August 2012 Recap and Favorites

I can't believe it's almost September already! This year has flown by. August was a fun (and artsy!) month, with the introduction of two weekly features - Art Journaling and Thoughts & Things Thursday. I am hoping to post a little more frequently in September - despite moving to a new house in less than a week, I think it's doable. Guess we'll see!

My favorite posts in August:
Started art journaling once a week, following along with Jenny and Aaron's classes.

Shared my creative space... before the big move next week.

Finally got my zombie unicorn dress! Zombies were a recurring theme this month, with my Zombie Edition Thoughts and Things Thursday.

Interviewed the August Artist of the Month, Jen Kiddo, and posted some of her amazing artwork.

Blogs I enjoyed reading this month:
Even Sweeter Dreams by Susie - Not only is Susie one of the sweetest bloggers you'll meet, she has great taste! Her blog is full of beautiful inspiration. Plus, she redid her design this month and I've said before (but I'll say it again) - I am in love with her new banner. Susie and I have a fun exchange coming up... you'll hear about that soon!

Cute in Korea by Elle/Liz - I've followed Cute in Korea right from the beginning, as it is written by Liz Lorini, one of my all-time favorite artists/illustrators! You can see her work here. Liz lived and worked in San Francisco for a while, but last year she moved to Korea to be with Nara, her Korean fiancee (who also happens to be a brilliant artist). Cute in Korea is all about her adventures discovering, well, the cuteness all around her new (for now) country.

Little Chief Honeybee by Kaelah - Anyone who has been in the blogging world for more than a few weeks has probably discovered LCH, but seriously, how amazing is Kaelah's blog? Her own description states that she "dresses like every day is a tea party." Her frequent outfit posts definitely live up to that.

Mermaidens by Kailey - So much pastel prettiness. Can you tell I'm still on a pastel kick? Ever since the Locketship x Miss Kika Sparkling Sea collection came out, I think everything mermaid is awesome. Plus, Pistachio, her amazingly cute zine named after the delicious ice cream flavor, is both dreamy, gorgeous, and free.

P.S. If you're new to Pink Wonderland, check out my July and June recaps!

Thoughts & Things Thursday #5

Life is so crazy busy with packing and getting ready for our move next week... but I found some time to compile my favorite links, goods, and images from the week. There was so much good stuff out there... it was hard to cut it down. So there's plenty of reading for you this week! =P

+ I meant to post this picture of my rainbow hair (from late June, when I last went into the salon). Somehow, it never made it to the blog. I have a huge backlog of photos and no time to post them all. But at last, here it is! This amazingness was done by Antonio Cejudo at Coco & Co Salon in West Seattle. Best hairdresser ever - seriously. I also added it to my About page - finally updated those pictures. =)

+ There were quite a few cool projects posted in the blogging world this week. Some of my favorites include these pretty push pins by Jessica of Such Pretty Things and this adorable ice cream headband by Kailey of Mermaidens, guest posted on Scathingly Brilliant. Best part? They are both super simple!

+ Gala Darling shared a few posts in this week's Carousel worth re-sharing. This post by Min Lee on organizing your stuff is brilliant, while Mary Myung-Ok Lee's article about what her son's disabilities taught her on "having it all" is simultaneously heartbreaking, terrifying, and hopeful.

+ I wrote my first two guest posts, which should be coming up in the next few weeks! I like to research things thoroughly whenever possible, so I wanted to learn more about the logistics of guest posting. Thanks to my trusty friend, Google, I came across this article on guest posting. I liked the handy tip about composing your guest post and then copying it via HTML to send it directly, already formatted, to the blog you are guest posting on. What a great way to make it easier for your host! I do want to note that I happen to be posting on two blogs that use the same platform as I do (Blogger), so I'm not sure how this would work with Wordpress, Typepad, or any of the other ones out there. I guess I'll find out soon if it actually worked properly on Blogger, but I have high hopes!

+ Shana of ShanaLogic shared this oddly adorable image of an octopus hatching! Don't you think it looks like a squid? Shana shares a lot of "Cute for the Day" posts on her blog, usually featuring adorable animals. Photo is originally from National Geographic.

