Nina on the Moon

Lo-Fi Nomad + Giveaway

Good morning, today I want to introduce you to the amazing husband and wife team behind the indie shop, LoFi Nomad, Becky and Graham. Like all of the interviews on my blog, this one is truly inspiring! Read the brief interview and get to know a little bit about how this couple and their shop, LoFi Nomad.
  1. How did you and your husband decided to start LoFi Nomad? Three and a half years ago we started our travel blog GlobalGrasshopper.com, my husband takes the photos and I write about our experiences, the more we travelled the more people started asking about our photography. We were even lucky enough to gain to a few award nominations along the way. After a few Jack Daniels and cokes in a Los Angeles bar we decided we decided to turn our favourite travel photos into products, we came up with a brand name and Lo-Fi Nomad was born. The range combines our love of abstract and lo-fidelity style photography and travel.
  2.  How would you describe your style (your art)? We have a love of retro, vintage inspired photography so we wanted to give the range that kind of feel. We also use bright abstract style shots as these always look good when printed.
  3. What inspires you and how do you keep yourself motivated? Travelling to new places always inspires us and we find beauty in every place we travel. Thinking about what we can discover on our next venture and striving for the next set of beautiful photos is what mostly keeps us going.
  4. What is your creative process? My husband takes hundreds of shots from each destination and then we both spend hours sorting through them. The most powerful and emotive images always stand out by themselves so they are the ones we look to use on our products. Although saying this that they don’t always translate well onto to products! Some of my favourite images just didn’t look good enough when printed so sadly we had to leave them out. A lot of trial and error is involved.
  5. What do you enjoy most about creating your pieces? When an image you really hoped would look good does and it fits perfectly onto the product, it’s actually quite a rare moment if and when it happens it’s easily the most enjoyable part of the process.
  6. Any words of advice/tips for people who want to express their creativity, but don’t know how? The actual idea is often the most difficult part, so work hard on getting this right. Take inspiration from the beauty in the world around you whether it’s from nature, landscapes or urban areas. Once you have your idea stick to it, work hard and everything else will fall into place.

Becky and Graham would like to giveaway one Pacific Cove MakeUp Bag to one NOTM reader! 
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MJ Lindo, sueños, fantasias y pesadillas

Hola, les presentar a mi amiga, MJ Lindo. Ella es una artista que pinta sus sueños, fantasias y pesadillas. MJ Lindo empezó a dibujar mujeres debido a su entorno e influencias. Muchas cosas la inspiran, pero la cultura es su mayor inspiración. Las mujeres que pinta, son una mescla de ficción y realismo. 

Si quieres conocer mas sobre el trabajo de MJ Lindo, lee la entrevista que le hice hace un año, aqui.

Puedes hacerte fan de MJ Lindo y seguirla aqui:

GIVEAWAY/SORTEO! 
[EU MANTE-LO]
WIN EU MANTE-LO: Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL and closes on FEB 18, midnight PST. Winner will be announced on Nina on the Moon Facebook. Don’t forget to leave a comment with your name, email and any of the extra entries! GRACIAS

MANDATORY ENTRY
  1. Follow Nina on the Moon GFC
  2. Like MJ LINDO ART Facebook
  3. Like Nina on the Moon Facebook

EXTRA:

  1. Follow MJ Lindo on Tumblr
  2. Comment on MJ Lindo Facebook wall, “I want to win EU MANTE-LO”
  3. Follow Nina on the Moon Twitter
  4. Tweet “@ninaonthemoon I want to win EU MANTE-LO by #mjlindo”
  5. Like ego lies Facebook
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Ilaments Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Hoop Earrings Giveaway

My friend Lisa Rocha created Ilaments, a jewelry line that is inspired by her Mexican and Native American cultures. “Ila“, which happens to be Lisa’s middle name means “one who takes on challenges” in Hopi. Some of Ilaments pieces have a misplaced bead, which symbolizes our imperfections and reminds us that we are not perfect like the Creator. 

Each Ilaments piece is soft, romantic and edgy at the same time, making it a key accessory that can brighten up any outfit! Lisa has been kind enough to offer a pair of Day of the Dead sugar skull hoop earrings (pictured below),  to one Nina on the Moon reader. 

Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL and closes on January 31st, midnight PST. Winner will be announced on Nina on the Moon Facebook.


MANDATORY ENTRY:
Leave a comment with your email

  1. Follow Nina on the Moon GFC
  2. Like Nina on the Moon Facebook
  3. Like Ilaments Facebook

Additional enteries 
Leave a comment letting me know your additional entries.

