Vacation Pictures

Before I start, can I get a "HECK YEAH IT'S FRIDAY!". That's right Friday, Labor Day Weekend! Some of you might have today off and your getting to kick-start your long weekend a little early. Others may have just Monday off. However if you do have to work Labor Day, know that you and your work are appreciated! 

Ok, so I've titled this post "Vacation Pictures" because I want to spend a little time with you talking about people taking pictures on vacation. Summer is starting to come to a close and for many people this will be the last opportunity for a "Summer Vacation". When you go on vacation, what do you like to take pictures of? Or do you even take pictures? It's very neat seeing how we use photography now to portray what we see in a different location. I notice a lot of my friends will use Instagram to take scenic or family pictures while away. But usually I also see regular photos straight from a digital camera. Vacation pictures are one of my favorite types of photography because not only do you capture "once in a lifetime" moments, you also capture an environment you may never see again. 

When I was little, say about 5 or 6 years old, my family and I took a trip to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I don't have any pictures of that trip unfortunately, but let me tell you it looks NOTHING like it did when I was little. Pigeon Forge was a popular tourist attraction at that time (mid-90s), but if you go there now it's a pretty widespread area. I joke every time we visit because I call it the "Tennessee Vegas". There's no casinos, but everything is on one strip and there's literally a building in every spot. If I had a camera when I first visited there, I would've gotten some really beautiful pictures of The Great Smokey Mountains. Today you can still see them just a big and beautiful as ever, but it's hard to get a decent picture of the mountains unless you go outside of town. All of the entertainment buildings and hotels cover up a lot of the natural beauty of Pigeon Forge, but thankfully the mountains are big there's plenty of scenic routes to get pictures. Here's some examples of my "Vacation Pictures" in Tennessee

                                             

                                                           
                     These are just simple pictures I took on my digital camera and you can see how much beauty is subtracted from the picture on the right in comparison to the view on the left. Whenever you're on vacation whether it's at the beach, a park, the desert, a cruise, etc. If you're wanting to get good scenic or iconic pictures, no matter what camera you're using, always try to get the best view from the best angle you can. Vacation pictures aren't meant to be "award-winning" photographs. However you can still get that's magazine cover-worthy look if you take extra care in the picking the appropriate camera settings, view, and angle!

If you've got some really interesting Vacation Photos you'd like to share, don't be shy!!! Leave a comment below and I'd love to see your finest vacation photos are their best! Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend and if you're traveling, be safe, have fun, and always be creative!

As Promised More Back to School Craft Goodies

To my fellow Creative Cabana readers, I'd like to apologize for not posting yesterday. Did you miss me? I missed you! As life has it sometimes we get busy caught up in other things that have to get taken care, so naturally I was away from the computer for most of the day. However, I am back and as mentioned in my previous post "Got the Back to School Blues?" I come bringing more awesome Back to School Crafts for you, your child, your students, or whoever could use a little crafty awesomeness in their life!

Now my first two craft ideas may have seemed somewhat "universal"- Decorating book covers and Door/Locker Decorations aren't exactly a "new idea". Who knows with technology the way it is you may not even use textbooks. Some schools I've heard are using tablets to read their books on. If that's the case then you probably won't be needing to cover your e-book. Instead I've found some cute ideas that would be perfect for students (K-12 and College), teachers, and maybe even parents!

1. Design your own cork board

Having a cork board is a great organizational tool for any space and for people of all ages! I remember starting my freshman year of college and when I went shopping for dorm supplies I had purchased a medium-sized cork board at IKEA (which if you've never been to an IKEA store you're seriously deprived!).  Anyway, the cork board was very basic with a small wood frame around it and it had some small hooks on the back so you could hang it up on the wall. Only one thing missing though... COLOR and the POP factor. So my friend and I got together and spent sometime decorating the frames of our boards.