+ I just found out, through Anna's happy things post, about this Godiva membership where you can score a free truffle every month! Yes, please!

+ Another beautiful wedding posted on Rock 'n Roll Bride! I love the colors and fun atmosphere that Layla and Dan chose for their big day. And seriously? I want that cake.

+ Check out this gorgeous look, featuring several Sugarpill eyeshadows (if you missed this post, Sugarpill is my favorite indie makeup brand). Amy Doan of Sugarpill posts tons of gorgeous looks sent in by customers on their facebook page. So many talented make-up artists and enthusiasts!

+ One of my favorite indie shop owners, Maria of Locketship, was the focus of this designer mini-feature on the Modcloth blog! Speaking of, did anyone else shop their 70% off Last Hurrah Sale?

+ Is it weird that I totally love this multi-toned orange lace embroidered dress from Romwe? I suppose it could be that the color scheme reminds me of a creamsicle... I really need to add some orange to my wardrobe.

+ Violet of Blythe Ponytail Parades posted photos from a state fair. In addition to being in love with the nighttime ferris wheel/carnival pictures, I am really hungry for some corn on the cob.

+ I'll probably say this over and over, but in case you haven't figured it out... I love balloons. Check out this print Ashley is selling in her shop, Maybe Sparrows Place. She has plenty more awesome prints in her shop as well.

+ Bei Badgirl shared a board she created for a charity auction. Man, I would love to own it. Someday I'd love to have an entire collection of boards. Someday.

+ Anyone want to eat fairy bread? Sara of Eager Beaver tells us to "get out there and live like you give a damn!" Her fun site is full of inspiration - ideas for things to do. So what are you waiting for? Go live it up!

+ This is a must read for bloggers. Kat of Rock 'n Roll Bride wrote this important post about crediting and image copyright, in which she shares this link to a blogger who was sued for posting someone else's pictures.

+ As usual, Kaylah of The Dainty Squid shares her beautiful photography. These foggy cemetary photographs just seem so otherworldly. Incredible. And she took them all in fifteen minutes!

+ Dorien of Bodacious Thought visited London! (Yeah, I'm jealous.) Lucky for us, she shared images from Camden and her visit to the Harry Potter Studios. I'm not even obsessed with Harry Potter, but I think the studio looks so, so cool. Apparently, butter beer is not the tastiest. =) Check out the rest here.

***********************
Thoughts and Things Thursday is a weekly feature where I share links to articles and posts I enjoyed reading, artists I discovered, pictures I came across, and more. These may include things I found funny, heartwarming, sad, ridiculous, interesting, heartbreaking, or just important to share. Some are themed, others miscellaneous. They are things that got my attention and what I thought of them. You can read all of my T&TT posts here.

Art Journaling: Sweet Couture

For this week's art journaling spread, I began with a picture from a magazine. Recently, I began tearing out pages and articles I like from magazines before recycling them. I looked through my pile of torn-out pages and came across a beautiful pink and gold perfume ad. Absolutely loved the color scheme; an idea began to form. I cut out the image and found a beautiful scrapbook page with golden text and overlays of light pink and blue leaves.

Pastel pink and blue is one of my favorite color combinations and it seemed to go nicely with gold. Used Mod Podge to secure my scrapbook paper. Pulled out some pink washi tapes to add. Cut out some fancy glittery shapes from more scrapbook paper. Cut an uneven scallop mini-border.

I had a lot of fun mixing a shimmery blush rose gold paint... and finally, a chance to use my beautiful damask stamp! Stamped up the pages. Secured most of the elements on the page.

Added some paint blotting and shimmer to the pages, along with the key cutout.

More paint. Stamped blue paint. A crackled crown cutout. Shimmery pink paper.

