Thanks for stopping by!
:: ESCADA | GO-GO Dancing | MOCHI ... OH MY ::
I’ve been away for a couple of days but I’ve had good reason … I’ve been working and I can NEVER complain about that.
Today I am grateful for lots of things but working in my desired field of choice is at the top of the list.
And so, my exciting news where o’ where do I begin. Fashion week is quickly rolling back around for its Spring/Summer viewing … I recently had the pleasure of working on the collection showing for Escada. The designer was there and had to give the stamp of approval on the models make-up, hair and wardrobe before they pranced down the runway, the jaw clinching moment. Models coming from one show with make-up on … wardrobe needed these 5 girls in 2 minutes for fittings, and the show starts in 3 … Last minute wardrobe changes … wrong fittings … champagne flutes being passed and viewers waiting to see and BUY … oh what a splendid carousel to ride. The look was all about vibrant colors, soft floral’s, textures … what some are calling the “New Bohemian”.
TO SEE THE LOOK CLICK HERE
The music starts, my adrenalin is pumping … you try to duck and hide and find that perfect place to pop back out when the model comes darting off stage to change into her next outfit so you can touch up anything … and as soon as it starts it’s over. Time to pack it up a go!
Three cheers for the team and I look forward to “ROCK THE MIC” again … and I will. My next show is on the 5th and I’m actually going to KEY this one!! WHOOO HOOO!
So F A S T F O R W A R D past the rest of my shoots to my LAST NIGHT!
So after my last shoot … I get a text from Migz to come thru to his class that evening … I’m shooting in Los Feliz so I’m CLOSE and excited. This is the FIRST time I’ve actually been able to make it on time. I was pumped. I had been shooting on location and the weather was beautiful and I wasn’t ready to come down yet.
I see all my lovely buds (insert hugs and kisses here) and we go to warm up … Migz choreographed this HOT number to Amy Whinehouse’s – No, No, No and I was ready to play. Go figure, the only move I could execute without a flaw was crawling on the ground then dry-humping the air. No worries when all else fails, I know how to make a crowd laugh and that I did.
So afterwards I got dumped by a crazy-crypt-ta-kron-a-like old man via text … He served up more laughs for us as we tried to map out what was next … We split two to a car with a plan, libations and fiddles and meet in the middle.
Back a Migz we had a smorgasbord of things to devour while we watched the 3 hour reality line-up … with each of us playing the part of SIMON, PAULA and RANDY! Keeping it 100% or nothing else … my favorite part of the evening was the Strawberry MOCHI!
THANKS MIGZ!!! LOVE YA JAMESEE!!
XOXOXO
And all my fab-boo friends and family back home
supadupa kisses and hugs!
Thanks for stopping by!
:: PASSION vs DRIVE ::
So today I’m feeling some kind of something … speechless with such a great sense of CLARITY. Un-named feelings flutter around my big ole head as I try to make sense of some things. Well I actually know what some of the feelings are but I don’t want to say-here, maybe I’ll right them in my morning pages to address them properly.
When I first decided I wanted to become a make-up artist before entering into the world of paint and passion I had to decide which avenue I wanted to take. Make-up artist is a vague term … there are so many avenues to travel. I’ve always been attracted to fashion. Be it magazines, the fashion channel or on the faces of nameless folks I pass on the street. The folks, who have the “AUDICITY” to truly express themselves, kick ass. Because it’s all about audacity, attitude follows, among the count-less clones.
But I digress …
Getting back on the subject … once I told myself my heart was on the editorial side of the business I felt a certain pull. Things begin to come naturally … there was a melodic flow to this beginning cycle. Certainly not an easy one to triumph but I like most was up for the challenge. I told myself I didn’t want to be a “Wedding” make-up artist … I saw that as a trap. Like Effie White in Dreamgirl’s – “Singing back up is a trap” … I’d rather become a sought after make-up artist and be requested to do weddings, but I certainly didn’t want to market myself as such, and I didn’t no matter what the temptation was. I tried to one day but during the process I become bored. It wasn’t me. Like AustinPowers, “That’s not my bag, baby … I swear”.