The picture to the right is how I designed my board for freshmen year. Basically I painted the trim using some pink paint I purchased at Walmart (small bottles around $0.97) and then the yellow-sparkle detail you see in the background is actually old fabric I had in a bag. Personally, I like colorful, shiny, bright objects- that's just my personality. However, the following year I changed the trim to some really cool purple fabric I had in order to give off that awesome school spirit.Now, you can design these anyway you want: paint them your favorite color, apply sports team fabric, stickers, etc. If you don't want a boring, neutral cork board get creative and design your board to reflect you.

2. DIY Study Station

Ok, I found this on Pinterest and thought this was the most adorable idea and it would be perfect for those students who need a "study space" and have a hard time focusing. You know when you're sitting in a room and while you're trying to concentrate you are suddenly amazed at how many pictures are on the wall, or how many tiles you can see in the floor? Well don't worry because what you need is a Study Station. This station simply contrstructed from large cardboard pieces can be used to enhance your work space and give you some organization to keep not just your mind, but desk from becoming cluttered. Along with this wall of cardboard space, you can attach simple pockets and storage places using construction paper, tape, or other lightweight material that can create "compartments". Creating these stations are simple- just find a large cardboard box and use the box to create a tri-fold design as shown in the picture. The rest is up to you and your little genius to decorate! For imagination purposes try finding what your child likes to learn about: Dinosaurs, Space, History, Math, etc. and you can create your Study Station around those interests making learning fun and educational.

3. Creating a Homework Chart/To-Do List

This is another great organizational craft idea that is perfect not only for students, but it's great for teachers and parents as well. If you think back to Elementary or possibly even Middle school, you might have had to do something called a Homework Chart. Basically you'd write your assignment down on a sheet or in a planner and once the work was completed your parents would sign it stating you finished the tasks. Well I have a sort of modified version of that concept. This is for your use only- no signatures required! I suggest either printing a Homework Chart or To-Do List template from the internet, or creating your own in a word-processing document. Then print it out and do not write on it, unless you'd like to add your name of course. Next find yourself a picture frame. If you print on standard printer paper you'll want to be mindful of your 8.5 X 11 dimensions. Once you find a frame you like, insert your chart paper into the frame. Now you'll need a marker (dry-erase) and an eraser because now you can use your marker to write on your frame which has your chart. It's kind of like a dry-erase board but more personalized. 

                        

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So there you have it! Straight from The Creative Cabana are my Back to School craft ideas!!! I tried to pick ones that would be that would be ideal for multiple ages, so I hope you've enjoyed them! If you have some suggestions for additional crafts no matter the event, occasion, holiday, etc. Please share them with me by leaving a comment! Thanks for reading and Happy Crafting!!!

*All images except for the Cork Board image were pulled from Google. I own the image of the Cork Board as well as the board portrayed in the picture.

Got the Back to School Blues?

So it's that time of year again..Back to School! Whether you're the one going back to school or you have a child in school, the first week back is usually the toughest because everyone (including the teachers) are getting back into their routines and getting used to not sleeping in 'til noon. For me, I always enjoyed going back to school. Of course I liked getting 2-Hour Delays and School Closings as much as the next kid... but overall, I pretty much enjoyed going to school. The older I got, I think the more I started to actually like school because I saw it as a chance to hang out with friends, learn new things, and get involved in activities. However, I know several people who absolutely dreaded going back to school! If you're one of those people, don't worry! Thankfully everyone has a different educational experience which means there's plenty of room to make the best out of it.

If you find yourself with a case of The Back to School Blues which can range from"dreading to seeing the same people every year" to "I miss summer" or if you're in the stage where "the birds have left the nest", then I have just the medicine for you! In doing some brainstorming with a little extra help from the world wide web, I have found some easy, simple crafts that can help cushion the blow of the Back to School Blues. It doesn't matter what stage you're at. These crafts are perfect students, teachers, parents, coaches, and tutors can also use these ideas as well.

