I've taken a gander into the future & it is 3D Printing!
Since it's commercial conception, I've always wanted a 3D printer but thought that it would be a ridiculous amount of money to get one. I imagine many with this perception as well. BUT then Comic-Con Africa happened & changed the game. So so many cosplayers were sporting 3D Printed props & even entire costumes! After speaking to a cosplayer about the Red Hood mask he printed, I couldn't believe some of the prices of the with the lowest priced at about only R3000! I mean anyone could totally save up or straight up buy that. Wasn't even a question. And if you've been following Insta/Facebook or Whatsapp stories you'll know Alfonzo Words has officially joined the 3D Printing game & I've been printing up a storm ever since.
I'd like to invite you to share in this momentous moment with me as I launch my 3D Printing Business. Word of mouth marketing is still the BEST marketing alive, so help spread the word by telling your friends & family. Thank you all for your continued support.
First, I'd like to give a MAJOR MAD Respect & MAD Love Shout Out to Don from 3Drone.co.za
Truly one of the most helpful dudes you'll ever meet & so affordable it's unheard off. I can honestly say I never would have made it this far without his business & his expert assistance.
Through a collaborative effort, we were able to go behind the scenes to see how one of these 3D Printers is set up the right way.
Don unboxed & set up the whole machine for me, including adding this personal touch of my Brand Name on the printer's LED menu interface!!! So awesome. I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend 3Drone.co.za
Instead of the commonly bought CCTree brand, Don suggested we try out the Hello 3D Filament {material used in 3D Printing}, so I took several 1kg each reels to try out.
And so the first ever prints were underway. I printed an earphone hack that keeps your earphones firmly in your ears in the event of actions like working out or dancing. and what the 3D printing community affectionately calls "Benchy" which is basically a test print to test the quality of your printer.
After some talk with Don & some further calibration, I started hitting a stride in the printing. Even printed an army of baby groots & Pikachus.
Since my phone cover had become pretty worn down I thought I'd give printing a cellphone cover a shot, for this I used flexible filament {TPU}. It came out great & bendy plus it had it's true test when I accidentally dropped my phone, happy to report no damage to the phone.
Then I found these really cool "Text Flips" by Mr_Printer023 that say one thing on one side & another as you flip it up or down.
In honor of the man, the myth, the LEGEND Stan Lee, and in light of my recent post:
After having printed the Pikachus & some cookie cutters, I knew I needed help. So I popped in on my friend & blogger Cassarica Nadas aka Cassricorn.co.za for alil tutelage. We had a blast & the cookies were delicious!
Thanks to her guidance I was able to finish these two Mr. Grinchies just in time for the exclusive movie premiere I was invited to by UIP SA
One of the reasons I got so excited about 3D printing was coz of RCLifeOn, his videos are always about printing the coolest stuff. One of which was Lithophanes. Which I tried to do. The result was absolutely, jaw dropping & eye sight defying. Magical infact!
I printed this Iconic image taken from the Global Citizen Festival that Sunday. When you expose the back of the Lithophane to a light source whether natural or man-made, the picture comes alive! All the detail! is exquisite. I can print 4 family pictures like this Glue them together & make a square light box to hang up in decor.
BooYAH!! 32hr Print!
This is my longest print. The detail on this is unbelievable! Granted its a tad off layers but you can blame Eskom {load shedding} & my bad gluing for that not the printer. Clearly it can print absolute marvels & wonders.
My thoughts on the Hello 3D Filament:
Great brand, affordable & only slightly more expensive than the CCTree. I've tried both filaments & I like both but Hello 3D is the clear favorite plus they come in vacuum sealable bags so you can always keep them sealed after use. I would recommend the Graphite & Bronze over all the others. Even if you paint over it {though I don't see why you would, they will already looking amazing}. It prints the best quality & is most sturdy in layers.
I love these printers, the possibilities & applications for them are ENDLESS! & I'm just getting started.
To everyone messaging & asking for custom prints. Please email your FULL request through to enaidu710@gmail.com & they will be processed accordingly with a replied quote.
(Nb: During December I will be focusing on prints for the above mentioned Local Market. I will be taking custom orders but from those that stop by the market & fill out the request.)
Many of you know me as a great music fan. Some know that at 17 I wrote my first sponsor letter to First Avenue in Minneapolis to partner with my college radio show (they said yes!). Several of our First Ave friends were in my Honors' Composition class and 2 of them became my co-hosts. We wrote and won a grant that resulted in an open-air radio station. And I believed in the power of writing.
