is a sure fire way to help you out of it? What works for you?
HA! When I figure this one out, I’ll let ya know! No, really.. when I get into a blank space, I usually fill it with inspirational stuff like recipes I want to try, Japanese fashion magazine clippings, love notes my husband writes me, or pretty pictures. New ideas always come when I fill my little space with new stuff.
JUST DO IT! And DO YOU! No one ever succeeded in life by just WANTING to be successful.
How would you encourage other artists staring out to get online, in galleries, in craft shows?
JUST DO IT! And DO YOU! No one ever succeeded in life by just WANTING to be successful. Branch out, find people in your niche and dont be shy!! Introduce yourself becuz you never know, that person could be the person to open doors for you, or vice versa. Its all about networking, working towards a goal, but most importantly… DOING YOU.
Are you miseducated and why?
I believe so! I’ve never been the type to be put in a box, and never will. I’m a creative soul, love anything cute and whimsical….so I guess that makes me miseducated!
Goldiloks also made us these collages~
Recycle cute containers to make kitschy magnets.
Create a MiuMiu style collar with Audrey.
Create individual cupcake stands with Goldiloks.
Sew bows onto ankle socks for instant cuteness.
Thank you again to each of the authors for your lovely craft tutorials! I’m very interested in featuring other creative blogs as well, there is so much talent on the web that shouldn’t be missed!
Now let’s get creating…
I recently overheard another journalist saying that this is the first generation that has no hope that the future will be brighter. It makes me instantly imagine the wreckage this is causing to the beautiful people in our world. It also makes me consider what one would do if they had no hope for the future.. I know by experience that drugs are the easiest ways to leave the scene and to botch up your life. Is that what future generations are doomed to obsess over? Isn’t that what all generations did when they were young?
Are we just doom and gloom because of the poor economy? Are we insisting to each other that things are horrible and that they are not going to improve? Is it hopeless?
So I decided to do a feature on one of my favorite Shows from the UK, skins. Since MTV had ripped it off for an americanized-version I have an idea we’ll be seeing a lot more skins on the screen. Cassie was always my favorite character and not only because my best friends claimed she was me slapped into the UK drama. I love her and her general unapologetic way of dressing cute and kitschy. She doesn’t match and she doesn’t care. That’s my favorite club. She makes me feel like I’m not alone.
So it’s been a few months since we moved into our big, white-walled apartment on a lake. I loved it as soon as I saw it.. I’m just contemplating what to paint the walls with the high ceilings (we’re going to need a ladder). One can still however design with color no matter how plain your walls are. I went out on an inspiration run yesterday, hoping to get odds and ends I need for decorating.
I still cannot figure out how I want to store/arrange my DVDs in an attractive way… there are way too many to stack them (I’m talking wobbly tower of doom). Possibly time for another huge entertainment center from IKEA? How do you organize your DVDs and records attractively?
Audrey is one of the sweetest girls I know. She’s always been able to fit in a brainstorm or girl chat into her busily-blogging lifestyle. She’s a cat lover, a fashion addict and a teenage icon. Lately, she has been putting a lot of time and energy into her new lines Tokyolux and Coco De Coeur (if you haven’t taken a peek yet get ready for an eye-candy overload).
If im inspired by something I dive into it without hesitation!
You’re a blogger and always have something new to say, how do you maintain your blog and all of your websites with so little free time?
Its something I love to do. I wake up and I’m thinking of fashion ideas, styles and shoots. I live it. I don’t mind having little free time because I enjoy what I’m doing so much. It’s not a chore by any means, when I’m out of town or away from a computer I crave it.
Ever since we became friends we’ve been totally connected.. is friendship something important to you with your lifestyle?
Of course, I’m just really careful who I let into my life. Living in Los Angeles people befriend you for the wrong reasons and it’s actually hard to find people who just want to order takeout and watch a movie. I have hundreds of acquaintances and a handful of friends.
How do you find new inspirations to blog about?
