Art Snacks

Art SnacksWhen it comes to subscription boxes, it’s hard to determine which ones are worth the money and which ones actually give you things worth having. We like to think that the hard part in choosing a box to subscribe to is already taken care of for you! We continue to test the best of the best, and Art Snacks is a monthly subscription box that we are proud to support!

What would you say if someone told you that for one very low monthly price, you would get a box containing some of the worlds best art supplies in it, a snack, and information on the products to help you use them to their full potential? It sounds almost too good to be true! However, that is exactly what Art Snacks delivers to their subscribers each month. It’s not uncommon to find fantastic brands like Copic and Prismacolor in the box, and you’re sure to discover other cool brands that make the highest quality art supplies available through this box.

If you’re an art major in college, an illustrator, or the guy or girl who likes to draw in their notebook at the local Starbucks Coffee, then this is the monthly subscription box for you. So many boxes offer quality products that they rarely if ever deliver upon, and when they do it is as if they are lacking any sort of thought or meaning. Art Snacks is a box that you can trust to put your artistic goals first! They care about the items that they send you, and make sure that there is meaning behind each product selected for the box. Unleash your artistic side by visiting their website at www.ArtSnacks.co and requesting your invitation today!

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Alphabeat Beta Session

Alphabeat Express Non-StopIt’s rare that an artist or band will sound as good as they do on their recorded albums. Alphabeat is one of those bands that is just as “fantastic” in person as on their records. The latest Beta Session featuring them is proof of that. Highlighting songs from their new album Express Non-Stop and their other albums The Spell & This Is Alphabeat, the session was a hit!

With a rapidly growing following of fans from all around the world this was a brilliant way to let all of their fans in on their live music. Already receiving rave reviews from Perez Hilton, the Beta Session featuring Alphabeat is sure to spread like wildfire. Their style of music and well, style in general, is unique and catching the attention of many, including Taylor Swift who has admitted to loving their music. Quit depriving yourself and watch the entire Beta Session with Alphabeat now.

CLICK TO WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO!

Sounds of Summer

Lawnmowers, hot days, swimming pools

Baseball games, cookouts, time off school

Vacations, beaches, roller coasters

Fireworks, bonfires, marshmallow roasters

T-shirts, shorts, sunglasses, flip-flops

Ice cream, sodas, frozen ice pops

Long days, cool nights, fireflies

Skateboards, scooters, bike rides

Sunburn, sunscreen, suntan

Sprinklers, fountains, ocean waves, sand

Sophie Koh – Oh My Garden

Sophie Koh - Oh My GardenIn the world of music it’s pretty hard to find new talent. Sometimes that new talent, isn’t really new, but just hasn’t hit it big yet. For those of us here in the United States, we miss out on a lot of artist who aren’t shown to us. That’s right, we hear what is advertised to us for the most part. However, if you are lucky enough to be someone who listens to Indie music, you may have perhaps herd of Sophie Koh, a very talented Australian artist. To celebrate the release and pre-order of her new album, Oh My Garden, an awesome new music video has been unveiled for her song I Understand. If you haven’t herd of her, don’t miss out any longer, we have a really cool song by her right here for you to enjoy. Don’t let this simplistic song and video fool you, the song is very emotional and meaningful, and the video is breathtaking if you give it the chance and watch it all the way to the end. It literally is one of the coolest music videos we have seen in a very long time. It doesn’t take millions of dollars in flashy lights and computer animation to make a memorable music video, and that is proven true here. It just takes thought. So that you don’t get your mind completely blown by the water effect later on in the music video, we have included the behind the scenes and making video for you to enjoy.

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO 1!

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO 2!

 

Tellez Tells All

On the rise YouTube user, TellezTelevision sat down to give us an exclusive interview telling all about how her creative process works! Turns out this creative genius is fueled by Vitamin Water and the happenings of her everyday life. From covers of popular songs to originals written by her, the videos you will find on her YouTube channel are creative and professional to say the least! While she is in the early stages of her career we here at Toast Pop can already see that she’s going places fast! Whether she’s tweeting her fans or replying to comments, you will find that she not only appreciates the support, but turns it into the driving force behind her work. Go ahead and check out the exclusive interview with Tellez only available on Toast Pop!

CLICK TO WATCH THE INTERVIEW!

 

Paperwallet

If you’re like me, you have a hard time finding a wallet that works for you. I myself am environmentally conscious but hate to sacrifice great style. Surprisingly, not many companies are looking into ways to make accessories and functional items, environmentally friendly, with the exception of one very cool company called Paperwallet. This company is true to its name, they make wallets made out of Tyvek, a material that is 100% recyclable!  How cool is that!? We think it’s probably the best idea we’ve herd in a very long time. Now, Paperwallet is all about keeping the green going, so that’s why they offer a really cool program where you can send in your old wallet and get a 15% coupon from them to use towards a Paperwallet!

Sounds pretty good right? It is, but we aren’t just saying they are awesome, we are using their products. The best part for me is the room and space in the wallet for all of my cards and cash. The quality of these wallets is another big point of discussion for new buyers. They look fantastic, but do they stand the test of feeling and using as high quality? Yes, they sure do. Upon first touching one of these artistic wallets you get the gist that it is a very durable and thick paper stock. A great company that is moving forward for our environment always deserves support, and that’s why we fully support Paperwallet 100%!

 

Check out the pictures of our Paperwallets!

(click to zoom)

        

MVD Entertainment Group

Some people have a hard time finding cinema that fits their taste. One company has been serving artist and audiences for quite some time by providing a different selection of films. The cool thing about MVD is they offer the brand new concert on DVD’s that you want, and a selection of independent content as well. It’s great to see such a selection in one place. The best part is they are a great and friendly place to buy from.

