Thursday, March 17, 2011

My new music obsession: "A Tell Tale Heart" (Mixtape)- Dawn Richard



I seldomly run across a music cd/mixtape that after hearing the album I can't help but keep on repeat. Dawn Richard's new mixtape is AMAZING! I literally like every song and a few of them I am absolutely obsessed with. To name a few of my favorites:  "Me Myself & Y", "I Know (ft. Kalenna)", "Let Love In", "I'm Just Saying", "Superhero (Accapella)", and "These Tears."  As you can see from my favorites list I love practically the whole album lol ("Me Myself &Y" is currently my ringtone). The mixtape is a "mix" of emotions all in one, you'll go from being single and confident, looking for love, heartbroken, or just fun tracks to dance to; the title speaks for itself. Dawn has definitely set herself in the category of a strong solo artist. I'm definitely anxious to see what she will come out with next.

TRACKLISTING
1. Intro (The Fall)
2. Superman
3. Biggest Fan
4. Hey
5. Me Myself & Y
6. Broken Record
7. I Know (ft. Kalenna)
8. Let Love In
9. I'm Just Saying
10. Superhero (Accapella)
11. Runway
12. These Tears
13. Vibrate
14. Champion
15. Bulletproof
 
download it for free here: http://www.dawnrichardblog.com/

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

colorMEcupck







This is Joanna Aton, shes a graphic designer, photographer, and cooking extraordinaire.  Of course her specialty is cupcakes but shes a jill of all trades. Shes an amazing artist and of course her new found hobby is culinary arts, please follow her work and hopefully you'll be  amazed by her delicious recipes!

Get To Know Jo:


Brief introduction about yourself:

28 (almost 29 yrs old) single-mom to an almost 3 yr old. lil boy. Full-time mom and full-time student, baker, designer, photographer and the list goes on. I love teaching myself new stuff to include baking.


How long have you been cooking and have you always liked cooking?


The first thing I learned to cook was rice (in a pot and stove none of that rice cooker stuff) when I was 6 yrs. old  From there my mom taught me to fry stuff like eggs, chicken, fish easy stuff (except for frying chicken bone-in, that wasn't as easy)  My first try at really cooking was when I was 9 yrs. old I made some sauteed green beans with ground beef over rice. It was good but super salty lol.


Who taught you how to bake?

I taught myself.  I've used the box mixes before (for cake) made brownies from scratch when I was in high school.  I really got into baking in 2007. I just kind of fell in-love with cupcakes and it just took off from there.

Who are your inspirations?


I'd say anything. I sometimes get a flavor combo in my head and I just run with it. But also other bloggers that I follow and talk to all over the place.

What's your favorite type of food?

Everything really well almost everything except for blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese.

How many different recipes of cupcakes and cookies do you have?


I've no idea. quite a few really.

Do you cater for parties or sell them?

I could and would but I haven't really done much in terms of marketing myself. Occasionally, I get special orders from friends.

Can you share a recipe with us? 

Just pick one from the blog. I know I haven't updated in a while but there's a few there.


Contact:

colormecupcake@gmail.com

http://colormecupcake.blogspot.com/



Is there any motivation or inspiration you can share with  some of us who cant cook but wish they could lol?

You may not know how to cook right now but you'll never learn till you just try it.  Start with something easy and go from there. Read, watch and learn from cook books to cooking shows, blogs to even youtube.  It's all a matter of what you want to learn. Nothing is ever perfect but you work with what you have.


Featured Recipe (check her blog for more):


Gimme S'more Of That!

So, I am cheating a little bit on this post. This is an old post from my old lj (livejournal) just edited.

My go-to chocolate cake recipe is always Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" chocolate cake it's moist, chocolate-y and yummy! Usually I substitute the cocoa powder with dark cocoa powder and it's Deeh Vine! You can use whatever chocolate cake or even graham cake recipe you want but this is what I used. It yields about 24-32 cupcakes

These bad boys have a graham crust bottom. What kind of s'more will it be without graham crackers?!

Graham Cracker Crust
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 cup Melted Butter

• Mix butter and Graham Cracker crust till the graham crackers soaked-up the butter.

• Scoop a spoonful of the crust into each cupcake wrapper and press down with either a spoon or the bottom of a shot glass. Once all the cupcake liners have graham crusts, pour in batter filling 2/3 up. Don't over fill!

• Crush some graham cracker (not the crumbs) and sprinkle on top. Bake cake as directed in recipe.

Marshmallow Frosting
1 1/4 cup sugar
4 egg whites
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

• Combine sugar and egg whites over double broiler, whisk constantly till sugar is melted (160 degrees)

• Pour on mixer with whisk attachment, whisk on medium high till u reach stiff peaks. adding vanilla a teaspoon at a time.

