Song Writing and Music News

So I haven't blogged in a while...
That's because I have been busy writing. I've been working on my novel, which is taking a while, but that's okay. I've also been writing songs.
I love music, I always have. And I've been writing songs since I was thirteen. I play guitar- I don't play well, but I play- and people say I have a knack for expressing things in words.
Lately, I've been having a little bit of writers block. I can't figure out what to write about, so my guitar teacher said I should just write, wether good or bad, silly or serious, just write a little something everyday. So that's what I've been doing.
A few of the songs that come to mind are Rambling, Whatever This is, and Flowers in my Hair. Yeah they're kind of silly, but hey, not every song can be a hit. In fact Ryan Tedder, the lead singer of OneRepublic, said that after you've written 500 songs, you'll find a hit.
Now that may seem kind of discouraging, but to me, it's actually pretty helpful.
I'm a big perfectionist. I may have already mentioned that, but if not, I am. I want everything to be perfect the first time. So let's say I write a really bad song, that sounds horrible. Normally I'd throw it out. But, in line with what Ryan Tedder said, it'll take a few tries. And the messed up version of a song can be what leads to a hit. On the Deluxe edition of Taylor Swift's 1989, she includes the rough drafts of a few of her songs. I especially like the "Blank Space" voice memo, because it's a VERY rough version of the song- you almost can't recognize it.
I also like the way her and the others are having fun writing the song. That's how it should be. Yeah, it's going to be frustrating at times, but if it doesn't make you feel the least bit happy, it's not worth your time.
So I've written some pretty silly songs. But during one session in my room, I came across this perfect riff. I couldn't find a way to attach it, but it's pretty sick. Hopefully it'll lead to something great.

In other news, I found a few new bands you should check out:
Ra Ra Riot
Hey Marseilles
JR JR
Atlas Genius

Well that's it for now. I'll be posting a few DIYS next so stay tuned!

An Artist's Words

So I thought I'd share some more of my observations of the world.
I love being an observer of the world, and I love sharing my observations with others. So hopefully this'll be a recurring series of posts. Here are my latest observations.

When I think of life, I think that we have two options. One, live the same day over and over again, or two, dare to change the cycle, to break the rut, and to live spontaneously.
I'd like to think that most people are the latter, but that's not the case. We tend to get so caught up with the every day that we tend to forget what's important in life; the way we live it. It's important to breathe, and take one day at a time. It's important for each day to be unique and different. It's important to live your life spontaneously. It's important to live your dreams. And it's important to have a purpose in life.
I'd like to think I AM doing all of those things, but in reality, I'm not. But that's okay, because it's never too late to start.
I want to live a beautiful life. I want to live my life so passionately that I love the crazy journey of life. I want to live a life I love. I want my life to be filled with hopes and dreams, and I want those dreams to be lived out. I want to be an inspiration to others, that anything is possible. I want to be that girl that never gave up.
I want to live a beautiful life. So I figured now is a good time to start. I AM going to live my dreams, I AM going to work hard, and I Will dare to begin, to begin living a life I am proud of.

Prismacolor Tips And Tricks

So recently I got a prismacolor marker set.
And I love it. I had gotten the pencils a few years ago, and I use them to this day. With the addition of the markers, I believe I could be unstoppable. Just kidding, I'm not THAT good.
But I do love to draw. I thought I'd share with you a drawing I did that uses both the markers and the pencils, and I thought I'd share with you some of my tips for using them.
First, it's a good idea to know your materials before you dive head first using them. I practiced and scribbled with them for a while before actually drawing with them.
 It's also a good idea to know what you're going to draw, and the colors you'll need. For example, I draw a lot of people, so the portrait set seemed to be the best set for my needs.

Some other tips include:
*Don't press too hard on the markers and pencils. If you press too hard, they'll break, or you'll use all of your ink.
*It's always a good idea to outline what you're going to draw in pencil first. You can always erase it later.
*If you are using the markers, make sure you make your outline as light as you can. Once you trace over with the marker, you can't erase the pencil.
*When you go to sharpen the pencils, press lightly, the harder you press when sharpening, the more of a chance it'll break.
*The cool thing about prismacolors is the ability to layer and blend colors. Don't be afraid to experiment with it. It's one of my favorite parts of using them!