I've parlayed such connections into brands on a mission and the power of giving back. Thanks to all who helped us Go Gold with Teen Cancer America during September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness month!
Now, It’s book launch and a giveaway time! I'm excited to feature several success stories and many ways to #ShineThroughtheNoise and #sparkcreativity.
To celebrate the Shine Through the Noise sequel launch week we’re doing a $300 painting giveaway by Jim Musil, an inspiring professional painter, friend and mentor.
I was a little shy my freshmen year in Minneapolis after growing up in St. Paul. Jim invited me to learn about radio, production, promotion and benefit concerts hands on. I screwed my courage to the sticking-place (yes, I’m an English major) and started the specialty dance show sponsored by First Avenue. Jim and I were housemates for a year in college with other radio friends in Minneapolis. He was at the helm with our WMMR Board of Directors while pursuing the grant with the University of Minnesota. Radio K (http://www.radiok.org) in Minneapolis was the radio station result!
I remember Jim painting in college. It’s a pleasure to share his creativity and success now!
“This was a blast—lots of energy. I pushed the colors to be more vibrant and warmer which felt like a great fit for AkashaLin,” Jim said when discussing the artwork and inspiration. *
Thanks, Jim! 😊 I’ve been inspired by our discussions and especially by this vibrant painting!!
Bonus entry: You may get another entry by leaving a review for Secrets to Shine through the Noise and emailing that screenshot. success@akashagarnier.com
There’s already a great buzz on Instagram (link to https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnzo8IeDOQh/
and Twitter from when we share the piece in progress! I’m grateful for that and the positive energy as we start this “Shine 2” chapter.
My journey as an artist and writer at a young age since both of my parents are professional artists. My mother Barbara was getting her Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Minnesota when I was growing up; she brought my brother and me into her studios to watch art come alive! Our backyard in St. Paul became a sculpture zoo of life-size animals my mother constructed; as they became weathered she turned to modern art pieces as a founding member of the WAVE gallery in Minneapolis. My father Bob was an Art Director at the 3M headquarters in St. Paul, MN and won several grand prize snow sculpture contests by turning our yards into winter wonderlands! My first trips on a plane came from him winning these prizes, sparking my interest in travel at a young age. I’m proud to say that they did well in business and in art and continue to create. For me creativity has opened many doors. I believe it will for you as well!
My first book Secrets to Shine Through the Noise covers my journey from starving artist to mentorship and the art of giving back. I was working hard in #indiefilm as a screenwriter, actress, producer and film promoter in Minneapolis and Los Angeles. That didn’t pay off for 10 years, but it has now as an author, brand expert and filmmaker. I’ve continued writing, have won awards 11 years in a row for marketing projects and have 3 series in negotiation. In Shine Through the Noise: Spark Creativity we visit with several experts on creativity, business and giving back through this book, series and seminar in the works.
So, please open your mind, playbook and sketchpad as we spark this journey together!
*Also, confession: I was not “Akasha Garnier” in college.
Read the #ShineThroughtheNoise series to find out what I learned about names, branding and reinventing ourselves.
Jim Musil painting giveaway is open to U.S. residents and includes free shipping.
There’s one painting to give away and it will be shipped to the winner in November 2018.
There will be other prizes during the next month as we shine together!
Today marks a Special & Momentous day here on the AlfonzoWords blog, as we get an *Exclusive First Look* at the Cover of the highly anticipated sequel book, Shine Through the Noise 2 by Akasha Garnier!!!
The first book was an immense inspiration to me & a large contributor to my success today as a Social Media Influencer, Author & Blogger. My story of success is featured in the book!
Woooohooo! I'm beyond excited for the release of this book & cannot wait to share the amazingly beautiful cover with you. If you recall we did the cover reveal for her first book Secrets to Shine Through the Noise. Akasha has also joined us for a quick Movie Tag on the 9th of June 2016, read more about itHere.
Akasha first started writing Gothic stories to entertain her Halloween guests in St. Paul, Minnesota. She went to college in Minneapolis where the radio station nominated her to be Production Director and “The voice of WMMR”. Akasha enjoyed a wide range of musical influences from The Beatles, The Who, Prince, U2, Pearl Jam, The Replacements and house music. She then honed in on a show featuring dance music hosted with her honors’ writing classmate. Fortunately, the first PR proposal she ever wrote said ‘Yes’! Voila, First Avenue of “Purple Rain” fame sponsored her award-winning radio show. Akasha continued to round out her writing, PR and producer skills in alternative radio, event and video production, then travel from sea to shining sea.
