I've been meaning to share some of my illustrations on here, and I could really use a break from making dolls. This is one of my favorite illustrations to date:
This sketch is based on the 1997 Japanese historical fantasy animated film by Hayao Miyazaki. Princess Mononoke is one of my husband's favorite Miyazaki films, but to be honest it took me several attempts to finish it. I am more into cutesy and happy films, and this one was too violent for my tastes.
Eventually, I finished the movie and grew to enjoy the edgy story and visually intoxicating artwork. Miyazaki's devotion to detail is part of what makes his films magical to me. I found it interesting that he and his art crew spent 3 days soaking in the landscapes of the ancient forests and mountains in Japan for this movie. His style is unwavering, and you know right away that you are watching a Studio Ghibli film.
Although my sketch doesn't portray any edginess, I feel it captures a whimsy of how a Miyazaki film makes me feel. I plan to sketch more characters from his films in the future.
If you've never seen Princess Mononoke I recommend watching it. Here is the trailer if you are interested:
Do you have a favorite Miyazaki film? Mine is Howl's Moving Castle.
I've been super busy working on new doll patterns and herding a crawling Amelia, but I managed to read a few posts this week (and some from last week). So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
Today I was excited to receive my One-Girl Bicycle Club zines in the mail. I just sat down with a cup of tea and read through all four issues.
This was my first time reading a zine, and now I'm intrigued. I love the freedom, honesty, raw emotions, and bravery that I found in Sonya's writing. I can relate to many topics that she talks about in her zine from college to driving, and making/keeping friends to getting out of your house. I enjoyed the progression from zine one to four, and the growth Sonya has done before my eyes in a few pages.
She has definitely inspired me to try my hand at making a zine, even if no one should ever read it, just for me to chronicle this time in my life. Sonya wrote a blog post on the benefits of writing a zine that's a must read.
This month I want to start a girl gang! Of course it will be super fun and super Kawaii! I'll be the girl with blue hair, addicted to strawberry Pocky, and carrying a doll in the basket of my cute bicycle.
Do you want to be in my girl gang? What do you think you could do to terrorize the city with cuteness?! What kind of girl gang tattoo would you have? Mine would be a kick ass Hello Kitty one of course!
It took me a while to finish this weeks worksheet and project, but I finally found some time to focus and think about it.
1. What stories do you want to tell? Your stories? Stories about others? The BIG stories? or the everyday life detail stories?
I want to tell the everyday stories of me, my friends, and family. I want to make sure I don't forget the little things. Things that bring simply joy to our everyday lives.
2. What do you want from your creative life? Escape? Recognition? Relaxing? Memory keeping? Tradition?
Creative life: purpose, expression, fulfillment, happiness and a chance to share that happiness. Eventually I would like to make my creative life into a career to help support my family.
3. How do your storytelling and creativity goals fit into the rest of your life goals? Do you need to make room for new priorities in order to meet your storytelling and creative goals or are you comfortable with where you are right now?
I definitely need to make more time for these goals and myself. As a new mom this change has been really hard for me, but hopefully by organizing my time better I can make my goals happen. Right now I am able to stay home to take care of my daughter, which also gives me the opportunity to work towards my goals in a way I've never been able to before.
The creative prompt I chose was to create a project that makes you happy and come up with 5 reasons why it makes you happy. And how do the reasons compare with your creative goals?
I chose a painting I have been working on. I won't call it finished yet, but I think it's getting closer. Here it is at a stopping point:
And here it is, where I've stopped for tonight:
This is completely out of my comfort zone and I was trying some new techniques. I almost went in the direction I usually go by adding a cute face on there, but painted over it. I wanted a more abstract feel, which I've never tried before. I was inspired by Paramore's song "Still Into You".
5 Reasons This Painting Made Me Happy
1. Listening to music and painting helps me to relax. I can just be messy, play and bop my head to the beat.
2. I suck at expressing my emotions. Painting helps with that, even if no one ever sees it.
3. Teaching myself new things makes me feel happy and accomplished.
4. Having paint on my hands shows that I've been working on something joyful.
5. This painting makes me think of the love I have for my husband, even if it's corny. But we are corny. And if I want to get all deep and arty about it, I could compare our love to blossoming flowers growing into something beautiful. How we began and the journey to where we are today. LOL But that makes me feel all awkward even typing it, so lets stick with we are corny.
Here's the music video (just for fun)!
If you would like to participate in the Find Your Voice workshop (IT’S FREE!!), check out the links below:
Simply Sertain Cupcakes is a local delivery cupcakery based in San Angelo, Texas. Today I am interviewing the owner Ashley Sertain, to gain some insight into the life of a small indie business owner.
I am a stay at home mom of 2 toddler girls- Avery (3) and Mercedes (1), and our husky Raider. My husband is a driller in the oil field, so that means he is gone at work for a week at a time. I started baking cupcakes in my free time, and my husband would take some with him to work and share with his coworkers. I started trying out new recipes on them and suddenly they wanted to buy my cupcakes. Something I did as a hobby started to look pretty good as a business. After reading books and blogs, I started getting my business together and finally launched my page in March of this year.
