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Catalog Update - April 2024

* Nesting Tray (set of three) * Cloud Jewelry Tray * Wiggle Wall Hooks (set of four) * Office Desk Set * Wireless MagSafe Stand * Coaster * Pen Holder * Apple Pencil Holder Download Models

Using Epoxy Resin on 3D Prints

Applying epoxy resin is a straightforward process. Once you have an even mix, the resin can be applied using an applicator or brush. If you don't have those, gloved fingers will do the trick.

Blood on the rock

I wrote this poem about two months ago. I feel like I have these days where I know what's best for me and feel empowered to embrace it. And then I don't listen to my inner voice. I let the beast that is negative self-talk, insecurities,

Juneteenth: How can the American Negro's past be used?

Don't sell it. It's invaluable to be a Black American. Instead, hold history.

Sublimation Graphics, or, being like my sisters

I had no real intention of running this business full-time or selling a ton of graphics. I simply really admire my sisters and want to be like them. 💖

Guest Designer for 2023 Opera Festival of Chicago

I started this project thinking driving fast and with my blinders on was truly the way. Though it's an option, it's not the only and sometimes not the best option.

Black man

Black man wants to love another black man I heard em say it. Rolled right off his tongue dripping with sweet nothing's Desperate to learn of loving I heard em say it. Black man wants to learn to love another black man I heard em say it. It

in the end, you move on

What I've learned is at the end of it all, no matter what it is, you move on. How many The End's you can have is up to you. It's your duty to remember that.

Some thoughts on this week (03/11/23)

It has been a tough week—one full of a rollercoaster of emotions. So far, this year has been about balance and learning to navigate instead of avoid the waves. As always, I'm starting with my agency and getting clear on who's in control and what

Little Shop of Horrors (2015)

Let's take a look back to one of the first musicals I professionally choreographed, Little Shop of Horrors. I was looking through old journals, and it turns out that I was choreographing Little Shop of Horrors around this time, eight years ago. Picture it; 20-year-old, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed

Mountains

I'm learning to be okay with the fact that I'm "behind," but letting it fuel me to keep going. Not being where I want to be in life or where my peers are in life was a difficult reality to accept. Luckily once I

Creating organic shapes with Autodesk Fusion 360

Through a bit of trial and era and a few YouTube videos, I have learned to model an abstract vase using Autodesk Fusion 360. These are typical vases as their sides have a spider web-like design holding them together. Let's make something like the one pictured below. 📹Click

One band. One sound. How work groups are similar to school bands.

A fun fact about me, I played the saxophone in a school band. I was the kid carrying a black suitcase back and forth to school for a portion of middle and high school. Let my father tell it; I was the next Kenny G. I loved the band; there

2022; this is not over yet

2022 was all about finding ways outside of the traditional theatre scene to amplify my voice as an artist. Let's recap. January to March I wanted to express myself. And loudly. These three months were spent throwing sticky notes at the wall, trying to flesh out Why We

Using a RICE Score in Product Management

Features with a high RICE Score are likely to be more impactful and should be prioritized more. This can help the team make more informed decisions about allocating their resources and ensure that they are working on the product's most important and valuable features.

What to eat at Native Foods?

Spark of creation I was translating a general manager and a customer's conversation into a smooth and quick questionnaire. I recently watched a GM assist a customer in deciding what to order at Native Foods. His first question was, "do you wanna eat a little or a

The Sticky Notes Project

Or the affinity map of my conscious mind, as I called it at some point. Overwhelmed and stressed, I knew I wanted to tell this story, Why We Can't Just Put the Lights Up. I had a thousand and one pieces to go off of, brilliant ideas. But

Nickelodeon 3D Print Series

To challenge myself as a designer and increase my 3D modeling skills, I began printing items from some of my favorite childhood TV shows. Below I'll share pictures and videos from each model's design process. Tools * Autodesk Fusion 360 * Endor 3/PLA * Paint * Glue Invader Zim

The power of paper

I was working on a box design for a toy, and the pdf template wasn’t doing it for me. So I took out a few pieces of paper and grabbed a ruler and some glue. Bibbidi bobbidi boo, a box was born. I often forget the power and agency

Why We Can't Just Put the Lights Up; Amongst other things

I've had this idea for about 7 years to create a choreopoem about some of my life experiences. At the time, I didn't have the language to articulate my dream as a choreopoem. I knew I wanted two characters with two stories trying to exist in

Emanating creation; what's your spark?

I try and remember that whatever choice I make, whoever it is, I want to be. It starts and stops with me. And I should remember to rest to ensure I see it all through.

Growth: slow and steady

Growth is a tale best told by time and two design interactions. There’s so much more to experience and learn; I’m excited to see where it takes me.

Let it go

Failed relationships aren't always about walking away from people. Sometimes it's about walking away from the same interaction with them. If you're always yelling because someone in your life doesn't understand you. The force is found in the yelling. It's

Reducing the cost of supplies

I'm always attempting various projects, so why not share what I learned along the way? I do a lot, so I'll be doing a lot. Today, let's talk about what I learned while designing a bubbler sign. Reducing the cost of supplies Have you

Power Ranger Cookie Cutter

Today, let's talk about what I learned while trying to print a Power Ranger-themed cookie cutter.

