Inspiration Post: Mouthwatering Mac & Cheese!!

Hey everyone!! I've missed way more "Inspiration Post," than I'm proud of but I'm going to pretend I didn't and moved onto July 2014's post. The "Inspiration Post," is the reader's chance to check out at what peaks MY artistic interest and motivates me to create such crazy imaginative illustrations!! There are so many things that inspire me it's always difficult to pick just one theme. After much deliberation I decided to choose "Mouthwatering Mac & Cheese!!"

Nothing beats a hot bowl of super cheesy and savory Mac and Cheese. I love Mac and Cheese like nobody's business. If I could I would make and eat it everyday of my life. In fact, I've featured a classic as well as more wacky recipe for mac and cheese on my blog before. Digging further back into my history you will even discover an early illustration I created as an ode to my love for the comforting noodle dish. So grab a piping hot bowl, sit back and let me be your guide through "Mouthwatering Mac & Cheese," heaven!!

Mac Loves Cheese Graphic - Meghan Draws Weird tumblr

Since this is an illustration blog, I decided to start things off with an adorable Mac & Cheese illustration. A little elbow noodle embraces his best pal CHEESE! Talk about comforting comfort food!! The simplistic use of color and shapes make this illustration a winner in my book!! Designed by Meghan Murphy this piece even made it's way to Shirt WOOT! in their comfort foods derby. No lie, I'd rock this apparel design in a heartbeat!

Macaroni & Cheese Soap - SoapsationalFavors Etsy Shop

It's amazing what you can find on Etsy with just one simple keyword. I dug up this super creative handcrafted soap in the SoapsationalFavors etsy shop on my quest for Mac & Cheese goodness! I applaud the creativity that went into even fathoming this comfort-food cleanser. And it looks so realistic I'm half tempted to eat it. Thankfully the artisan labels the final packaging with "glycerine soap" on the back to avoid and incidental digestions! because I would more than likely just dig in. SoapsationalFavors offers all kinds of unique soaps so check them out on Etsy!!

Timeless Treasures Fabric Mac & Cheese Fabric sold at greatfabricfinds Etsy Shop

I love me a good textile print!! Check out this delicious fabric by the "Timeless Treasures" company! The print features different little individual dishes of Mac & Cheese crafted with a variety of noodles. The photographically realistic casseroles stand out on a contrasting black background. Just think of the possibilities you could sew with this beauty!! Although I find it highly unlikely I would ever be able to craft anything with this WITHOUT drooling all over my project.

Robot Flying Saucer Mac N Cheese Abduction Card -  RicksRobots Etsy Shop

I LOVE the creative concept of this print of a young girl balancing a pink tea cup effortlessly a top her head. A task I'm sure I'd never be able to accomplish with the ADDED challenge of a ship sailing carelessly around the tea. The print is created by the husband and wife artist team, "Marisol Spoon." The scalloped edge and gold details of the tea cup and microscopic components of the ship are amazing!! And her extremely long neck and haunting eyes keep this piece unique and memorable. Purchase it on Etsy or see more of Marisol Spoon's pieces at http://marisolspoon.com/

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese "Super Heroes" Shapes - Bat Blog

Holy Macaroni Batman! Last but not least is an ad featuring my favorite caped crusader, Batman! But not just any ad, a Kraft Mac and cheese ad that dates back to the late 90s. This ad combines 2 of my most favorite things; Mac and Cheese AND Batman. I can't say that I taste tested this back in the day but I'm sure it was delicious. The signature Kraft Dinner boxes tower over gotham city like skyscrapers. How clever! I also dig the tagline. "Big Cheese," get it?! Oh puns!

Drooling for more?? Check out my Pinterest board titled "Inspiration" for bonus pieces that didn't quite make my 5 piece limit per post. And who knows, maybe NEXT month's theme might already be in mixed in there! Follow http://www.pinterest.com/nerdycupcakes/inspirations/ and stay inspired every month with lots of goodies to keep you from creative constipation! Have a super week everyone!!

Illustration Friday - Space "Travel" PRINT!

Hey everyone!! Man is it super hot here in Pennsylvania. I hope everyone is staying cool where they live. I have some exciting news to reveal in this post. My Etsy shop, VioletInk, has been re-opened and I am ready to sell some art prints of my illustrations!! The first illustration I added for your purchasing pleasure is "Space Fish," which also happens to work swimmingly with this week's Illustration Friday theme, "travel."

