DecemberIssue
Food, DeccorGalore
Tired of feelingsluggish &
unaccomplished?Time to check-into Sugar Rehab
ExclusiveInterview with
Premire CelebrityStylist and InteriorDesigner Kenneth
Craig
Issue IIII Vol I
December2016 Contents
13 17
08
09
Vessels Page
Tis' the Season to beSalty
06 Ga Ga Album Review
09 Hacksaw RidgeInspiration
13
17
20
03
21
22
General Inquires:
igzood.org
@igzood
07
06
There is No Fear Here
What you Put YourHands To FeatureInterview
Meet theEditor
Sugar Rehab
Eat with Intention
7 Creative Resourcesfor 2017
23
The Climb
Photo Creds
12
vessels
"living a life poured out"
JohnathanEllison
YmaniCross
BertetteLewis
Shaniah Alexander
KayKing
Chatoya Antwine
DecemberContributors
DevinJoyner
3 WAYS TO BEAT THEHOLIDAY BLUES
TIS' THE SEASONTO BE SALTY ?
Get Out !You must remember to stay active.Exercise can help you ease away theblues. It is known to be a key element infighting depression. Regular exercisecan help ease depression by releasingfeel-good brain chemicals known asneurotransmitters, endorphins, andendocannabinoids that may easedepression.
It’s funny how our body tells us to keepmoving iIn order to not get stuck in a headspace. In order to get over that breakup orheart ache, keep moving. Our body sends asignal to help us along. All we need to do istake the first step. Don’t let life pass you by,get moving, it will make you feel a whole lotbetter. Literally.
Be Optimistic !What we think eventually becomes whowe are. Out of the abundance of theheart, the mouth speaks. You don’t wantto be the negative one during theholidays. People will eventually avoidyour negative vibes. Yes, life is difficultand you may have had some hurdles inyour way of success.
When it comes to the holiday season, everyone seems to be soexcited. Family and friends come to town to celebrate. FromThanksgiving to New Years, it appears that tis' the season to bejolly. However, what happens when your mood matches theweather ?
No family to come visit, or any family to go see. The season thatis meant to make you feel jolly can leave you hollow and full ofsorrow. I am one who has found this year to be a bitdisheartening. Someone call the Grinch, I think I may be his closerelative .
I just want to crawl up on my couch with a cup of tea and watchthe Holiday Baking Championships on Food Network. That getsboring fairly quickly to me though. Too much of anything canbring in the depression flow.
So how do I get over the blues that’s colder than the winter snow?
Here are three easy steps in diminishing your gloom
Cheers to recreating the holidays and moving forward. Now let’sDeck the halls and have a merry holiday.
Connect with Bertette ! @humble.beast_5
By Bertette Lewis
However, the more you dwell on it, themore life you bring to it. If you let it die, ithas no power to affect you. I love the soundof that! I must repeat it again. The longeryou dwell on that negative thing, the morepower you give to it. It now has resurrectionpower to take over your life whenever itpleases. However if you let it die, it has nopower to affect your daily living. Life anddeath lies in the power of your tongue.Think positive, speak positive, and bepositive. It is what will define you.
Set the Temp !Ever saw someone enter into a room andthey immediately caught your attention? Ifthey came in negative, did that make youfeel a negative vibe? Now you walkingaround upset from what they projectedon you. Have you ever witnessedsomeone walk into a room and they wereall cheery and exciting? They immediatelymade you light up. Your whole moodchanged, you began to laugh and it set offthis goofy mode in you? Okay, maybe thatis just me.
Family plucking your nerves? Create yourown party after dinner hours. This wayfriends will be willing to spend some timewith you after they have eaten dinnerwith their families. Movie night with theladies on your big comfy couch, recappingabout the day’s events is also a great wayto add laughter to your holiday festivities.Forget what that ex is doing. Think aboutyour present and not your past. Sendyourself some flowers to sit on yourbeautifully decorated table.
IGZOOD MAG | 7
AlbumReview
I have to start off saying that I am fanof Lady Gaga’s voice. She is classicallytrained and her voice is amazing to me.I haven’t always gotten down with herspecial form of creativity and herchoice of lyrics but the woman istalented. Please don’t sleep on her inthat regard. She is gifted!
However, in the middle of her newalbum “Joanne” I was bored listening toit! It was very monotone and it honestlycould put me straight to sleep. I canunderstand why she went this routebecause as an artist you would want tobe versatile but I could have saved mytime and been content with hearing thesingles on the radio. It’s just notsomething that I would listen to overand over again. Gaga could have donebetter as creative and talented as sheis.
My favorite song on the album is“Million Reasons” which showcases hervocal range and is lyrically rich. This isprobably the only song that I reachedback for once I finished listening tothe album a couple of times through. Ican say that I got a little moreinvolved with the rest of the albumafter that track but not enough tochange my opinion.