To the right is my print I made. I used the pencils for the vinyl part, and the markers for the lettering.
Here are the colors I used:
For the pencils-
True Blue, sunburst yellow, light umber, peacock blue, chartreuse, dark umber, cloud blue, and carmine
For the markers-
tuscan red and blush pink.

Hope you find the tips helpful!

What are your favorite art mediums to use?

Book Review- The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars... where do I begin?
I fell in love with this book. It's about cancer, and about a beautiful and tragic love. The main character, Hazel Grace, is one of the most relatable characters I have read about. And of course I fell in love with Augustus Waters.
There are sad parts, and funny parts, but mostly sad parts. But that's okay, because after all, life is not a wish granting factory.
Oh, and there's a blind guy in the book as well. His name is Isaac, and he is really cool.
So there's a brief summary of it. Let's get to the reviewing.
So there were a few things I didn't care for. There is some language in the book. And it is a pretty deep topic, so if you don't like deep, sad books, you might not like it.
But John Green did an excellent job at making me care about the characters. And I loved his use of details. To me, the little details about the story are what make the story so great.
I didn't care for a few of the side characters though, like Hazel's friend. I found her kind of annoying.
Overall though, this book is AMAZING. It is definitely a new favorite of mine, and I look forward to rereading it.

What are some of your favorite books right now? I'd love to hear them, especially since I need something new to read.

About The Changes...

Hola.
So I've noticed some things about my blog I want to improve, such as my photos, my wording in my posts, and the things I post about. So, in other words, I need to improve my blog's content.
So over the next few weeks I am going to be improving my blog. That means that there are going to be some changes taking place. This includes my past posts as well. You may notice that some posts aren't there anymore, or the post is overall different. It's okay, it's just an improvement.
And by the way, this does not mean that I'm changing EVERYTHING. I am simply still learning how to be a blogger. And that means that as I learn new things, the blog will naturally change.

I will still write about what I love.
I will still be goofy and awkward in my posts (well to an extent).
I will still be Paleo's Starving Artist.
But...
I am going to write about what I love. What I want to say.
I am going to be using more photos.
I am going to make sure they are good quality photos.
I am going to work on my grammar and spelling.

So don't be alarmed by the changes. Because change is a good thing. And I want this blog to be something I love.

DIY: How To Make A Mood Board

Mood boards are awesome.
For the longest time I had wanted one, because then I could organize my ideas easier.

But what exactly is a mood board?
Mood boards are pretty much a visual representation of current thoughts, ideas, dreams, and projects. As you can see, mine is filled with photographs from magazines. That's because I love drawing people, as well as the ideas and the concepts these photos give me. They also give me plenty of story ideas.

So how do you go about making a mood board?
It's pretty simple. I'll go over the steps with you.

1) Pick a theme. It could be anything- maybe a current project, and the inspiration for it, or maybe a dream or goal you are working towards, and the motivation and goals to get you there. My theme was, you guessed it, people. I also included things that make me happy.
2) Get your inspiration and supplies together. Now this step doesn't have to take place all at once. You can do it all at once, or you can slowly add to it. I did mine at once. I included magazine clippings, smash book pieces, and of course, my Taylor Swift polaroid.
3) Start arranging your materials. They can go on in any order you want.
Another thing, if you ever feel like you need to change it, or maybe your inspiration has changed, don't feel afraid to redo it!

So there you go! Hope you have fun creating your own mood board!

An Artist's Words

Hello.
It's been a little while since my last post. Well, I know I did some posts about Disney World, but to me those don't count as part of my regularly scheduled program. They were a special set of posts. So now we are back to our scheduled program!
I thought I'd share with you a piece I wrote recently, about being creative. It's almost a letter to myself, where I talk about being creative, and how that feels.
So here it is.