  1. Follow NOTM Twitter
  2. Tweet “RT to win @ilaments #sugarskull earrings from @ninaonthemoon”
  3. Follow NOTM Pinterest and like a pin
  4. Subscribe NOTM Youtube
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Eco Fashion Week: Mala Imports


I had the pleasure of meeting Ashley Wray, co founder of Mala Imports at Eco Fashion Week back in October.Mala Imports is “sustainably harvested, fairly traded and ethically produced” jewelry in Bali, Indonesia.


Please watch the video above to learn a little bit about Mala Imports; the handcrafted jewelry that has been worn by celebrities like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love and the Om Guru, Deepak Chopra. 
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Cha Cha Covers + Giveaway

Good morning! Today I would like to introduce you to my friend, Ana Guajardo, owner of Cha Cha Covers, a beauty and accessory business featuring nail decals that pridefully derive inspiration from Latino and global cultures.
About Ana: She is a creative entrepreneur, a professional in the arts and a single mama. She began crafting about ten years ago making light switch covers with similar images to those she uses on her nail decals (Cha Cha Covers). I guess you can say she likes to cover things with bold and beautiful images that celebrate her culture.


She also has line of decorative mirrors and earrings. Her latest creation, Cha Cha Covers came to her as a whim of inspiration as she was surfing the web with her 5 year old daughter checking out nail art. She realized there was something missing in the images she was seeing (the awesome art of Mexico, Africa, India and the Middle East)- and that there was a huge space to fill in the nail art world. It took her some months to engineer her idea, working away on late nights like a mad scientist after long hours at her day job and being on mommy duty. Ana is so grateful for all the out pour of love and appreciation she has received through  her Etsy store, Cha Cha Covers. 


“I especially love when people thank me for making something that resonates with their culture. It makes me proud.“-Ana Guajardo.
About Cha Cha Covers: Ana celebrates the feminine with products that express from the inside out and resonate with roots and the cultural landscapes we reign as queens!


I think women love any opportunity to make a statement through fashion, make-up and clothing and nails seem to be the new canvas where identity and style can be expressed. As a Mexican-American woman, I love bringing to this craze images that draw inspiration from global and ethnic cultures and seeing iconography on people’s hands that resonates with me as a Latina! Some of the decals I design are very subtle, but have very significant cultural and historical messages. The sugar skulls nail decals I design are not only visually compelling but they carry meaning and speak to the very beautiful Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead. I make Frida Kahlo decals as well, because she is such a universally loved Mexican artist who inspires and provokes.


All of that captured in the tiny canvas that is a woman’s set of nails, AND on one of the most expressive parts of our bodies- our hands! Considering this, it makes sense why the nail art trend is so prevalent. It’s a very exciting trend and I love being a part of it. – Ana Guajardo, owner Cha Cha Covers


Ana is giving away 6 sets of Cha Cha Covers to ONE lucky Nina on the Moon reader! 

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Meet Monk3y Jam

Roberto and Ann [Photo Credit: Monk3y Jam]

You’ve probably seen their designs on Chris Brown a couple of months ago, or maybe, all over your Tumblr Dashboards. Cousins Ann Mcfield (21 yrs) and Roberto Johnson (18 yrs), Who are natives of Honduras, created Monk3y Jam. Fashion design wasnt a goal of theirs, it just happened.


The two chose the name of their accessories (Monk3y Jam) because they believe monkeys are friendly, so they wanted to create a friendly product. And since none of them are perfect, the jam comes into play.

Chris Brown wearing Monk3y Jam pin

Both Roberto and Ann design, sew, and sell the products. These cousins do not plan on designing accessories. They are currently working on a clothing line. They started out with the accessories first to help them to brring their ideas to life.


For a company that was started in April of 2011, Monk3y Jam is rapidly gaining a fan base and supporters. The pieces go for $20- $35 a piece.


Show them some love by sending them an email [email protected] or by liking their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Monk3yJam

Photo Credit: Monk3y Jam
You can order your Monk3y Jam pin here: https://monk3yjam.bigcartel.com/
You HAVE TO visit their AMAZING blog: https://itsmonk3yjam.tumblr.com/ full of amazing photos of themselves, and their friends that have a unique personal style.

Ann and Roberto are giving away one Monk3y Jam pin (the one Chris Brown has) to a lucky Nina on the Moon reader! 🙂

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Pink Guayabas + Giveaway



Hola! Today I’d like to introduce to you, my friend Susana, or S as I like to call her! She is the talented artisan behind Pink Guayabas, a line of sweet and feminine jewelry with an edge! 