Gaga named the album after her lateaunt, which could probably explain whyit had a nostalgic feel to it. Personally,I was just not impressed. I expectedmore from her and I didn’t feel hergenius trying to creep through like Iusually do when I’m listening to hermusic. Check it out, if you absolutelymust but I’ll be waiting for her nextalbum to wake me up!
By Ymani Cross
Connect with her !
@ymanihanan
IGZOOD MAG | 8
long with the great war films of the past, such as “Saving Private Ryan”, director Mel Gibson, adds to this
collection of great war films with his latest work, “Hacksaw Ridge”. This drama is a biographical war film based on
the true story of World War II Medal of Honor Recipient, Desmond Doss. This is not a full review of the film, but more
so a look at some of the greater elements and the themes contained in the film itself. Mixed with great audio and
visual effects and unique battle scenes, as a creative I watched the entire film and uncovered a greater element from
the movie’s plot. The Hero of the film, Desmond Doss enlisted in the U.S. Army and decided that he would serve his
country without the use of a weapon. He saved lives, defended his battle brothers, and became one of the greatest
Heroes of the war. The crazy part is he never once needed a weapon.
“You are yourGreatest Weapon”
Take Away from “Hacksaw Ridge
A
by Johnathan Ellison
IGZOOD MAG | 9
That left me pondering on a simple phrase and saying;
You are your greatest weapon! That’s right! You! You are
your greatest weapon because everything you need you
fight through battles, everything you need to go out and
help rescue and defend others, everything you need you
become your life’s story’s greatest, is contained in
everything that God has already put inside of you.
Sometimes battles and wars arise to bring out the heroes
that are already inside of us.
Sometimes even as creatives we fear that we don’t have
all the tools necessary to get to the levels we need to get
to.
This film gave me a friendly reminder that when we realize
we have all the tools to win the world around us it changes
and the people around are affected. On our different
creative journeys, we will encounter different battles but a
few things we need to win.
Confidence is needed. There is no such thing as failure
where there is effort. We will surprise ourselves once we
take the caps of creativity off.
Pioneering is necessary. As a creative we don’t wait for
other people to set trends, but we pioneer different
trends and inspire men to become great.
Patience is key. Desmond Doss kept saying “God let me
get one more” (Speaking of soldiers that were stranded
in battle.) Take it one victory at a time.
In the some of it all, creatives are heroes. Our stories,
our images, our expressions save people who have
been wounded in battle. Sometimes we just need a
Godly reminder that we are our greatest weapons!!
1.2.3.
Here are 5 films this movie lovercant wait to see before the year is
up!
Connect with Johnathan ! @jboogey25
MOVIE
TICKET
CINEMA 5 SEAT A5
3
Assasins
MoanaMoonlight
FencesAllied
Lyric Express
IGZOOD MAG | 11
I am still. I feel the fear, it’s surrounding me. The quick pang feels like it’s running slow. Slowly, my stomach drops.Everything stops, and for a second I ponder resisting my destiny. Was this the way it was supposed to be achieved? Inthis manner, just like this, just like that? Was I hearing God or my own selfish desires? I knew the former was true but...Iwas stuck.
Fear is Jack . Jack be nimble, super quick, jump right over my confidence. Slowly he runs, nimble in his steps, knottingmy stomach, shooting a pulse of pain , my body cringing. I have felt this before, yet I have overcome. Breathing won’t doit, counting won’t do it, my mind is clouded, my mouth won’t cooperate, but I must look up.
I must look up, never down. My God didn’t come from deep in the ground. I must look up, never down...I will lift up mineeyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help..
“ To where does it come from?”, speaks the snake, who is slowly trying to wrap it’s pythonic structure around my mind,choking out the little scripture I have left in my storage, to which I must pull from amongst the tablets upon my heart, thestrokes of spiritual ink old, but not dead.
“….My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth! You are bound!”
I screamed, and I look around. For a moment, I think the scream is inward but then those on the porch look at me. Theymust think something is wrong with me. I stop. I breathe. I feel the release. I start, then stop. I breathe again, and my nextbreath I’m thanking my God. I feel the freedom, the confidence overflowing, the snake was snatched away from it’s gripon my mind, only thing left was it’s scales. I cast them down.
I know it may happen again, but I know that in my God I have the victory. It will attempt to happen again, but I know that Iam a giant, bigger than any small snake, faster than Jack.
I start, I walk, I continue walking I’m fine. I’m thanking, I’m praying, I’m thanking again. I’m breathing without thought,there is no fear here. There is no fear here.
THEREIS
NOFEAR
HERE
by Shaniah Alexander
Whateveryou put
your handsto ...