Here's the thing about creative minds: they never shut down. They are constantly going, taking in all of the world around them. They see the world in motion, observing from a distance. It constantly moves around them. Yet, sometime the world moves too fast for them.
They see everything as inspiration. From the beauty of a dandelion, to the most colorful sunset; from the lovely stars in the sky, to the tiniest firefly; the dewy grass after a rainstorm, to the beetle on the side of the road. The world is so beautiful, maybe even too beautiful.
Sometimes it's hard to take it all in. Maybe because it is too much information, or because of the wandering mind in general. For example, take the beautiful clouds in the sky. There are many things you could take away from that. You could think of all the shapes and images you see in the sky, which leads you to a happy memory that you start vividly replaying. Or you could think about the vastness of the clouds and how big the world is, which leads you to start mentally writing a poem or a song about it. Or you could think about what the clouds would look like if the sky was green, which leads you to mentally start creating a world where that is so.
When I say that this is too much, I do not mean that something is inherently wrong. I mean that the mind of a creative person works differently. I mean that the creative person's mind wanders aimlessly. They tend to dream out loud, letting reality fade into the background.
But is this really such a bad thing? Without these types of people we would have no artists, no writers, no musicians, and no dreamers in general.
So maybe it's okay to dream this way. Because the stories in our heads are much better than the reality we live in.

So that's my inspiration for the week. I wanted to share this, not because I needed to, but because I wanted to. I'm called Paleo's Starving ARTIST, so why shouldn't I share what being an artist is like? And this may seem like a personal note, but I wrote this in light of how most creative people tend to feel. I hope this helps someone who feels lost because they live in their own world. Because that's okay.

Disney World Part 2: The Food

So Disney World isn't exactly known for it's food.
Yet, I think it should be. They have amazing options for those with dietary needs. Since I have to stay away from dairy and gluten (we made an exception for the corn and rice) it seemed like it would be a hard task to accomplish. Well, it wasn't hard at all.
They had everything from chicken tenders to rotisserie chicken for the quick service lunch, and dinner, oh dinner, was amazing.
A few of my favorites:
The ice cream at the parlor on main street. They have either rice or soy ice cream. I chose to try the soy, which they let me sample first. It was incredible! The vanilla is better than the chocolate, but if you get the vanilla, trust me you'll love it. Even my friend- who isn't doing the paleo diet- got it and said it was delicious.
Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge has a lot of dairy and gluten free options. If you tell the waiter you have a food allergy, the chef will walk you through the buffet and tell you everything you can and can't eat. The best thing there period is the stew. It is to die for! Make sure you get it if you go there. If you don't have a sensitivity to rice, make sure to put some in the bowl with your stew, it tastes wonderful. Even without the rice though, it is fantastic.

Other honorable mentions:
Chef Mickey's has a great buffet that has a ton of gluten and dairy free options, but steer clear of the dessert bar. They will offer you plenty of other options instead.
Coral Reef has an amazing mahi dinner. You do have to ask about it, but it is gluten and dairy free. The only downside is you can't get dessert there.

Hope my recommendations are helpful and that if you go to Disney you have a wonderful time!

Disney World part 1: The Rides

The happiest place on earth... 
I wouldn't take it that far. But Disney World is a pretty cool place to visit. I got to go this year with some very awesome people. I thought I'd share some of the awesome things I got to experience. I thought a good place to start would be the rides.
I got to ride a variety of rides while I was down there. A few highlights include Space Mountain, Everest Expedition, and Rockin' Roller Coaster.
Let's start with the mountains. I rode all of them, of course, but Space mountain was special this year. It was the first time I got to ride it in two years! The reason was because they were having technical difficulties with the ride. So I was expecting the same for this time. I was wrong, and I got to ride it! I forgot how much I enjoyed that ride!

Next on my list is Everest Expedition, which is one of my favorite rides there. Again, I haven't gotten to ride it in a while, due to either rain or the shortness of our trip. This time though, I was able to ride it. It was so much fun! Yet again I forgot how much I enjoyed it. This ride is insane though. One minute everything seems fine. But then it goes backwards as a yeti "chases" you. It is an amazing ride.
Last on the list is Rockin' Roller Coaster. I love this ride. I have loved it since the first time I rode it. So when I found out it was closed for technical difficulties, I was crushed. Yet, I had not lost hope. We went back to see if it was still closed. It wasn't, and I got to ride it!