Akasha’s proud of her work as a writer, producer, and actress; she balanced branding work as a writer and producer in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, London, Paris/Cannes, Maui and Hawaii. She excels at helping clients shine with 15 awards/accolades since 2007.
Akasha also enjoys giving back through her Promo Partners
The main partner right now is The Who’s Charity: Teen Cancer America and her Italian family’s Fantastic Restaurants; Nando Milano
As well as Helping people balance business and creative skills as amplifying their brand value. Akasha will celebrate the book’s release in a few select cities, and then finish negotiating her travel thriller series for release in best-selling book and film form.
Akasha was invited to write a motivational book based on her branding expertise, love of travel and the ability to inspire with the right blend of business and creative skills
From Left to Right: Akasha with the Stanley Cup from Chicago Blackhawks & America’s Cup, Oracle Team USA reign
Before the reveal here's a quick word from the Legend Herself:
"Dear Readers,
I come to you Ricoh and dear readers with the same melange about my #ShineThroughtheNoise sequel: excitement, anticipation, inspiration, and relief. I've incorporated feedback and addressed top comments. We celebrate progress and success and continue to encourage each other. Life is better and beautiful...but never flawless. We all have ebbs and flows, even if we do not share them as publicly as other moments we want to project in our posts.
I feel it's important to talk about disappointment as a natural state as we start on our path. We must let go of more expectations to be open to ideas and feedback to spark creativity and chances...and even to failing along the way. There is no perfect 10, no ideal answer that suits us all.
I explore the idea of: “Shining through" instead of just "shine on”.
By acknowledging more ups and downs and the fact that we are not always picture perfect we are being authentic.
This will help you:
Make room for breakthrough.
Hear your voice intuition and inner guidance.
Know when you're on the right path when you see/feel alignment of people, ideas and opportunities.
I am encouraged by the number of deeper connections I've been able to make with readers, followers, travelers, writers, entrepreneurs and friends. I am expanding ideas into a workshop and seminar as I write this and meeting with sponsors in October to find a good fit.
August 17 I attended a community event in Los Angeles hosted by Judd Apatow that will raise $5-8 million for Teen Cancer America. I'll follow up with the final numbers. And believe me, the venue for the private benefit is right out of a glamorous scene from my #Davanti thriller series, which is set in LA, Chicago and several gorgeous rivieras. More news coming on Davanti thriller in book and film form too! I know this event and Shine 2 launch was meant to happen first. I'm honored to share it with you!!
Thanks again for reading, for writing to me and for listening.
And wherever you are on our journey, believe it's worth the trip!
Sincere Aloha,
Akasha Lin"
So without further ado its time for that
Exclusive First Look at the Cover of this inspirational book.
WOW! Epicness! Legend...Wait for It....DARY! Se Manifique, it looks like the cover of a beautiful movie and knowing Akasha, I'm sure it will be soon. {Wink Wink, Hint Hint}
All I want to do is turn the page and begin reading!! Don't you?
BuenosDias~
Happy New Year & Best wishes to ya for 2018!
I know, I know. Where the HECK have I been these past months?! Gomenasai. My blog has been on hiatus for various reasons that will be covered in later posts. I had however intended for my first post of this year to be about my facebook recently hitting 5 MILLION VIEWS!
Yet, fate intervened in the form of my mentor, Elayna Fernadez ~aka~ The POSITIVE MOM quote retweeting a video posted by a vlogger named ELLE DARBY.
I was immediately drawn in by the video & the core message that it had to deliver to all us bloggers, vloggers & social media influencers. I knew then & there that this HAD to be my first blog post of the year, that NOW was the time to come out of hiatus. To ensure that this incident was covered by Alfonzowords & that emphasis is placed on Why EVERY Blogger should care.
Here's a quick breakdown of the incident if you haven't heard:
Elle Darby sent an email to the owner of the Charleville Lodge Hotel in Dublin
The 22-year-old asked for a free stay in exchange for social media promotion
Owner Paul Stenson poured scorn on the request and posted the email online
Ms Darby responded with a YouTube video saying his actions led to her being bullied by online trolls
So let's start with the infamous Facebook post shall we:
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DEAR SOCIAL INFLUENCER, YOU SHOULD CARE BECAUSE THIS COULD LITERALLY HAPPEN TO YOU, TO ANY OF US.