The first Goldfish to ever TRAVEL to outerspace!! Space can't be that different from life underwater. Our little guy glides his fins effortlessly through the stars. I will admit, I did cheat a little. This was an original piece I created back in 2010 but this is first time I am releasing it as a 8x10 print!! If you are interested in checking out my shop or purchasing this particular piece of artwork, just go to http://www.etsy.com/shop/violetink. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Inspiration Post: Tasteful Teacups!!

Hey everyone!! I know it's a little LATE but I still pulled together a theme of favorite creative pieces to showcase in this month's "Inspiration Post." If you're unfamiliar with the blog, the "Inspiration Post," shows off some crazy imaginative creations that all have one general theme. The theme is personally picked out by me and June's muse of the month was "Tasteful Teacups!!"

Welcome to the tea party!! Being that I am a girl, I did go through a tea party phase with lots of mis-matched little cups filled with "tea" (water) that I would serve to my stuffed animal friends. My imagination has only grown since then and I've come across so many unique teacups and saucers I can't help but continued to be inspired. Whether you prefer handle or no handle, grab yourself a mini cup and scroll down (pinky out) through my collection of tea cup pieces!!

Handmade Stacked Tea Cups bookshelf - WoodCurve Etsy Shop

This piece of furniture is practically viral. I've seen it on a few different websites and blogs and it was even lusted after by recording artist Kerli. A real work of imagination meets functional furniture, this 1 piece bookshelf gives the illusion of a set of 4 teacups unsteadily towering on top of each other. The original design was created by design engineer Scott Blackwell whose Etsy shop is currently on hiatus due to catch up on the demand for his crazy creations.

"A Long Trip to Tea Time" art print - Marisol Spoon on Etsy

I LOVE the creative concept of this print of a young girl balancing a pink tea cup effortlessly a top her head. A task I'm sure I'd never be able to accomplish with the ADDED challenge of a ship sailing carelessly around the tea. The print is created by the husband and wife artist team, "Marisol Spoon." The scalloped edge and gold details of the tea cup and microscopic components of the ship are amazing!! And her extremely long neck and haunting eyes keep this piece unique and memorable. Purchase it on Etsy or see more of Marisol Spoon's pieces at http://marisolspoon.com/

 Bijotti&Ciciotti - "SoSweet Collection" Tea Cup ring

Why stop at  a simple tea cup when you can have an entire tea party on just one ring?? Handmade and on the tiniest of scale, this ring features a half empty tea cup complete with biscuit for dunking. It's sophisticated, dainty and much more traditional than the other takes on teacup pieces in this month's post but definitely worthy to include!! View the detailed listing and other fun jewelry pieces in Bijotti&Ciciotti's Etsy shop!!

Blaue Blume Tea Cup - Undergrowth Designs

Check out this twist on your typical porcelain tea cup!! An ornate heirloom fancy enough for any tea party, this completely original piece is only a fraction of the bizarre creativity that is the "Blaue Blume Tea Service," collection.  A prime example of re-imagining a simple subject matter, the contrast between conventional and elegantly odd make this tea cup special!! All pieces are designed by Tina Tsang and available to purchase on the Undergrowth Designs website.

sweet paul blog - Country Living Tea Time Clock

I'm not entirely sure of the origin of this piece but the concept was too fun to pass up. 12 different tea cups form one amusingly chic timepiece. I'm PRETTY interested in re-creating this sometime as a DIY gift. Supplies? Pick up 12 random tea cups that you fancy at a thrift store, purchase a set of clock hands at a craft store, SUPER strong glue and add a piece of wood to hold it all and VIOLA! Our final inspiration piece for June 2013!

I didn't intentionally grabbed 60% of this month's post off Etsy. I couldn't help myself!! Everyone on there is just so darn creative. I always have a tough time deciding on what pieces to feature so there's always bonus "Tasteful Teacups" over on the Pinterest board I dedicated to "Inspiration."  Follow http://pinterest.com/nerdycupcakes/inspirations/ for sneak peak's at next month's picks and more!! Have a great week everyone!!

