F R U G A L * A R T I S T

what's in a name?

2012-01-29T12:58:00.000-05:00

i have always loved my name as vain as it may sound. as a kid, my teachers constantly told me i had such a powerful and remarkable name. Maya Washington. my mother chose Maya after her cousin, whose name she loved and it also happens to be the national bird of the Philippines, her home country. My name means, illusion in Hindu, I happen to have a civilization in Mexico :) and the remarkable poet Maya Angelou and I share the name. As for my last name, Washington, i share it with the first president and academy award winner Denzel Washington, whom i like to kid around and say is my uncle, AND two states happen to be named after me :) by such virtue i kinda feel cool. so, what's in a name?
meaning.
the truth be told i have always associated the meaning of my name with beauty and power. however not everyone else. my first "negative" experience with my name came about while living in Vancouver, BC. i was in the process of buying a painting, when the curator, while filing out the receipt, asked me my name and my reply of course "Maya Washington". her reply? "Holy slave name!"....

dead silence and a dead stare was my only response.

mind you this woman was white and i just handed her over $300 for a painting. she realized how inappropriate her response was and then began to back track and tell me that she had a sister who was half black and had friends who were black..."digging yourself in a hole much?" was my thought but silence was my response. i was shocked and caught off guard. i would compare it to a child who truly believes in santa clause then telling her that there in no santa, or telling a young woman happily in love that love doesn't exist. that night i couldn't help but think of all the things i should have said.
my second "negative" experience was along the same lines "slave name" and this time it was uttered by a family member during the christmas holidays. this time...anger, rage and hurt.
I AM NOT A SLAVE AND HENCE MY NAME CANNOT BE A SLAVE NAME!
if we were to apply this theory of "slave name" then every black person whose name isn't african has a slave name. i don't go around telling people whose name is George that they have a "slave master name" so what makes you think for a hot second you can utter the words "slave" in my presence? perhaps the word "slave" rest perfectly fine with some people but it is so not ok with me. my great-grandmother was born and raised in Mississippi, is still alive and 96 years old and she was not a slave. it is a fact that africans were brought to the Americas and Caribbean as slaves. i am not ashamed of this history, but that is exactly what it is, history. I AM A FREE CITIZEN!
For those of you who are ashamed of your name that sucks. take pride and endow yourself with positive meaning. i am not my name but i am damn proud of it! so much so that it took 2 years of marriage for me to finally add my married name. and yes i hyphenated my name. remove my last name? yeah right!
anyways...i bring this up because last weekend i visited Washington DC and it was kind of an epic moment for me. i guess i could say my name has a deeper and more profound meaning. here are some pics from my iphone and instagram. Washington DC's monuments are brilliant! i truly admire the minds that designed and built these...
the pyramids from Egypt still stand and so does Roman empire. when our civilization comes and goes what will be left? definitely not our glass buildings and our 1's and 0's in our digital age. but this! these will still stand. it made me and my cousin Jeigh want to get ourself sculpted in bronze :)

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument

Lincoln Monument

Lincoln Monument view

and the reason for my trip was for my talented cousin Jeigh who is on tour with La Cage aux Folles. i absolutely loved this show! i died of sheer laughter! if you can try to catch his touring production...brilliance yet again!

@ the Kennedy Center

new year, new curls

2012-01-08T13:14:00.001-05:00

remember how i was complaining about my crusty curls here. still looking for better ways to hydrate my hair over the holidays i stumbled into the wonderful world of keratin treatments. two of my friends had it done and said it's a deep conditioner, which is what my hair desperately needed. i had briefly came across the term keratin treatment before but wrote it off however this time around i did further research and discovered both the positive and negative truths about keratin treatments. when i heard they can loosen curls i was intrigued. i love my hair. but i also crave change! my hair has been the same for the last 10 years and i so needed to mix it up. i refuse to dye or relax my hair which means retouching the roots. the idea that this treatment conditions and temporarily loosens curls was enough for me to "try it out". I found George Alan here in Harlem, NYC who HOOKED-IT-UP!

i will say i was paranoid and kept flipping back and fourth whether i should do it or not especially after reading all the horror stories on naturallycurly.com here's what went through my mind:

CONS

- contains or emits formaldehyde which is linked to causing cancer

- even if it says "formaldehyde free" the product once heated emits formaldehyde vapors and is banned in Canada and Italy

- cost a whopping $200-$500

- must use sulfate free shampoos which can be costly

- is temporary and washes out over a 3-5month period

- loosens curls

- constant sexual harassment from significant other

PROS

- is a super hydrating and moisturizing treatment ideal for dry damaged hair

- quicker drying and styling times, from 2hrs to 30mins from 1hr to 15mins

- is temporary 3-5months and leaves no demarkation between new-growth (or so is claimed)

- loosens curls but doesn't straighten hair

- constant sexual harassment from significant other

what really confirmed me getting this done was curiosity and when the founder of naturallycurly.com Michelle got her brazilian blowout (bb) done to enhance her curls and posted her video of the process. first and foremost for me was hydration followed closely by a deep desire to change up my look with temporary effects...i had to at least give it a shot. i got the treatment done on dec 31st just in time for new year's eve and did my first wash jan 7th

top left is how i usually rock my hair. i have corkscrew curls and require lots of product to keep it from frizzing. top right is my hair all picked out with my fingers. i normally can't keep my hands out of my hair! i have a bad habit of feeling the dents and dryness in each hair strand like me touching it will make it go away. bottom left is how my hair looks after my first wash with the bb air dried with no product. i've gone from corkscrew curls to tight waves. me likely! and bottom right is the bb blown out straight! no flat iron or setting required. oh and i stopped playing with my hair :)

i didn't buy the bb products since they start jacking your budget up. $40 for the shampoo, $40 for the conditioner $40 for the mask that's $120 for all 3! heck no! i just dropped $200 plus tip! so i headed to the great outdoors of my apartment...the beauty stores on 125th and copped creamy curls cleanser for $10. although many products say sulfate free shampoo when i read the ingredients there it is the dreaded word sulfate. what the heck?! then i went online to read the ingredients in the bb shampoo and again the word sulfate appears. what's up with that? apparently it depends on the entire ingredient composition and how one effects the other which is another google search i no longer care to learn more about. i already used the creamy curls before and know first hand that the product does not lather and in fact is more like a conditioner. i actually didn't like this product on my corkscrew curls as i felt it didn't clean my thick hair. but now that my hair is like half the thickness it used to be i feel this does the trick. but i would simply suggest to avoid shampoo all together and just use conditioner. when i'm ready to straighten my hair i'll pickup organix brazilian keratin therapy for $8 i've read a lot of great things about this product. but for now i prefer the curls :)

in summary all i can say is dayum! the world of curls is something else...hours of research and random facts learned.

it might be too soon to tell but do i like the bb treatment? HECK YES!

does it live up to the hype? oh yeah! would i do it again? perhaps :) but since i'm a sucker for do it yourself and i hard core observed my stylist do it AND now that my hair is tons more manageable i may just save my $200 and order the product online IF i decide to maintain this look.

hope you find this helpful all you curly heads you :)

holiday rewind

2012-01-08T00:25:00.003-05:00

since i didn't post a single blog entry for December i thought i should rewind and share some of my instagram images with you here. i happen to be obsessed with this iphone app...it's inadvertently taken over my facebook, twitter, and blog :S but no excuses...here are my holiday photos

David actually woke me up so I could snap this beauty as he's well aware of my trigger happy tendencies

Home sweet home. greetings from the TTC

Little cousin Ashleigh being all Lisa Simpson :)

my cute mom!

me and cousin Michael, the masterminds behind Lumber Jack Christmas :)

I love my fams!!! we did the whole ugly sweater party but this year we wanted a change...PLAID and thanks to my fashionable cousin Michael we were able to round up the rest of the fams to join our cause

And it's all for the Man himself...Happy Birthday Jesus!

Stilettos, lips and hips :)

2012-01-03T20:04:00.001-05:00

Remember how every Halloween I dress up and do an elaborate shoot? If you don't you can check it here and here and here. Well this year I was late but it worked out. I strut my stuff for an even more fitting day...NEW YEAR'S EVE 2012! Since this day for me is all about the glitter, sparkle and shine I felt rockin' Ru for this shoot worked. in complete thespian style I embodied all things fabulous about Ruru. Be fearless, be fabulous, be FIERCE!!! Shashay you stay! Here's to an amazing 2012!!! enjoy!!!

and the woman herself...

and a side by side comparison...pretty darn good if i do say so myself :)

HAPPY 2012!!!

2012-01-01T20:20:00.000-05:00

Better late than never :)

For me it's all about assessing and improving. for 2012 i intend to continue to push my boundaries, mental, spiritual, and physical. I'll be cutting more fat out of my life ie my iphone. having my face glued to this device isn't exactly on par with where my head needs to be.
create, Create, CREATE! werk, Werk, WERK! finish, Finish, FINISH! so much in the pipes and i look forward to sharing them here :)
HAPPY 2012 YOU AMAZING PERSON YOU!

Child's Play

2011-11-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

and finally to sum up my month of november i booked a bag of voice work :) first gig which is still ongoing is for a Canadian's kid show called Dino Dan. my job is to describe what's happening in the scene, professionally called video description. call me ignorant but it didn't even occur to me that blind people "watch" tv. any who i absolutely LOVE it! i get to be my animated self and part of something so wonderful.

the next gig was for a bunch of children's audio books! and not to mention a few New York Times Best Sellers all up in the mix :) my absolute fav book was Jazz Age Josephine! i can't wait to get my copy. my only "meh" moment is how little fun i got to have reading the books. for the younger aged books i had to read in s-l-o-w motion! something i am definitely not used to. and i felt like such a robot...put the inflection here, read it again, anunciate the "t", yadayadayada! by the end of it i had no idea how anything i was saying could possibly make any sense. but then again i'm a perfectionist and it was definitely an interesting learning curve. now for the photos...

and that pretty much sums up my busy month of november. i feel like i'm back in my creative groove and am definitely looking forward to january when i'll have more time to create fabulous works of art

Boo Boo's Bday!

2011-11-29T22:37:00.001-05:00

after getting my vitamin D on i celebrated the hubby's bday! we went to upstate ny's Phoenicia in Catskills and stayed in a cute little cabin called Phoenicia Lodge. i realize there are plenty of adventures just outside our very own city. and i felt kinda guilty that i went to a beach so this was the perfect little getaway :) i lober ju boo boo!!!

There and Back Again

2011-11-29T21:13:00.001-05:00

days after halloween I was whisked off to Punta Cana to photograph my friends wedding. sand, sun and a tan was just what I needed :) and not to mention being part of a love celebration

i'm still editing but here are a couple photos i sent the lovely couple for their facebook profile pics :)

here's what my editing looks like :) cutie pies!!!

The Making of a Rupaul Wanna Be

2011-11-29T21:01:00.000-05:00

November has been a busy and awesome month! I'll be making a few post to catch you up to speed :) First up, I was successfully transformed into Rupaul. I haven't found time to post my glorious photo shopped images but they are on the way...because they're super late I think I may go the route of holiday photos but here are a few...

Halloween aka Maya's Annual Dress Up Day!