If I saw a photographer who photographed weddings I was immediately turned off from his work and would be reluctant to shoot with him. As with working at the counter, I love free-lancing at the counter – well I found I tricked myself into loving it. I started to focus on the money, and then I found myself turning down gigs that I’d much rather be doing, gigs that would create better substance for my working portfolio. As daunting as it may seem it paid some bills, so I trade one 9 to 5 for another? I begin to treat it like a "JOB" and like most "JOBS" we're reluctant to go to ... I didn't want that for my colored life. At least at a desk I can pretend I’m working while setting up shoots and contacting folks, and my feet and back don’t ache as much at the end of the day.
I begin to pick and choose my shoots with a more decisive eye, I never found myself just shooting with ANYONE but my caliber of photographers, models and stylist to work with grew and changed along with my passion and drive. Some kind of way I knew I needed all these aspects to make a great picture. If shooting with you was NOT going to allow my picture to be comparable to what’s in the magazines at that time then why waste it. TIME! AUDICITY! I loved it. I had direction, vision and goals. Getting responses from people I had only dreamed of working with sent me on such a high. Even if the response was a little advice or direction there dialect was exchanged. For a moment this person knew who CRYSTAL MARIA was. They saw something. This AUDICITY has abled me to work with amazingly talented artist who's work can still be seen in my book some 3-4 years later! (see opening image)
Then I explore ... I want to someday do movies, I’d done what was expected for my market at the time (DC) but now I want major titles … and I will get them. Who as an artist wouldn’t love working alongside a key named Ve’Neil on the next Johnny Depp film. She’s amazing. So thinking ahead I take a course in special FX make-up and I love it. I find for me it’s about the process of creating. Yet and still my heart goes back to Editorial … it’s always about the images, but I have options now and I’m always looking to expand.
So I fall in love with highly skilled make-up artist like, Rebecca Sommers, Alice G., Polly Osmond and of course Pat McGrath. I mean she really change how I look at make-up and Runway. I now saw Runway as this lively animated attractive fashion show and I wanted to be amidst the chaos. A walking story straight out of Italian Vouge and I wanted some … so I; being a native east-coaster always dreamed of NY fashion week! I mean outside of Paris (who were always treading 6 months behind), that’s where it all happens. But it didn’t happen, not for me. I couldn’t find my loop hole … I think I was trying to soon, I grew tired of the hunt and focused on what I knew. Editorial. I knew I wanted more... and I knew it would come in due time. So a couple weeks into me moving to LA I get to do LA Fashion Week and I’m shocked, it’s just happened upon me, me seeking out some EDITORIAL , new contact and loot I was asked to join in rank. I experienced backstage chaos and I loved it, I’m sure it has nothing onBryant Park but I’ll take it, and I did … take it. It was such a rush … it left a taste in my mouth that sung out for MORE.
(look at - I even painted her little white nails ... which later became smudged from her idle time texting)
I inhaled the moment and soon realized that all the things in my life struggles and all were put in place to prepare me for the journey I’m on now. EVERYTHING every single minute of my life including the people, lessons and burned bridges were steps. Steps marked I DARE YOU, AUDICITY, LIVE, SELF-WORTH, ADVERSITY, UN-COMPROMISING, FAITH, COURAGE … and the list goes on…
If your passionate about something you don’t know how to CUT the passion off, there is no limit. You find out what works for you and what doesn’t and you work at it. Passion doesn’t allow you to rest at the root of someone else’s dreams or settle in fear of no security or structure. Passion burns. It’s a screeching you can’t ignore. If your Driven ... what drives you?
This is one that you really have to be honest with yourself about.
I was once asked if I thought it was better to have Passion or to have drive?
I’ll let you decide, I know my answer.
Thanks for stopping by!
:: HOLY CA NO LY ::
I'm getting a free set of make-up brushes YALL!
WHOO FREGGIN HOO!
Compliments of a Publicist looking for a write-up on the brushes. If I can do nothing else it's "TALK". So, talking about things that matter to me like make-up and it's tools, fashion, make-up products and food are some things I can do well and with added excitement! I hope to make her happy with my reiviews.
Check back for details! Call me "E" for excited.
:: NEW WORK POSTED ::
:: DOO DADS ::
drunken hot monkey mochi!
super cool tooth pick holder
Great for drunk social gatherings!
"Save Me" drain stop
De-Lovely
Best ashtray for butts...
love this designer ... saw him in Surface MagWhat's In Your Bag?
WHY WHY WHY DIDN'T MISS VAN GET THIS CAMPAGIN???????? WHY!!
and so, a FAVORITE past time hobby of mine is mushing around in someone else's bag ... 
cosmetic bag that is, no matter where I am ... at home, your place, backstage ...
