Hello everybody, I’m Milka Amelia from Charming Berryz. I’m so grateful that my friend, Kak Bivi allowed me to be her guest on her blog hihihi :3
Well, I actually don’t know much about guest posting and this my first time as a guest blogger but I’m so excited :3
Okay, back to the main topic, I did a photo shoot last week with my brother. I was really in a hurry because he has to go somewhere pffft -_- After lunch in Kota Lama at Tekodeko Koffiehuis, we went to a random street, the quiet one and there’s no traffic. I’m so sorry for the background of my photos, because the background doesn’t suit my outfit. I really don’t have time to find a good spot.
I love sweet and feminine style as usual, I
wore pretty simple outfit, a cream lace cardigan from my friend’s online shop,
a patterned navy dress from Authentic
American Heritage, my DIY Little Roses Bracelet, mini Furla bag that I bought at Taman Anggrek Mall, White Platform from aglaehouse and, for the
last touch, I added thin white belt.
Ah, I almost forget, happy fasting to my
Muslim brothers and sisters, I hope this Ramadhan will bring blessing and joy
for you. I’m not fasting because I’m a Christian, but I salute my Muslim friends who can fast for a whole month, because, for me, I can’t stand one
hour without drinking X’D
Hmm..what should I write here... I have no
idea what to write here, so I think this is the end, thanks for reading my
post, I’m so happy if you like to visit my blog too. Once again, thank you to Kak Bivi for this opportunity hehehe :3
Hi, guys! Just popping in real quick to wish you Eid Mubarak this year. Maybe you're spending it with your families, eating homemade meals and playing games with the cousins; or you're currently away from home and stuck with your friends, eating unconventional dishes and spending the day trying to distract yourselves. Either way, I hope you're having a blast and may your day be incredibly blissful. At any rate, my family are headed to the hometowns to gather with our relatives and explore - well, that's my agenda, at least. That means I'm taking 2 weeks off the blog. But no worries! There will be a couple guest bloggers to entertain you during my leave of absence. Plus, I might just pop in out of the blue, you never know. And I'll be back with hopefully tons more posts to share. If you want to follow along on my adventures real time, you can always visit my instagram as I update there more frequently. Thank you for reading and have a tremendous couple weeks - whether or not you're celebrating Eidul Fitri ;) Peace be upon you!
By the time you read this, my sister and I will already be on the train to Surabaya to see my grandparents and relatives - or maybe even already on the way back home, depending on when you actually open this. I'll be taking some time off the blog or maybe post less. But we're not here to talk about that; it will be explained in the next post. Last weekend was our last time to break fast as a family before my sister and I left for Surabaya and the rest of them leave for Semarang a few days afterwards. I wanted to spend it together, go eating somewhere nice. We opted for a nearby plethora of food tents, called Bintaro 9 Walk. I've been here, say, 5 times already but my sister hasn't been there once. However, the place is quite packed with food vendors and variety that there are still some corners I have yet to taste. We decided to try Nasi Goreng Rempah Mafia that night, which is quite famous for their spicy fried rice specialty. The menus have apt criminal names, such as "yakuza," "bandit," and the like, accompanied by quite adorable illustrations. The spicy levels are also real hilarious, starting from zero/"menenangkan" (assuring) up unti five/"mematikan" (deathly). While everyone else ordered the Gangster fried rice in various levels, I opted for the Triad fried rice in level one/"merisaukan" (troublesome). It was quite powerful but I managed...until later on that night my tummy grew hot. But it was worth every bite.
C&A kitty hat // H&M top // skirt + Görtz purse (thrifted) // DF Fashion shoes // photos by Akita
As I've mentioned in previous outfit posts, wearing skirts just seem like the sensible thing to do these days, what with my extreme weight gain and incapability of fitting into most of my pants. For Ramadhan, I'd really like to dress appropriately and wear longer skirts to mini ones. This is another one of my favourite skirts. When I found it at the flea market - in a cold, rainy winter morning, mind you - it was like love at first sight. Firu couldn't see why I grabbed it - which is strange since he loves the colour green. The problem with this one is I don't really know what to pair it with that doesn't look obviously crazy or out of place. To add to the conflict, I don't own many patterned tops. Dresses? Sure. Skirts? Of course. Tops? Not so much. Thankfully, there's still this one I haven't paired with this skirt and, surprisingly, they work well together. Do you have the same problem I do with mixing and matching sometimes? If so, how do you deal with it?
Greetings, dear artsies! How are you doing today? I hope you are well because I'm about to deliver to you this month's Illustrators Arise feature. In case you're unfamiliar with this feature, it is where I introduce my favourite illustrators from all over the world every month through an interview so you guys can read along and get to know them too. Now, are you more excited about life? Well, I hope so. This month's special guest is real special. I first got to know her when she emailed me, regarding this feature and I checked out her works and loved them! Say hello to Gretchen Ellen Powers, an American illustrator whose works are strongly influenced by nature and the wonders of the world. She lives among the tall trees in Michigan, appreciating nature in her spare time.
Hi, Gretchen! Let’s start with how you delved into the world of illustrations and why you stuck with it?
My hands have always loved to create. Painting, drawing, writing, creating has always been a part of me. My Mother saw this and encouraged me to chase after art. Instead of inflicting her own ideas onto me, she nurtured the creativity and imagination that was starting to bud in my young life. As I grew, I never outgrew who I had always been, so it grew with me.
Did you go to an art school? If so, what are your thoughts on it?
I am self taught. I recognized that art school wasn't for me personally, instead I wanted to discover my own approach and style. I felt the best way I could do that was through practice and spending time at the easel. It's always an adventure to me and I happy with my journey.
What materials do you usually use?