From everywhere and everything. I’m always watching movies, listening to music, researching, buying magazines. It’s an overload of inspiration everyday. I never have the problem of being uninspired, if anything im over inspired and it makes my head spin!
What’s inspiring you right now?
Marie Antoinette, the ocean, 60s, mods, punks, 90s vogue, japan street style, velvets, lace, tea partys, the germs, cat ladies … I just watched this documentary on cat ladies and it was out of this world. One lady was living with 123 cats! My inspirations are all over the place. Im never inspired by one idea, I take everything and mix it into something new.
Are you miseducated and why?
I’m miseducated because I do things my way. I’m a Leo; I was never a follower. If im inspired by something I dive into it without hesitation!
I’m miseducated because I do things my way. I’m a Leo; I was never a follower.
So I took a trip to the Barbie Fashion Experience which is a current exhibit at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
I brought my nephew along to the museum but he opted to skip the Barbie part. I reminded him that males are also designers but he was much more interested in the dinosaur exhibit. So interested that we had to see it twice. 😉
Not only did the exhibit feature Barbie displays (through the years) and one of a kind fashions crafted for her by designers such as Betsey Johnson and Nicole Miller, BUT it inspired children to create their own Barbie fashions.
Each station had miniature mannequins arranged in front of each chair for fashion designing in a flash. Children were everywhere, surrounded by their parents, as they created Barbie’s next new look.
Way to go, Mattel!
Your exhibit made my day because it inspired and excited so many little minds! 😉
Visualize what you want out of life, big or small and work hard. Stay focused. It’s never supposed to be easy.
Q.
Nubby! There are all kinds of creative people around the globe, but many of them find real difficulty in pinning down exactly what it is they would like to make a living doing. How did you take the plunge and commit to graphic design, and what advice would you give to people still ‘working it out’?
A.
It’s completely normal to experiment before committing to a career. I would start by asking yourself what you’re truly passionate about. What do you enjoy doing most in your free time? What’s the one thing that you’re willing to stay up late and do, no matter how tired you get?
In school, my two strongest subjects were always Art and English. I loved ripping up fashion magazines and making collages, playing with sheets of rub-on letters and flipping through old advertising and poster books. I knew that fine art is really subjective and that it wasn’t going to be an easy way to make a living right away. Graphic design combined my love of art and type with one of my other passions; advertising. The thing is, once your passion becomes a job, it’s not all about fun and leisure anymore. There’s a level of professionalism that goes into it and at the end of the day, there are certain things you have to do to ensure that you get paid. Even when you’re working for yourself, the money has to come from somewhere.
If you’re unsure of what you want to do, reach out to teachers, mentors and career counsellors. Take some classes for fun. The more things you try, the easier it is to realize what you DON’T want to do. When I was in college years ago, I did filing in offices, stuffed invoices into envelopes and worked retail. All of these jobs built character and made me appreciate the career that I have now.
Q.
You seem to have been incredibly practical in the pursuit of what many would consider an impractical or ‘risky’ career choice, is that how you see it? Did you face any naysayers along the way and, if so, how did you deal with that?
A.
I always felt that any career in art or design was really risky and that’s probably because my parents always worked traditional office jobs, doing sales. That’s one of the main reasons I went to school first for business. My mom encouraged me because she knew I had the potential and in a way, I think she wanted me to have something to ‘fall back on.’ After I completed that degree though, I just didn’t feel fulfilled. I had already started to do freelance design work but felt like I wasn’t as proficient or knowledgeable as I wanted to be. I had a lot of people around me who just didn’t get it…I was supposedly done with school and trying to go back for something completely different.
At 25, I didn’t want to waste another four years in school and this is why I chose to do a two year, limited entry graphic design program. I’d always dreamed of working at an ad agency and what I soon realized is that the combination of marketing and design backgrounds meshed perfectly for my career path. Listen to your instincts – there are always going to be naysayers. But, it’s your life. You know best.
Q.