Super girly and sweet, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out! Can't wait for more of Jenny & Aaron's art classes! Even if you don't plan on art journaling yourself (although I hope you do), check out their pages - I promise you will be amazed. =)

********************************
Art Journaling is a weekly feature where I share a page spread from my art journal. The idea began with Jenny & Aaron's classes, which they share weekly on Everyday is a Holiday. Previous art journal pages:
  - Everything We Can Imagine is Real
  - Carousel Dreams
  - Every Day is Cookie Day

Artist of the Month: Jen Kiddo, August 2012

This month's featured artist is an awesome lady I bought a piece from at the Unique LA spring show: Jen Kiddo! I was immediately drawn to her colorful booth full of cute kawaii girl art and I picked up Ice Cream Tower for my own collection. Jen is extremely talented and all around awesome! But don't take my word for it... read for yourself.

Thank you for joining us on Pink Wonderland today, Jen! Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?

Herro! My name is Jen Kiddo, but most call me "Kiddo" (even people who have never met me before). I was born in 1943 and I am a time traveler. It is also led to believe that I am an extra-terrestrial cyborg. My favorite time period is the 1960s because of its pure love for contemporary art before technology took over. Here, in 2012, I paint and orchestrate a circus of my two black cats, Yoda and Ninja. My top interests are Japanese culture, rain, shooting stars, animals, music, and lucid dreaming. One of my strongest attributes is my imagination.

Did you always know you were going to be a professional artist?

Yes. There was never any doubt in my mind of this. There were some individuals along the way who attempted to convince me otherwise; however, they could not prevent the prophetic.

Your artwork suggests a strong Japanese influence. What led or drew you to Japanese culture/style?

Japanese culture is such a beautiful world to me. Every aspect has instantly captivated me for about half of my life. Traditional Japan is so fascinating and Westernized Japan is such a unique twist on the culture of the states. I enjoy the cleanliness, randomness, and gorgeous colors of Japanese art.

Tell us about your creative process.

My creative process always begins with an idea or interest - something that I would enjoy seeing in a painting. Once that is achieved, I do thorough research on the meaning, description, and images of the idea. I usually discover a lot of information, which then turns my idea into a whole series of related paintings.

For example, when I was doing research on "kitsune" (Japanese word for "fox" or "fox spirit," I discovered it was a popular Japanese folklore. From there, I embarked on an entire series of Japanese folklore paintings.

You depict a lot of girls with unusual hair colors. Ever dye your hair a crazy color?

Haha, yep! I have rotated between having pink, blue, or purple hair. It's so much fun! When I had purple hair, someone commented to me that I am "living anime."

Who are your favorite artists?

My favorite artists are Yosuke Ueno, Camilla d'Errico, Audrey Kawasaki, Aya Takano, and KozynDan.

What is it like to be an artist living in LA?

I enjoy being in an area where art is a part of the culture. However, I am progressing to be an artist living in Japan. The plans are in the works...

What do you like to do when you are not working?

Music is a huge interest of mine, so when I am not working, I mess around on my electric guitar. Honestly, I'm not very good at it, but it is still fun and therapeutic. I have this secret dream to be a guitarist (lead or rhythm) in a rock band.

What advice would you offer to aspiring artists or someone who wants to start a small business?

My advice would be to keep making new works. It definitely helps to have a full and diverse portfolio. Also, try to promote as much as possible - especially via the internet (it is such a useful tool to get the word out there about yourself). Find shows and venues to display your work and always carry business cards on you.  =)

What is your studio space/work environment like?

It's pretty chaotic. I am a passionate worker, so imagine paint splatters everywhere, a plantation of brushes and pens, a plethora of paint tubes, spray paint, exacto knives, water cups, paper towels, scraps of wood, and so much more! Also, don't forget to add my two black cats flying around in the midst of everything! (My cat, Yoda, likes to perch at the very top of my easel... haha.) It is pretty disorganized, yet I know where everything is at.

Are you working on any projects or pieces that you are excited about?

I am very excited for a new series I just started. To play off my recent Japanese folklore series, I have just begun a Japanese pop culture series. The first will be a Harajuku girl, portrayed in my own style of art. All of the paintings in this series will have very bright and vibrant colors with fun images.

Any big plans or upcoming events for your business?