About S:
I’m originally from Los Angeles, California. Moved to Colima, Mexico when I was six, moved back at 11, moved to DF Mexico City at 17, then back to LA, moved to London at 21 (yep out of the blue), moved back to LA, then to San Fransisco, spent longer periods of time in Tijuana and Puebla, Mexico, then moved to Austin, TX, then Oaxaca, Mexico… etc. etc. are you dizzy yet?

I am very proud to be a first generation college graduate and to hold a Master’s degree.Yes, I’m a bit of a nerd 😉



I started making things, working with my hands from a very young age. While living in Mexico I would save up my allowance to buy big sheets of colored and textured paper that I would use to make costumes for my younger siblings. I would direct mother’s day performances with my unwitting actors, (my brother and sister). Later when we came back to the US, we briefly lived with my grandfather. He had his own workshop. He would solder metals, cut Plexiglas, build things, inventing, or as he calls it innovations all the time. I would collect scraps from the floor and use them to make my own inventions. 

In college, against my father’s well intended hopes, I decided to pursue art. It was a very contentious and difficult decision. Being the first to go to college in a family of 5, and not pursuing a more stable business, law, medical or engineering degree often put me at odds with my father and at times even my extended family. Thankfully with time things changed a little 😉 
Before moving to Portland I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to live in Southern Mexico. It was there that I first began letting my creative side run wild again after years of grad school. It was also there where I learned and began making jewelry mostly for friends and family and of course for myself 🙂 It was also there that I decided to open my own etsy shop. I have a good friend who opened a shop a few years back. I love her work and she uses the space as a place to be creative. With her inspiration and having purchased several items on etsy including crucial wedding items, I finally came up with a name for my own etsy shop. 

As life would have it I then moved to Portland, a diy metropolis! It finally pushed me to open Pink Guayabas.

I’ve tried to combine all of my loves into pink g’s. Bright colors, feminine pieces daringly fierce, small and sweet, classic,eco-friendly, natural, and fun! I only sell pieces I absolutely love, that I would wear, in other words, the piece in my little shop are carefully and lovingly curated. I feel like there’s a little bit of my gypsy life in every piece.


Where to Find Pink Guayabas:
Twitter: @pinkguayabas
S is offering these fuchsia stacking bracelets (Eco-Friendly) to ONE lucky reader. These beautiful fuchsia stacking bracelets are made out of organic acai and job seeds! Perfect for Spring and SUMMER! Stack them up, combine them wear one, two, three. Add a splash of color to your outfits with these pretty  little bracelets ♥

To enter simply leave a comment with a link to your favorite item from PINK GUAYABAS, and your contact (email or twitter) info. Also mandatory, follow Nina on the Moon via GFC.
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Meet MJ of MJ Lindo Art

Buenos Dias readers! Today, I would like to introduce to you, a new friend of mine, MJ Lindo. I stumbled across MJ a few months ago while browsing the #Latina on instagram. Now I usually browse hashtags that I can relate to, like my ethnicity, where i live, my favorite tv show, etc. Something that I find annoying is that more than often, when I use #Latina, I get waaaaay too much TNA, and not enough art, culture, food, photography, etc. Anyways, I was SO pleased to have stumbled into MJ! Truly a blessing to find her and her work, there is something so raw and sincere about the women  she draws. 
MJ is from the Bay Area, USA. She is a lover of tattoos, graffitti, and most things art related. We’ve done a brief interview, presented below. Hope you enjoy and most importantly, are inspired by her words and amazing art.

N: What inspires you?
MJ: Too much! Hahaha…I’m mostly inspired by culture though.

N: Have you always been this good at drawing and painting? Like a natural born talent,or have you practiced to perfect your art?
MJ: I’m consistently trying to improve but I don’t remember ever not doing some type of art. I’ve moved around a lot so art is something that I’ve been able to keep with me.

N: Can you explain the symbolism in your art?
MJ: Symbolism in my art is different for each viewer. People see things in my art that I never see, I just let people take what they want from my work.

N: Can you describe the women you paint, where do their emotions come from?Son historias reales or fiction?
MJ: The women I paint are mixture of women I know, look up to, or just stories I want to translate into some thing I can understand.

N: Where do you see yourself in five years?
MJ: It’s hard for me to think that far in advance…hopefully I’ll still have my arms so still painting hopefully!

N: Any words of advice/tips for people who want to express their creativity, but don’t know how?
MJ: I am the worst advice giver…I guess I would suggest experimenting with different mediums until something sticks.