So those are my top three rides. A few honorable mentions are Toy Story Midway Mania, Splash Mountain, Monsters Inc The Laugh Floor, and Test Track.

Book review: Lois Lane Fallout

So, I just finished this book.
It's called Lois Lane Fallout, by Gwenda Bond. I don't want to spoil anything, but it's really good.
Here's a summary:
Lois Lane just moved to Metropolis, and is trying to get settled in. Her new school is, well, interesting. There's the principal, who doesn't seem to care about what happens at the school, and these kids called The Warheads, who are bullying this girl named Anavi. On the first day at school, she is introduced to Perry White, who gives her a job at the Scoop, a segment on the Daily Planet. She is also chatting online with her friend Smallvilleguy.
Things get complicated from there. Very complicated.
The only problem I have with it is that everything gets resolved in the last chapter. Which shouldn't bother me, but it was a very rapid conclusion.
Most of the characters were developed pretty well. Some could of been developed a little better.
Overall, it was a really good book, and I will definitely read it again.

On a completely different note, I just started The Fault In Our Stars. I am IN LOVE with Augustus Waters. I also completely feel for Isaac. It's just so good, and I'm only on chapter five.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

What's your favorite book right now?

Music Update And Watercolors

Have you heard of Kodaline? 
There a more recent band. Apparently they've been around for about four years- and I'm just now hearing about them.
They are an Irish band classified as alternative and their music is definitely unique. I haven't heard anyone that sounds like them. It's interesting and refreshing to listen to. Although I will admit, there first album is better than their second. My favorite song of theirs is All I Want.
I thought I'd also share with you one of the ways I cure boredom. I'm pretty sure this one was on the list, maybe a generalization, but if not, it should be added- watercoloring. 
Watercoloring is a great way to express yourself. All you need is some water, paper, a paint brush, and your paints. The great thing is even if you get a cheap set (like mine) you can still achieve amazing results. Another thing is it doesn't necessarily have to be in the lines. In fact, I think it looks better that way.
I took a few photos to illustrate. (ha ha unintended pun)
If you check out the band, Kodaline, let me know what you think of them. Until next time...

My Top 5: Music Artists

One of my favorite things in life is music.
I love listening to it, playing it, and writing it. I also love sharing music with others. So I thought I would share my top 5 favorite artists at the moment. Keep in mind that this is in no order, though.

1. Imagine Dragons.
I love their versatility in sound. Everyone song seems to have a different sound to it. The lyrics are amazing too. A few songs to check out: Shots, Fallen, Thief, It Comes Back To You, and Working Man.
2. Coldplay.
They are legends. I know every single song of theirs. (Of course I could say that about most of these artists). They have an ever changing sound, but it gets better with each album. A few songs to check out: God Put A Smile Upon Your Face, Shiver, Midnight, Major Minus, and Up & Up.
3. Taylor Swift.
Her lyrics never fail to amaze me. My favorite lyric right now is "Darling I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream." A few songs to check out: Blank Space, Untouchable, Enchanted, Never Grow Up, I Know Places, and Everything Has Changed.
4. SafetySuit.
I love this underrated band. Their sound has changed a lot too, but I like it a lot. A few songs to check out: Looking Up, Anywhere But Here, These Times, Never Stop, and Someone Like You.
5. OneRepublic.
I can't wait until they release their new album. They have a cool sound, almost like a certain swagger to their songs. They combine a rich chello with electric guitars and synths. A few songs to check out: Fear, Missing Persons 1 & 2., Counting Stars, Something I Need, and Everybody Loves Me.

I'd love it if you'd check out some of the songs or artists. That'd be awesome.

Ultimate List of Boredom Busters

Life can get boring.
Especially if you have nothing to do. I've had that happen many times. In fact, it's happening right now! That's why I compiled the ultimate list of boredom busters. Do you want to know what's on it? Well then keep reading because here is the list!

