Luck of the Irish

Happy St Patrick’s Day everyone! I hope everyone had a good day! We had a pretty good day, even though the weather was a bit cold and gloomy since last night it rained! I haven’t blogged in a few days and it’s not because I forgot or didn’t want to, I was just so exhausted! I was pretty busy with drawings and photoshoots, and now that I have rested a bit, I have the energy.

We all had our green on today and headed down to the Virginia Beach Convention Center for a craft show.

We caught the end of the show, but it was nice and not too crowded. They had all sorts of vendors there who made custom jewelry, wooden furniture, desserts, candles, salsa and so many different things. I love these type of events because it’s by local artists and I am all about supporting local artists!

I bought one of those wax warmers that plug in and melt the wax, I have been looking for one for my studio so it can smell oh so nice! I got the lavender vanilla wax, which I LOVE LAVENDER!! It is so relaxing.

The kiddos got some yummy snacks too…Matthias got some banana nut pound cake and Arabella got some chocolate peanut butter whoopie pies. They also picked out postcards of paintings by a local artist. Here are a few things that Jermie took pictures of because he really loved them.Some are really cute and funny. Matthias wore hit furry dog hat and everyone loved it.

Then, we headed to my mom’s house where we ordered pizza and I’m catching up on Face Off and Walking Dead!

Thirsty Thursday

I think I am dehydrated! I’ve been slamming water like I just ran a marathon or something. hahaha I just got done finishing up the final linework for the latest tattoo drawing I won on CreateMyTattoo.com Take a look at this, ( It’s a bit sad)

This design hit close to home too because I know what it’s like to lose a child/children since Jermie and I had our ectopic pregnancy last year, so my heart and prayers go out to the man I designed this for.

I really wasn’t at home today, since I had to go to the VA hospital and get the lil machine that sends electrodes through my body…well, it’s for my thigh since I have a leg nerve syndrome there, it hurts for me to stand for long periods of time. It was weird testing it out today on my arm, to see it pulse uncontrollably is something that creeps me out. weird.

I stopped by Paul Mitchell, Rudy & Kelly Academy to say hello to my instructors and get my daily dose of hugs. (I LOVE HUGS! ) I miss it there so much. I know they need learning leaders, maybe one day. I love the PM culture there.

I had a photoshoot today for a lovely young woman who is graduating from college in May this year. Here is a quick photo, isnt she just adorable? She has aspirations to do films and movies, which is amazing. I love meeting other determined individuals and hearing their goals and see how passionate they are to pursue them. I believe you can do anything you set your mind to!

I should get to bed, I have a busy day tomorrow as well, which seems to be everyday, but I am not complaining! Tune in for more adventures tomorrow!

xoxoxo, Cecilia

Sketchaholic

It’s already the middle of the week! I have been keeping busy with so many drawings that people are requesting and I am loving it. It’s great that I can work in the comfort of my home, not many people can say that. I think ever since I embraced more of my creative side, things have just been falling into place as far as business. The universe speaks to me!!! (ok, nerd moment)

Oh yea, here is the final on that tattoo I started the other day, and I won the design contest for this!

This was an honor to draw and I did get emotional drawing the boots, kevlar helmet and Rifle. I remember being in Iraq and attending many funerals for fallen soldiers and contractors in my unit. They made the ultimate sacrifice and they are not forgotten.

I also whipped up this cute lil design:

I was going through my pics and I forgot to post a few behind the scenes shots which are my fav to post!

These were taken with Roger Mitchell and Lance, and model Jessica to do some wedding photos, I think I showed you the picture in my last blog post. It was so beautiful that day, it was like the first spring day. I took a few selfies in the oriental garden in Norfolk.

Jinaki and I have been doing major business plans, I am helping her to get her freelance business off the ground. So, we have been hanging out, which is nice that we have become such good friends after all this time. Over the weekend, they came over with the kiddos and we all just had a nice time hanging out as a big family. I only really have a handful of close friends, and a lot of friends that live in different states too. It’s nice to have girl time.

Here is a quick few snapshots I took, while we were out doing some recon work for a fashion shoot. ( I gained 5 more pounds since I stopped doing Insanity..ughhh…”aint nobody got time for that” hahaha Ill get back into it soon enough)

Here is a sneak peak of what I have been working on yesterday and today:

I finally got my hair done again by Jinaki- got a splash of color and a trim. I am growing my hair out since someone cut it when they werent supposed to. UGH. Well, it’s rounding 230ish so I should get to bed soon. I have an eye appointment and were shooting the beginning interviews for Kreative Thinking Apparel Crew!