My biggest plan is to take my art to Japan, so that I can be immersed in my favorite culture. I strongly believe that the new environment will influence my art in such an enchanting way. Before I go there, I will be applying to some fall and winter shows, including Unique LA. My facebook fan page is the place to check for events I will be participating in.

Thank you so much for sharing your stories and advice with us on Pink Wonderland, Jen!

You can find Jen and her work in these places:

Shop | Facebook | Twitter

In addition to having an incredible, distinct style, Jen's art is beautiful and affordable. Discovering Jen's artwork was one of my favorite things about attending Unique LA, and I would love to have a series of Kiddo art hanging in my house someday! I am a huge fan of the handmade art pendants in her shop as well. If you like her art pendants as much as I do and have something specific in mind, she also does custom pieces. Pretty awesome!

********************************

Artist of the Month is a monthly interview feature with an artist. I am very selective about whom I interview - I pick artists I believe in, whose style I truly love. Previously featured artists:

  - July 2012: Jenny Holiday

  - June 2012: Hannah Lynn

Zombie Unicorn Dress

At last! As promised in my T&TT - Zombie Edition post, I present to you... the zombie unicorn dress! I first saw Helena, one of the Locketship girls, wearing another version of this dress at Unique LA (photo near the bottom of the post). Of course, I asked her where she got her amazing dress. She told me about Hell Bunny, the brand, and suggested I look on punk.com, where she got hers.

Getting it was a long ordeal. Hell Bunny is based in the UK and appears to sell exclusively through retailers (no direct retail sales). This means two things: 1.) availability in the U.S. is limited and inconsistent, and 2.) sizing is different. I waited weeks for it to become available, then ordered as soon as it was up. Ended up exchanging for size, only to find that it had become unavailable again in my desired size. GRR!! Waited over a month for it to be back in stock. Finally, it was, so I ordered immediately. At long last, it arrived. And fits! It's a tiny bit tight, but I'll take it. Frustrating, but I daresay it was worth the wait. =) I was also excited to wear some of my Callow Lily accessories, including one of my all-time favorite necklaces!

FACT: This isn't even the most ridiculous unicorn dress I own.

Naturally, I had to try some zombie poses. Necessary, right? Of course, I don't have the first clue how to make an appropriate zombie facial expression. So Jacob made fun of me as I tried out a few.

Slow motion shouting zombie?

Ridiculous/crazed zombie?

Being a zombie is serious business.

Zombie Unicorn Black Petal Dress - Hell Bunny, via Punk

Necklace - Callow Lily

Hair Bow - Callow Lily

Ring - Locketship

Shoes - BCBG, via Nordstrom

Or... maybe I just need some practice. Clearly, it is not going to work to try to blend in when the zombie apocalypse arrives. Guess I'd better start practicing distance running.

This dress comes in four styles: black petal (what I wore), pink petal, black halter, or pink halter (what Helena wore). If you want to join the zombie unicorn world domination movement, you can get your own dress here (black petal style), here (pink halter style), or at various other retailers around the world. I signed up for the Punk.com newsletter, and they frequently send out sizable discount codes (often 15% - 20% off). Plus, free shipping over $75. The Hell Bunny team is also extremely helpful if you just ask questions on their facebook page. Just remember to read some charts and measure carefully (if there aren't any local retailers near you)! I am usually a US size S and the dress that ended up fitting me best is size XS.

Ready to take over the world with me?

Thoughts & Things Thursday #4

+ These candy bags from Butterscotch and Beesting are totally something I would buy... and then never eat the candy and just leave them as a beautiful display. Okay, just kidding... I would not be able to resist eating the candy, but I would definitely repurpose/save the packaging. They're so pretty! I want to order a few once I move - I'm trying to avoid ordering things online for a little while (only somewhat successfully) so they don't end up at the wrong address. =)

Source - via Deer Little Fawn

+ Jess has generously shared a new set of free social media icons in tons of colors! If you like more of a sketchbook look, check out these awesome ones she shared back in April.

+ Nesha shared her simple envelope project using a cutout page from a gorgeous magazine. Great idea!