2011-10-26T16:54:00.000-04:00

i love Halloween! i absolutely love dressing up and i love it even more when everyone else dresses up too. the one day of the year EVERYONE can play their alter ego. discover your inner Sasha Fierce! for the past 6 years I've been going above and beyond the call of duty for Halloween. it started off with a random idea i had to photograph myself (well my mom did) as Dora years ago which has since been an annual tradition of mine i hope to pass on to my heirs :) since Dora i've been Scary Spice, Jimi Hendrix, Minnie Mouse, Blaze from American Gladiator and now....RUPAUL! That's right! This year I will be the fabulous diva Rupaul! on my bucket list is actually performing in a drag show. i'm not ready for a live performance yet but at least i can get into character and embody all things fierce for an evening :) key to this costume is makeup and HAIR! lucky for me i found the perfect wig here on 125th. it seems every year my budget keeps going up. next years goal is to keep it under $40. this year...i already spent $55 on the wig :S but it's so worth it :)
look at all the wonderful wigs...i want, i want!

impromptu photoshoot in the wig stores :)

and now for some inspiration:

curls, curls, curls, curls

2011-10-19T12:09:00.000-04:00

every curly haired girls wants to know what i do's with my hair. well in the past 10 years i had the same hair care regimen: shampoo with whatever, condition with Herbal Essence, Tresemme, or whatever but usually those two, my must use leave in was Olive Oil Moisturizer, and my must use curl defining styler Eco Styler Gel and the occasional deep treatment with i can't remember but several products oh and of course dry with a diffuser or air dry...boom! that's all i did and it worked and my hair was healthy and long. THEN I moved to NY and something happened. my hair became brittle and dry, split ends everywhere, even holes in the middle of the hair shaft. WTF!!! i have no idea what started it...the water? the few dominican hair blow outs? the one time i did that silly vinegar/baking soda clarifying wash which was a huge no no, stress? maybe a combination of all of the above? in any event i need to change up my game cause what I did in the past isn't holding up these days. i've already chopped off about 3 inches which solved the split ends but my hair is still feeling dry and brittle. i tried a protein treatment called Aphogee which you can see and feel the results immediately but it didn't last much longer than a few days to a week. oh! i did find a really amazing deep treatment called Parnevu Organic Hair Mayonnaise which REALLY conditions my hair but it seems my biggest problem is when my hair is finished being washed and when i wear it out curly. the curls actually look great to everyone but me cause it feels horrible! i tried moisturizing with 100% shea butter and Vatika oil, which is an Indian product charged with coconut oil and a bunch of healthy stuff, it's kinda working but i was still missing something. i turned my attention to google and youtube and made some amazing discoveries. most recently i tried a homemade leave-in which i read about on naturallycurly.com. then saw a video on youtube on how to make it here. this so far seems to do the trick. my hair actually feels soft...FINALLY! it's only day 2 so i'll touch base in a few weeks but me likey :) all the info on how to make it are on those links. after i wash my hair i spritz that on in sections, do some twists, put on that funny cap, which my hubby finds so attractive, and go to bed. in the morning i'll do step 2 and use my Olive Oil Moisturizer (unless you know of a better product) and my Eco Styler Gel. I haven't had the need to do the last 2 steps but i think i'll need to to keep my curls looking juicy. but yes! if your hair is feeling dry and brittle i suggest this. hopefully it works for you. cost:$7.99 vegetable glycerine, $3.99 apricot oil (you can forego this if you have olive or coconut oil), $1.99 spray bottle, $2.99 night cap, all under $20 bucks and so worth it!

i love all this stuff right here. my hair doesn't seem to like Tresemme anymore but i'm gonna try adding oil to it. i read on naturallycurly.com that that helps. otherwise i'll have to experiment

a collage of my hair throughout the ages...

i'm headed out to meet with fellow curly hair Andrea Lewis from TGAW and introduce her to the wonderful world of hair care products here on 125th

family first

2011-10-18T23:13:00.001-04:00

life IS beautiul!this is year 1 of NY and year 1 of marriage and i can say i've grown a WHOLE lot! important lesson #1...family first! marriage innately has it's challenges and with those challenges comes growth. it's even slightly more challenging if you're like me and all miss independent! miss know it all, miss this miss that...all that goes out the door in marriage or at least learn when and how to check it. marriage for me and hopefully other loving families out there, is about unconditional love. can you accept your partner for who they are? are you willing to not be right? are you willing to need and ask for help? are you willing to forgive and move forward? marriage is even slightly more difficult when you're career driven and constantly thinking about getting a head. what's it all for if you don't have someone who genuinely loves you for you to share it with? me and the hubs went home to Toronto and thank GOD for my amazing mother and family who fill us with love, positivity, and faith :)

every *ish and flaw will present itself in marriage and when it did in mine i really didn't know what to do. so i turned everywhere...google, book stores, family, friends...i am an open book especially when it comes to wanting to learn and problem solve. speaking of books some amazing books The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Chapman but by far the best read for me...the Bible. it's been a long time coming but i finally started reading it and there's some amazing stuff in there especially regarding marriage. i still have a lot of reading to do but so far i dig it. google has loads of info but be careful especially if that advice is to quit even if it comes from your friends. it's up to you to decide whether it's good for your marriage or not. but if you want to be happy, want a marriage that works then you MUST stay committed. you MUST work it out even if your partner doesn't. till death do you part. there is always a way with faith and prayer :) but that's all dependent on you.
what i learned from all of this is deal with YOU. stop blaming other people or circumstances cause you can't change a damn thing but you. the good news is once you change and work on you the world changes and is a happier place:)and speaking of happier we remarried!!! i've actually been having a hard time taking care of legal matters i.e. IRS, mortgage, with my maiden name and in NYC you have to remarry to change your name and i ain't mad at that :)
and for Thanksgiving we headed up to Toronto after making a stop over at Niagara Falls. so embarrassing...i've never been to Niagara Falls until last week and I've been driving past the darn thing for 7 years! but better late than never
i am so thankful to have amazing friends, family, and faith in my life.

movin on up!

2011-10-18T18:30:00.000-04:00
and where have you bloody been missy?ahhhhh....where to begin...we haven't moved yet however we have applied for coops here in NYC. getting involved and being a part of the community is key to getting deals and we all know i loves me a deal. me and the hubs have been taking a home ownership workshop. rent sucks! the money you give away doesn't build equity, there are no tax breaks for renters and you're paying for your landlords vacation. it is a vicious cycle you don't realize until you're educated in. for those of my local Harlemites you NEED to take this class over at HCCI. we finished the workshop (but i'm retaking it just cause) and the infamous Reverend Charles Butler referred us to UHAB. UHAB works with buildings converting from rental properties to coops, which are newly renovated and selling well below market value. coops here in NYC are different from Toronto. here it means your buying shares into a cooperative corporation, we own the building...closest thing to home owning here in NYC and most people still need mortgages unless you got cash like that. any who, we finally finished collecting all the paper work and applied for a few coops...now we wait and continue to save for our down payment. if all goes well i'll have a view across from central park in a few months. now to visualize so this can materialize...more post a comin... :)

doc approved!

2011-08-25T08:28:00.006-04:00
remember that proposal for the doc i've been working on? well it was finally completed back at the end of june and was offically approved today!!! but so much more has to be done. now i need to film b-roll footage, cut together a fundraising trailer, and finally hit up potential donors! this is my iphone's wallpaper for daily focus and inspiration which is much needed in my ny hustle and bustle of a life

RENT

2011-08-25T08:06:00.004-04:00

since being back from tdot i've concentrated my super human forces to apartment hunting in NY. competing with thousands of students is no joke! units are available 1 min gone the next. our journey started in brooklyn but being on a frugal budget we found nothing hot, then moved to chinatown which was a quick no. David's large stature prevented him from showering in their mini asian showers. now we've gone back to Harlem which of course i love. we found an amazing spot on the east side but keep getting jumped by these students! any who i'm hoping to find something for sept 1st and if we have to let those students get their groove on then oct 1st once the dust has settled. environment is key to healthy living. i've been uping my frugal budget to accommodate my artistic love for photography. living in Vancity was way too dope! it was my live/work space for under $700!!! ah those days are long gone :(
once the crib is secured i can share my shopping journey's with ya'll AND my photography AND my voice AND the rest of my life :)

how to rock that look

2011-08-06T20:12:00.006-04:00
i'm all about drawing inspiration from the pros and that's exactly what i did to get my caribana look. if i do manage to play mas next year i really want to get the loudest costume they have :P
yes i did braid my hair all by my dang self! i learned my lesson after halloween when i dished out $60 for braids i did not like one bit. this time around it cost me $0.99/pack for the hair and i bought 4 packs and only used 3. the down side...it took me 5hrs!!! and it didn't help that i started braiding my hair at 12am like a crazed beautician maniac. click on the photo for a closer look
for my caribana makeup i rocked Mac's primary yellow pigment with my $3.99 48 palette green Profusion, quo's false lashes $7.50 and some glamourous jewELLEs i copped from arton beads on queen street for $3 for a pack of 36 although they have bigger ones available at Dollarama for a dollar. all in all i spent $18.49 for my hair and makeup and $185 for my mas costume!!! good thing this only happens once a year.

Part 3: Caribana!!!

2011-08-06T17:50:00.004-04:00

what a blast! this was my first year celebrating caribana in mas and it's a MUST! everyone should take part in mas at least once in their life time. i can officially check that off my bucket list :) i owe a HUGE thanks to Shannon Boodram from TGAW for the invite. enjoy these festive photos. hopefully i can celebrate again next year. any excuse to dress up for i'm down.

wild girl herself...shannon

reppin the Saldenah mas camp Keeper's of the Universe

look how cute my mom is

Part 2: Toronto

2011-08-03T12:25:00.004-04:00
there's no place like home. family and friend remind me how blessed i am and recharging on their positive energy is always a plus.
Night & Day with the ladies @ Skybar
Fringe Festival with Lemon Bucket Orkestra...good times!

beach=relaxation

Manoy!!!
and of course what better way to end a vaycay with some good ol' bbqin

Part 1: Montreal

2011-08-02T11:30:00.003-04:00
vacations are a MUST! my slightly over 2 week vaycay in Toronto was exactly what i needed. time with good company :) during my stay in tdot i headed up to Montreal for my cousin Jeigh Madjus' first film role as a LEAD in a FEATURE FILM entitled Servitude. it was hilarious! currently the Canadian release date is this fall so all you Canadians watch out! i'm obsessed with instagram...no more bulky slrs :)

a road trip isn't a road trip w/o timmys

we stayed in Holiday Inn and yes the interior is full blown china town

and it just happened to be the Just for Laughs Festival...BONUS!

isn't she so cute! resemblance much? :)

Servitude premiered at Cinema du Parc in the Just 4 Laughs Festival

there's my cuz and the rest of the cast :)

back on the road to T-oH!

make me up

2011-07-23T10:17:00.008-04:00
i've taken a turn down girlie road for makeup!!! i've been on youtube watching endless tutorials on "how to do drag makeup" as well as "dramatic eyeshadow". with an over the top caribana mas costume my makeup has to be equally avant garde. however my kit consists of oh so natural looks. so how can i achieve fabulousity for under $20? i made my way over to Cosmetic Warehouse located at 1333 Kennedy Rd in Scarborough. after much hand painting i found the Profusion 48 color eyeshadow to have the most color intense shadows. and i was also looking for various shades of green.
cost: $4.99

as soon as i got home i tried them out. these shadows are awesome! even after i washed my face with a cloth it still clung on for dear life. wanna be a drag queen or up your makeup skills? check out youtubers: pixiwoo, miss chievous, julieg713

caribana warmup

2011-07-19T09:52:00.000-04:00
it's official!!! i will be joining Shannon Boodram and her TGAW posey on the streets of tdot celebrating CARIBANA 2011!!! yesterday i made my way over to the Saldenah boot camp to pay for and try on my mas slash scandalous outfit. my booty is all out and i need to do some serious crunches...hopefully i can stick to Shannon's ab work out tips. this isn't the outfit but isn't it lovely?