This type of email/query has been an unwritten method that most influencers, especially the successful ones, have used. Whether it be to collaborate with brands, receive discounted offers or free merchandise as well as free vacations. I collaborate with dozens of different bloggers every single day & comment on many blog posts that are reviews about hotel stays or luxury vacation treatments.
Are they ALL freeloaders with no self respect & dignity?
Let me assuredly say that I have mad respect & love for all those in the service industry especially those in hospitality. This post isn't about them but rather about the business & how social media influencing ties in. Here's my thinking. ELLE has +80 000 subscribers on Youtube & +75 000 followers on Instagram. Her highest viewed video so far has +835 000 views! So if she were to post a review of her hotel stay & at the barest minimum, out of allllllll that following, the hotel gets 10 NEW Guests. Does that not mean a ten fold return on the investment of letting her stay there for "free"? Does that not in turn have a compound effect on increases & bonus cheques for said "staff & housekeepers"?
And Now for the video response from ELLE DARBY:
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FIRSTLY I just have to say, MEGA CRAZY Love to Elle for somehow finding the courage to not only stand up for herself but also for the blogging & influencer community. Because after scrolling through the negative comments across the different social media platforms, I honestly am in AWE of her bravery & stature. It's like a tsunami of hated all directed at her. Are we really going to let her face it ALL alone? Or can the vision of us all standing behind her in support & solidarity come to fruition? or is the hashtag #BloggersUniteall for show & nothing but a side ways glance?
Let's tackle some of the common negative comments I've seen so far:
{in sarcasm} that no-one knew who/what Universal Orlando was before her
Everyone KNOWS what the Hilton is, everyone KNOWS that Disney World is, everyone even KNOWS what Two-Ply toilet papers is. But what Influences them to go there or go here? Or to to buy Two-Ply even...
It's stimuli. It's fascination. It's a change in perspective.
The WHOLE reason I found out about this ELLE DARBY fiasco was because I follow my mentor online & anything she throws attention to is Worth my time & effort to view.
Get a Real Job, Live in the Real World:
A 100 years ago, YOUR "job" could've been looked down upon and not treated as a "Real" job. A 100 years from now, Influencing could be considered a normality while something else could be considered "not a real job".
I, however do not consider Influencing & Blogging a "job". I consider it a business of self employment. You are your own boss, you work your own hours, you pay your own expenses & salary. A real business with real potential & real rewards.
{in sarcastic disbelief} She outed/exposed herself by attaching her name to the post.
Ofcourse she did! That was the ENTIRE intention. Because prior to her even posting the video & Paul's barely concealed screenshot, plenty of "trolls" as they were, found out her name & commented across all her social media about the video. So instead of shrinking back, she stepped forward and released the video with her response & reaction. It's NOT the be all & end all of comebacks. Nor do I endorse everything she says. But she did it in the moment & said whatever she needed to in order to clear her heart & her mind of the negativity she'd received. There's a beautiful nakedness to her honesty & that should be respected.
She's spoiled & entitled & the whole blogging community is this way too
As stated above, most influencers do approach brands. Yes, we do get approached but sometimes the situation calls for specificity. In this scenario ELLE was planning on a romantic getaway for her & her bae during the Valentines Rush. Any ONE of our emails & query messages could be USED at ANY time by any troller to publicly ridicule & judge against. This is why I believe that Every Blogger needs to care about the incident.
If I didn't do it justice here is an EPIC BADASS Tweet THREAD response to the Elle Darby uncalled for hatred & discrimination:
Tweet is by Riley J. Dennis
***
I've seen a few people on my timeline ~dragging~ this girl super unfairly so this thread is me defending her https://t.co/EEyGqtMeDY
A similar incident happened to me now that I think back. Not nearly to this kind of level of outcry but similar none the less.
In the Spirit of ELLE, I'm going to be brave & "expose" the situational scenario that occurred.
Back when I first started blogging, I had attached to the bottom of my emails "donations are appreciated", an innocent enough remark however one taken all too personally:
This was my polite & firm reply:
This is just to illustrate in my experience of the situational scenario & response but to also point out that this was NOT the general consensus. As stated, more often than naught, people were willing & even initiated to pay to be featured. For a variety of reasons, such as no influence base, no time to do the marketing or admin, humbly supporting their social media friends and so on. None of which are negative reasons but all understandable ones & somewhat even smart ones. Such as writers just being published who have full time day jobs. or Business owners & start ups who want to place focus where focus belongs, on their business & its sustainable growth.
