Amber Renee

Escapeland

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 10

07/06/2011

I was surfing the internet looking for a new project and found this.. a 30 Day Photo Challenge on Facebook. This reminds me of the old LiveJournal days when we would give each other photo assignments (I loved those days!) so this is right up my alley.

I noticed that some photo assignments are impossible to complete without using a photo you didn’t take which I’m not sure I like.. I’d like to alter the list but that would throw off the whole challenge. Perhaps we’ll start our own photo challenge after this one is complete? I have some good ideas I’d love to share with you.

So since it’s a new month I thought it would be a great idea to try this challenge, although you can start it anytime!

Are you in?

30 Day Photo Challenge

Day 01 – A picture of yourself with ten facts
Day 02 – A picture of you and the person (cat ^^) you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 – A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 – A picture of your night
Day 05 – A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 – A picture of a person you’d love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 – A picture of your most treasured item
Day 08 – A picture that makes you laugh
Day 09 – A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 – A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
Day 11 – A picture of something you hate
Day 12 – A picture of something you love
Day 13 – A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 – A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 15 – A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 – A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 – A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 – A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 – A picture and a letter
Day 20 – A picture of somewhere you’d love to travel
Day 21 – A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 – A picture of something you wish you were better at
Day 23 – A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 – A picture of something you wish you could change
Day 25 – A picture of your day
Day 26 – A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 – A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 28 – A picture of something you’re afraid of
Day 29 – A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 – A picture of someone you miss
Day 31 – A picture of yourself

Day 01

Day 02

Day 03

Day 04

Day 05

Day 06

Day 07

Day 08

Day 09

Day 10

8 Comments

Diary

I don’t feel like writing an article

06/29/2011

Lately I’ve been feeling like I’ve let myself go. I haven’t been exercising, laying out or taking care of my skin. So I’ve decided to put my foot down. I’ve decided that I will now do all of those things and more. And I will write. I will make progress.

I haven’t been making progress here for awhile now. I could run away from work all day, spend it basking in the beautiful vitality of my always cheerful child. Spend it baking in the sun alongside my best friend. Spend it separating my toes and painting each one of my toenails a different color.

I’ve also been considering shutting down my blog or at least seriously changing things. I’m not inspired to write here because every single post has to be an article with some sort of purpose other than just writing and communicating about whimsical nonsense I encounter which is what I originally intended this blog to be anyway. Things always change. I usually resist it but lately I find it exciting. I need some change.

What do you think?

5 Comments

Design Your Life

Five Reasons Why You Should Keep Blogging

06/22/2011

So you’re blogging and you’ve reached the point every blogger reaches: Should I continue this blog? Before you close down shop and try something else go through the following five reasons below and ask yourself, am I helping anyone? Am I passionate about writing blog posts?

1. You’re the only one who can effectively blog your one-of-a-kind niche. Whether you have a fashion blog and there are hundreds of fashion blogs, yours is different. You have a different view, idea and purpose — all of which are valid points for blogging. Your content is exceptional and you’re the only one who’s going to release it.

2. You let others peek into the glorious world that is your own. Take photos, draw pictures, get people hooked into viewing things through your lenses.

3. You have to get better. Rome wasn’t built in a day, was it? How many times have you heard this? You have to start somewhere and that somewhere is pretty damn exceptional. So your layout isn’t what you dreamed and your first post didn’t get many comments, keep going. You can only improve.

4. You haven’t finished the task you set out to do. Why did you create your blog? What is the purpose behind marketing yourself and your business? With a set goal in mind you can effectively see if you’ve achieved it or not. Be sure your goals are trackable as well.

5. You’re simply experiencing writers block. Can’t seem to churn out the same expressive and inspiring content you were producing when you started your blog? Bring on guest authors, try mind-mapping and update past posts with new, valuable information.

12 Comments

Visual Splendor

Moblog: The First of Many?

05/24/2011

Hello friends! I’m testing out WordPress’s blogging application for mobile blogging so I can see just how well it works.

Sometimes you just have to blog on the go! I’m afraid however that my obsession with post formatting won’t allow me to stick with it! Let’s see if I can take you along on my daily adventures as they happen! In fact I’ve had to format it already so it’s not actually mobile blogging! eeeek.

Here you can see some of my daily life.. my home, myself and wherever I may be going.

Let me know what you think! Xo

7 Comments

Escapeland Giveaway

Happy Birthday CAVEY Giveaway

05/20/2011

Remember the feature I did on Holly recently? As I said we’re planning a special Cavey Giveaway especially for you ladies of Miseducated to celebrate the exciting birthday of Cavey! These plushes are so very covetable I wish I could enter in the giveaway! I wish each of you the best of luck!

The Prize

How to Enter

Follow @heycavey and retweet the following before May 26, 2011:

“Happy birthday Cavey! follow @heycavey and RT to win a Cavey plush at Miseducated! #caveycomp https://www.miseducated.com/?p=11508”

Send Cavey a Birthday Card

Also, for some extra fun why not make Cavey an extra-special birthday card? Holly will be displaying all birthday cards and Cavey artworks at the birthday party! Send to: Cavey, Po Box 2384, Watford, WD18 1RP, UK by May 26th 2011.

4 Comments

Artist & Designer Features Design Your Life

Getting Plush With Holly Stanway

05/17/2011

Holly is a remarkable artist. She and I were friends back in the old school days of Miseducated through LiveJournal. Because of this I’ve had the privilege of watching her work blossom from something beautifully eerie into something absolutely drop-dead stunning and magical. I had to feature her both because of her A Litte Stranger creations and because of the cutie Hey Cavey which is taking the plush scene by storm.