1. Covering Your Textbooks

If you go to a school where you are required to have some sort of cover on your textbooks then I suggest customizing them to your heart's content! Please make sure to be careful decorating on your book so as not to cause damage. Now in order to cover your textbooks you can either purchase the stretchable fabric covers which are found in most stores, or another good material is brown paper (like from a grocery). I've seen some people use newspaper, but it usually has to be applied in layers because newspaper is so thin. Whatever material you use make sure that it is strong and can be removed after you're finished with the book (So don't duct tape or glue material to the book!) Once you have it covered, think of it as your canvas. You can draw on it, apply stickers, add some ribbon for instant bookmarking, or anything you want! Here's some really cool ideas on how to decorate your books:

2. Door/Locker Decorations

This particular craft I found to be very popular in high school and college, plus there's really no right or wrong way to do this project. These decorations are perfect for organizations, sports, clubs, or just making something fun with friends! These are also really good "secret weapons" in terms of helping to promote organizations. For example if you're involved in Band and you're trying to get others to join- why not make special decorations for the band members and then people will know who to talk to if they would like to join. Door/Locker Decorations are a good way to show off your personality and involvement with your school. Teachers, you can also make one for your students' seats, lockers, hangers, etc. Parents, these can be a good activity if you have a younger child who would like to have some special attention among their classmates. If you have a child in college you can always make some school spirit decorations and send them to your kids. You're being crafty and keeping in touch with your child while they're away. SO SIMPLE!!! Just find some construction paper, cardstock, any material you can find really and you're set! These are some pictures of some door decorations I created in college. I made these for my sorority, Phi Mu, but don't be limited to just what I've done. Use quotes, lyrics, pictures from the internet, anything that will spark your imagination is fair game!

These are just a few of the many wonderful Back to School crafts you can find!!! All you need is a good imagination, a little creativity, and just a few materials to get you started. I'll bring you more craft ideas this week that should help kick start your children's school year on the right foot, so stay tuned for more ideas. If you have some suggestions for craft ideas, give me a shout in the comments section. All creative minds are welcomed! 

Creative Mastermind Week 8/26: Colleen Darby

So here we are my fellow Creative Cabana readers, I have found for you the very first Creative Mastermind. With today being the official debut of The Creative Cabana blog, I really wanted to choose someone that really stood out to me as being a real creative, insightful person. As time goes on I'll try to switch up my choices so it's not all artists, or not all actors, not all celebrities, etc. But as luck would have it, today (actually just a few moments ago) I came across an article on my LinkedIn feed and realized this has to be fate.

The very first Creative Mastermind I would like to introduce is Colleen Darby, an artist in Buffalo, New York. Darby has been credited with several Children's Art pieces as well as some Fine Art designs .

The article, which comes from MedCity News (Click to read story), was in regards to her plans for giving patients in hospitals what was described as "A Room With a View"- a series of paintings which will depict views that patients might admire during their stay. It's a spectacular idea putting beautiful artistic portraits in hospital rooms because of the feeling it can give to a patient (especially those put in rooms with no windows.) Darby tells MedCity that she'll be taking a month away from her work at a children's hospital in New York, to produce paintings for these rooms. She hopes that these "views" will give some relief to the patients and families who deal with the stress of seeing a loved one in need of serious medical attention.

It's really interesting to think about when you stop and consider what artwork you see when you're visiting a medical office or hospital. Go ahead, think about your doctor's office, dentist, therapist, or any other medical setting. Chances are in a standard room, or even in the waiting room, you are most likely to observe different examples of Art that reflect a peaceful, relaxing environment. I don't think it's any secret that these portraits are put in these rooms to help take your mind off your problems, but they also provide a sense of serenity and hope. Although Colleen Darby is just one out of thousands of artists to have their work displayed in a hospital, it goes to show you how Art can also translate into healing.

I chose Colleen Darby for Mastermind of the Week because not only has she displayed creative ideas working at a place that she loves; she has also opened an opportunity to share her talents with the community. Personally I find her plans to be inspirational and extremely caring because when you can't be a doctor, you can always help treat patients through comfort and art. Who knows, maybe in the future every hospital will be able to have "A Room With a View".