i've never played in mas and i'm all about livin' it up. so yes! i'll be 'sexy' for a day. my filipino mom disapproves...i love it! this is one step closer to my brazilian idol

if you'd like to go all out and play mas next summer here in Toronto visit: http://www.saldenahcarnival.com/

that's life

2011-07-15T16:02:00.005-04:00
i apologize for my mia action here on blogspot. i would love to check in and be regular as i was back in Vancouver but life happened. ny has been a bitter/sweet experience for me. the married life is WORK! career is WORK! maintaining sanity is WORK! i've been chewed up and spit out here in NY but in perfect Maya style I do manage to stay on top. so yeah...life happened and my attention has been on that and not my blog among other things that bring joy in my life. having said that lucky me is on vay-cay here in tdot which was much needed! time with friends and family and peace and quiet was well over due. i'm planning on moving on out the hood into a place i can relax in and call home this september. i'll definitely be in a more positive, creative head space and have more to blog about. i do apologize...things are in the works and as i mentioned i'm on instagrm, twitter, and facebook which has more happenings.
some photos from instragrm

flew with Porter which had awesome prices on flights $243 return. WOOT WOOT!!! and they serve chilled beverages in glass cups...classy :)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MAYA & NY

2011-06-11T12:15:00.005-04:00
my 1 year anniversary here in NY was on june 8th. in the 1 year i've spent here i've done a milestone of growing. i'd love to say i'm a millionaire, am living in a gorgeous loft and/or brownstone, have "made it", but not quite and let's be honest...this is real life. some may say i'm back at square one but i know i actually just time travelled back to the present to make a different choice and i'll keep time travelling until i make a choice that brings me to my final destination. deja vu? seemingly familiar terrain? auto repeat? no..just time travel :) i'm grateful for all the experiences i've lived both positive and negative, it makes my life that much more colourful!
speaking of colourful here's a lovely pic i took with the hubby heading to dinner to celebrate my 1 year. thank you nyc for challenging me and making me that much stronger!

all my iphone users follow me on instagram to keep updated via photos within seconds. you can click on the image or add my username: mayasworld

and some inspiring lyrics by my girl Alicia Key: Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Lyrics

Ooohh New York

Grew up in a town that is famous as the place of movie scenes
Noise was always loud, there are sirens all around and the streets are mean
If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere, that's what they say
Seeing my face in lights or my name on marquees found down on Broadway

Even if it ain’t all it seems, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York!

On the avenue, there ain't never a curfew, ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot, on the corner selling rock, preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab, takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Some will sleep tonight with a hunger far more than an empty fridge

I'm gonna make it by any means, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These street will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York!

One hand in the air for the big city,
Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty
No place in the world that can compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

In New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Now you're in New York!

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These street will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York!

until then :)

2011-06-05T20:49:00.004-04:00
awwww...thanks ladies! since my new site isn't up and even when it is perhaps i'll navigate it to my blogspot...just for you Camille and Fly Lady :) it's great to know my thoughts are appreciated.
but back to business :)
i've been hard at work making my dreams a reality. i went to Atlantic City this weekend for an aerobics conference interviewing amazing people for my doc. to put it out there i'm working on a documentary about 80's aerobics :) for those of you wanting to pursue a project that demands time and money look into fiscal sponsors. i'm currently finishing up my package for the New York Foundation for the Arts. Essentially they represent you on the charitable front. they do not provide funds however when you are seeking funding it helps to have an organization behind you as they can offer tax credits to those wanting to financial help your project. the great thing with the application is it's forced me to think long and hard about what i'm actually trying to create. what is this project? what is the timeline? what is the budget? who is your target market? what is my marketing strategy?....all questions that have focused both myself and my project. fiscal sponsors are everywhere and are designed for non-profit projects, however when i asked them about possible sales and distribution they were all for it. their explanation: my project is not for profit in production. since they only represent me while in production i can make all the money i want after that point :) isn't that awesome?! so whether you want to film something, have a solo exhibition, rehearsals for performance, whatever, fiscal sponsor may be able to help out.
and for all you peeps who want to film something but don't have the equipment think about rentals. you can rent ANYTHING these days! digital cameras, mics, lens, steadicams...i picked up a few items from CSI Rentals here in NY. these peeps are dope! i rented a few items for my trip to Atlantic City. although it isn't necessary i'm putting together a documentary trailer with my application. visuals help potential investors or producers see where your vision is going. however if a trailer sucks you may want to omit it all together. all in all my interviews went AMAZING. i learned a lot of do's and don'ts. DO hire a soundman, DO try to be as quiet as possible while interviewing, DO plan ahead and stay open to improvising, DO have fun!
so i have an application to complete :) here are some photos from my trip

the end is only the beginning

2011-05-31T08:04:00.008-04:00
yes it's true! my run here at frugalartist is reaching it's next phase. as of July 4th (hopefully) mayawashington.com will serve as my own personal site and blog. it will be jam packed with all things maya: photography, acting, directing, shopping, thoughts...everything i talk about here :) who know's maybe i can somehow tie this blog into my site but as for now i will be on hiatus so if you want updates you can follow me at:

twitter.com/mayasworld
the link may have technical difficulties but add me: Maya Washington facebook.com/mayasworld

documentary

2011-05-02T14:29:00.006-04:00
sorry for my lack of posts. i really am obsessed with making my film writing become a reality...but hold that thought...all the research i'm doing for my script is now being funnelled into a documentary. with everything i've learned, people interviewed, been awed by, and researched, turning this process into a documentary makes sense. it's do-able and a stepping stone towards the eventual scripted film. so that's what i've been up to...writing proposals, finding funding and all that fun business stuff. i'm hoping to have interesting tidbits to blog about in the near future.
in the mean time more classic movies...the amazing Muriel's Wedding. So grood!!!

ny filming resources

2011-04-18T22:22:00.007-04:00

keeping on track with obsession "complete script" i've been doing tons of research as well as more interviews. i've also been looking for free or *cost effective workshops to educate my mind on the possibilities on how to go about materializing this thing. thank gad i have friends who point me in good directions. i guess one could go to school for this but school isn't for everyone and with technology so easily accessible all you really need to do is hop online. sometimes the best things in life are free :) lucky me will be attending a FREE workshop this thursday at the Tribeca Film Festival...very excited to learn more and meet like minded individuals. for all my filmmakers or wanna be filmmakers out there hopefully these links help you out.
http://anthologyfilmarchives.org
http://www.sundance.org
http://www.shadowandact.com
http://www.tribecafilm.com
http://www.filmforum.org
http://newdirectors.org
http://www.hotdocs.ca
http://www.tiff.net
http://www.pbs.org/producing
http://blackpublicmedia.org/for-producers
http://www.wmm.com/index.asp
http://www.nywift.org
hopefully i have more exciting stuff to blog about this week. as for entertaining my "paint the floor" idea...that will have wait until i know for a fact i can finish it in one week :S

ADHD effect

2011-04-04T14:40:00.008-04:00
i am back in full ADHD effect! i'm finally taking the necessary steps to get MY studio up and running. yes MY studio :) and it's about time. i'd like to find an affordable studio/office space by the fall that caters to all things work/art related in my life. in the meantime i'll be working on branding and finding a good rep to assist on the promotion front since i haven't been very good at self promotion :S but having said that i plan on getting better and that starts by reclaiming my name. i've branded my name as a photographer however i do more than just photography and would like my name/site to reflect my world :) so....i'm brainstorming studio names to move my photography to and using my name for Maya's real world :) exciting much. it's been a dream of mine for sometime to have a studio...so of course some photo inspirations:

in addition to stepping up my game i'm STILL working on my script and producing/filming shorts. currently a music vid that's 1.5 min with the theme NY HUSTLE. as well as a follow up video for cousin Jeigh. He was in town for Apollo and Rent auditions however the video will document his legend in the making rise at the Apollo. twins:

and here he is in line for nearly 4 hours, cold, and the greatest cousin ever along side filming :)

i'm finally revamping my voice demo. cousin Mathias updated my look now i just need to re-record a few spots and burn some DVD's but it's a comin'

home renos!!! with the weather warming up i'm planning on painting the floors grey, organizing my closet space and finally moving forward with buying big purchases like a couch and other amenities. but oh yeah...my ADHD self didn't update ya'll on the bathroom so here it is:

i need to put some artwork up above the toilet but otherwise it's pretty sweet if i do say so myself. mind you the flash is making it look slightly better than it really is. remember how it was before? trés prison cell:

oh we've come a long way and still further to go. i still haven't installed the kitchen cupboards yet which is super lame. i keep getting distracted with the million other things that have to get done but i'll get there...eventually :)

Commercial Debut

2011-04-02T11:01:00.003-04:00
Oops! i forgot to share the commercial i directed :) this was the most painful thing ever! now i realize the importance of a good sound person. not only was i directing and acting i produced, did lighting, sound, wardrobe, makeup, editing..INSANITY but completely my niché. moving forward i'm hiring a crew. but considering i came up with the concept and executed it in less than 1 week i'm finally happy with the results. special thanks to my fams for helping out with pre and post production--->David, Mathias and Nathan :)
definitely more vids to come :)
p.s. it sounds better with headphones. you can't really hear the music track without it

go BIG or go home

2011-03-31T14:14:00.007-04:00
just enough is no longer enough for me. i've gone through 3 jobs in less than 1 year and clearly Maya is too big and needs to be the boss :) i can now check off "educate myself on the business side of arts" from my 2011 goals which is however an ongoing process. i studied the grind at the studio and now know what works and what doesn't and more importantly what i like and don't. now for bigger and better things...THE SCRIPT! remember that? i'll have to be obsessed if this project can get the big CHECK in a decent time span. i've interview several people over the phone but one in particular is semi-identical to my protagonist. she lives in LA and her personal story speaks VOLUMES to me and a phone interview just doesn't cut it, which means an in-person interview and an excuse for a trip to LA! details still need to be worked out but that's the plan.

another 80's movie/story inspiration that to this day still rocks my world, Revenge of the Nerds

"always searching, always learning, always changing, always growing, never stopping."

and where have you been missy?!

2011-03-31T12:57:00.004-04:00
over a month and no post! what's up with that?
well...i was trapped in the 3rd dimension of the mind. thought! along with my now terminated job at the studio. i finally realized what i want changes from day to day and i can thank Niki from SingleBubblePop for lending me her book 4 hour Work Week. I have serious issue with being an employee and working for bozos so i need to put my money where my mouth is and start working for me. i guess i needed to be pushed into a corner until i had nothing left to do but push back. anyways it took a vacay to universal adventure island, roller coasters, fams, and sun for me to realize what had to be done. i'll elaborate in the next post...for now, PICS with my lovely instragram.

what do you really want?