Inspiration Post - Retro Space Astronauts

Hey everyone!! Every month I collect and showcase pieces I find online that I hope will inspire you to CREATE something great for what I like to call the "Inspiration Post." As busy as this month was, I ALWAYS find time to stay inspired. For May, I found myself constantly being pulled to all things space. This month's post is dedicated to "Retro Space Astronauts!!"

3-2-1 blast off (to the past that is)!! Space travel, anti-gravity, pets suited up in astronaut apparel, space camp?! When it came to the future, with a little imagination the possibilities always seemed endless. These aren't boring schematics from rocket ships, or museum quality photographs of the planets. These are imaginative and fun retro space travelers with unstoppable imaginations. Journey with these brave soldiers by scrolling down!!

Puffin Biscuits ad posted on Dying For Chocolate Blog

Is it weird that I have been a fan of this ad for many many years?! In fact it was one of my first desktop wallpapers on the PC I am currently writing this post from. "Puffin Biscuits," presents us with an atmosphere of flying buttermilk biscuits. The little boy in the ad dons an astronaut's helmet while the little girl looks on with wonder. Is he really an astronaut? Probably not but the imagination that went into this ad is admirable and the artwork is excellent. Those Puffin biscuits look good enough to eat!!

Explore the Universe poster by Moustafa Khamis on Behance

I originally came across this piece on Pinterest and it took me a bit to track down the original artist. Created by Moustafa Khamis, a designer and artist from Abu Dhabi on Behance, this poster is included in a set called, "Posters of a New Century." Although designed more recently, this as well as the other posters in the series have a very retro feel. With a simple color palette, distressed textured paper and clean layout this poster's friendly illustrated astronaut welcomes you to join NASA and see the universe!! I'm in!

Space Cat by Ruthven Todd - Image on The Toasted Scimitar blog

Not ashamed to say that I own this book. Yes, I am, in fact, ancient. I think it was something my library gave away when I was in elementary school. An original inspiration I absorbed into my brain as a young lady, it fondly continues to spark my imagination to this day! The first book in a series of feline space journeys, the book tells the story of Flyball, a cat who is rocketed into an outer-space adventure. Why can't they make more kids book like this anymore?!

1985 Astronaut Barbie - "Barbie Works" VOGUE UK Blogpost

I love Barbie. If you think she isn't a proper role-model for young girls, I think you are wrong. The woman was in space (and still looked stylish doing it). This photograph of the 1985 astronaut Barbie was grabbed off of VOGUE UK's blogpost titled "Barbie Works," by Lauren Milligan. In a hot-pink space suit complete with fish-bowl helmet and futuristic poofy-sleeves, Barbie looks perfectly content and ready to claim that planet in the name of Mattel! This girly and sleek re-imagined space suit is something I would definitely don myself!!

Collier's Magazine April 18, 1953 issue - image via PaulMalon on Flickr

And last but not least, an authentic piece of nostalgic space history, the April 18, 1953 issue of "Collier's" magazine. This was the piece that was the main influence behind this post and one of the first pieces I came across this month that really inspired me."Collier's Weekly," was an American magazine that roughly ran from 1888 to 1957. If you search for "Collier's Magazine Cover" you will be bombarded with brilliantly illustrated works of art similar to our space cadet above. This cover has it all!! A top-of-the-line ray gun, a crazy "space helmet," and a brave space traveler in awe at an alien species.  

That's it for this month's "Inspiration Post!!" If you're looking for MORE creative retro space travelers be sure to check out the Pinterest board I have dedicated to "Inspiration." The inspiration board always has extra pieces for each month's theme. What are you waiting for?! Rocket over to http://pinterest.com/nerdycupcakes/inspirations/ to check it out!! Have a great week everyone!!

Lora Warnick "Dream Team" Illustrated Portrait!!

Good morning everyone and happy Monday!! It's been MONTHS since I featured an illustrated portrait I created on the blog so why not post about one today?? Fairly recently I was contacted by a previous client and one of my favorite photographers, Lora Warnick, to create an illustration of her team as a surprise gift!