MJ is going to give one lucky Nina on the Moon reader, a giclee print of the illustration pictured below! 🙂


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SteamPunk Rings + Giveaway

Mi nombre es Dereck Maltez, soy el segundo hijo del matrimonio de mis padres. Me considero una persona muy alegre un poco expresiva, liberal. Talves un poco unico pues creo y me he dado cuenta que veo el mundo de diferente manera, entiendo que no vivo solo en este planeta, y soy amante de la naturaleza, pero tambien de las cosas extranas, y raras. Soy originalmente nacido en la costa sur de mi pais Guatemala, un pais como todos conocen, lleno de cultura arte y tradición, de alli proviene mi pacion por la artesania y todo lo hecho a mano.

My name is Dereck Maltez, I am the second son of my parents’ marriage. I am a very happy person, expressive, and liberal. Maybe a little unique because I think and realize that I see the world differently; I do not live alone on this planet, lover of nature, and things that are strange and rare. I am originally from  the south coast of Guatemala, a country as we all know, full of art, culture and tradition. This is where my passion comes from for craft and everything handmade.
Original interview in our mother tongue, Spanish. I also translated it into English!
Se que Steampunk no es nada nuevo en el mundo de el arte, pero lo es para mi, podrías explicarme un poco de el estilo steampunk? El estilo steampunk, para mi el temino, tambien es algo nuevo. Pero el estilo steampunk, significa para muchos  una union de ficcion, arte, y fantasía. Originalmente, steampunk es un termino usado en literatura, salida de ficción y una rama de lo que es cyberpunk. Pero, en los últimos años, se ha puesto como una moda muy fuerte  para artistas, escritores, cine, etc. Lo mas fuerte en el termino steampunk es todo lo que se refiere a maquinas de vapor fuciladas con artefactos electrónicos Victorianos.

Steampunk is nothing new in the world of art, but it is for me! Could you explain a little about what steampunk is?  The term steampunk is also something new to me. But the style steampunk, means for many, a union of fiction, art, and fantasy. Originally, steampunk is a term used in literature, coming from fiction and a branch of what is cyberpunk. But, in recent years, the style steampunk has become popular with artists, writers, film, etc. The term steampunk refers all that relates to steam engines fuzed with Victorian electronics.

Como nació tu interés en Steampunk y como decidiste empezar tu linea de joyería steampunk? Creo que todos los hombres cuando somos unos ninos, somos amantes de la ficcion y de los engranajes. Esas pequeñas partes mecanicas de juguetes y relojes, que algún día todos desarmamos e imaginamos hace nuevas creaciones con ellos. Desde allí creo que inicio mi interés en lo steampunk, aunque el termino yo en realidad no lo conocía. Siempre me gustaron los engranjes, los ferrocarriles a vapor, y toda esa clases de maquinas. 

En mi país aun se usa mucho en las industrias grandes, maquinas a vapor, calderas, y turbinas de vapor, y toda la maquinaria usada en tiempos Victorianos esta expuestas como reliquias de lo que algún día fue, la era de vapor. De ahí mi interés por todo ello; recuerdo que en mis años de estudios tenia compañeros que sabían manejar muy bien, los tornos, y maquinas capases de crear engranajes. Yo conseguía el bronce y aluminio y les pedía que hicieran engranajes para mi y así crear collares y anillos con engranajes. Los vendía a otros compañeros y amigos. El nombre steampunk fue lo ultimo que conocí sobre mi arte y mi joyería, pues siempre hice creaciones con alambre, con tuberías y engranajes.

How did your interest for Steampunk start? And how did you decide to start your own steampunk jewelry brand? I believe that when we are children, we are lovers of fiction and gears. I enjoyed imagining and dismantling small parts of toys and mechanical watched and creating new things with them! I think that’s how my interest in steampunk started, although I didn’t know the term back then. I always liked gears/gadgets, steam railroads, and all of those kinds of machines, as a kid. In my country, steam machines, boilers and steam turbines are still widely used in major industries and all the machinery used in Victorian times are displayed as relics of what was known as the “era of steam.” 
I remember that in my years of study, I had class mates who could dismantle machines and gadgets so well that they would create gears!  I would get the bronze and aluminum and asked them to make gears and I would later create necklaces and rings with them. I would sell my jewelery to other class mates and friends. The term steampunk was the last I knew about my art and my jewelry, because I have always created with wire, pipes and gears.

De adonde viene tu inspiracion? Mi inspiracion viene de gran parte mi nececidad por comer!  Se que suena poco inspirador pero es la realidad. Tengo aproximandamente 3 años alimentandome solamente de mi trabajo en joyería. Antes solo hacia joyeria por diversión y pasatiempo, pero desde que la situacion economica del país se deterioro, con ella mi trabajo se bino abajo, tuve que recurrir a lo que podía hacer con las manos.