I’ll keep you posted! Stay creative my friends! Xoxo, Cecilia

It’s Monday? No, wait it’s Tuesday

It’s 440am. I just got done with a tattoo illustration that took me all night to do. I wanted it to be just right. It’s a military tribute tattoo and I get a lil emotional drawing up those type of designs, especially since I have been overseas and have lost many dear friends. I hope to draw up my own tribute tattoo for the time I served, but just haven’t yet, because I want it to be just right. Here is a hint of what the tribute tattoo has in it. Hopefully, I will win this design at createmytattoo.com

Oh yea, here is the design I won over the weekend:

Last week was a busy week for me. I’ve been going hard on my new business, I finally manned up and got everything situated with my business license so now I can actually make a living from freelancing with makeup and body paint and all my artwork I have been doing. Whew, talk about paperwork and forms and fees. But it’s all worth it to me. I feel a sense of pride knowing that I work for myself and that I set the rules on how I want to work. I feel more motivated to work hard because it’s helping my family not some corporation. Ok, ok, enough of my tangent, it’s too late for that. Well, I guess it’s too early for that right?

My weekend was good, did a few gigs while hubby took care of sick kiddies who in turn got him sick with a stomach virus that I escaped unscathed! Mwahahahahaha (insert evil laugh) I’ve been doing a lot of shoots with Roger Mitchell’s Motiontography and I am loving it! It feels good to do something I love. Here are a few photos!

I am so behind on my videos too! But I got a package from a blogger in Australia from Valentines day, I sent her a package, but it just returned to me ( I filled out customs sheet wrong and I cant send perfume or body spray) so I have to resend it to her and she prolly thinks I totally blew her off. (I’m sorry if your reading this, I will get it together again) I want to show you guys what she got me.

I am sooo tired now that I have stopped drawing, so I will wrap this up and go to bed. I will keep yall posted as always what random adventures I have going on! Have a great morning, or afternoon, or evening-whatever time it is where you are reading this!

 

xoxox, Cecilia

Find arms that will hold you at your weakest, eyes that will see you at your ugliest, and a heart that will love you at your worst. Then you have found true love.

FABA TV and Magical Solutions

Every now and then, I freelance/work for a company called Magical Solutions facepainting or teaching a facepaint session for new employees. Magical Solutions, owned and operated by Paul Krendl, is an entertainment company that hosts private parties, corporate events, holiday events and since were so close to the beach, they also help to provide the tourist entertainment as well. There are magicians, comedians, DJ’s, fire dancer, facepainters, mimes, clowns, and I am sure much more than what I know is available. Oh yea, and stilt walkers! How could I forget, when my hubby does it for this company too when a gig comes up!

I love doing facepainting and body painting! I often get asked how I got started into this field. Honestly, I have always been into facepaint especially around Halloween. Check out this photo below with my dad and I when I was about 3 years old.

It’s kinda funny and ironic that my dad is painting my face and now I paint faces for a living! It just goes to show that you show an interest in what you love even at an early age! My family always supported my artistic background so every holiday and birthday, I always got sketchbooks, paint kits, pencils and easels. I could always do facepainting, but didn’t really start doing it until about 3 years ago, and got really into it when I went to beauty school!

As word got around that I do face and body painting, I eventually got more work doing it. I am always working on my skills. The more practice you get, the more better you become at your craft. And that goes for anything!

Besides youtube and blogs, I had never really seen any websites that offered tutorials until last week, when I was teaching a facepaint session, I found out that we had a new training resource we can use.

It’s called FABA TV (Face and Body Art Television). It is not free, you do have to pay for membership, but let me tell you, I think it is well worth it (even though I did not pay for this). SO, This will be a bit of a review for anyone who is contemplating investing in this service. I think it’s great, there are so many different classes offered online, not only for face and body painting, but for makeup, henna, airbrushing and more. Each class is at least an hour long and filmed in High Def and taught by an experienced artist.

I just absolutely love it. I have been watching classes for hours while I have been finishing up some tattoo drawings and they are really informative and the artists give out tips that even I didn’t know about. I am also a makeup artist, so there are some resources for that as well!