Photo via Facebook Page

She imagined a landscape type-portrait featuring each individual member of her photography team that illustrated what their main job was when it came to photo-shoots. Her team consists of herself, the photographer, Sarah the Creative Director, Dawn her stylist, Harry the video guy, and Anthony a make-up and hairstylist! She gathered up some photos and I sketched her out a layout then immediately got to work to create her image:

The portrait came out really great! I loved it, Lora loved it and most important her TEAM loved it!! I even got some special thanks from individual team members. This was the first time that I even had drawn that many people in one portrait before. It was challenging and fun to cram everyone in there while still making their unique super powers shine. Here are some close detailed close ups of the portrait:

Each team member received an 8x10 printed copy for themselves and she even posted the digital copy it on her Facebook page. If you haven't checked out Lora's Photography yet she has a website at http://www.lorawarnick.com and a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lora-Warnick-Photography/114375205268276. She is such a wonderful person and I was honored to bring her idea to life. contact her on both pages. Hope everyone has a great day!!

Inspiration Post: Delectable Donuts!!

Hey everyone!! April is winding down to an end and it was one crazy month!! I'll admit, I really slacked on posting but I couldn't forget the monthly "Inspiration Post!" Once a month I post a set of 5 visuals that inspire me in hopes to inspire you!! Even if you aren't the next Picasso I hope this set makes your Spring day a little bit sweeter! This month's theme is everyone's favorite office food, "Delectable Donuts!"

If you haven't gathered this yet, I freaking love food. Especially sugar. So I love donuts. I've featured them in my artwork before on Thank You cards, celebrated National Donut Day last year and on a set of Valentine's cards I created. Frosted, covered with sprinkles, filled with frosting or glazed they're the sweetest way to start your day! Grab a cup of coffee, kick back and scroll through our post!!

Alternative Portfolio - Jerry Bennett Photography

This photograph filed under "Alternative" by Jerry Bennett, is of a pink-haired Miss with six donuts balancing top of her head dated 2007. Her hair is crazy, her jewelry is giant and the pink and purple hues are subtle and harmonious. Not many people can pull off model + donuts + alternative style but this shot proves the craziest ideas can turn out the most eye-catching portraits.

Donutella and her Friends - TokiDoki by Simone Legno

Meet "Donutella" and her group of equally sweet friends! Drawn with thick dark outlines, vibrant colors and in a clean vector-art style Simon Legno's "TokiDoki" line is something I always indulge in! More than just an icon in the the delectable world of Donuts, Donutella includes her own backstory of traveling the milky way and stumbling upon a plantery home for herself and species. I couldn't resist including her in my post!! Simone's work can be found on all sorts of merchandise in the form of bags, stationary, plushes and heaps more available at a variety of stores!

"Pandora's Box?" - Eric Joyner

I love this piece. In fact, I love all of Eric Joyner's Robot & Donuts pieces. The robots open "Pandora's Box" releasing the unstoppable evil of sprinkle-covered frosted DONUTS upon their universe. Joyner draws inspiration for his art from his passion for old tin toys, specifically robots exported from Japan, and our universal love of donuts. I really respect someone who has a seemingly strange vision and follows through with it successfully. Marvel at his entire gallery at http://ericjoyner.com/.

Donut Monster Sneakers - BobsMade

Next is a custom pair of kick's covered in donuts and monsters!! BobsMade which was founded in 2007 by an art student who dropped out of school to do things her own way, specializes in custom pieces from sneakers, to heels, to phone cases, nearly ANYTHING with a decent amount of surface area! Vibrant color, thick outlines and doodle-like qualities make the BobsMade brand a style I dig. The cartoony donuts are really fun and the monsters all look friendly and silly.

 

Smoke Rings illustration by Mark Ward

And last but not least, the catalyst of it all, this graphic illustration inspired me to think about those "Delectable Donuts" differently. I originally saw this on Pinterest with no information on it's creator. But with a little investigative work I found out it was created by Mark Ward, a Graphic Artist & Art Director creating distinct works of art in London, England. The concept is extremely clever, slightly grimy and intensely magnetizing. Bravo Mr. Ward!

 Image via donut-porn.tumblr.com/

That's it for this week I hope this "Inspiration Post" got you inspired (or at the very least super hungry). If your still hungry for more delectable donuts be sure to check out the Pinterest board I have dedicated to "Inspiration" sprinkled with extras that didn't make this month's cut! Head over to http://pinterest.com/nerdycupcakes/inspirations/ to check it out!! Have a great week everyone!!