2011-02-24T22:24:00.004-05:00
seems to be the big @s$ question hanging over my head. presented with the option of studio managing full time for an amazing fashion photographer or studio assisting part time for an amazing wedding photographer, which do i choose? as a member of society i fancy appraisal and titles. i could say "i'm a Studio Manager working with such and such and aren't i super cool?" or "i'm a happy little assistant who's learning the business of it all with time to focus on my own personal endeavours". at the end of the day i'm an artist and i crave freedom. i want financial security but i also want time to create for myself. so...what it is??? life is really quite simply yet here i am complicating things....tidbits to smile back on down the line :)

happy love day ♥

2011-02-13T13:00:00.001-05:00
love is easy. living together is the hard part. me and the hubs have our highs and lows but that's what growth is about. i love me a challenge and easy is straight boring. our generation suffers from IGS: Instant Gratification Syndrome. we fail to practice patience and endurance. "i'll straight up upgrade and trade you in if you don't get it together". ok sure but how long before that one needs to be traded in...again? i want to throw myself off the 3rd story window at times. living with another person, a different person, with different habits is challenging but i know i need to practice patience, understanding, and tolerance as does the rest of the world. all we really need is love. thank you boo boo for being as crazy as your wife. you're worth the drama :)

the past revisited

2011-02-10T09:52:00.007-05:00
my life is one funny entertaining dramedy! i went into my cocktailing job to have a "meeting" and to quit as declared per my previous entry, but they got there's before i could get mine. i was fired! oh the madness of it all. i had a conversation with the universe about moving forward with the arts in the new year but i didn't anticipate things playing out as they did. i had episode 7 of my fav show Summer Heights High where Mr. G resigns playing in my head. so i thought i'd share:

catharsis at it's best! on the bright side, it looks like i may have other opportunities poppin' up elsewhere. i'll wait till they're more concrete before declaring them but it involves more work in the photo world :) as such, i'm in the process of updating my portfolio and perused through my old stuff and played around. looks like my new book will include timeless shots from the past reworked :) scroll over image to see the before:

2 posts, 1 week?! love it!

call it quits and move on

2011-02-07T14:57:00.005-05:00
quitting isn't a bad thing. i've been a firm believer in seeing things through however calling it quits can save you time, energy, and frustration. it's important to evaluate what you're doing and to what end. i bring this up as i've called it quits with my annoyingly painful job as a cocktail girl. yes! a load has been lifted! it's amazing how this cosmic world works. i find myself thinking...ok. what's next? what do i want. and i'm finally putting it out there and i really want to create work that speaks to millions. more specifically i want to and will be creating films. good thing for me i've been having a go with these cyber competitions. and it helps that i have photography and acting in my back pocket. i am still very passionate about my love for the two and now filming can bridge the two loves i've kept separate for so long. very excited about this public declaration!
and to catch ya'll up to speed i've started my job at the studio and it's going great! i'm still in training and i'm actually exploring all aspects of work there to make sure whatever position i take is the right fit. i was hired with the intention of studio managing but with all my expertise and background there might be a better fit. i have no idea yet as this is my first job at a studio so i'm just excited to be inspired.
speaking of inspiration..i found this amazingly rad director/writer who is responsible for the genius that is Yelling to the Sky, Victoria Mahoney. immediately after watching the trailer i imdb'd her and read about her amazing journey. it gives me that extra nudge to follow my gut. being in the pj's, a new city, no friends, starting from scratch, hustlin'...it can get dim but then i find rays of hope and she's one of them.

so imma go eat now then get back to the steady hustle that is new york :)

and so it begins

2011-01-30T10:13:00.003-05:00
sorry for the delayed post. i've been steady grindin' away on my goals for 2011. i start my new J.O.B. as a STUDIO MANAGER!!!! lucky me will be managing a photo studio here in NYC!!!! i'm super amped as this is my first office job in the arts and 2011 is all about me learning the business of it all :) tomorrow is my first day on. but that's not what been keep me busy. what's been really consuming my time is this commercial competition that's due today! everything was so last minute. the idea was conceived a week and a half ago. we shot this past tuesday which was a gong show, reshot scenes yesterday and edit and upload today. crazy i know! this is my first time behind the lens as a film maker. well in the "professional" sense and our set was far from that. definitely lessons learned and that's what life is all about. growth through adversity. ok...enough talk, back to work. here are the photos :)
storyboard courtesy of Mathias Horhager aka cousin

that would be me biting Chris' head off :)

steady on the grind

2011-01-20T10:08:00.008-05:00
i don't have a whole lot of visually interesting things to blog about as of late. i've been: getting acquainted with Light Room 3 to help me streamline my photo editing (gotta love online tutorials), meeting up with photographers and studios in the hopes i can do this full time (very exciting and promising), reading a book on independent feature films (how insightful), brainstorming ideas for an online commercial competition (things are a brew).
oh right! i've still been hard at work on my cousins wedding photos. as a surprise gift (hopefully they don't read this) i'm putting together a press printed book. it's taken me some time to figure out layouts and size but i'm sticking to 10X10. now to decide what goes where. if you're on the look out for portfolios and the such, check out WHCC

and of course i'm been playing around with Nelly Nero's fabulous actions! click on the image to enlarge

now back to my tutorials followed by an interview!
in the words of Erykah Badu:

Every day is a struggle
How to hustle some doe
If you was raised in the hood
Well then you already know
It be days that be good
But mostly money be slow
Have you ever been hungry before?

Steady on the grind Stead on the grind
'Cause I got to make it happen
My family depending on me

Steady on the grind Steady on the grind
'Cause I got to make it happen
Ain't nobody gone do it for me

Ha ooh wa ooh ha ooh wa ooh
Ha ooh wa ooh ha ooh wa ooh

Steady on the grind
Daily on the grind
Money on my mind
So heavy on my mind So heavy on my mind

Mommy got a job makin' bout six-somethin' an hour
She became the breadwinner when daddy was unemployed
Working forty-plus hours and kissing ass
Seeming like the only honest way she can get some cash
She struggglin' - she don't know I be hustlin' pulling my own weight
I be hearing them fuss and fightin' at night mad late
Over economics; it's logic meaning they don't got it
Living in the projects, money's the only object
She makes $280 a week, standing on her feet
The ends aint even meeting - the family ain't eatin'
Cause if taxes is 10%, and the rest if for the rent
Then crime is what u get and niggaz is innocent
See it really ain't about if you eatin' or not eatin'
It's breathin' or not breathin' - freedom or not freedom
'nother day, 'nother way, 'nother dollar spent
Gotta make a revolution out of fifteen cent.

2011: Year of the Artist

2011-01-11T09:45:00.000-05:00
2011 is all about THE YEAR OF THE ARTIST. i've been so fixated on making my home a home, which as you know was much needed and i'm still working at my j.o.b but hopefully not for much longer. with age comes wisdom and i'm realizing i Maya Washington was born to explore and have fun. i'm most sane when i'm busy investing myself in all things that inspire and move me. unlike some of my neighbours i can and am talented in many avenues and yes i need focus on the task at hand but i also need to stay true to me. while i admire those that have 1 sole calling i have many and i need to honour that. and my talents aren't necessarily so segregated: I LOVE CREATING-simple as that and whatever that involves. having said that this year will be a busy one. i'm kickin it into over drive with the following 2011 goals:

- film projects: shorts, music videos, indies
- script: research, study, interview, write
- voice demo: revamp and promote both here in NY and LA
- photography: shoot consistently whether personal or business
- educate myself on the business side of arts through work and/or self education
- demand the best of myself through full commitment to goals

i'm filled with heat and the fire is where i thrive best. enough with the playin' it safe and back into the pit i go :)

my first time!

2011-01-03T09:30:00.000-05:00
my cousin Matt and his bride Ya Shan are officially my first wedding shoot! i was a bit nervous since i was working with new gear, never shot a wedding before, haven't done a shoot in how long?!!, was and still am sick with the flu and sheer paranoia of something going wrong. so far so good :) it helps that i bought a new 1tb hard drive and backed all their images onto DVD's...12 to be exact.
i spent my flight back and the weekend just going through all 4000 images. way too much i know! so far i'm down to 400 but i'm sure i can narrow that down to roughly 40 if not less. i have a nasty habit of thinking my shots look horrible hence the multitude of photo taking. it's not until i start editing when i actually appreciate the images taken. but i am happy with the outcome. my goal was to tell a story and i feel i did that. i'm playing around with my fav action "pink fade" by Nelly Nero. i have no idea what route i'll be going with post but this was fast and easy. Ya Shan had a very feminine, vintage elegance going on with her accessories coupled with the colours of the sand, her complexion, and Matt's suit i feel this action works wonders. nothing's set in stone but here's what i got...i'll throw in a few b&w and/or sepia eventually.
CONGRATS MATHIAS AND MY NEW COUSIN YA SHAN!!!!! And how gorgeous is Ya Shan?!!! Stunning!!!

what a way to start the new year off. LOVE!!!

holiday update

2010-12-27T00:18:00.004-05:00
sorry for the delayed post. i've been busy celebrating the holidays in NY then getting myself down to meh-he-co!!! for Christmas i partied it up with my in-laws and feasted on the awesomeness that is Dominican cooking! i baked mini carrot cupcakes and it was my first go. of course i went to foodgawker and of course they were delicious! the ingredients called for way too much sugar so i went ahead and cut at least 2 cups out.

and yes that is some AMAZING cheese cream icing!!!!

i made 1 present this year. this person happens to have everything under the moon so i came up with the idea to turn an i ♥ ny t-shirt into a pillow. the shirt cost me $3 and the pillow was $7. oh and the zipper was $4.

this year i hooked myself up with the canon 7d!!!! i bought the beaut on amazon brand spankin' new although advertised as "used". since i saved myself $400 dollars i reinvested the funds into accessories like a mic, compact flash card and lens. i've been a nikon girl for life but this canon is just way too fun. video mode?! my life has been missing so much! i already have a few film projects underway. i think i'm in love :) and had i not forgotten my usb i would upload some sample photos. but here she is...

i'm currently writing from the resorts' eating area having breakfast. we're 2 hours behind so it's 8:30am. i'm not a fan of all-inclusives but a getaway to a beach in the midst of a snowstorm? no complaints! i'm about to head to the market to buy a poncho and soak in the sun.

in a few days time my cousin will be getting married!!! i gotta get in work mode and continue to scout locations. i'll share what i find. ttyl!

let's get married!

2010-12-16T11:09:00.006-05:00
on a beach!! and let's invite Maya!!! i'm going to MEH-HE-CO!!!!!
my cousin Matt and his lovely fiancée are getting married in Los Cabos!!! and I'll be their photographer!!! the truth is I've never taken photos for a wedding but how hard could it be? :S i've been approached numerous times in the past but the idea of brides scare me. one be all and end all day and if anything should go wrong...aye-yay-yay! there's just a lot of pressure. when Matt first asked me I flat out said no. but after talking to the bride to be I realized this was something I could do and feel good about and a free trip doesn't hurt :) i took a closer look at my fav wedding photographer Christian Oth's site and pulled tons of images for illustrative purposes. I love how he and his team capture those unrehearsed moments with such lovely composition. of course there will be a few set up shots but my goal is to tell a story and the images below do just that. watch out meh-he-co! i'll be on a beach in t minus 10 days :)

holiday home

2010-12-08T13:34:00.006-05:00
David and i are kickin' it into over-drive. the goal is to have an invitable home come the holidays. lucky for me i have a sister-in-law who helped me battle resistance and get this wall done. thanks Rafaela!

there are 3 shades of grey up on that wall along with a dirty stain from the flood we had. i went all back everything especially since the stove loves to rickashays things onto walls

it's all about paint! look at how lovely our base cabinets are? they were rancid before!

i'm not sure how i feel about these handles. with the counter top having that annoying metal and black stripping i feel i should simplify them even more..like something skinnier. i didn't know it at the time but i'm wanting to go industrial here.

i still need to finish painting the rest of the walls a solid fresh white, get some shelving up on, and then get some large graphic artwork

but look how far we've come:

blast from the past

2010-12-02T08:35:00.004-05:00
while in illinois me, the hubs, and grans kicked back and watched the classics, Blues Brothers and Breakfast Club. oh i love classics! and it was great watching two movies that took place in illinois in illnois :)

Bender stole the show

all you young thespians looking for monologues...peruse through the script. the writing in this movie is great.

i forgot how amazing the blues brothers is. the movies is filled with ridonkulous camera composition, over the top shots, insane extra casting, star studded cast... i druel, i druel

look at this shot! it speaks volumes! it's just stunning!

and this shot along with every other shot in this scene and in the movie is just so grand!

so many extra scenes...love it!