In fact we’re so smitten by Holly’s work and by her Cavey creature that we’re planning another giveaway this month especially for Cavey’s birthday! Stay tuned for the details!

Hello, Holly! First, let me ask you what is your passion?
Creating. I love learning new crafts and ways of creating things, and i’m always looking to find a new way to do something. I love the feeling of starting out a project not really knowing how its going to loo and seeing it evolve and morph into something I can be proud of.

How long have you been making toys and plushies?
I’ve been making stuff forever, but in a professional capacity for about 8 years.

When did you decide that this was your calling?
I kind of stumbled into the plush thing by accident, I studied model making at University, and took a job prototyping toys after I graduated. I’d always done sewing and made little toys in my spare time and run a small webshop selling plushes and doll clothes while I was at Uni. We did a lot of work on action men while I worked prototyping clothes and I convinced my boss to let me do the clothes and little parachutes and stuff and it all went from there. I’ve always just kind of made opportunities, and even now I don’t really know what’s around the corner, I just take things as they come. 🙂

When did Cavey come into play?
Just over a year ago, the idea came about all of a sudden and i started making these little prototypes out of scraps. I tried him long, thin, fat, with feet, paws, a tail etc eventually deciding he looked best super simple with just a little face.

What makes Cavey special? How is he different from other characters?
The idea behind Cavey was always that he appearance of the character was very simple, and was very personality driven. I like to keep him ambiguous, Cavey is neither a boy or a girl and he’s always called Cavey to let his new owner find a name for him if they choose.

Do you have creativity blocks?
Occasionally. (but thankfully not too often :))

If you don’t mind my asking, how do you remedy your creative blocks?
I’m a bit of a workaholic so when i’m struggling to see the woods for the trees, so to speak, I try and take a bit of time out and do something completely different for a while; go for a run, go out to eat with a friend, once I’m not so deeply into something I’m usually good to go again 😀

What inspires you most?
I’d have to say animals and pets. Fantasy films have always been a big influence on me, and the magical characters in them. And anything Jim Henson.

Holly’s Creations

4 Comments

Visual Splendor

First Fridays on Mass Ave, Indianapolis

05/13/2011

My husband and I decided to visit Mass Ave for First Fridays in Indianapolis, because I had a few pieces in a gallery there, and had a blast. I love going to Mass Ave when there’s nothing special going on so it was extra exciting to see all of the great artists at First Fridays and Handmade Promenade.

We were pleasantly surprised to see my favorite bakery, The Flying Cupcake bakery, had moved to Mass Ave along with a lot of other new places we didn’t recognize. Hurrah for new business in Indianapolis! We need it!

We also happened to stop by our old favorite (was right down the street from our old apartment) Elbow Room for some dinner on our downtown adventure. I got my absolute favorite salad ever, the Strawberry Chicken Salad. Ben got his favorite, the Elbow Burger. I tried both and I can assure you they are amazing. The burger is cajun spiced and unlike any burger I have ever had, it’s spicy and delicious. The Strawberry Chicken Salad comes packed with fresh mandarin oranges, fresh strawberries, blue cheese, candied walnuts, chicken cooked to perfection and of course a large portion of their strawberry vinaigrette. It was perfect for today, it tasted like summer.

4 Comments

Mise en Snap Visual Splendor

Mise en Snap: The Virgin Suicides

05/11/2011

Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides is a gorgeously dark movie that I just had to feature and study. As you can see from the screens, and might expect from a Sofia Coppola movie, it’s very lonely and feminine. The main characters are gorgeous girls who are isolated both because of their beauty and because of the recent suicide of their youngest sister. The film follows their lives as learned from boys in their class by reading Cecelia’s, the youngest sister’s, diary.

Aren’t the mise-en-scenes dreamy?

11 Comments

Wear the World

Wear the World: Siren London

05/07/2011

Wow! I must say I am so pleasantly surprised with the giveaway turnout! I believe it’s even better than last time and it’s all because of your support. That means the world to me! Thank you so much to everyone who participated and who has subscribed to Miseducated. All of your support means more to me than you could ever know~

It’s time to do another ‘Wear the World’ feature with the goodies I received from Siren London. I absolutely adore their cardigans so very much that I’ve yet to take them off. I’m obsessed with tights and sweaters right now. I’ve been pairing them with absolutely everything, whether they fit or not. Surprise, surprise, the queen of un-matching goes along un-matching.

I have a gallery to attend tonight, they’re showing several of my works and you can bet I’m wearing a Siren cardigan to the event.

Wearing

Cardigan by Siren London, bow by Twinkiechan and headband by ban.do.

7 Comments

Crafts DIY

DIY Ripped & Burned Tights Tutorial

05/03/2011

Ripped tights are pretty popular right now and it’s no wonder — they instantly add a punky, ragged feature to your look and they’re easy as pie to make! Grab a pair of tights, old or new, and follow along to achieve that ripped look.

Create Large Holes

First I used a lighter to create holes that wouldn’t run, the fire actually burns the nylon and creates a seal. For holes and rips that wont run use a lighter or stick of incense. Softly touch the fabric and the hole will become bigger. Be careful if you’re wearing your tights while you’re burning them, nylon can drip onto your skin and permanently scar!

Create Runs

To create runs in the stockings you’ll need a pair of sharp scissors. Carefully make small vertical snips and drag the scissors up against the cut to make a run. To seal runs so that they stop use a lighter or a tiny dab of clear nail polish.

2 Comments

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