This year had so many ups and downs. Began nicely and took a big dive until the beginning of the summer. I picked myself up, sorted out my priorities, and life has been wonderful since. Some highlights from 2013 were:
• This semester that had just finished was fantastic and hard as hell. I learned so much.
• I opened myself up to new things: food, music, art methods, etc. I said no a lot less, and in result had fun.
• In the world of friendships, my school friends and I have really became a tight knit group. We're all in the same boat and we all understand each other. We support each other, and I have so much to thank them for. They're keepers.
• I've been trying to begin some kind of career in illustration/the art world, and although it's been a tough one, I've been feeling more and more confident as each day passes and I've been making things happen. I set up a portfolio website, I made a physical portfolio book, I created my own business cards, I've contacted companies to get myself out there for potential freelance jobs. At this point I'm determined and I won't let anything stop me.
• Aside from my potential growing illustration career, at the end of the semester I began an internship at a screen printing company in NYC.

My determination is growing more and more everyday, and with 2013 ending I have so many plans for myself in 2014.
The beginning of 2014 is already booked to be fantastic because I will be visiting Portland for a week!

My goals for 2014:
• Continue with illustration and get as many freelance jobs as possible.
• Work as much as I can and save money.
• Graduate in May!
• Move to Portland in July.
• Create & sell more things for my Etsy store.
• This will be the tough one, but I'd like to get a book deal; I have so much brewing in my head that I'd love to get into a book. An art book, that is. I ain't no writer.
• Grow collections. I have so many art books that I invested in this year and I'd like to see that expand. I'd also like to begin vinyl collection. I got a record player for Christmas which I'm super excited about.
• Mainly, I just wanted to make life happen and be happy, in Portland. Life goal.

I want to make 2014 the year to make things happen. That's my main goal. To make things happen. Here's to a wonderful new year!

MARIAKAY.COM is an official thing!

I bought website space on Go Daddy a few months ago. Took my time getting it up; made like five different layouts before I finally found one I was happy with. Condensed sections, added more pictures, changed the sidebar - so much construction.

Anywho, it's finally my official art portfolio website. Still have plans of adding more of my work within the next few weeks, but it's at a point where it doesn't look empty and that makes me happy.

I also took initiative to start up a new Tumblr filled with my work and crafty things and whatnot. I have another Tumblr in which I use to reblog photos I like. It's more of a inspiration blog (it's come to use SO many times when I needed a push for projects). I wanted to create a Tumblr where I don't reblog and all photos are mine. The only reblogs are music posts and that's it. It's still super fresh, but don't be afraid to follow me!

I was excited to share a major step for me. It's a little nerve-wracking to make a site dedicated to you, but portfolio websites are a thing; they're a thing to help you get noticed and get assigned work. I'm excited for what's to come now that I have my site up and running! Making strides.

Hope you all had a great holiday season! The new year is right around the corner, how exciting!

Every day that passes, the more I feel the need to build a professional name for myself. I wanted to make business cards for myself, so I went down the cheap route. I figured it's not so bad to make my own with the intention of getting professionally printed cards down the road.

I figured the first place to start was with card stock. I visited my local office supply store and bought some. Next, I measured and cut my cards 2 X 3.5 inches.
Afterwards I thought of a simple design and went with it.

I wanted to make my cards look like tags, so I made a little stencil for cut out corners and a cut out circle. I placed the stencil over my cards and colored them in with markers. I picked three colors to add some variety.

After coming up with my logo a little while back, I figured it'd be nice to carry that through to my cards. My friend gave me the idea of carving out little stamps in erasers, so I carved my logo into two separate erasers.

I found my black ink pad and stamped each card with both of my stamps.

When I was through with the front, I found my favorite alphabet stamps and stamped my information on the back. Took quite a while, but I got it done eventually.

Just when I thought I was all done, I decided to add some finishing touches of orange zigzags, which feels like it completes the cards.

I do like how they came out, but I would really like to buy a bulk of professionally printed cards. I have the design all ready to go, but I may have to put those on hold for now. Can't wait to get them printed though!

As the semester is coming to an end, I'll finally get around to posting all things I've been meaning to post for a while. Here is one.

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I bought this denim jacket in early fall. Everyone has had a denim jacket or two in their lives - it really is a style that never dies. When it does die, it always comes back; we can't escape the jean jacket.

There are so many ways to style a jacket to make it your own: studs, rhinestones, patches, graphics, and the list goes on and on.
I wanted to decorate the back of my new jacket. I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I just grabbed a bunch of fabric with all intentions of winging it.

All of a sudden, inspiration hit. I found the fabric I needed, and went along my merry way.

I started sewing minty green patches of fabric on the back to fill up the space as the background. There were two different minty greens, similar in hue, but I didn't care. I liked that random feeling.

I wanted to make somewhat of a 'Japanese rising sun', so I used red fabric with a floral print. I used thin strips of the same fabric for the rays.

To finish up and make it look somewhat complete, I sewed a lace strip on one side. It needed some kind of awkward but a working balance.

And there we go. A fun spiced up denim jacket. If yours is naked, dress it up! Make it fun; make it your own. Do it up.