Aretha!

Ray Charles with a gun! hilarious

and yes that's Pee Wee Herman :) love him too

way too many funny scenes!

oh and the police car pile up! oh it's that good!

these two movies are a MUST WATCH AGAIN! amazing amazing amazing!!! and they stood the test of time

she's back back!

2010-12-01T10:40:00.004-05:00
I just arrived back from Chicago yesterday. My 5 day vay-cay was MUCH needed. I got to spend time with my 95 year old great granny. this woman has lived to see it! from picking cotton in Mississippi to seeing Obama be president. I am truly blessed to be the great grand-daughter of someone so great.
we started at JFK and flew jetblue...greatest airline ever!

granny playin shy for the cameras

my granny swears by her old style beer. she's a riot when she backs a 6 pack

i love old people!

enough drinking! back on the road exploring the city

downtown was lovely

where did everyone go? as soon as you head south things start to look shady.

so many abandoned buildings and empty lots. but why? google here we go.

found what i was looking for...thrift store!

omg! if i had my own place and had i driven to chicago with a van this would so be mine! mint condition throw back gas stove

every black woman's haven

my dry hair needs some help! i was gonna buy this "natural remedy"...

...until i read the ingredients

missing my little jackie girl back home. saw this cute little hat and had to buy it. and yes! Jackie is part cat :)

we ventured out to wicker park and downtown but with freezing temperatures that camera stayed in my bag. my time in chicago was all about spending time with granny. lucky for me i had my laptop and recorded some of her wonderful stories.

warp speeding our way to the airport

on time!

i'll be back sooner than later!

the only items bought in chi-town was a cat hat and cat bed for miss jackie. i'm so lame! i guess not spending is good :)

now that i'm back in new york you best believe i'm back on track to start another new chapter in my life. CAREER! yay!

stop thinking and jump!

2010-11-23T00:55:00.005-05:00
my lack of post! i know! i would say i've been busy but that's always the case. lately i've been deep in thought planning my next mode of attack. it's kinda tricky to attack when my prey isn't clearly defined. and i'm talking in terms of career here. i have a lot of goals but the on going comment from people who want to help is the whole focus thing again. right now i'm focused on getting my finances in order so CHECK and done, now i can move on to pursuing my arts. however again people are advising me to stream line and monopolize on one thing then move on to the next. and now that i think about it i obviously do that but i feel like i loose the steam and drive and find something else to distract me. am i afraid of success? commitment? possibly. i love doing me and all that comes with the package. but it seems like i need to monopolize before i can spread my wings and fly. ARGH! society!!! i have no idea why i'm writing this. whatevs...it's my dang blog. i think i need to stop thinking and just jump already. right? :)

almost there

2010-11-12T10:25:00.002-05:00
everyone seems to want to know how my ghetto bathroom is coming along. it's coming! we ran into a series of setbacks but we're almost there. thank goodness i was procrastinating on painting as we had a mean flood that was ankle deep throughout my entire place destroying the plaster work both David and I had done. let me not get into details as i'm finally in a good headspace :) but isn't this a breath of fresh air compared to that monstrosity a while back?

that would be a very 'cool' gray on the walls that is translating to light blue on camera. either way i love it! now we're headed to home depot to get some wall paneling up. do you see that crack that is running horizontally across the wall? the plaster isn't helping so panels it is.

i'm not in the clear yet. still so much too do! and finally i quit one of my jobs...well not quit but i'm only working on call which means i can refocus my energies towards things that truly matter. i'm so looking forward to january when i can be a full time artist again :)

she's at it again

2010-11-05T01:23:00.004-04:00
that's right! my annual Halloween photo shoot. i should probably have a shoot ready and posted for Halloween...oh procrastination :)

here it is. outtakes coming soon!

cost:
fabric $24
shoes $14
braids $60!!!!

Blaze it Up!

2010-10-31T12:31:00.005-04:00

my indecisive self decided not to be Tina Turner when this stroke of genius hit me....BLAZE from American Gladiator. I thought it fitting for my immigrant self be patriotic and what better character to best exemplify awesomeness?! this year i spent a pretty penny. although my costume itself cost just under $40 i paid $60 to get my hair did! that's $100 now that i think about it! wtf?! i would have done my hair my dang self but with the bathroom being renovated and all i have no mirror or time for that matter. or did i? i went to one of the many braiding salons here on 125th however my critical eye couldn't stand the fact that the woman doing my hair didn't know what the heck she was doing. it should have only taken 1.5hrs but it took her nearly 3! i could do it in 1.5hrs. i'm getting mad just sitting here thinking about it so let's move on :)

that's me in the zone with 15mins to spare before heading to work. we got to rock our costume! YAY! David was crackin' jokes on me saying i looked like a super hero sewing her costume

red, white, and blue...the making of

those would be my super hero bottoms

luckily i had a red tank top. all i need now is some white trim :)

of course the full blown photo shoot is just around the corner :)

home improvement

2010-10-26T11:29:00.005-04:00
how's the bathroom you ask? the bathroom was on hold because these housing peeps broke a huge hole in the wall to fix a leak on the apartment below and didn't patch up their mess for 2 weeks. but after maya's harassing tactics someone finally came in and did their job yesterday. since we couldn't do anything in the bathroom my impatient behind moved onto the ugly NY wood cabinets. with the help of my uber strong hubby i repainted them and installed a new counter top from ikea. progress is being made! renos are stressful for me. not having a home for items, tippy toeing, and cleaning up sawdust and drywall is not cool but having a place i can relax is :)
here are the before photos. after photos coming soon

are you seeing the layers of personality left behind? and that hideous paint job? would it kill you to remove the plate before painting?

i can't wait to share what i've done. oh i can see the finish line already

It's all in Your Head

2010-10-26T09:05:00.007-04:00
What better way to spend your commuting time than reading a good book that sparks a new awareness. I'm all about growing and evolving as a person and here are my two recent reads that have done just that. Any more suggestions?
cost: $$12.95 (The War of Art)
$16.95 (Millionaire Next Door)

This is a must read for anyone who stumbles onto this blog. We all have resistance and this book screams at you in the face to get up and start working on that thing you've been putting off.

I don't know a single soul who has their finances in check. I don't care how much your a$$ makes. You are either in debt or you have little to no savings. This book is great as it gives case studies on the wealthy (not to be confused with "rich") and how their thought patterns are different. It's not about the "now" and instant gratification but more about planning and sacrificing for a comfy future. I love how the secret to being wealthy revealed by author Thomas Stanley is....drum roll please......FRUGALITY! There is an entire chapter entitled FRUGAL FRUGAL FRUGAL.
"Being frugal is the cornerstone of wealth-building. Yet far too often the big spenders are promoted and sensationalized by the popular press".
You do know what this means right? It only confirm what I'm working very hard towards which is being wealthy beyond belief :)

Please share any suggestions on good read as I'm almost finished The War of Art

visionary

2010-10-24T11:20:00.003-04:00
Kanye is at it again!
even though his ego can get extreme there's something to be said about having so much faith and conviction in your craft you could care less about what the world thinks. i think all his latest personal ish really gave him the inspiration to create this brilliance. love it!

frugal street style

2010-10-20T10:23:00.000-04:00
while in Toronto I got to hang with my BFF's slash cousins. i attempted to go shopping which was a joke. however i did quiz my cousins on what they were wearing and how much they spent...i was pleasantly surprised. they seem to have taken a turn down frugal road. these two brothers are shopaholics and love to spend. and lucky for us we were approached by Quinntyne Brown who snapped some shots for his blog.

Michael is wearing:
Trench coat from Izuze, Hong Kong, $200
Denim Chambray Shirt, Gap, $29
Shoes Sperry Top Sider, Kensington Market, $15
Mason Bag, Ace Tools online, $40
Aviators, Rayban $140
Scarf, Augustina, $75

Jeigh is wearing:
Jean Jacket, H&M, $29
White v-neck, Gap, $15 (2 for $30, 1 for $19)
Belt, Club Monaco, on sale $19
Jeans, Cheap Monday on sale $39
Shoes, Cole Haan, ebay $19.99!!!
Scarf $51
Sunglasses Rayban, brother's

Maya wishes she wasn't wearing her pj's before wandering the streets of Toronto:

road to home

2010-10-14T14:04:00.016-04:00
roadtrips! i have a love hate relationship with them. when i feel as though i've spent more time getting there than actually enjoying the final destination i feel jipped. anywhozzers... i went back home to Toronto to spend a grand total of 2 days with the fams. such a tease but i'll be back and next time longer.

cost: $300/car rental + $120/gas

jackie all up in my shot

what this trip was all about...breaking bread with people you love. Thanksgiving pinoy style :)

since i'm frugal like that i headed to Toronto's Habitat for Humanity's Restore searching for a bathroom vanity hoping to lug it across the boarder.

they didn't have what i was looking for :( i need shelving and doors. still a favourite shopping spot of mine but Home Depot here I come.

i did not buy a single thing on my trip. i'm still on the prowl for black ankle booties that lace up and have a heel. i guess i'll go online. but while cruising the mall i saw these wonderful window displays at Artizia

so cute! i want one!

miss Jackie was happy wagging her tail just before we hit the road. then we arrived to Toronto and she got sick :( this is us at East York Animal Clinic. I love these peeps! In NY these vets will hustle you using fear tactics to dose you pup on meds and everything else. EYAC listen, are understanding and use a holistic approach so my little lady will be switching her diet to the raw meats. ummm!