• Pipe over cooled cupcakes. Then "roast" the marshmallow frosting and add a piece of Hershey's chocolate as garnish.

One of the things I love about making this cupcake is the fact that I get to break out my culinary torch! It's the best part of this whole thing! (I think so anyways lol)

*If you have left over marshmallow frosting, you can pipe it into a baking pan lined with parchment paper, bake at 350 degrees till brown and cracking. Yummy meringue!






Pictures of her yummy treats:

Lemon-Limoncello Cupcakes

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

cake pots and truffles


Purple candy melts for easter, almonds for fun (marzipan cake)

















Friday, January 21, 2011

Cupcakes or Cotton Candy Anyone?

Hola!

I know its been a little while since I've posted so please be patient, with school and a crazy 2 year old I've been pretty busy lol....Anyway, I'm going to try to post at least 2 artist a month just til my workload becomes a little lighter. The next couple of weeks I will be posting an amazing cupcake/food artist and cotton candy artist!

thank you to any new followers who have joined my blog :)

stay tuned.....

looks yummy right!?! :P










Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Peterson Guerrier


I would like to introduce you all to an amazing artist and good friend of mine who is a starving artist like most and wanted to express his talent for you all to see. His uniqueness and style of combining paint and digital art is what really makes him different. His painting techniques and how his brain comes up with these rare but beautiful canvases always intrigued me and I hope his work inspires you as well.

“I sleep in the hopes that I will be blessed with yet another day to dab life onto a blank canvas. My creations evolve from various translations of life experiences, and from these I aim to inspire others to tell their stories through their own expressions of creativity.”-P. Guerrier

Get to know:


1. Do you sell any of your work?


I used to have a terribly difficult time parting with my pieces. Then I noticed one day how much I have accumulated over the years being so attach doesn't help the creative process looking back at old pieces is not healthy, for any artist.... Yes, most of my work have been sold at City Art factory "Downtown Orlando" on the webs and also at various art shows and functions. There’s something so fulfilling knowing that someone own one of your creations a piece of you.

 2. Contact info:

you can always reach me at:



3. What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I'm currently working on my Photography series and also My first solo Art exhibit and planning on releasing my first photography/ art book.


4. Any advice you can give to other designers/artists?

Never ever gives up no matter what anyone tells you, whatever you find your difficulty in challenge that. Only that can make you better at your craft.
 


Some of his Paintings:












Some of his Photography:



 

Thursday, December 30, 2010

mid-week update

Here is a Preview of my next weeks artist's work...stay tuned :)














I started this blog a little over a week ago as a means of a creative outlet and also to inspire others with my passion for art. You will find posts on any type of creativity from singers, painters, poets etc., even artistic finds I may come across. I want to thank everyone who has visited my page and has spread the word to others about my blog. I would like to especially thank everyone who has added to my followers list.

Thank you,

Nejha

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Lela Bizz-Soulful Singer from VA


Hello Everyone!

I would like to introduce you to Malika Bizzell AKA Lela Bizz. Ive known this girl since junior year in high school and I've watched her grow as an artist since. She has a soulful sultry voice that will keep you wanting more. Please look her up and follow her journey as an aspiring artist you wont be disappointed.  Here is a short questionaire i sent to her just to give you guys a taste of who she is and where to check her out! thanks.

Lela Bizz nterview:




 



















Where are you from?
Richmond Va

How long have you been singing?
I have been singing every since I can remember! My earliest memory is 5 years old. I was singing about Christmas Gifts on camera lol

What type of music do you like? 

I love alllll types of music ! Country, Pop, Classic soul that would probably be my favorite .

Who are your influences?
I love the Greats Aretha Franklin, Old Whitney Houston, (lol ) Dionne Warwick, Odis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Hall and Oats, The Dells??sheeesh the list goes on! lol

What about you makes you different from other singers?

I think I bring Soul back to Rhythm and Blues.  annnnnnnnnnnnnnd Im Bald headed lol

Whats your favorite color?
Blue all different shades. Love that color :)

Whats your favorite food?
Well my diet has changed from when I was younger and so has my favorite food! lol sooooo favorite food is anything Seafood that is definitely the way to my heart??lol

Do you play any instruments?
I  use to play the flute for a few weeks and the violin for like a month! lol Singing is the only thing that stuck with me.

Where can we find you? (twitter, youtube,email etc)
Follow me @LelaBizz
YouTube- www.youtube.com/LelaBizz
FaceBook- www.facebook.com/LelaBizz  
Reverb Nation- http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/lelabizz
Website coming soon. I also have a new project coming out Spring of 2011

Last words? (convince us why your great ;) )
Last words!!!! Just hear a few of my songs or covers on Youtube. I think You will understand what I was put here to do!! :) #POW lol