Acrylic paint, archival paper, brushes, a trusty no. 2 pencil, a healthy dose of imagination, along with a strong cup of tea.
I read that you live among the trees in Michigan. Do you think this has some influence on your love for nature? In what way?
I'm proud to say that I am a country mouse. The grass doesn't have to measure an exact height, and at night you can see all of the stars out here. I definitely feel inspired by all of the beauty and wonder that seems to thrive once you leave the city lights behind.
Aside from nature, I seem to be getting a Classical vibe from your works. Are you interested in this time period and/or its literature?
Sometimes I feel like I was born a century too late. History fascinates me, it always has. Also, I am an incurable bookworm and a big fan of the classics. Black & white films and music from the first half of the 20th century are a delight to me as well.
You’ve illustrated a lot of anthropomorphic animals wearing stylish ensembles from great designers. How do you find the fashion industry?
It's been a wonderful experience to take a photo from a runway and morph it with an animal! I liken it to my childhood when I would play at dress-up, but I use a brush nowadays. My favorite fashion series I've been able to work on so far has been "Animals in Clothes We Like" for Betty Magazine (a British fashion periodical). It's a 4-part series featuring an otter, a spirit bear, a white wolf, and a deer. Dressed in designs from Miu Miu, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry Prorsum, and Prada. They all have a feminine feeling to them with a blush colored background, so I titled the collection "Pretty in Pink". This series was also featured in Stella Magazine (by The Telegraph from the UK).
You’ve been selling your artworks for around 4 years now, it seems. What have you learnt from owning a small business? What has been your greatest hurtle?
Owning my own little cottage industry has been a grand adventure! I love being able to have my hand in all of the little workings that make up my business. Some days I work on mailing and packaging orders, others I work on new designs and lines of cards for the season. My art is featured in a local boutique that also regularly invites me to come meet & greet people while I paint in their store. Then I have my at-home-painting days, where I sketch and dream up the new pieces and then take them to the easel to become a reality. I would have to say that my greatest hurtle would be not knowing when to relax, when I'm excited about a new piece I tend to work very long hours on it. Since being an artist doesn't have a clock-out time, I push myself longer than I should sometimes. But to me it is always worth it, and I wouldn't change a thing.
It seems to me that all the characters you’ve drawn should have a story of their own. Do you see yourself as a storyteller and will you ever reveal their tale?
Story-telling is something I greatly admire in an artist, and something I am always striving for. The fun thing is sometimes I set out on a painting knowing exactly what the subject's characteristics are, and other times they reveal themselves to me as I go along. They become a part of my own story, and I see most of my paintings as dear friends.
What does the future look like for Gretchen Ellen Powers?
One of my plans is to write and illustrate books for children (or the young at heart). I also would like to work on more paintings that are in series, to create collections that could find themselves on the walls of a solo gallery show. Also, I am working on a stationary line.
Do you have any advice you’d like to share with starting-out illustrators out there (including me)?
I believe that every artist can still use a good piece of advice (and I especially include myself in that statement). Sometimes it can be overwhelming when you take in all the steps of a painting, the best advice I can give is to simply start. Shake its hand, introduce yourself, and begin to see it reveal itself to you. Remember to enjoy the process, it will show.
A little note from me
There is a certain antique feel to Gretchen's brush strokes as well as colour palette, inviting a feel of nostalgia of a time we've never experienced in an oldie-but-goodie kind of way. Yet the whimsy of her anthropomorphic characters are definitely something from the modern era. As a girl who's all about the whimsy, her artworks intrigue me so much. It's amazing how she can create a scene as part of a bigger story in each of her piece, letting the audience venture a guess in their own heads as to how the incident in each painting came to be. The influence from fashion of past time periods is also greatly evident in the clothes each animal - or people - wear, which is absolutely darling and completes the nostalgic appearance. After seeing her portfolio, I'm very certain that animals in the woods throw parties all the time when the humans aren't looking.
Today's post is all about Firu. These photos were taken by his sister at his home, with me wearing his old shirt and to be posted on his birthday. Though far away and his absence echoes in all the rooms, he will never cease to amaze me. Today the boy turns 22 and I am beyond happy for him. I'm sorry I can't be with you, my love, but I always wish you well and all the best in your future endeavours. Oh yeah, these photos were snapped when I went to see Galuh - and the rest of Firu's family - the other day. Yes, she is home for the holiday and I've missed how amazingly gorgeous her shots are despite her lack of knowledge on cameras and photography alike. We spent the day catching up and exchanging items I asked her to bring from Germany. Firu's family home has always been rather green - and I'm not only talking about the paint, mind you - what with all the trees and plantations about. It's always been so gorgeous and cool during the day. Such a strong contrast to my own home. Hopefully, next month Firu's other sister Mbak Ria will come home and we can all - along with Firu's sister-in-law - go on a girls' day out.
Firu's old shirt // Bare Denim pants (scavenged) // hand-me-down purse // Studio Nine loafers // photos by Galuh
Although fashion has provided girls with boyfriend-fit items in stores now, I still don't fancy purchasing them but, instead, prefer keeping the one that I actually have. This kind of shirts do not interest me unless it has an abundance of sentimental values thrown in there. And, boy, does this one have that! Even after a couple washing, I can still smell Firu's scent from it. Which makes me hesitant on wearing it more often. The structure on its own isn't too interesting - although I do adore the vertical lines as well as the navy colour - until it reminds me of how handsome Firu looks in it. It's been in his life since before we even met and I don't think I will ever throw it away. This is probably his most favourite styling - minus the purse, of course - and, frankly, I like it too. By the way, Firu promised to give me more of his no-longer-fitting clothes and I am more than happy to receive. Stay tuned to find out!
P.S: This is the last you'll see of these shoes. I'm throwing them out soon due to the huge holes on the side.