The Ultimate List of Boredom Busters:
1. Color in a coloring book (which is very relaxing)
2. Write in a journal
3. Doodle randomly
4. Compose a song on GarageBand or another similar program
5. Learn something new by looking up a random fact
6. Read a book you have yet to complete
7. Watch a TV show or a movie
8. Write a random letter
9. Play a video game (my favorite one right now is Lego Jurassic World)
10. Make a gift for someone
11. Write a poem
12. Do a writing prompt
13. Complete a goal
14. Make a collage or start a scrapbook
15. Do an art and/or craft project
16. Make a quote book
17. Make a movie
18. Take a random quiz
19. Do a puzzle
20. Dance around your room
21. Create a new game
22. Bake something delicious
23. Start a chalenge
24. Go outside and smell the roses

I hope that was helpful. I'll try and show how you can complete some of these.

DIY Wednesday: Inspiration Journal Cover

Materials needed

Steps to make it

Hello everyone! 
Today I'm sharing with you a simple project to make: a DIY planner or journal cover. It's really easy to make and there are few materials needed. This would be fun to make on the weekend. I hope you enjoy the tutorial and are able to make it!
Let's begin...

Materials:
Scissors
An old book that you are willing to cut a page out of
Patterned paper
Pages from old magazines
Journal
Tape and/or glue




Step 1: Cut the patterned paper to fit the journal and tape/glue it down. I found it was helpful to do both, but either one would work.
Step 2: Cut a page out of your book with a sentence or phrase that you like. I've had my Lemonade Mouth book for years, so I cut out a phrase from it. It had a lot of good ones in there so it was hard to pick, but I settled on a quote from Olivia: "There's no telling what's ahead of us, but it feels right to be reminded that our lives are all connected..."
Step 3: Glue or tape your quote down. I glued mine since it was paper on paper.
Step 4: Pick the images that are going to go on your journal.
Step 5: Glue or tape those down. I glued mine, but I almost wish I had used tape since the page were so thin.
Step 6: Add whatever else you want and you're done!

Fresh Lavant: A Short Review

Good paleo restaurants are hard to come by.
So I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite restaurants. It's located in North Carolina, and it's called Fresh Lavant. It is a COMPLETELY gluten-free and soy free restaurant that serves amazing mediterranean food. They have plenty of dairy-free items as well, and even nut-free options too.
I had the pistachio chicken when I went, and it was amazing. Words cannot describe how good it was! It was served with potatoes, veggies, and a sauce that is spicy, yet delicious. If you don't care for a lot of spice, I would recommend asking for it without the sauce.
I have also eaten the almond cake. It does contain a little amount of rice flour, but it was also very good. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good picture.
They also have amazing tea, juices, and coffee. I have yet to try the coffee, but I love both the tea and juice. My favorite juice to get is the pomegranate juice. It has a little bit of a bitter taste, but I think that's what makes it tasty.
So, in conclusion, if you're looking for a great gluten-free restaurant, and also happen to love mediterranean food, it's definitely a place you'll have to try.

An Intro To Paleo's Starving Aritst

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my first blog post! I thought, since this is the first one, why not get things started with a bang?

First things first, I love to write, and am an avid artist. I also recently started doing a paleo diet. So that's how we get the name Paleo's Starving Artist. 

So what is this blog about?
It's about a lot of things really, but mainly it's about my life as an artist on the paleo diet. I love to share my art with others, and I love being a creative cat. I also love to eat- paleo food of course.

In this blog I shall share with you what being an artist really means, as well as how to's on writing, art, and the like. I also love music, so I'll share my favorites with you, as well as the occasional review.
I also love to read, and I love sharing a good book, so I'll share some of my favorites. I'll also keep you posted on my journey as a writer (and author in progress). 
I also love to eat. Eating is probably one of my favorite things. But with the paleo diet, there are a lot of restrictions. So I'll also show you some of the things I've done to make it more enjoyable- including restaurant reviews, tips, and adventures in cooking and baking.

Every now and then I shall also put out a unique post- such as my travels, fun stuff, and well, you'll just have to wait and see.

So, now that I've introduced the blog, I think I should get started with a few posts. Stay tuned for more!