*All Images Courtesy of Google- Artwork is the property of Colleen Darby. 

First Post for The Creative Cabana!!!

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Good morning to you fabulous readers!!! I'm Danielle Slone, the author and creator of The Creative Cabana. I'm so excited to introduce my very own blog to you and share my love for creativity and passion for creating projects. Please be sure to check out each page and read about what is in store for you and that brilliant mind of yours! Yes, I said BRILLIANT.

Also as a weekly feature, I will highlight a "Mastermind of the Week". This is a special section of The Creative Cabana where you can read about someone or something that I find to be a genius outlet in the world where creativity shines!

You just never know what you'll find here. Don't forget to follow The Creative Cabana on other Social Media sites as well!!! You can find the links for those sites on the page titled "Connect With Me".

So... what are you waiting for? Grab a sweet drink, relax in your happy place, explore the site and prepare to be inspired!!!

Just a Little Bit About Me...

Greetings to my fellow Creative Cabana readers!

I’m Danielle Slone, the “not-so-evil” genius behind The Creative Cabana, and I want to thank you so much for the taking the time to check my blog out. Creativity has always played such a big role in my life and I now that I’ve reached the point in life where adulthood is starting to kick in, I think it’s time to unleash my creativity and brand it out to the world.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Courtesy of Bitstrips via Facebook                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Where did it all begin? Well, I’d have to say my creative special powers developed when I was just a little girl. I grew up in the small town of London, Ohio. From an early age I was always fascinated by art- especially animation and illustration. I loved Disney movies… wait, loved? who am I kidding? I STILL LOVE DISNEY MOVIES! I’m one of those people who will sit for hours watching the special features and behind-the-scenes segments on how the movies are made. Every year for Christmas I always asked for a drawing pad and coloring pencils. I took every Art class I could in school and then when I went to college in 2008, I originally majored in Commercial Art. So yeah, I’m kind of an art/creative freak- but that’s ok because there’s plenty of room to grow.

When I was in high school, I loved being involved in different activities and clubs, just about anything that would spark my interest (and let’s face it- it was a good chance to hang out with my amazing friends). I had my heart set on going to school to study art and animation because I dreamed about being one of Disney’s animators. Well, within my first semester of college, my career choice took another path and I switched from Commercial Art to Electronic Media Production. In the EMP program there was no drawing, except for creating storyboards, but I still got to let the creative juices flow- the difference being they were flowing through a video camera and microphone instead of a pen and paper. College was overall an intense and creative experience because of the many opportunities I had been blessed with and the lessons I learned. I joined a sorority, Phi Mu, and developed a sense of character, gained professionalism, and of course made more friends. I also met an incredible guy who really brings out my outgoing personality and sparks my imagination to the extreme! Without my college experience I would not have been able to develop The Creative Cabana. I graduated in May of 2012 with my Bachelor of Arts from Ashland University and here I am today looking to pursue my creative talents in the world.

I love video, audio, photography, graphic art, illustration, painting, and even crafting! It is my hope that I can incorporate all of these aspects and more into The Creative Cabana. You never know what might show up on here! Whatever creative awesomeness will come may it be inspirational, captivating, interesting, or unusual- it will surely be a piece of art regardless!

Connect With Me

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For Professional Inquiries, Connect With Me on LinkedIn and Check Out My Online Portfolio:

The Finest Minds in the Field of Creative Thinking

It’s that question that has always followed us ever since grade school- Who inspires you? Who do you consider a role model? Personally, I like to think that we each look at role models in different ways. A lot of people may look to the same role model, but everyone sees them in a different light. When it comes to my creative role models or inspirations, there’s a few people who come to mind- but not exactly in the way that most people might view them.