Tracy DiMarco Teasing Kit Artwork!!

Hey everyone!! Just wanted to update the blog with an exciting surprise I had over the weekend. If you do not know I am a huge fan of Jerseylicious. I'm not sorry for loving animal print, teasing my hair and pursuing giant rings and hair accessories. My favorite character on the show is Tracy DiMarco because of her big hair, attitude and she is an entrepreneur.

Tracy has always been a big supporter of my art and around Winter time a piece I created was requested to be used on the show. I had no idea when the episode would air so you can imagine my surprise when last night I spotted my cute little cartoon Tracy on the StyleNetwork!!

The episode is was Season 5 Episode 9. Without giving too much away in the episode Tracy creates and sells her own hair teasing kits for all of Jersey since she knows the perfect tease!! My art was part of the packaging on the prototype. I was so psyched to see it on National TV and am so blessed to have great people like Tracy who support my art!!

Image via the StyleNetwork

The kit included a comb, instructions, mini hairspray and everything else you would need to create the perfect Tease!! Tracy already has her own lipstick out as well as her own clothing collection out RIGHT NOW so I am sure a REAL teasing kit is on it's way. If you missed the exact episode it was Season 5 episode 9 titled "What a Tease." Keep track of all the new episodes of Jerseylicious Sunday nights on the StyleNetwork!! Hope everyone has a great day!

200th Post Giveaway WINNER!

Hey everyone!! Just wanted to write a quick post for the weekend regarding my "200th Post NerdyCupcakes Giveaway" I had last month. I pulled lucky number 3 from the drawing and got in contact with our winner so she could design her own custom NerdyCupcake!!

The NerdyCupcake she designed was so cute and very sophisticated!! He's Vanilla bean with Vanilla Frosting and a top hat and a black colored wrapper. Our winner has all this swag to look forward to in her mailbox now:

In addition to the 8.5" x 11" print I threw in another 5"x7" print and some cute cartoon stickers!! I had a lot of fun with this giveaway and I hope all who entered did too. Maybe I should do some more?? I am definitely thinking about it!! Have a fun and safe weekend everyone!!

Inspiration Post: Ice Cream Cones!

Hey everyone! February is always one of those months that completely passes me by. Here it is already the last day of February!! Which means it's time for another "Inspiration Post," a once a month themed post filled with all sorts of stuff that keeps me inspired. February's theme is, "Ice Cream Cones!" showing off all sorts of creative interpretations of everyone's favorite frozen treat piled high in a crunchy sugar cones!

Ice cream cones are the easiest way to eat ice cream on the go; no spoon or bowl involved for this treat! I'm no stranger to embracing the cold confection in my artwork. Joy Cups are my favorite brand of cone and are made right here in my home state of Pennsylvania. Cones even have their own Holiday that celebrates the day it was patented back in 1903! I'm a big fan of desserts and just food in general so it was REALLY tough narrowing my choices down to a top 5 for this post. Scroll down to check them all out!!

Ice Cream Skateboard sold by Raskulls

I first caught a glimpse of this skateboard at Toys R Us and I'm pretty jealous that I didn't think of it! The concept is extremely clever. 3 scoops of adorable ice cream are about the same shape as the deck of a skateboard so why not just make them INTO a skateboard?? I have no idea how to skateboard but I would buy this in a heartbeat. I like Raskullz choices in eye catching sports equipment and I even doodled up an  illustration just for fun featuring their helmets once. You can purchase this board for yourself off their website: http://raskullz.com.

Ice Cream Social Logo by The Mahoney Design Team

This logo makes it's way around Pinterest quite often. It's a great example of typography as well as logo design AND is an actual ice cream cone so I had to include it. The design is so simple yet so brilliant!! The logo itself was designed by "The Mahoney," am online design portfolio for Patrick Mahoney. The other designs included on "The Mahoney" website are just as impressive as the logo so I urge all you design nerds to check it out at http://themahoney.com.