I love to pick, poke, rub and dab on whatever you have in you bag ...
I want to feel the texture, see the colors, and enjoy my painterly ways ...
rubbing product on whatever patch of skin I can find available ...
Oh what fun it is ...
SO, what's in your bag?
:: JINGO, GRILLED SALMON & GODDESS ::
So last night after our V-day Dinner Migz read me and he read me good. I'm talking tarot cards yall. We did PAST, CURRENT & FUTURE! All were wonderful, and surprisingly enough I found them to be true and unique to MY situation. I cut my cell's ringer off for one day last week because I needed "QUIET TIME" ... I missed two jobs (ARGH) and random text from Migz and James telling me to get out of my slump and come over. Then after reading my cards last night we saw my current situation and it’s listed below.
SIGE - THE GODDESS OF SILENCE!
My weekend will be filled with (until my shoots on Sunday) quiet time, creative time and meditative time... I inspire to do more.
SIGE - THE GODDESS OF SILENCE!
My weekend will be filled with (until my shoots on Sunday) quiet time, creative time and meditative time... I inspire to do more.
Sige Goddess of Silence: "Take some time to rest, meditate, and contemplate," says Sige, according to the Doreen Virtue deck. Sige is the goddess of the void, the nothing from which all sprung. She is the mother of Sophia, the goddess of wisdom. Just another proof of the duality of our world--in nothing you find all.
May you find what you seek in this new year.
Goddess of silence: She is the eternal silence that was before anything, and will be after everything. She is the space around the stars. She is the highest form of truth and perfection. She reminds us to listen to our own silence for there we will find truth. Be still ... Blessed Be
Sige: Silence. Primal Creatress of Gnostics, who said Silence was the Mother of the Great Goddess Herself. Out of Her was born the first Word, the Logos of Creation.
Sige: is the Gnostic representation of the great silence from which life sprang forth. For me, Sige represents the feminine aspects of our existence—the intuitive knowledge, the seeking within, the inner life forces that are such a great part of our spirituality. Without seeking within, we would not know enlightenment. She is within each of us, She is the great silence that speaks so loudly to us. She is the silence from which our power comes.
She is the silence from which our inspiration is born.
:: MY BILLBOARD ::
I picked out a spot on SUNSET and HIGHLAND for my Billboard!
(A 16 hour day produced lots of sweat and this)
(A 16 hour day produced lots of sweat and this)
Can't wait to see what the UnIverse delivers...
I didn’t post these contestants because their favorites ... well ONE is.
I posted the folks I worked with on the show, for the commercial Tovah, James & Michael were added to my list, can't wait to see it!
Do I think I know who the winner is? YES!!!
The show airs April 3rd 2008
Watch what happens when 12 dancers go TOE to TOE and compete for the chance to ...
I felt bad for her ... (Hair and Make-up) only had litteraly 5 minutes with her before they pulled her on set.
:: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY ::
I wanted to insert Damien Rice's "The Blowers Daughter" but couldn't figure out how to do it ... so go and YOUTUBE it now. RIGHT NOW. DON'T KILL MY MOMENT!
Spread love and light
XOXO
:: DID YOU KNOW ::
DID YOU KNOW, the land of the Hollywood sign is not own by the city of Los Angeles, and the most desirable hill is now up for sale for $22 million, can you believe that !!!? After all the HOLLYWOODLAND sign was created as an advertisement for a housing development in 1923 and since it has become one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
:: AND SO ::
Are you watching Project Runway on Bravo TV?
If not, then you should be ... if you have been then you would have seen the "teaser" for a show that I worked on called "Step it up and Dance".
I'm SUPER EXCITED becase this is going to be a very entertaining show, it like all the others is a reality based show which envolves Dancers. Firece Dancers. I know, I was there. YES, I have my favorites and when you see it YOU WILL TOO!
After working on this show I found a NEW RESPECT for dancers ... it truly is a beautiful way to express yourself. As Sunffy would say "Why talk, when you can dance"!
Competition is think, Sweat is heavy, Moves are sick and I'm so not sure if your ready ...
"Step it up and Dance" is coming... OWW
Catch it!
ARTIST OF MY MOMENT
Junko Mizuno - creator of "Hell Babies"
Miss Van
Jenny Bird
Sas Christian
Zoetica Ebb
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