                                                                                                                                                                                        Courtesy of Bitstrips via Facebook                                                                                                           

Walt Disney
I know it’s a bit cliché to say that Walt Disney is one of my creative inspirations, but hear me out first. I’ve loved Disney (both the company and the man) for as long as I can remember. He too, started out with just some simple drawings and then later went to school for it in an attempt to make drawing his career. Well, he did it- unlike me who got discouraged and changed majors- Disney accomplished his dream! He started out with a friend from school and together they created the “Newman’s Laugh-O-Grams” for the Newman’s Theaters (Source: Imdb). Once he finally built himself up into Mickey Mouse and creating the classic Disney movies his next challenge was building “The Happiest Place on Earth”. You know what? People thought he was CRAZY! His innovative ideas where not imaginable at the time and many believed his idea would never work… go ahead, take a moment to picture a world without Disney World or Disneyland… strange isn’t it? Anyway, Walt is my creative inspiration because he never gave up and fought for what he wanted. It may not have always been a “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” journey for him, but he stood his ground. As he put it, he was not just creating Disney for the children, but rather for the child in all of us. Walt Disney took chances that many people today aren’t willing to do. He’s an icon to the entire world not just for the animation and the Disney parks, but as an imaginative genius. Disney made all of us believe that any thing we can dream can be achieved.

Ben Silbermann, Paul Sciarra, and Evan Sharp
Yes, I am inspired by the three guys who created Pinterest. To be honest, I didn’t know who they were prior to creating this blog, but ever since I started using Pinterest I thought “whoever created this site was brilliant!”. It’s an easy, free, and fun way to share to your ideas and creative skills throughout the whole world. When I first heard of Pinterest I thought it was something like the little Pin app from Facebook where you send your friends the pin buttons of things you like. WOW! When I signed up for my account I swear I spent about an hour to two hours just pinning things like crazy! I view Pinterest as unique way to do creative brainstorming that go beyond the standards of visual communication. I see people planning their weddings through Pinterest, selecting pins related to the workplace, fashion advice, crafts, holiday recipes, you name it and it’s most likely on Pinterest! Their creative idea of having a virtual photo/idea sharing site is certainly to be commended! Pinterest and it’s ideals have earned them a place on my creative inspirations list.

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) Kids Television Shows
Ok, this one sounds a little broad in terms of the creative inspirations point, but I really don’t know how else to put it. All of my imagination and creativity began with this network, PBS. Now there’s a few things I should clarify first: I AM A 90′S CHILD! I can’t really speak for the kids shows now because I really don’t watch any, however from my personal experience PBS was the perfect station to watch to get both education and entertainment at the same time. Most of the shows you see in the picture are from my generation, but there a few I don’t recognize or remember. Let me take you back to the PBS of the 90′s: Arthur (still can be seen today), Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, Sesame Street, Barney, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Lamb Chops, The Magic School Bus, Reading Rainbow, Thomas The Tank Engine/Shining Time Station and Liberty’s Kids. Feel old now? Don’t worry, if you ever need to reminisce about those good old days you can find most of these on YouTube or Netflix (Well Magic School Bus is on Netflix anyway). My point though, these shows had THE MOST CREATIVE ways to attract a child’s attention. Looking back, each show kind of had a special unique ingredient that made them standout from other kids shows. For example… Reading Rainbow, while you might have enjoyed the reading aspect of the show, you probably also enjoyed watching the host, LeVar Burton, and made the connection that he was Geordi La Forge from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Many of these shows actually played a vital role into pop culture on several occasions: The Backstreet Boys were featured in an episode of Arthur. Lamb Chops and Sheri Lewis were guest stars on the popular 9o’s sitcom “The Nanny”, and did you know the theme to “The Magic School Bus” was performed by Rock ‘N’ Roll legend Little Richard (aka the man who sang “Tutti Frutti”)? But why is all this a creative inspiration to me? Simply because PBS gave children shows that allowed them to learn in a fun and entertaining environment. Most of these shows had either games, catchy songs, or pop culture influences that really grabbed their attention. Each one of these classic 90′s show had that specific creative edge that still effects me whenever I think “how can I reach out to an audience?” PBS knew how to market good quality kids shows that could stand out to both children and adults. It’s all in how you market and reach out to people, that gives you the perfect creative edge to achieve success!