Unicone Print by Dea Vectorink on Etsy

Ice cream cones, unicorns and rainbow sprinkles all in one print?? An ode to the waffle cone and to one of my most favorite animals of all, this print has it all! I love the artistic style, the strawberry soft serve mane and the little details such as the teeny tiny little hairs on the unicorn's muzzle. Created by Dea, a tattoo artist from Germany, it is currently available on Etsy for purchase in the Dea Vectorink shop! If you like this print the shop also carries a few other pieces featuring cupcakes, cookies and other sweets!

"scary ice cream boy" by Annette Ellis on Flickr

I have no idea what the origins of this sculpture / statue is but you can photos of it all over Flickr by searching "Ice Cream Boy." And while many contributors and commenters describe the little guy as scary, terrifying and even disturbing I like him!! If you think about it the statue did it's job, it got people's attention!! It's just too bizarre to pass up for my "Ice Cream Cone" themed inspiration post.

Michael Miller LLC Ice Cream Fabric sold by JeanMariesFabric on Etsy

And finally we have a patterned piece textile from Michael Miller LLC and sold by the yard by JeanMariesFabrics on Etsy. The print is just an entire repeating pattern of ice cream cones. The vintage looking illustrative quality of the cones with a retro geometric pattern really appeals to me. Not only that it features different types of cones like strawberry and chocolate soft-serve, scoops of vanilla with sprinkles and even mint chocolate chip!

Are those gears in your brain turning now?? I hope this post inspired you to go out and create something wonderful. . . . or maybe it just made you want to eat ice cream!! Either way I hope you enjoyed this month's "Inspiration" post!! Hungry for more? I have a Pinterest board dedicated to "Inspiration" which always features pieces that I love but didn't make the cut. Just head over to http://pinterest.com/nerdycupcakes/inspirations/ to check it out!! Hope everyone has a great week!

200th Post!! NerdyCupcakes Print Giveaway!

Hey everyone!! I promised the 200th entry of my blog would be a giveaway. Since this is an illustration blog what better prize to give away than an illustration!! One lucky winner drawn at random will be the recipient of their own custom NerdyCupcakes illustration!

What do we mean by CUSTOM you ask? The winner will get the chance to be the designer!! You choose your favorite cake flavor, frosting flavor, one topping and your cupcake's wrapping color!! Peanut butter NerdyCupcake with strawberry frosting?? Why not! Chocolate NerdyCupcake with Vanilla Bean frosting and rainbow sprinkles?? Heck yes!

 
But just like any bakery we have a few limitations when it comes to "flavors." Frosting and cake choices are listed below. Toppings can be anything from candy, to sprinkles, to a slice of bacon; it's all up to our winner!

How do you enter?? Just leave a comment on this blogpost to be entered into the random drawing for your chance to win your very own 8x5" x 11" custom NerdyCupcakes print shipped to your home! Hang it in your home, office and even locker!! DEADLINE TO ENTER IS FEBRUARY 25TH 2013!!

RULES: Please only one comment per entry. Make sure to leave a VALID e-mail IN YOUR COMMENT so we can contact you by. The winner will be contact via e-mail by VioletInkDesign. Remember this is just a PRINT not something you can eat!! Any entries that do not follow the rules or past the deadline will not be accepted. Good luck everyone!!

Cute Little Monster Valentine's!!

Hey everyone!! February seems to be flying by as Valentine's Day, this Thursday, quickly approaches!! Since I'm a Graphic Designer and Illustrator I feel it is practically my duty to create my very own custom Valentine's Cards FREE for you to print and put a smile on someone's face!!

Seeing that a lot of people find my blog by searching for illustrations of cute little monsters, this year, I decided to revisit the concept and bring you "Monster Valentine's Cards!!"

 
They're fluffy, slimy and even scaly and ready to express their love and admiration!!  Don't be scared!! These little guys won't bite. All you need is a printer and some scissors to and you're on your way to handing out some creepy fun to your friends, family, classmates and maybe even your secret crush on that special day, February the 14th!!

There are 8 total per sheet, download the PDF and start printing by clicking on this link: http://violet-ink.com/Printables/MonsterValentineCards.pdf

Don't forget to change your printer settings to "LANDSCAPE" so it prints correctly!! This is our third annual set of Valentine's cards. Itty bitty monsters not your thing?? Two years I also created Lady Gaga themed Valentine's card. Hungry for something else?? Last year's cards were all about Breakfast Time!!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!