+ Hannah Lynn added new ACEO trading card subscriptions to her shop (also available in her etsy shop)! I have the original pack of 50, so I signed up for the ruby subscription (new cards sent each month) to get all of the new open edition cards that will be released in the next year. It's kinda like a subscription box... except I already know I'll love every one. If you haven't heard of Hannah Lynn, check out the Artist of the Month interview she did on the blog back in June. Here's a glimpse of her awesome trading cards!

Image above found on Hannah's facebook page here.

+ Downton Abbey Season 2 is now available on Hulu! I watched Season 1. Totally hooked. And then I was extremely disappointed to find that they had removed Season 2 from Hulu and Netflix. Ack! Zoe informed me this week that they had added it back to Hulu. Time for a marathon before it (potentially) disappears again!! If you haven't watched it... watch it. Seriously.

+ Check out these unicorn heels on Modcloth! Weird or awesome?

+ While we're talking about unicorns... here's another amazing nail by Jessica! Glitter and unicorns. Beautifully executed. Also, a sad reminder about the importance of watermarking.

+ Any of you into collecting Blythe dolls (or just admiring them for now, like me)? Check out Violet's awesome customized collection! I found Violet's blog through Aizzing's first "Blythe and Me" series, where she interviewed Violet. Admission: growing up, I really disliked dolls. It's a pretty standard gift for little girls, so I amassed a collection of Barbies through various  birthdays/holidays... but I put them all in a few paper bags and gave them away to friends. I did also get a customized American Girl doll (anyone remember those?) as a parting gift from my friends when I moved from San Francisco to Portland after 4th grade. And while I cherished my gift and the memories associated, I was actually quite terrified of my look-alike doll, and mostly left her locked in an armoir.. haha. No, I hadn't seen Chuckie, but I did read some scary R. L. Stine books (the Goosebumps series)... anyway, it wasn't until just last year that I started liking some collector's dolls. Got myself a Groove Pullip doll (I'll post a pic sometime) and I'm now eyeing Blythes. Now, if only they were less painful on the bank account...

Violet and her friend Kristy's Blythe family portrait!

+ After seeing this post, I went to check out Anna's Pinterest boards... and totally fell in love with her "Feels Like Home" board! Anna has a great sense of style - so many ideas for decor in the new house! Plus, her thought about Pinterest being a good potential online dating tool (a way to showcase your style & interests) amused me. =) Please start a Pinterest dating site! Hehe. A few of my other favorite Pinterest boards: Aubree's, Jenny's,  Mandy's, Laura's, And if you're interested, here's my little shameless plug for my own... =D

+ I can't wait to try some of Deb's brownie recipes. Cheesecake-marbled brownies? Grasshopper brownies using creme de menthe? Mmm... commence mouth watering. Oh, and let's not even talk about the Andes mint chip ice cream recipe she posted...

+ I was sending a couple of wedding blogs to a friend who recently got engaged, and noticed this DIY ombre layer cake pinata on the etsy wedding blog! Weddings are notorious for being stressful to plan... and hey, all that stress has to go somewhere, right? Why not take some of it out on the pinata? Whoever thought of this is brilliant.

Source

+ This black and white wedding (with a splash of color) and this rockabilly vegas wedding are both so very cool! You could probably tell from my blog launch photo shoot that I love black and white palettes with a bold accent - especially for anyone adorned with colorful tattoos. It really makes them stand out. =)

+ Check out this amazing Bei Badgirl tattoo that a fan got. This is why I'm having such a hard time picking a tattoo... I love so many styles!

+ These adorable cameras look like juice/milk boxes! Mandy has one as part of her toy camera collection.

+ I've seen this a few times already, but it still amazes me every time. Look what happens when you magnify grains of sand!

Source, via Shana

***********************
Thoughts and Things Thursday is a weekly feature where I share links to articles and posts I enjoyed reading, artists I discovered, pictures I came across, and more. These may include things I found funny, heartwarming, sad, ridiculous, interesting, heartbreaking, or just important to share. Some are themed, others miscellaneous. They are things that got my attention and what I thought of them. You can read all of my T&TT posts here.