5 AM back on the road to home

the kraken sleeps

how my stay felt...actually how my life feels

sometimes i'm able to bend time and slow it down...

our good friend Damion discovering his addiction to photography

i finally wake up and it's light

unless you live or drive by the Canadian boarder you Americans have no idea of the joy Tim Horton's brings to my life. especially when you're on the road counting miles

there should be epic music playing along side this photo

i loves how there's a gas station named loves ♥

Damion posing it up with missy

everybody loves them some Jackie O even my cousins kitten Kobe. hopefully i can get the video footage. but here's papa and his little girl :)

oh the memories!

it's closer than you think

2010-10-05T15:35:00.005-04:00
HALLOWEEN!!! that is!
halloween in NYC is going to be an explosion of fun for me. as you all know i love to do it up big and if you don't know you can check it here and here. i know i'm going to be a diva this year and i think i'm settled on Tina Turner. the hubby is still figuring it out. latest addition Miss Jackie O will get to experience her first Halloween Maya style! David came up with the most genius costume....Ash from Fantastic Mr. Fox. If you haven't seen it already go rent it. brilliant movie! anyways we'll have to train her to leave the sock on her head :) but my little girl has a fox look to her so it's perfect!

she doesn't look too impressed...but perfect casting don't you think?

and the saga continues

2010-10-05T15:18:00.003-04:00
i had no idea what i was in for when i decided to work on this bathroom project. i feel like Mike Holmes. nothing is as it seems. 4 days of stripping paint stressed me the heck out. imagine applying stripper on the ceiling. what happens is gravity pulls the weight of the stripper and paint down leaving the layers below unaffected. did everything come off after 4 days of stripping twice a day and 2 cans later? of course not. so i started sanding to level as much as i could. mind you i'm working on a ceiling exhausting my muscles. now that's done i'm plastering everything to smooth it out. it's looking slightly better. no paint in sight. my goal is to have a clean smooth surface to work on before i leave for Toronto for Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. in the mean time lets bump those gross images in my post below with some fresh inspiration.

phase I: remove band-aid

2010-09-26T16:33:00.010-04:00
so what had happen was i barfed when i saw the state of my hubby's home. let's just say he was livin' beyond bachelor. i didn't have time to get nitty-gritty with my tools when i just moved in so i did the next best thing...SHOP. i covered some of the flaws with expensive shower curtains, matching towel sets, and started organizing. however, band-aids can only last so long. and they look damn gross when you peel them back. i spent the weekend and today stripping paint. 4 layers of it! hopefully this week i can get a nice neutral paint job in. then replace sink with a cabinet, replace hideous light fixture and mirror, retile the dirt mcgurt floors, and of course re-stage this beaut. *WARNING: THESE IMAGES ARE GRAPHIC. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED*

what this tight-fitted hot mess can look like:

Maya's World Under Construction

2010-09-26T13:28:00.007-04:00
I'm finally putting in some elbow grease into my pad. I figure while I'm here I might as well Mayafy it. I've been working like a beast rackin' in the cash and the last thing I want to do is move into a NY loft and throw it all away on stupid rent. My renos will be minimal so we can pick up and move anytime without feeling robbed.
Right now I'm working on the bathroom. The paint was moldy and peeling off the ceiling...gross! I know! Blame the hubby. I'm finally removing it all and starting off fresh. I don't generally like spa like bathrooms. I love fun and funky in all ways possible however I've been traumatized by this grossness and want the whole bamboo, white, and fresh look. Say hello to my two besties:
tool box and sander! loves me my Home Depot:

it's kinda funny that i bought both of these and not the hubby.
yes another grody part of this place are the floors, which I plan on painting black :)

wack fashion meets fall fashion

2010-09-17T13:19:00.007-04:00
this was my first NY fashion week in the trenches and i must say from where i was standing it was WIGIDDY WACK! working as a cocktail waitress i can now appreciate service. everyone wants free drinks, everyone is someone, no one tips, i wanted to throw drinks in faces. but of course i'm a sweet heart and smile and nod :) i'd love to bore you with details however lets move forward-->i'm so glad it's over! i can get paid again! speaking of getting paid i have funds to invest in some much needed fall fashion pieces. i've been getting away with shorts and t-shirts all summer but i really want to up my game being in NY and all. before i make my money disappear my cousin advised me on putting together a look board. genius! i do look boards for all my photo shoots it only makes sense i take the same approach for my own personal style. i don't have much time but here's what i have so far:

i'm really digging:
ankle booties (still looking for a dope platform heel)
leggings/thigh high sock (looks hawt and can be paired with summer shorts and skirts)
blazer jacket (looking for a relaxed fit)
big bags (that can accommodate my stuff)
neutral earth tones with splashes of bold colour

i'm missing my more 'masculine' pieces which i'll add on. i dig men's wear. especially bags as they're simple, stylish and practical like me.

links:
Jeffery Campbell (amazing shoes)
shopbop.com (amazing online shopping)
lookbook.nu (amazing inspiring looks)

artist crawl

2010-09-11T10:24:00.003-04:00
i had the pleasure of stumbling upon the works of kudu-lah also known as Kenneth Kudulis. i love all things cute and scary and his art is just that. so of course i copped 3 and would have bought more had i more cash on me. i love it when artist have price points the masses can afford :)
cost: 3 for $25

his work is printed on masking tape which is layer on wood. i quite enjoy the subtle 3d effect as well.
check out his work at: kudu-lah.com

frugal food: pizza sliders

2010-09-10T11:29:00.006-04:00
time is a luxury i desperately need more of. i'm making the most of what i got which leads me to my fav, fast and frugal pizza sliders. my hubby told me i should send it to foodgawker and share it with you. so here goes. it's super fast and easy and great for left overs:

get the whole wheat english muffins if available. my local grocery store was all out and i was craving.
spaghetti sauce
any toppings

preheat the oven to 300°-350°
get those veggies chopped finely

throw it all together

pop it in the oven for 10-13mins

voilà! pizza sliders

labor day weekend!

2010-09-06T14:10:00.005-04:00
my first US labor day weekend! me, the hubs and demon spawn headed to long beach to take in the sun.

feeding the monster

release the kraken

of course after commuting 1 hr and oh so close to the beach we discover no dogs allowed. haters! we snapped these before being kicked off the boardwalk

and no we do not have matching glasses. that would be gross

defending myself while being mulled by miss jackie o

posing for the camera

excited to be off leash much?

my much needed mango martini

this is supposedly an eggroll?! i ain't mad though :)

lights out

even though i didn't make it to the beach this was a much needed day off finally. now i head to work!

dare to flare

2010-08-28T12:10:00.005-04:00
this was interview week galore! I did 3 interviews accompanied by mini photo shoot. first up is brooklyn store Fred Flare located at 131 Meserole Ave. my behind went to 131 Meserole STREET and gots lost. so that meant lots of exploring for me. i LOVES brooklyn. it's all so artsy fartsy! any who, i finally made it to my destination and was greeted by the lovely Bilgin who's the manager and dear friends of the flare boys.

Fred Flare has the cutest 'stuff' ever. and of course i made some silly purchases. but check out the interview at Pirates & Pilots

lots of post a comin'. but now i head to work :)

new york peeps

2010-08-24T11:15:00.003-04:00
these two jobs leave me little personal time. and the little time i do have i'm spending that with the hubs and pup. but enough excuses. it is way too easy to get sucked into the money machine that is the night life. however when you're not working, the night life is essential to meeting peeps. i'm finally meeting like minded New York artist which I get to collaborate with! so exciting!!! soon enough i'll have blog worthy news and be back to my artistic self.

Meet Jules, the mastermind behind: http://bijulesnyc.com/

girlfriend is so dope! check out here site. celebrities rock her jewelry and Urban Outfitters sells her work too!

and Michele Varian: http://www.michelevarian.com/

I have yet to meet Michele but both ladies will be interviewed for Pirate&Pilots

sleepy update

2010-08-14T13:03:00.004-04:00
i am so sorry for not keeping up with my promised weekly blogging. this week has been insanity for me. i now have 2 jobs since my first cocktailing job is STILL training me and not bringing in the funds. so job number 2 is also swank and VERY busy. i am extremely fortunate to know a few key people in this city who keep hookin' me up. it is unheard of to work the night scene especially at these spots without previous NY experience and not to mention zero cocktail experience. besides getting little sleep and standing on my feet all night, i've also i've been cooking up a storm:

walking and training the vicious beast:

on the prowl for shoes in a city that's too big, therefore turning to my online resources...6PM love you!

booking my first voice gig, continuing to do the voice audition thing all while being the good wife :) now i gotta run to work. i need to figure out some sort of system to get this all done while maintaining my insanity. only a few more months of this :)

food mood

2010-08-06T19:53:00.006-04:00
me and the hubby have been cooking a variation of the same thing over and over again. it's kinda boring so i went online to skype it up with my cousin and he introduced me to the amazingness that is FOOD GAWKER. my love for cooking has been re-awoken. i was drooling on my video cam over all the marvelous imagery. today i made the hubby some pad thai and he loved it. it took a few attempts and some slight variations but it came out great! tomorrow i'll try my hand at sweet and sour chicken or orange chicken. oh and of course dessert. i bought the ingredients for frozen banana bites covered in coconut goodness. i want to explode! i advise everyone to check this site out!!! foodgawker.com

pirates & pilots

2010-08-05T14:31:00.002-04:00
my list of "things i do" keeps getting longer and longer. i'm part of the new blog http://piratesnpilots.com/ and will be photographing the random and fashionably hip peeps of NY

beyond frugal

2010-08-05T09:02:00.003-04:00
to be quite honest this right now is the most tight budgeted i've ever been and for this long. but that is OK cause money isn't everything and my brain is working in ways it normally wouldn't have. as you know i'm cocktail waitressing and just found out yesterday that we MUST wear closed toed shoes. the problem...i don't have a dressy pair of closed toed shoes nor the finances to buy a comfy pair of hot pumps which i eyed at Geox. so instead of buying a pair of cheap $30 shoes that will kill my feet i had to improvise and fast. i love my cute kitten heels but they have a peek-a-boo open toe. one of the managers noticed them quick fast and told me i couldn't rock them. "well go ahead and buy me a new pair of shoes" as i threw water in their face, is what i thought as i said "i'll see what i can do". so i got home rattling my brain. "think Maya, think". i found my old satin shirt that i rock with a high waisted skirt so it spared me the couple inches i needed. i can now add cobbler to my list of credits :)

about a dollar

2010-08-01T18:29:00.007-04:00
being still new to NYC i've been able to observed plenty. what's really stood out is the hustle to make $1. yes $1. the drive in this city is ridonkulous! when it rains people are on the street hustling selling umbrellas, when it's hot they're selling ice water, or my fav coquitos (spanish ice cream) and of course the fruit stand guys. all for 1 dollar! this city sells it all! and it doesn't stop. NYC literally doesn't sleep they're so busy earning bills. as you know i'll be working my cocktail job in a few weeks and the money these girls make is insane! $300-$1000 a night?! shut up! but of course what happens when you make that? you spend. ALL of it! NYC is instant gratification at it's finest. you go shopping, eat out, go clubbing, rent, more shopping. and it's dang cheap out here. why not spend? it's like this vicious cycle and it's easy to fall into that rhythm.

i guess you could say this frugal artist is observing the rules of the money game so she can come out on top :)
RULE #1 SAVE!!!!

i hate rent

2010-07-25T12:42:00.007-04:00
i hate renting. it sucks your money, you have nothing to show for it, it sucks your money and you have nothing to show for it! as of late i've been looking to buy a home so i can unleash my imagination which is prohibited by rent. of course that is next to impossible here in New York City. it is however possible for me to own back home just outside of Toronto. so i'm thinking...do i save money by staying in my cheap rental unit where i'm slightly stressed, but can own a home abroad which can be rented out to generate income OR do i move into a sweet artist space, pay double, have less stress but possibly miss out on buying my dream home? hopefully option number 3 will present itself :)
anyways i've been doing lots of research on what first time home buyers need to know. i have a few friends who have bought, flipped and sold homes however their profits weren't much. i also have family members who didn't do their homework and got screwed royally by shady tenants and/or contractors so i can safely say i've learned from their mistakes and continue to learn. oh yeah, i'm obsessed with HGTV. thanks Mike Holmes! the tentative plan: buying a 2+ bedroom detached 50's home and making it into a modern artist space that can be rented out to industry peeps (film crews, artists, or students). that way i have a constant (hopefully) source of income and within the next 5 years i can sell for a profit or move into when i'm ready to have a family.
the amazingness...i can make this all happen by April/May 2011.
i'm the live-for-the-moment type of gal. but living here in NYC has really changed my perspective especially on home owning. if my blog entry hasn't given you the buying bite, the-brick-house.com will. this frugal couple bought a home in foreclosure and did all the renos themselves.
before:

after:

before:

after:

before:

after:

i've been scouring MLS.com and have found these cutie beauties for under $80,000
i love that circular window! and if you wanted to stretch this bad boy out the ample lawn space accommodates that

then i googled mapped them to check out the area.

i love the cute character these homes have and the large windows. but i'm sure different homes will be on the market when i'm ready. window shopping, self inflected cruelty. oh my wandering mind!

when it rains...