I definitely recommend it to anyone who is a face, body painter, makeup artist or entertainer in family fun. Have you ever this website? What do you think?

Look into the future and you see worry, look into the past and you see regret, look into the present and you shall find the purpose of life

Stocking Up on Supplies

Yesterday went by in a big blur! A very exciting blur that left me tired and exhausted when I walked into my front door at midnight! I am not complaining because I love what I do. So, it’s a very satisfying exhaustion. Jinaki and I started our day bright and early at 730am to run a few errands and grab some supplies from the hair store and Ulta to stock up on supplies that have been running low in our kits. Two of my favorites that I stocked up on were NYX White eye shadow primer and a beauty blender sponge!

 

Speaking of supplies, I ordered a few things I needed from ebay too to add to my kit.

I ended up purchasing the Ben Nye Matte Foundation Pallete! I love their body paint, so I know I will love their foundations! This baby will come in good use for a few makeup gigs later this month for a play that Jinaki and I were invited to do makeup and hair at Willett Hall.

The lights burned out on my overhead projector, and I have been looking locally to find a replacement, but after searching various stores, I just went ahead and ordered some from online and it’s so much easier this way. I cant wait to get these, because I use my projector a lot when it comes to refining my tattoo designs.

Yesterday, we had some fierce wind and rain and when I say fierce…I mean, I was blown across the street heading into the photo studio! Our special client is a talented young woman who is a singer, songwriter and actress,Tia Rachelle. I cannot wait to show you more from the photoshoot but I cant yet until its released!

Since I cant show you those photos just yet, Ill show you a couple of photos from the past week or two.

Below: Jinaki, Myself and James Person

Below: Myself and Lance who is also apart of Roger Mitchell’s Motiontography helping to test out the lighting and to get in a behind the scenes shot.

Below: Miss Shannon Marie in another stunning shot with makeup done by me! How amazing does she look?!

It’s rounding midnight and I have an early appointment and I am ready to go to bed! I’m pretty tired since I woke up early to do a video shoot (but it got rescheduled) and I ended up just staying awake to go through emails, invoices and clean up my art studio!

Goodnight my friends and see you tomorrow for more random adventures!

Believing in yourself is the first secret to success.

If you ever want things to happen in your life, you have to first be willing to believe in yourself. One thing we have to learn in life is that we will make mistakes, we will do things wrong, but one of the worst things we can do when we do things wrong is to get so down on ourselves that we forget to keep pushing.

Magazines, Meetings and Shoots

When I first woke up this morning, I thought I would have the day to get caught up on some drawings and work on a few projects, and although I did get some things done, the afternoon and evening took a turn into a different direction. Don’t worry, it’s not a bad turn, but actually a very good one. I always believe that if you put positive energy out into the universe, that you get it back in one way or another. Also, that if you surround yourself with people who are liked minded, things just happen. Energy bounces off one another and you start getting these ideas that turn into something that could be a stepping stone for something bigger.

I got a lot done, I edited the Kreative Thinking Auditions video so the whole team can see what models we have for the fashion show coming up in June. Then, my friend, Jinaki (fellow hairstylist and Makeup Artist) came over and I helped her to design her business cards while we chatted about future business plans.

I had some phone call meetings with a videographer that is helping KT in a promotional video and also a producer to go over details for a photoshoot were doing tomorrow. The best thing I love about being a freelance artist is that I get the pleasure of meeting so many people in diverse fields. I mean, it’s an awesome feeling.

After our meeting, we did some storyboarding, which is almost like collaging, but more organized and tells a story or a theme. Story Boards you see everywhere from advertising, modeling, photography, magazines and fashion shows. It helps to have a visual aid to assist in making the mood set for the shoot or project. I mean, who doesn’t love a visual?

There were a few things that I couldn’t find in a magazine, so in those cases, I always turn to POLYVORE! Its like an online storyboard generator! Here is one I came up with for tomorrow

 

I am so excited for tomorrow, so I should take my butt to bed as it is turning 130am and I am the only one up in the house and I have a long, but fun day planned for tomorrow. So, off I go!

XOXOXOX, Cecilia

Focus on where you need to be in life and once you've reached it, you will see the people who belong in it.

Hannah Rose quotes