So I’ve fallen into the Youtube rabbit hole that I so carefully walked around for so many years and it’s never ending! The amount of good content is immense even if you have to search around to find it! I’ve really enjoyed that Cartoon Hangover has released new Bee and PuppyCat episodes and they are adorable. I’ve watched them all maybe 10 times haha. The cat reminds me of Calvin, sweet, dog-like, entitled and cute as heck! I give it 5 stars and 4 paws way up!
What is Bee and PuppyCat?
According to their Kickstarter fund:
“Bee and PuppyCat” is a very popular original cartoon created by Natasha Allegri. In it, Bee, an out-of-work twenty-something, has a life-changing collision with a mysterious creature she names PuppyCat (“A cat?… or maybe a dog?”). Between space and time, Bee and PuppyCat take on an intergalactic babysitting gig to pay another month’s rent.
So this year for New Years Eve we went to a lovely party in downtown Indianapolis with an art collector that bought a lot of David’s paintings at a gallery recently filled with delicious Mediterranean food, handmade, glittery chocolates and lots of chatter. It was glorious! She, Emily, had just adopted a new Siberian kitten for her adult male Siberian cat and they were so gorgeous. Then we walked through hour freezing city (Indianapolis was SO COLD on this night!) to our car and had our own chat at home prior to making peanut butter fudge, having sparkling cider and snuggling up to watch documentaries with Bacon (puppy) and Calvin (cat). Every year we’ve spent together we have made sure to have our own little discussion about the former year and our plans for improving ourselves next year. We also have a private discussion about our relationship and how grateful we are to have the life together that we have. Every single year I feel luckier. The more things we get through together causes both of us to be the more open-hearted, close and connected.
As you know I love making collages with photos, videos and the like. This is what I’m enjoying most with making the vlogs. It’s like a new format of my collage-obsessed, mixed-media creativity process. I hope it reads ok! This is a quick video collage of New Years Eve and our New Years Resolutions as well as what we plan not to do. I really love the idea of not only putting a list of goals you’ll accomplish but also things you will refrain from doing. I think it’s great to think about these in both ways just to get a good idea of your goals for yourself.
I’ve also decided THURSDAY will be my vlog or new video upload day so I’m not doing 3 a week or none a week. Since I’m new to Youtube vlogging I’d like to be on a schedule from now on. This also means I’ll plan to post the videos here every Thursday regardless if it’s just a video or an article related to the video or both as well as the other usual kinds of posts about whimsical lifestyle inspiration that you find at Miseducated.
So my love and I really enjoy riding our bicycles around Indianapolis and even more so on the new Fall Creek Trail as well as the Monon Trail and Cultural Trail downtown. Indianapolis has a lot of gorgeous places to ride a bicycle. The thing I love most about our city is although patches of forest and natural gorgeousness are only a short distance away, we also have events, restaurants, shops and wonderful communities of awesome people like any other good city. We live just north of downtown Indianapolis and we love all of the amazing changes they are making for us citizens. David found this secluded area while we were riding and it was a wonderful little secret to share with him. I love our adventures and immensely enjoy bringing you along. 😉 xox
What is Fall Creek Trail?
A classic parkway – winding road, wide forested corridor – is home to the original Fall Creek Trail. Because the trail’s alignment follows the historic George Kessler Boulevard Plan, it parallels the waterway, passing beautiful, century-old bridges and established neighborhoods. It is a quiet pathway, often brushing against the creek. The Fall Creek Trail is Indy’s vintage greenway and will eventually connect downtown Indianapolis with northeast Marion County.
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
If you’re pretty close to me then chances are you know I’ve been wanting a baby like crazy for a couple years! When I started my life over I took the cat and my ex took the dog (Wanwan.. who is still as cute and sweet as ever). My always dreamed for baby girl, Colette, isn’t a baby or even a toddler anymore! She’s a big girl. She is my favorite playmate and always such a charm and I just cannot fathom having a human baby that would take any attention from her. She is perfect, she is so much like me too and I feel if you have absolute perfection then why keep going? A new baby takes a lot of attention and energy that our already-here children need and want.
My Mister has been against getting a dog until Mary (10) is 14 and can help take care of it. Even then he was absolutely not willing to get a puppy due to the energy, time, and messes as well as post-traumatic stress from dealing with an ex who has severe animal issues. However after tiny, baby Calvin was successfully reared into a loving and silly cat alongside our 4 children I feel he started to open his mind. Then we rescued a dog from the cold until he could find his home and we realized we’re ready for our own dog.