Where does your inspiration come from? My inspiration comes from my necessity to eat! I know it sounds uninspiring, but it’s reality. I have been supporting myself from just making jewelry, for approximately three years. Previously, I was only making jewelry for fun and as a hobby. But since the country’s economic situation deteriorated, with it my job, I had to resort to what I could do with my hands.


Como discribiria su estilo de joyeria? Mi estilo creo que es artesanal callejero, pues es realmente la forma como comence mi arte. Lo aprendi en las calles y practicando, y lo perfeccione igual. Pero siempre siguiendo lo aprendido y visto con otros artesanos amigos que ayudaron a que mi arte fuera mejor cada día, dandome consejos, y exortandome a crear nuevas cosas siempre.

How would you describe your style of jewelry? I think my style is a urban, street art, since it is really how I started my art. I learned, practiced and eventually perfected my art on the street. I continue to learn and have other artisan friends who have helped craft my art to be better each day, giving me advice, and always pushing myself  to create new things.

Ques es lo que mas disfruta de la creacion de sus piezas? Es una pregunta muy buena…y lo que mas disfruto de mis piezas es poder llegar con ella a casi todos los rincones del mundo. Me pongo a imaginar que en una calle de una ciudad de Australia hay alguien caminando con un anillo o collar mío. O en una calle de Inglaterra, Italia, Francia, o en NY, Texas, ya que he vendido aproximadamente 28mil piezas! Pues mucho tiempo antes de empezar a vender por internet, yo vendía mis creaciones en Venice Beach, California en un Artwalk.

What do you enjoy the most about creating jewelry? Very good question … I enjoy the most, is that my pieces reach almost every corner of the world! I like to think that there is someone wearing one of my rings or necklaces, walking down a street,  in a city of Australia. Or on a street in England, Italy, France, or in NY, Texas! I’ve sold about 28 thousand pieces! For a while, before selling my jewelry online, I was selling in an ArtWalk in Venice Beach, California!

Algun consejo  para las personas que desean expresar su creatividad, pero no saben como? Mi consejo mas claro es Adelante, no piensen que no tienen talento, o que su creatividad es muy poca. Yo me quedaba admirado de que las piesas que yo pensaba que eran las menos creativas y con menos posibilidades de venderse tenian, eran las que mas rapido se vendían. Eso me hiso entender que en el mundo todos tenemos una vista diferente a la de otros, y que realmente  somos totalmente diferentes. Eso es lo bonito de este mundo. 

Y sobre todo nunca piensen que son los unicos con arte en sus manos, o que por que fueron los primeros en expresar un tipo de arte, seran los unicos que la tiene. Siempre hay en algun lugar del mundo alguien con el mismo o mejor talento que ustedes, pero eso nos hace luchar siempre por ser mejor cada día!

Any advice for people wishing to express their creativity, but do not know how?
My advice is to  “Go ahead,” don’t think that you have no talent or that your creativity is low. I  was astonished that the pieces that I thought were the least creative and least likely to be sold had, were the ones that sold faster. That made me understand, that everyone in the world has a different view from one another, and that these views/ideas are actually quite different. That’s the beauty of this world. Above all, never think you are the only one with art in your hands, or that you were the first to express a kind of art,  or  the only ones who have it. There is always someone in the world with the same or better talent than you, but that makes us always strive to be better every day!

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Dereck, the very inspiration artisan! Dereck is going to giveaway one of his signature  steampunk rings to ONE lucky Nina on the Moon reader!  

El anillo esta hecho con una piesa de una bala de pistola vacia y cortada, es ajustable. Crystal swarovski estilo catedral, con alambre de cobre con esmalte que evita que se oxide.
This ring is made from a piece of an empty and cut bullet! It is adjustable and made with copper wire with polish that avoids rusting. Blue, cathedral style crystal Swarovski.

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Valentine’s Day Giveaway: Mano y Metal

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
Judy Garland

The lovely lady pictured above is Des, the creative mastermind (and hands) behind Mano y Metal. She makes amazing hand crafted jewelry with an industrial edge! I love her stuff because it is edgy, yet feminine AND you can get items customized! 


Des is giving away one custom initial heart pendant necklace to a lucky Nina on the Moon reader! A perfect Valentine’s Day present from Mano y Metal to you.


Shop: www.manoymetal.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/manoymetaljewelry
Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/ManoyMetal
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ManoyMetal?feature=mhee



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