Your work seems like so much more than a 9-5 for you, it is clear from your blog how intertwined your job, lifestyle, fashion sense and even home decor are! How important do you think it is to blur the lines between work, life and play in terms of career fulfillment?
A.
A career in design doesn’t necessarily have a starting and stopping point. Inspiration will hit you at completely random times and I think that as a designer, it’s a natural progression for your interests at that moment to seep into your outfit choices, home decor, blogging topics, etc. I’ve always strived to have a seamless line between my work, life, and blog. It’s definitely tricky because I am the face of my brand and my personality is interconnected heavily with my work.
I don’t think it’s necessary to blur the lines between your work, life and play – if anything, it’s probably a relief for most people to break away at the end of the day. I’ve done things differently because it makes sense in my life, but I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone. It has to feel like a natural progression.
Q.
You’ve mentioned both your brand and your personality and how key they are in your career, how important do you think a ‘personal brand’ is for a career in the creative industries? What advice would you give to someone looking to brand themselves within their market – where should they start?
A.
Most of the time, a person’s work speaks for itself but in a flooded market, often what makes someone stand apart is their personality and ability to potentially relate to their customers. There are so many designers out there – the personal connection you make with your customers is going to be the defining factor that keeps them coming back. I’ve always said that it doesn’t matter how good you are if nobody knows how to find you. Branding yourself in a recognizable, uncluttered manner will help you get remembered. Start by building an online presence through various social media platforms and showcase your work on your own domain, whether that’s a website or a blog. Reach out to people you admire – often, they’ll help you along and even show you the ropes, no questions asked. A simple logo that will mature with your work is also helpful. And, always have business cards handy! Some people think they’re extinct, but I promise you, there will be times where they pay off. You never know who you’re going to meet!
Q.
It looks like you’ve learnt a great deal about yourself and your field through your career so far, what one piece of advice would you liked to have given yourself, say, 5 years ago? And, conversely, where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
A.
I would have told myself that it was possible to work at an ad agency and that it wasn’t a pipe dream to run my own business full time. And, I definitely would have gotten started on my personal blog much sooner. It’s so easy now to look back and see things differently, but the reality is, life happens and we tend to just do the best we can at any particular time without knowing if the outcome is going to be what we hoped for.
And, five years from now… wow, that is a long time away! Five years ago, I hadn’t gone to school for design yet. I was finishing my business degree and had just returned home from a two month stay in New York. I hadn’t done my first solo art show yet. I was working at a shoe store and living with four boy roommates. My life was completely different! So, five years from now, I’m not exactly sure what I will be doing. I hope to be working at a fashion magazine (Elle!) in New York, working as an art director at an agency or running an agency with my brother. Though, he loves working at Nike, so he might be too cool to spend his days with me! I also want to write a how-to guide about marketing for designers and do workshops on what it takes to be a freelancer and how to build a portfolio. Oh, and I want to travel a lot. I guess I have a vague idea then…but life is meant to be lived. Setting anything in stone feels too rigid – I am just soaking up new experiences, trying to stay in the present and enjoying my life right now.
Q.
You seem to have done things totally your own way, do you consider yourself Miseducated? If so, what makes you Miseducated and what final advice would you give to readers embarking on their own Miseducated careers?
A.
Since Miseducated is about embracing a unique, unconventional existence, I would say yes! Though I tend to make plans, set goals and keep a schedule, beyond that, I try to live the best life possible and to do things my way. You’re only going to live once so it’s important to stay true to your values and ethics – at the end of the day, you have to answer to YOU. That’s it. Do what makes you happy. When I was younger, I tried to fit into ideals, to do what I thought would make me happy by society’s standards. I quickly realized that wearing corporate casual attire, working at a mainstream office and living in the suburbs was not for me. I went to school for business because it seemed more practical. But, I wasn’t fulfilled so I went back for a design degree. Visualize what you want out of life, big or small and work hard. Stay focused. It’s never supposed to be easy. The things that you do that feel impossible and test your will do add character. If people tell you that something can’t be done, work even harder to prove them wrong. It’s up to you to create the life that you want.