So I found a puppy from a wonderful couple who runs Smithpaws and knew I had found the one! I was telling my friend that I’m dealing with many of the baby-life changes now except for healing from a tummy scar.. then I realized I did have a scar and my emergency surgery was right when my puppy was born! So it was definitely meant to me and he is wonderful. He’s tiny and a ball of love and happiness. He’s the easiest to train and he’s always ready to snuggle. He is a tricolor Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. So happy~
Inspired by the many trading cards of the past, artist trading cards (often called ATCs) are another fun way to trade with a personal flair. I have a feeling that even non-proclaimed-artists should create ATCs — what a cool way to revive aged-pop cultures? I plan to attach bubblegum to mine so let me know if you’d like a bite~
The cards must be 2.5in by 3.5in or 64mm by 89mm (no exceptions ^^). They are also generally made as limited editions (it’s a time to relax and handmake something small and exclusive) and should probably contain your name, theme, contact information and anything else you’d like to include! If they’re part of a series you can also number them, ex. Moon Cats 3/6. It might be a cool idea to use different themes or criteria for each series to keep it fun~ challenge yourself and be creative!
I finally got a blog of myself and MisterEducated in the car and asked him about our upcoming puppy. I still need to work a lot of kinks out for instance our in-car station doesn’t fit our new phones so I had to hold it awkwardly. Boo! Next time the video will be less jumpy.
I’ve been vlogging. That’s right. I said it. My vlogs are also pretty chill and probably not to entertaining.. for now.. but I’m learning. I’m pretty much forcing myself to do it regardless of whether I have a purpose or not because I feel like it’s useful in my personal life (get used to talking to strangers!) and I feel it removes the ‘behind-the-screen’ illusion that stands between you and I (no hiding that awkward laugh anymore!). So bear with my while I learn the INS and OUTS of vlogging, the YouTube community and how to communicate with you in all sorts of exciting ways.
I figured adding some useful vlog research I scrounged up could be beneficial if you’d like to 1. join me on this adventure; 2. make a response video so I can get to know you more dearly or 3. consider vlogging at least in the future.
As I am a YouNEWB and I have little to no views, subscribers or fellow vloggers to frolic with in the land of unforeseen videos… please comment or subscribe to my channel (MiseducatedTV) and I’ll do the same so we can bask in the glory of having an ally.
Five Ways to Get Your Vlog Noticed
1. Be Vocal in The YouTube Vlogging Community
Find other vloggers, leave comments, be friendly. You see on some of your favorite YouTubers videos the same people leaving comments and communicating with other viewers? Do that. Those people make friends in the community. It’s a lot like blogging.. to get new friends and comments you have to be friendly and give comments. NOTE: Do not shamelessly self-promote in comments, post genuine comments related to their videos.
2. Collaboration
YouTube even pushes collaboration in their Playbook. Why? 1. You get exposed to an audience who may never have seen you before and 2. By being associated with a YouTuber others’ watch you are given credibility in the eyes of their audience.
Ready to collaborate? Just ask someone. I was once told as a young designer if I wanted something (like an opportunity, a project or a job) to ask for it. Sometimes it fails but more often than not it works. Don’t hold yourself back, just ask! Hell, you can even ask me. I might just say yes.
3. Join an Online Forum/Group
There are several. I joined YTalk because it’s a pretty large one. Forums don’t get the same attention they once did due to social media (Google+ YouTube Group) but they are still prime places for certain topics and YouTube is one of those topics.
4. Make Trend-Friendly Content
Find bloggers you like with popular videos and reply with video responses using similar keywords so they can find you, use trendy tags in your vlogs (I recently noticed the ‘Boyfriend’ tag as well as the ‘Draw my Life’ tag) and stay on top of news, current events/trends and pop culture that could land you a top video when people are searching for information about said topics.
5. Be Optimized for Traffic
Similar to blogging again but quite unique as well. Always be optimized for search-engine traffic just in case your video is meant to go viral.
I got nominated for the Liebster Award by Natasja at Kao-ani.com. The idea of the Liebster Award is to introduce blogs to a wider audience, build community and give the bloggers a chance to share something personal about themselves.