2010-07-21T21:55:00.004-04:00
...it pours! my life has been one crazy roller coaster! where to start...say hello to my little friend. her name, Ms. Jackie O can you believe her previous owner wanted to drop her off at the shelter? she's a jack russell/chihuahua, 6 months, and has some serious A.D.D. my friend called me to save her hyper behind and i couldn't say no especially when it comes to my furry friends
*update* since a reader wants to call me a "liar" let me clarify...*can you believe her previous owner took advantage of her friends and left this cutie pie behind. if you can't take care of a dog for the rest of their lives DON'T GET A DOG!

i finally started training at my J.O.B. i never thought i would be happy to have one but i am. i can't say where i'll be working since i signed a contract but i can say i will be a cocktail waitress at some swank lounge. my goal is to get my finances in check within 6-12months, make good contacts and go back to being a full-time freelance artist.

remember Maya's World? well i sent my voice demo to a few NY agents and against all odds got signed and have started auditioning in the voice world. too cool! my goal is to be a real life cartoon character but that doesn't seem to by the NY market. so far my auditions have been for commercial work but whatevs. i'd like to dominate this and make my way over to the cartoon world in LALA land :)

oh and i'm still grinding away at my script. i'm not writing per say but i am interviewing peeps from the 80's. so cool! actually today i did my first interview. very inspiring to hear personal stories. i was pulling from imagination which is good but now i have first hand accounts :) i'm planning 2 more interviews before i get back to my pen and paper with loaded amo.

i also met up with a very talented makeup artist today and we hit it off! i'm looking forward to getting back to my fashion photography roots. lots of ideas have been a brewing now if i could find me a stylist!

that's pretty much a good summary. i haven't been doing anything to my apartment. the hubby and i plan on moving shortly so my finances will be spent on furnishings and decor.

my life has been pretty much a hustle. i haven't had much time to make or do anything artsy fartsy. just building my contact/client list, setting up all my pieces so i can go in for the kill :)
by mid-august i should be back to my artsy self.

back on track

2010-07-14T16:45:00.004-04:00
and it feels good. after weeks of struggling things in NYC are finally shaping up. i've discovered some amazingly talented makeup artists and still on the prowl for a great stylist. i'm back on my fashion photography which was put on hold with my multiple moves. but yes...life is really busy so i do apologize for my lack of blogging. follow me on twitter for more regular update. brb

take part

2010-07-08T18:26:00.003-04:00
i finally watched the movie FOOD Inc. i know long enough. so then what? then you check out their amazing blog takepart.com and educate yourself on what's going on in the world outside of arts, entertainment & fashion. we can all make even little changes in our lives to save our earth. I especially like this blog entry. saving lives and the earth through frugal means.

finish what you start!

2010-07-07T22:13:00.005-04:00
that happens to be the secret to success. simple, powerful and true.
lately i've been having a little mental war of good and evil going on. i'm actively pursuing all the things i love but am struggling with my thoughts (i know! thoughts suck!) sometimes i wish i had a one track mind. i'd definitely get to the finish line a whole lot quicker but my a$s decided long ago to take the scenic route. i guess i envy some of the people around me. so yeah, finish what you start if you want to cross that make-you-feel-oh-so-good line. thanks for listening. i needed to get that out of my darn head. back to researching :)

lomo film effect tutorial

2010-07-05T13:49:00.007-04:00
i finally managed to upload this video tutorial onto youtube. enjoy :)

way back when

2010-07-05T12:16:00.010-04:00
remember way back when when i said i was trying my hand at movie making? well it's still alive and breathing. now that i'm here in NY i've been steadily doing much needed research. i started writing the script but had to take a break when i realized i needed to know more about the topic at hand. it helps being here in the US since the movie tentatively takes place in Michigan. i'm turning back the hands of time and immersing myself in the classics and loving it all!

images deleted

2010-06-28T11:05:00.003-04:00
i delete a LOT of images but i'm gonna chill out. i've discovered every image can have meaning.
here are a few images i would normally delete however saved with a few actions by Nelly Nero, Coffee Shop, and Fallout75

as you can see i've been playing around with CS4 this weekend. video tutorial coming:)

out with the old in with the old

2010-06-26T22:15:00.006-04:00
i spend a good amount of time on craigslist list and this time i was looking to upgrade my old vintage schwinn bike. although aesthetically pleasing i hated how it was a genuine 1 speed cruiser with back pedal breaks. so last week i sold my schwinn back on craigslist for $120. today i was lucky enough to score this beauty for $100!!! unheard of especially here in NY. the owner didn't even realize it was a 5 speed! and i get my hand breaks! love it :)
cost: $100

up close and personal. oh and she's in mint condition...no rust :)

good riddance!

all you need is LOVE ♥

2010-06-25T22:13:00.006-04:00
since i'm at it i might as well wrap the week up with these adorable and genuine quotes i found at ThoseGirlsAreWild.com. what is your definition of love? here's what 4-8 year olds had to say:

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl – age 5

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.” Emily – age 8

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” Bobby – age 7

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” Nikka – age 6

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” Noelle – age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” Tommy – age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.” Cindy – age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody . You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” Clare – age 6

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” Elaine-age 5

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.”Chris – age 7

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” Mary Ann – age 4

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” Lauren – age 4

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” Karen – age 7

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.” Mark – age 6

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” Jessica – age 8

artwork by my 8 year old niece :)

Love's Liberty

2010-06-25T11:34:00.009-04:00
this week me and the hubby celebrated our 6 year anniversary AND our 1 year wedding anniversary. we headed to Liberty Island at 8am to finally see Ms. Statuesque herself. very touristy but for me it was symbolic. to see miss thang up close and personal was touching. she's a universal message of hope and freedom to millions of immigrants coming to America and i happen to officially be an immigrant. finally! me and the hubby are together and loving the married life. love you boo boo! me messing around with custom lomo effects
cost: $12/person

facelift

2010-06-20T05:21:00.012-04:00
for the past few weeks i've been brainstorming ways to revamp my blog. maybe i'm making this more complicated than it needs to be (like the rest of my life). these are a few early ideas. for me it's all about the stock photography. i need to find textured images that best capture 'frugal artist'. these aren't it but i'm getting closer. it will happen...eventually :) in the meantime a little tweaking doesn't hurt.
p.s. i love the new blogger templates! looking forward to being able to upload our own images :)
cost: $time + $creativity

craigslist affair

2010-06-17T09:06:00.008-04:00
i made my first craigslist purchase for the 'home' yesterday after several failed attempts. check out this BEAUT i scored for $40! solid heavy wood with gorgeous antique finishes. pristine condition i might add :) i still need to do the whole scrub down but for the time being it will serve as my clothing dresser, however, i could totally see this making it's way to my living room with lovely antique pieces perched nicely on top.
cost: $40

black, the new white

2010-06-11T10:20:00.008-04:00
on the top of my list: turning this raggedy-anne pad into a frugal artist home. i will not stop this obsession until this home is up to Maya code. I get frugal but this is extreme. my hubby made a make shift curtain out of a bed sheet and a super long @ss draw string i have no idea where he found. this however is not acceptable. the good thing about working with this hot mess is it's an excuse to shop and create :)
this time around i'm looking to balance masculinity with playful accents. i'd like to go for something dark...here's a few of my inspiration fotos for dark walls and chalkboard paint :

and here's what i'm working with:

I AM NY!

2010-06-10T08:58:00.004-04:00
I'm officially a New Yorker! I had my final farewell and of course it was a bbq :) i have some really amazing friends and fam in my life and am grateful to each and every one of them! they hooked me up for my going away partay and move! i love you all!
I arrived late tuesday night and have been busy trying to get my new pad into tip top shape. My infamous cousin Jeigh is in town rocking Broadway and since he loves me, I'll be recruiting his services to help put some elbow grease into my dirt mcgurt space :)
i'll share the transformation with you. i won't be doing as many renovations as i thought since the projects have certain regulations i thought i could just ignore ;) this apartment will only be lived in for max 1 year before we get the heck out of here and find ourself a cute artist space. my purchases will be focused on lovely and cute things i can take with me. video coming soon :)

artist alert!

2010-06-03T17:08:00.009-04:00
you there reading this! i'm sure you're talented in more ways than one. i myself have many artistic endeavours and there have been plenty of times where i tell myself (or someone tells me) to quit one thing for another. "pick one, you need to focus!" BLAH! obviously that hasn't worked so i continue to hammer away at all things that inspire me. only recently have i truly begun to appreciate how fortunate i am to be able to do all the things i love and be darn good at it. i think focus is important however why cut off 1 hand when you can have 2? My friend Liinda sent me this AMAZING video by Daniel Cloud Campos reminding me of why we should embrace all things that make us unique. the future looks to me like you better bring more than 1 game to the party.

is he or he not redonkulously talented??? he effin' does it all!!! and i love loVE LOVE it!

sally's outfit

2010-05-31T09:05:00.003-04:00
good monday morning peeps! hope you all had a wonderful weekend. the weather out here in tdot has been BOMB! but my wardrobe is hurting! so of course i had to do a little shopping. i'm in the process of making a necklace and decided to go to Salvation Army to find me some pieces for my project. instead i walked out with a cute outfit. the jeans are full pants that were cut into shorts. i still need to hem them but you get the idea.
cost: $1.99 (top) + $3.99 (jeans)

it's all about the high waisted jeans, which can easily be found at any thrift store.

high waisted jeans look sweet in crop tops...now for the search :)

picture perfect

2010-05-30T14:06:00.004-04:00
yesterday was spent editing prom photos. here's a vid of what happens behind the scenes

aunt's apartment

2010-05-30T12:13:00.010-04:00
i had the pleasure of having dinner at my aunt, mama mimi's house this friday and was amazed by her frugal creativity. this was my first time over to her new pad luckily for me i had a camera handy and snapped these beauties:

that is correct. TEAK! my fav! a matching hutch and dinning set.

my aunt crocheted this entire table work.

i love her cute primary coloured balcony.

imagine my surprise when i found this rose from mother's day alive and growing roots. they were cut and she just stuck it in a pot. you can see in the photo on the right the rose stem is green with life. and those other plants are seeds from the oranges and lemons she was eating. i just love the detail and care her apartment exudes. these are all my aunts, but mama mimi is the one beside my mom. and yes those roses they're all holding are the ones from which she planted.

ok. back to her apartment.

her perfume collection neatly organized.

and finally a glamour shot of her daughter, my cousin Ligaya, fiercing it up in her blossom hat.

thanks for the dinner and lovely inspiration mama mimi!!!

sex and the city 2

2010-05-27T10:34:00.013-04:00
the universe is giving me this big hoorah for NY. last night i saw the canadian advanced screening for Sex & the City and was smiling from ear to ear, beginning to end. the night started out lovely with drinks and eats on the patio with my lady friends Cat and her girlfriend Heather. we arrived for the early events and they did it up! we took photos with a half necked man, won prize bags full of free goodies and opened the movie to the track Empire State of Mind and of course i had to scream along :)
i can now officially say i am effing AMPED to go to NEW YORK!
ladies go see this movie. go with a group or girls, dress up, and make it an event. this was all made possible thanks to my girl

Meghan who happens to be my brothers girlfriend slash
fashion blogger slash inside hook up slash THANKS MEGHAN!
cost: $ free

condom supplies to last till 2012, chocolate, whitening toothpaste, electric toothbrush, $25 GC to LaSenza, LaSenza underwear, a Candace Bushnell book, and my new fav hair removal, Nair, no strip microwave wax (the best),

and some eye candy they photograph you with and have printed and framed for you when you leave. oh to be spoiled!