Audiences everywhere are beginning to fall in love with a new generation of concerts on dvd. Most recently Owl City and Adele have been added to the selection over at MVD. You can expect to find great artist like Taylor Swift and others in the selection as well. From CD’s to DVD’s they seem to have it all. If you have a more independent taste in music and concerts on DVD then there are some great things for you there too. They offer many unauthorized documentaries, which are basically independently filmed stories of the artist and their journeys, something you don’t find everywhere! If you are looking for your favorite artist, or perhaps something different, MVD is the place to go.

AFAR Magazine

If you enjoy traveling the world, or even just dreaming about it, then AFAR is the magazine for you! This wonderful magazine was created for those who have always wanted to travel, and it provides great color photos of cultures from around the world. This is a great read and could possibly keep one entertained for an hour or so. The articles in the magazine are written by people who have actually been to the countries they are writing about and they are written about what the writer experienced first-hand.

It’s always great to explore unknown lands and learn new and exciting things about different countries and cultures, but sometimes you either can’t afford to do that or you aren’t able to, this is where AFAR Magazine comes into play, it allows you to venture to different areas of our exciting and magnificent world, get an engrossing first hand look at things you might have even missed had you taken the trip yourself, and do it all on your own time with their magazine! If you love travel, or simply dream of going somewhere different, then this magazine is no doubt for you.

The different aspects that play a major role in AFAR and their trending magazine are the images, sections, stories, and information that make you want to visit these places yourself. Don’t get me wrong, this is not an advertising brochure, it is an inside look into things you could only have dreamed of seeing before. You literally feel like you are a part of something much bigger when you read the adventurous pages of AFAR Magazine. To learn more or to subscribe to the magazine visit AFAR.

SMMile Photography

Stephanie Michelle Muncy, started her own photography business “SMMile Photography” just earlier this year, and all ready is having success. Muncy runs and operates SMMile Photography by herself, without assistance for the most part. She does at times have an assistant at photo shoots however.

Muncy stated that she offers her clients multiple options, “Packages vary. I usually make a flash drive of all images and give a release form for a set price but other packages vary. My prints range from 1$-10$.”

It was Muncy’s love of photography that led to her starting SMMile Photography,“It started out just being a stamp I put on my photos so people couldn’t steal them and slowly grew into more. People started asking me to take pictures for them. So then it became my name. Then as I got more and more jobs, I turned it into my logo.”

When asked about who some of her clients have been thus far, Muncy replied, “War Torn Angel, a local band, will always be one of my favorite clients, they are some very talented musicians and i love traveling with them to shows. They were one of the first to ever hire me. I love them to death and thank them for supporting me and helping me get to where I am now. Also I’ve had many seniors in high school, along with couples and children from the area. It started out with friends and family then progressed much further.”

Within the next five years, Muncy hopes that SMMile Photography will grow, and that she will possibly have a studio. She takes great pride in the quality and affordability of her photography. She feels as though everyone should be able to capture a special moment in time, and she loves being the person responsible for helping them preserve that moment. Muncy said, “I am very blessed to be doing what I love. If you need pictures just look me up on Facebook.” You can do so by checking out the SMMile Photography Facebook page!

The RiffRaff

Open Mic at The RiffRaff, an Art Collective located at 865 Mercer St. in Princeton, WV, is an “artistic haven” according to Lori McKinney-Blankenship, where artistic talents of all types are welcomed, encouraged and respected.

Lori McKinney-Blankenship, along with the help of her husband Robert Blankenship opened The RiffRaff in 2006, making it a mere five years old, with the goal of giving back to the community, in an artistic way.

McKinney-Blankenship responded, “I grew up here, this is my hometown. I went away, studied theatre, and spent a summer abroad in London. The way the culture was shaped by the arts really affected me” when asked about what had motivated her to start The RiffRaff. She continued by saying “The fact that the community had access to art was something I recognized to be very valuable. After graduation, I searched for artists to work with, and hit the jackpot with creative collaborators. We wanted to make a difference in our community.”

Their desire to make a difference in their community was the building block to The Riff Raff. At open mic night, people are encouraged to make their way towards the stage, and to share their artistic talents with people who help form a supportive and welcoming group of people. All types of art are welcomed at The Riff Raff, according to McKinney-Blankenship, “Visual, literary, performing, healing, and theatrical. All types of creativity are welcome.”

The RiffRaff supplies people with a place to communicate with people whom they share things in common with. McKinney-Blankenship stated, “We’ve seen tons of young artists come in. Their creative lives are shaped by it. Waves of artists come at a time. It’s like eras of time. It’s always exciting,” she went on to say that “a few have really made it their identity, and taken advantage of the opportunities. Our door is open for you to make it your own.”

What falls under the category of making The RiffRaff your own? Well, at The RiffRaff, you are encouraged to share your art with other people. Diversities of art are welcome, encouraged and respected at The RiffRaff.

If you’re interested in starting or being in a band, The RiffRaff is a great place to meet people. McKinney-Blankenship said, “If you want to find a band, come to open mic. You’ll find musicians to perform with. Once you’re ready to record music, talk to us and we’ll get you started” when asked about how people could go about starting a band, and recording their music at the recording studio at The RiffRaff.

The RiffRaff gives people the opportunity to meet other artists, and to make friends with whom they have things in common with. McKinney-Blankenship said that “If you’re an artist or really creative person, and you’ve been looking for people to relate to, be friends with, you’ll find them here.”

For more information on The RiffRaff visit their website at theriffraff.net!