2. Tell us about your kitchen! What do you like best about your space?
The one thing in my kitchen I'm grateful for, is that my fridge is double door and huge so it can hold all the boxes of cupcakes before orders are picked up or delivered. I also like that we have lots of counter space, I seem to use every inch.
3. What music/tv shows do you listen to/watch while baking?
If I'm baking and my husband is home from work the TV is on some man show, and if he is at work it tends to be on cartoons or a Disney movie to help keep the girls occupied while I'm in the kitchen.
My future plans for Simply Sertain Cupcakes is first to be able to ship cupcakes to a wider customer base. Then I would like to start out with an awesome cupcake food truck, and from there open up my own shop or two or three.
5. What is your most popular cupcake flavor?
Right now the most popular flavor is a tie between strawberry cheesecake (which is a vanilla cupcake with a strawberry filling and a cream cheese frosting), and Reese's (which is a chocolate cake with a Reese's candy baked on the inside peanut butter frosting topped with a mini Reese's candy).
6. Can we get the inside scoop on a new flavor?
I'm not sure what is going to be my next new flavor. I have a book where I write all my recipes that I haven't tested yet, and I have about 50 to choose from. I'm thinking the next one will be a strawberry shortcake or strawberry cake.
7. Have you considered baking vegan cupcakes? Gluten-free?
I did look into baking vegan or gluten free cupcakes to be different from the cupcake shop that is here in San Angelo, but there isn't much of a customer demand for it here. It also takes a lot of different ingredients to make them that can't be found here, because San Angelo doesn't have a specialty grocery store.
8. What defines the perfect cupcake to you?
The perfect cupcake is a nice fluffy cupcake (not too dense), and just the right amount of frosting so it doesn't over power the cake. The combination of cupcake and frosting should complement each other.
9. What is the biggest cupcake 'dont' when preparing cupcakes for us novices?
Definitely don't just throw everything into the bowl at once and mix it. The batter will just be lumpy and not mixed well. Always remember to have dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another, and alternate when mixing to get the best batter. For a nice frosting that can hold up to piping it on a cupcake, add a little bit of shortening to either your buttercream or cream cheese base.
10. When it comes to placing an order, what do you require?
To find me, check out and like my Facebook page Simply Sertain Cupcakes. That is where I post pictures of flavors, orders, and do give aways for free dozens. Or you can email me at SimplySertainCupcakes@yahoo.com
Please note: Right now she is only able to deliver/take orders for the San Angelo area. Please contact Ashley if you have any questions about whether or not your location is in her range. :)
Ashley is doing a DOUBLE giveaway when she reaches 200 fans on Facebook. 2 lucky fans (drawn at random) will each win a FREE dozen cupcakes! So what are you waiting for?! Go like Simply Sertain Cupcakes!
***Remember the giveaway is only open to residents in the San Angelo, TX area.****
My friend Teresa took these when we had a girls day out for coffee a few weeks ago. I'm always the one taking the pictures, so it was nice to be in a few with her for once. Amelia's nose is red from allergies :( poor girl.
Part of the lesson was to give a complex answer to a simple question about ourselves.
Location: Lubbock, Texas
I moved from San Angelo to Lubbock on a crazy whim. I was feeling stifled and needed to run away somewhere fast. I moved in with my boyfriend (now husband), his brother, and another friend who were all musicians. They all toured a lot with their bands, and I would feel the itch to get away and meet up with them. I ended up seeing lots of new places throughout the country and meeting lots of rad people. It was an experience of a lifetime.
Here I am in a coffee shop in San Francisco. It was a freeing experience after being in a really unhappy relationship for 7 years.
Age: 30
I am 30 years old, but I look like a teenager. Looking young has its perks, but most of the time its a hassle. When I was pregnant, I looked "16 and pregnant" and got lots of nasty looks. I also got carded to buy a Justin Timberlake cd.
If you would like to participate in the Find Your Voice workshop (IT’S FREE!!), check out the links below:
The first thing I did when I got my iPad mini, was look for some cute apps for Amelia. Jubitron the Girl Robot is the first one I found, and Amelia loves it! For .99 it has been a huge help at bedtime calming down my cranky little one.
The graphics are cute and interactive. The music is great! Amelia has been digging this app since she was 3 months old, and I can't wait for her to learn how to read so she can read the story to me. There is a 'read to me' option that has the cutest British narrator.
This is Amelia's favorite page, because she can touch the head and make the lightbulb pop out! Again, the music really makes it!
I've been recommending this app to all my friends with children. I hope they make more stories of Jubitron and the gang soon!
This sketch is based on the 1997 Japanese historical fantasy animated film by Hayao Miyazaki. Princess Mononoke is one of my husband's favorite Miyazaki films, but to be honest it took me several attempts to finish it. I am more into cutesy and happy films, and this one was too violent for my tastes.