Who Shall Be the Chosen One?

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Whether it’s an artist, musician, YouTube fad, filmmaker, or just an “average-joe” I find on the internet, each week I will highlight someone (or something) based on their creativity that stands out to me and will share it with you! I’m always finding things out in public or on the web, that I believe are worthy of sharing the creative talent, so check here each week to see who I’ll deem as the “Creative Mastermind of the Week”. Who knows, it could be you!!!! (Or if you have suggestions share them with me through the comments on this page)

Welcome to The Design of Graphics

Graphic Design- This is a field, I’d very much like to get into because it combines my love of art with digital technology! For now it’s a hobby, perhaps later it will be come a career. Graphic Design actually has increased quite a bit along with the advancement of technology and business. Here I will share with you some of my current freelance work with Graphic Design and you can learn about different programs and techniques that might benefit your interest in the visual communications field.                               Courtesy of Bitstrips via Facebook

Art Makes Me Feel Special

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Occasionally I like to get my drawing/sketching skills on and will draw ’til my fingers get sore. Here you will find different art pieces I have created in order to enhance the artistic senses. I’m no Disney or Matt Groenig but I have a unique perspective of producing Art. Ever since I can remember I have always been into drawing, coloring, painting, etc. and while usually my "masterpieces" pale in comparrison to someone like Van Gogh or Andy Warhol, I pride myself in knowing that there really is no right or wrong to art. A lot of people say they can't draw- not true. I believe everyone can draw and draw well, but each person views it in a different light. If you think scribbles and stick people are not good examples of art, think again because all artwork at some point started with just scribbles and lines.  

Crafting... not just for kids and senior citizens

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Crafts are a favorite hobby of mine and love to create different crafts that can be decorative, productive, or sentimental. Read about different crafts I’ll be working on to help spawn some creative juices! Throughout the year, I will be looking at different craft projects that will correspond with anything pertaining to the time of that project: events, holidays, seasons, home decor, parties, etc. These projects will not only be handy and creative, but cost effective as well! So if you're looking for low-budget craft activities perfect for any situation then you've come to the right place. Dig out that old arts and crafts box out of the basement and create something awesome!  

Introduction to the life of Creative Audio Mixing

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This section is dedicated to unleashing my inner “DJ and Audio-Mixing Master”. Occasionally, I can be found at home taking songs from my MP3 collection and will mix them just to have some fun and practice on my audio editing software! This is also a great place where you can find some of my previous audio work from my college years. I will post some clips of my radio shows, interviews, PSAs/Promos, and any other goodies I can find, so check back for more content!

Smile and Say CHEESE!

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Photography is an extremely interesting field to get into because it opens a whole new world of what we can catch in time in just a split second. Unlike video where you're recording an entire event photography only gives you that one moment to reflect on. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how many pictures will it take to come up with the perfect shot of life in action? Here I'll post some of my photographic with just a simple digital camera and occasionally my phone too because we can't all have standard-professional pictures, but sometimes we don't need all the fancy equipment to get "that one shot." Watch me capture those amazing pictures that really emphasize the world around us, all through the eyes of my camera. 

Lights, Camera, Action!!!

I love videos! Hands down, it’s one of my favorite digital mediums because there’s so much you can do with video whether you’ve got just your standard home video camera, a studio production camera, or even the video you capture on your phone! This is where I’m going to post some of my video work to share with you.  I’m on a mission to show how creativity and quality can be produced with limited resources. Plus, I'll also be sharing some of the unique video pieces I find throughout the web which will hopefully give you some inspiration and insight into how video is produced. The keywords here are resourcefulness and creativity- so lets make some movie magic! 

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