It's okay to need help

Coming in hot 🔥 with this week’s newsletter. Here are a few things to take with you into the weekend. Reflections You know the saying, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference?

Titus Andronicus

* Director: Ian Damont Martin * My role on the project: Movement Director * Location: Haven Chicago * Year: 2020 In a society that seems increasingly plagued by senseless violence, Shakespeare's bloodiest play Titus Andronicus feels increasingly germane. When Titus returns home from a 10-year war against the Goths with their Queen

Get to the root; then bridge the gap

Coming in hot 🔥 with this week's design newsletter, here are a few things to take with you into the weekend. Reflections On a walk this week, I saw construction workers redoing the front steps of a grey stone unit in the city. I don't know precisely

Improving a nonprofit's service process

We partnered with The Healing, whose mission is to normalize the narrative around healing as Black men, to reorganize their business and service structure. Let's dive into the creative process.

I took a 12-week UX Design course

I graduated from the UX Design Immersive program at General Assembly. The 12-week intensive covers UX/UI foundations, research, design iterations, and development. Includes courses on working on a product team, the specifics of UX research, and career planning. This class has taken me out of my comfort zone, flipped

Proactively keeping park visitors informed

However, the Gates of the Arctic (GOTA), though beautiful, is a preserve with no human trails, no roads, and no cell signal, and most apps don't adequately prepare you for that. Our goal was to resourcefully educate and hold tourists accountable during their travel to the Gates of the Arctic.

9 to 5, the musical

* Director: Harmony France * Choreographer: Casey Alfonso * My role on the project: Assistant Choreographer * Location: Firebrand Theatre * Year: 2018 Based on the 1980 hit movie of the same name, 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL follows three unlikely friends as they take control of their office and learn there is nothing they

Any number of things

🖤"A writer might be a dancer, might be a carpenter, might be an architect, might be a junkie, might be any number of things." -James Baldwin Finding the writer in me. Starts with reading Listening then being I’m not a junkie, depending on who you ask, but

3D Printed a Sonic

The theme of nephew Greyson's 6th birthday party is Sonic. The Japanese media franchise from 1991 still warms young hearts today. Like the Big Blue Blur, my nephew is fast, witty, and clever. Let's see if we can capture that essence in a Sonic centerpiece for

Hair, the musical

* Director: Andy Park * Co-choreographer: Susan Ourada * My role on the project: Co-Choreographer * Location: Nebraska Repertory Theatre * Year: 2019 A celebration of life, a love letter to freedom, and a passionate cry for hope and change, HAIR defined one generation and continues to inspire today. Join the tribe of the Age

The Full Monty

* Director: Fred Anzenvino * Choreographer: Sawyer Smith * My role on the project: Assistant Choreographer * Location: Theo Ubique * Year: 2018 Based on the cult hit film of the same name, a group of unemployed steel workers from Buffalo come up with a bold and unclothed way to make some quick cash. In

Music Artist Website

The Problem Up-and-coming Florida-based artist is looking to increase their digital footprint. Currently, potential clients are reaching out via social media; while the convenience and price are excellent, they're looking for something more professional that's just as personal and cost-effective. The Solution Design a one-page website

What I'm doing for love

Existing in the same timeline as A Strange Loop and Britton & The Sting is awesome! They are proof that you can let go of or lay to rest your traumas and still be something. And still be familiar. The beautiful things about you will still exist. I didn’t

What I did for love

I'm moving on in life. "Kiss today goodbye and point me toward tomorrow." You won't catch me at an audition for a musical anytime soon. However, my time doing so heavily influences what I'll do and where I'll go next.

Book Report: Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope

Book description We live in an exciting time. Things are up for some and terribly down for others. Written by Mark Manson, Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope attempts to name precisely what's going on in the world today and how we got here. A humorous,

I like circles

Hi, I'm Leon and left-handed. Nice to meet you! Lately, I've been feeling free of the "fog" that has been my last life. My previous ways of thinking and doing. I'm rediscovering myself and loving who I really am or have just

How starting an Etsy shop led me to build my first website

I did a lot but it was fun! I had this idea, what if I sold random items in an Etsy shop? First, I needed to figure out how I was going to get random items. After digging through dropshipping rabbit holes, I discovered that I could use websites like

Book Report: 'Zero to One, Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future'

Book description Written by Blake Masters and Peter Thiel, Zero to One presents a thoughtful perspective on creation, innovation, and startup life. We, as a species, know how to go from 1 to n. Some could argue that it's fairly easy for us to do so. But in

COVID-19 Infographic

The Problem False information about COVID-19 and rapid policy changes make it difficult for people in Chicago to stay on top of what's new and the latest tools that are out there aiding in the fight against the spread of the outbreak. The Solution Design a social media

Gilead is not full of apologies

Friendly reminder that healing from white supremacy, systemic racism, and inequality is not contingent upon an oppressor's apology or their awareness of the mistake. Healing is your right, with or without those who have caused you harm. Not only that but healing is necessary. It's more