The Questions
1. What made you want to start blogging?
I had originally started my website in the late 90s because I had gotten a computer as a 10 year old and became very interested in learning HTML and graphic design. I’ve always been into creating things so it seemed the next logical step! 2. What is your biggest dream?
My biggest dream would have to be to spend a life filled with love, fun, travels, animals, parties, good food and art with my soul mate and our children (including the furry ones!). I would love to go back to Japan with my entire family one day (all 4 kids!) and continue to enjoy making art alongside my honey. 3. If money were no object, what would you do all day?
I like to think I would still be doing what I am doing! I would definitely still create art and blog, write and create. I’m sure I would travel and shop quite a bit more and probably renovate my house more extravagantly but otherwise most things would be the same. That’s when you know you’re doing what you love! 4. What is your favorite country or place to visit and why?
My favorite places to visit are Tokyo, Japan and Paris, France. I love to travel and experience new sights, smells, foods and art. I believe traveling and meeting new friends is one of the real gems of life. 5. Oops, you’re stranded on an island (with plenty of water & food). What three things would you want with you?
Things? Hmm.. that makes it tough.. I would definitely want my family with me but if I can only bring things I believe they would be 1. a HUGE notebook; 2. a bag of pencils and 3. lots of rope (to make a home). 6. Name a movie and/or book that you recently watched/read and can highly recommend.
I recently have been watching a television show called “My Ghost Story” on Amazon (free with Prime!) — there are many seasons and some of the stories are quite spooky and interesting. I recommend if you are interested in learning about the afterlife. 7. What do you collect?
I collect a few things such as Blythe dolls, dollhouse miniatures, baby yarn, kitschy vinyl records, mugs and dishes and craft supplies of course. I have a LOT of craft supplies in my studio. 8. What do you do to get “zen”?
I like to rest on my couch with my kitty (Calvin) and knit something for someone I love. If I really am wanting a zen feeling I light a candle or incense, play some records and create something cute. 9. What is the wisest thing someone ever told you?
“Keep doing what you’re doing and never give up on what you believe is right and just.” 10. What song do you like to sing out loud?
I love to sing Ave Maria out loud when I’m alone, I belt it out and it reminds me of choir practice as a teen and fills my home with happy energy. 11. If you could learn something super fast (Matrix-style), what skill would you pick?
I’ve studied Japanese in Japan and I have a childs vocabulary. I would love to instantly know all Japanese and Kanji.
Random Facts
1. I love to cook Japanese food.
2. I have 4 children.
3. I believe in ghosts.
4. I am a MEGA animal lover and used to live on a farm but preferred the city to settle down in.
5. I lived with a host family in Japan for several months (plus visits) in college and am still close to them as though I’m there adopted daughter.
6. My soul mate was at one time my art professor and friend before we started dating many years later.
7. I always knew I would have a daughter at 25 years old and was told by a psychic she would be very special to the world. Alas at 25 after trying for over a year I got pregnant with my daughter (now 4 years old).
8. Knitting for me is meditative.
9. I live in a 3 story (plus full basement) four-square home that is 100 years old and features a mural of a castle in the dining room.
10. I love pen palling and mail art!
11. I have been writing a horror fairy tale for many years and have never released it or tried to have it published.
The Rules
1. Link back to the person who nominated you.
2. Answer the same 11 questions your nominator answered above.
3. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
4. Pick 11 nominees to answer your 11 questions.
5. You can’t nominate the person who nominated you!
6. Tell your 11 nominees you have nominated them.
First off let me say I do not condone the use of vanity contacts unless you have extensively read about how to wear, care for and use them safely. If you’re in any doubt please see an eye doctor and take the lenses to learn more about them. These lenses are a one size fits all so if you have a different eye shape it can cause complications.
Next, I finally uploaded a little review of the contacts from a NON-SEASONED contact wearer. In other words.. this was my first time wearing contacts. It wasn’t too tough or painful so I would have to say for a quick photo shoot these will do wonders! They are lovely, easy to wear and come in tons of colors and designs. If you’re looking for a good selection of lenses at an exceptional price check out Pinky Paradise. I know I’ll be getting a few more colors for fun next time!
I’m pretty new to VLOGGING on YouTube so if you’d like to be friends or collab in any way please let me know. I’m enjoying the ease these days of having a new phone to shoot and edit video on the go. The above video is one of the older tries! Beware the audio is a little slow! Ooops. Bad import.