I'd also like to point out, that whether or not my site remains a "free" site or a "blogspot" site, is my personal choice & preference & reflects nothing towards the "earnings" nor integrity of a blogger.
Futhermore, those people &/or businesses that were rude or arrogant towards me in the beginning have now been trying to get back in contact with me to do "social media influencing" for them. {fact not opinion}
Brilliant post by @sirenabergman !!! She covers every point of the @elledarby incident quite eloquently & at the same time Firmly stating Facts, not just opinions. I hope this serves to enlighten those that had negative things to say about our industry & elle herself.
Here is a video stating that Paul is a Hypocrite while providing proof that He, HIMSELF has stayed in places for free or received special treatment due to his "influence".
Paul Also created a video in partnership with Jen Hatton Sketches
Where they proceed to illustrate all the very worse parts of Social Media Influencing & those that take advantage of backhanded methodology. i.e. buying followers or apparently being nonchalant at an event & still getting paid.
Again I feel like they have both been posting in a way that conveys this is GENERAL Influencer behavior especially in the context of the ELLE Darby Scandal. I also feel that this is NOT the General consensus nor commonly known behavior of a blogger. If you take the time to look you'll the see the majority of Real & Tangible followers with Real & tangible interaction. Even if it's each other commenting on each others work in support.
Influencer Marketing when used in the correct context, can be very lucrative & rewarding. And just like any job or business you love doing, you HAVE got to put in the effort, the passion & the work! Are you up with us all odd hours of the night writing our blog posts in advance? Are you there when we're in sweltering heat with our cameras taking all kinds of angled pictures or DIY'ing an At-Home Photoshoot studio? Are you there when we spend hours & hours of collective replying & interacting with our following to ensure engagement on our social media? Are you there when we're mostly seated at our desks for the entire day at times, creating content & providing admin for our clients? All the while still making time for family & other priorities at home?
That being said, we do lead somewhat charmed & exclusive lives.
We get to travel the world {without or without a review}
Eat the craziest & best foods {without or without a review}
Stay in the best hotels {without or without a review}
Drive the latest models in cars {without or without a review}
Brands send us "FREE" clothes &/or merchandise to test out {without or without a review}
Marketing departments want to collaborate with us to create a Social Media Campaign
We meet, interact & even befriend powerful figures in society. I.e Les Brown
We interview celebrities about their upcoming projects.
We're invited to glamorous parties & exclusive screenings.
Nothing comes for "FREE", everything is an exchange of energy input & output. Nor do we "Influence" anything and Everything that comes our way. We learn to Say No too just like any other business, we're eclectic about who and what we support.
Louis Cole has over a million followers a piece on both youtube & twitter. He posted this Today!
***
@elledarby I saw an article about you, I don't know you but hope it puts your mind at ease that as a fellow 'influencer' my experience is that all the big hotel chains not only offer free stays but pay influencers to promote them. I hope this educates other people reading this.
You earned your blog/website, you earned your content, you earned your following, you earned your influence, you earned your exclusivity & you Most assuredly Earned the RIGHT to quote potential client's in kind.
NO ONE, young or old, rich or poor, white or black, gay or straight, angry or calm, man or woman, christian or Buddhist, over weight or under weight, scientific or artistic, green eyed or brown eyed. NO ONE can ever take away your Worth. Only you Know it & only you control it.
I've come a long long way since the blog first started & a lot of my success is due to knowing & finally accepting my worth. I Still have a ways to go & I remain ever coachable towards there always being A Next Level to reach for. I will always be grateful & humble for what I have.
Lastly I'd just like to send MASSIVE MEGA TONS of Love & Positivity Elle's way! Those comments can be so so draining even for the strongest of strong. You are a true ROCKSTAR & you have a forever fan in me. Thank you, Arigato & Gracias~
I'll leave you with this quote:
***
My Mentor, Elayna Fernadez ~aka~ The POSITIVE MOM will also provide, what I'm sure will be a much more eloquently word & delivered account of this incident so be on the look out for that post.
{Title & Link Here}
Truly sorry the post was so long today & I already love you if you've read this far. But any one who knows me will tell you I don't work with word counts & rebel against limitations. The posts are, as they've always been, as long or as short as Needed.
In honor of the man, the myth, the LEGEND Stan Lee, and in light of my recent post:
After having printed the Pikachus & some cookie cutters, I knew I needed help. So I popped in on my friend & blogger Cassarica Nadas aka Cassricorn.co.za for alil tutelage. We had a blast & the cookies were delicious!