Loves Longest

2010-05-26T15:38:00.010-04:00
I came across this article on essence.com through recent follower Ms.ABright and had to do my very own blog entry. Thanks Alisha!
Mr. & Mrs. Fisher are the longest married couple celebrating their 86th anniversary this month. they have a twitter account: twitter.com/longestmarried where they had Q&A on valentine's day. this question intrigued me the most: "What made you realize that you could spend the rest of your lives together? Were you scared at all?"
Answer: "With each day that passed, our relationship was more solid and secure. Divorce was NEVER an option - or even a thought"
cost: $ priceless

we live in generation 'instant gratification'. where not only are our phones, laptops, clothing and rides upgraded on the daily but our relationships as well. it's important to be reminded that anything worth while involves patients, love, and most of all commitment. use instant grat in your favour. love you boo boo!
cost: $35/year (skype)

diy hair clip-ins

2010-05-26T09:10:00.009-04:00
20 million years later i discover the wonderful world of clip-ins. great for summer highlights. i'm going to start making more vids for complicated projects ie apt. renos :)
cost: $13.99 (hair) + $5.99 (clips)

empire state of mind

2010-05-25T10:40:00.008-04:00
ARGH! two weeks from today i'll be a permanent resident of NY! the reoccurring question "are you excited?" yes and no. yes i'm excited to start this new phase of my life but i'm not excited about literally starting from scratch and not to mention permanently living with my hubby! i love my man. i also love my independence. for the past 6 years we've lived in different countries. i'm a bit of a workaholic so it's worked...for me. not so much him. but i guess we all have to grow up sooner or later. i have plenty of projects to "bond" us together. like demolishing his bathroom and gutting his kitchen and buying furniture for an unfurnished apartment he's lived in for the past 10 years! talk about marriage under construction. this should get VERY interesting. any whoozers...i need to stay focused and always dream big. new beginning, new city, new york! my anthem for the year has been Empire State of Mind. clearly you can imagine how crazy i get when i hear this song anywhere :)

New York!!!!
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There's nothing you can’t do,
Now you're in New York!!!
These streets will make you feel brand new,
Big lights will inspire you,
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York!!!!!!!!!!!

bday part 2&3 :)

2010-05-25T10:26:00.005-04:00
my birthday usually falls on Victoria weekend, followed by my mom's bday, which means triple the fun. every year i go bowling and every year i don't get any better. lots of fun all the same! guest appearance by FlyLadyDi :)

my kryptonite...icecream cake from dairy queen!!!! the agony! i could eat the entire cake in one sitting. and a bbq isn't a bbq unless you have tiki torches. and of course a little Maya finessing with random curtains :) i think the theme this year was fuschia

happy birthday to me!

2010-05-21T12:23:00.005-04:00
yesterday may 20th was my burfday! and it was a perfect day! i started off by painting my nails pastel pink, threw on a fuchsia dress and made my way downtown. i had lunch with my bestie Cat at Fresh and had an oh so good bbq veggie burger. then i met up with the famous Shannon from thosegirlsarewild.com and had my fav mint-chocolate chip ice cream. then headed out to have sushi with the mamas! yeah! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME :)

photos courtesy of shannon!

detox

2010-05-19T08:07:00.005-04:00
how was my 7 day juice you ask? AWFUL! by the end of day 3 my stomach was tied in a knot. when you're juicing make sure to implement lots of veggies and not just fruits. the veggies being juiced were carrots and beets, which happen to have a high sugar count. so by day 4 not only was i on a sugar high, i had to drop another $50 bucks this time on organic veggies and let me tell you, organic and non-organic is night and day when you're juicing. you can taste the freshness. but too little too late. by the end of day 4 i was too lethargic to move so i went to bed. i woke up 12 hours later to cold sweats and the shakes. i got out of bed feeling like crap and attempted to walk. i had to go down stairs and get something in my gut, which was a daunting task. i ended up needing to slide my way down the wall, looking like a crack whore. "so this is what it feels to detox". anyways. i couldn't take it anymore so i made my final juice on the morning of day 5 and started back on solid fruits and veggies. 5 out of 7 is good enough for me. THEN i was advised to go for a colonic (google it) since my body was bouncing with toxins. so i did finally did yesterday. I CAN'T EFFING SIT! screw this healthy living crap! everyone but me seems to be having a 'dandy' experience. my whole search for health has been a nightmare! 10 pounds smaller with a missing butt was it worth it? HELL NO!!!
ok that's not fair to me...i guess it shrunk my stomach down to size which means i can eat smaller portions. and now that i'm working my way to a normal diet i'm EXTREMELY mindful of what and how much i eat.
summary: juicing is wasteful and therefore i'd recommend a juice fast lasting 1-3 days MAX

Day 3 Juicing

2010-05-13T11:02:00.005-04:00
my only advice to anyone wanting to juice: buy fruits and veggie that yield juice! i attempted to juice blueberries and spinach and it's a joke! you get like a drop and the rest gets trashed! the best juicing fruits and veggies: watermelon, apples, pears, oranges, cucumber, celery, beets, carrots...think heavy and hearty. the other thing i didn't realize till now is how much waste juicing creates. my suggestion, team up with someone or torture yourself, and make muffins and cakes with the pulp. it's best to separate the different pulps when juicing. and if baking isn't an option, set up an outdoor compost, which is what i did. oh and something i also didn't read anywhere, take fibre supplements! you'd be surprise how much is stuck in your hot bod even when you're not eating.

Pear Delight
2 pears, 3 celery sticks, 2 carrots
juice with pears is the closest you'll get to eating solids...lots of texture and oh so good!

Day 1 Juicing

2010-05-12T11:02:00.007-04:00
i've spent 2 days (since monday) prepping for my juice, which i started today and i'm already looking forward to finishing this madness. saturday i got all the veggies and fruits i'd thought i needed. $50 worth and that will probably only last me 2-3 days. this cleanse is dang expensive! i didn't even go organic! so i bought me a veggie wash for $6. when you're doing the cleanse it's best to start off with a salt water flush. make sure you use non-iodized salt and book your morning off. i'm so looking forward to solids...

my morning juice was:
Bone Building Tonic – high in calcium:
5-6 carrots, 4 kale leaves, 4 sprigs of mint, ½ apple
delicious!

happy belated mother's day post

2010-05-12T10:42:00.010-04:00
monday and tuesday have been insanely busy for me. but now that the dust has settled i wanted to give a shout out to my mom and other moms out there...HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!
myself and the cousins took our mothers, 6 of them, out for sunday morning pedicures. it was so cute to see them all being pampered and having a good time. we then headed home and celebrated with mini panini's, mimosa's, and cake. me and cousin michael had a diy card show down. he kicked my ass in design. i kicked his with a personalized poem. here's mine:

and here's michael's:

that's correct. he printed his on rice paper!

i love how wacky the colours are :) like mother like daughter

they're all so cute!

here's a vid of my mom. so cute!!!

twitter and me :)

2010-05-11T20:40:00.004-04:00
i finally started a twitter page!
follow me at: http://twitter.com/mayasworld

Gays for Glee!!!

2010-05-10T10:51:00.004-04:00
so i'm stuck at home right now doing the salt water flush and thinking of ways to get the talented Jeigh Madjus some much needed exposure. and i'm like hmmmm maybe Perez could hook us up. so we hit him up and boom! he loves it!!! this is so effin huge! everyone keeps telling me i need get on twitter and i've been putting it off since my phone is a dinosaur but that's all going to change by the end of today. support jeigh on
youtube
facebook
blogspot

"nothing taste as good as skinny feels"

2010-05-08T02:01:00.009-04:00
-kate moss
now that i have your attention, let me explain :)
lots of peeps have been asking me about my fashion photography and the answer; i've taken a little break. i was a bit bored with the whole fashion industry. i've kinda been in the machine of it all and i'm finally taking a step back to see if i like the bigger picture and to be quite honest it needs a remix. beauty is more that what we're seeing and fashion including my images are only a fraction of the diversity out there. moving forward i'd like to help change the face of fashion by working with ALL types of beauty. that being said, i've dealt with a lot of flack with people saying models need to eat more, "they're too skinny", blah blah blah blah. i agreed with part of that. a lot of models for one tend to be young. as young as 13 years old so their metabolism works for skinny and in turn fashion, or some just have 'skinny' genes. other models go on super strict diets which are deemed "crazy" by most. Up until this point i agreed with this statement but lately i've had a change of heart. i took a time out to think about what makes sense to me: eating whatever i want and feeling gross, then hitting the gym OR being aware and disciplined with my diet and maintaining an active physical lifestyle. in theory, i'm gonna have to go with the latter. we live in a country where indulgence is the norm. we snap our fingers and are fortunate enough to eat whatever our heart desires even if it can kill us. we just have so much food and it taste oh so good for that minute. but that fact is we have too much food. so much we end up having to throw it out because it went old or we eat so much it hurts. and when someone has the nerve to exercise control we scoff. how backwards are we! i'm all about taking control of my life (control freak right here) and i don't like this auto-pilot mode i'm in. i've been so turned off by food lately. it's either frozen, pumped with steroids or hormones, too salty, too sweet, too saturated. i don't even know what i'm eating anymore i can't take it!
my mission: to life a healthy life by being aware of what i eat and exercising will power. healthy is not a size kate.
soooo.....that was long winded. My point was, I am taking control of my mind and body by going on a juice cleanse. I've been wanting to do it for a while but have successfully put it off. i attempted a fast last year for lent and failed at the raw food diet. that was partly due to lack of research, preparation and i wasn't aware of how painful detoxing can be and threw in the towel after day 3. this time around i'm doing a 7 day juice, with 3 days of prep before and 3 days of weening after.
this cleanse is all about will power, change, and ridding my body of the harmful toxins that have built-up over the years. i've been feeling really yucky inside and i want a healthy reboot. once i have a clean slate i'm hoping to start a healthy new life in new york!
"one-quarter of what you eat keeps you alive; the other three-quarters keeps your doctor alive."
can you tell this has been on my mind for sometime? guess what my next script will be about :)

here are some of my sources:
http://www.benaturallywell.com/blog/2008/07/juicing-for-beginners/
http://www.detoxjuice.net/tag/juice-fasting-for-weight-loss
http://www.doctoryourself.com/juicefast.html
http://www.healthrecipes.com
http://curezone.com/blogs/f.asp?f=1536
http://www.wanderfully.com/wordpress/2010/03/16/4-days-before-juice-fasting-begins-preparation/