Interview byDevin Joyner
IGZOOD MAG | 13
Kenneth
Craig
WorldWidePrestige
WorldWidePrestige
KC has been breaking boundaries, walls and barriers in thedesign and entertainment arena since the age of 13. He's givingus exclusive insight on his success. There are only three thingsyou need to conquer the world. God, faith and a really nice bag.
DJ: You have a big impact in the lives of your clients. Nomatter if it’s an outfit, wardrobe, makeover, house or officeor career .. When did you know that you were meant todesign people's lives ?
KC: Well let me start from the beginning…I was 11 or 12 yrs old when I found out that Denise
Williams was my cousin I reached out to her about the business aspect of music .At such a young
age I was very detailoriented and organized, she gave me the opportunity to handle a few of her
booking engagements and from there its history. I started my own business at the age of 13. Doing It
Big for God Productions which is the baby of Kenneth Craig World Wide . God gave me
Ecclesiastes 9:10 in a dream (..Whatever your hands find to do,do it with all your might...). My mom
begin to help me build my business she was into interior design ,dad is a landscaper, my brother
does graphic design so business is pretty much in the family. My brother does my website and photo
editing.
My motive is to help people live prestigious no matter your economic stance .Creating solutions for
universal prestige is my motto . I believe everyone can be prestigious without spending a million
bucks whether if it's for your home, attire, business I believe prestigiousness can be within it.
IGZOOD MAG | 14
DJ: What inspires you to design in this particular season ofyour life ?
KC: Having dreams growing up and them
actually happening, I know with everything in
me that greater is to come. I always imagined
working with Kelly Rowland, Usher, Karen
Clark Sheard, Kierra Sheard as a child . I
was running Karen’s office, I was running
Kierra's record label, I’ve styled Kelly
Rowland, I’ve work with all these people and
more because of God giving me a dream and
I give him all the glory.
DJ: So how do all these experiences impact your faith? Forsomeone like me this is a big deal but this all happened inyour younger years what are you projecting towards in thefuture?
KC: I moved out at 19 when I was still in
my last year of college to Michigan and I
began to slip in my faith, everything was
good for a couple years then I fell into
hardship spiritually,emotionally and
physically. I was barely surviving, I still had
my place but I was living like I was
homeless, eating ritz crackers and jolly
ranchers, water for breakfast, lunch and
dinner. That’s what built my faith to where I
am now, since then I’ve worked with
companies like KangaRoo Shoe Brand . If
I hadn't even gone through that my faith
wouldn't be where it is now. I have the
kind of faith that if I walk past the blind,
someone in a wheelchair I believe that
they can be healed right then and there
and if they have just even a tiny bit of faith
GOD WILL DO IT!.
DJ: Do you see your gift as an escape from troubles,problems of life?
KC: It has definitely been a stress reliever, a
re focuser . I’ve been weary or weak but I
remember my purpose. My goal is to change
someone's life world wide. I want to make a
difference in every client's life and that’s what
motives me.
DJ: Do you see your passion for design separate fromministry?
KC: I don’t because in order to style
someone or their home or office aside from
having a keen discernment because of this
gift I easily pick up on their needs without
them even communicating it. I have to get to
know people, what they like, what suits or
compliments them. That's what ministry is
ultimately ,building relationship. ...
KC: ...They don't have to be saved for me to
bless their home, confidence or recreate their
lives. If I didn’t have God in my life I wouldn't
know how to run this business, influence
these people in any way, their homes would
be a mess lol I just want to make their lives a
tad better, I can’t fix it but if you go home
after a stressful day you can come home and
be at peace, relax I’ve accomplished my
purpose. Creating a sanctuary, an
atmosphere for people, boosting their
confidence, managing artist can be
demanding but when you have someone
whoose graced for that it is one less thing
they have to worry about.
DJ: What are your most emotional responses from aclient?
KC: A young lady from Trinidad who had
cancer and she lost all of her hair and her
confident with it. I took her out got her
wardrobe ,did her make up, cut her hair and
when she came home to her children who
were still in elementary they were like
“mommy ,OMG” they couldn’t believe it was
her that touched my heart.
DJ: What is your styling process? Steps you take to get the zone?
KC: When a potential client reaches out we
set a date, time I tell them fees upfront and
consultation begins , I get to know them,
their time frame and once I leave them I'm
gone my brain starts working , and the
creating begins.
Continues to next page...
IGZOOD MAG | 15
Here are a few of KC's favoriteclients
Favorite Interior Client:
Chateau Entryway
Carmel, Indiana Favorite Artist : Earl Bynum
Traveled to Italy, you name it !
Fashion :Kelly Rowland
Sweet, fun, daring, easy to work with
Events: Winter Wonderland Theme made
me feel like I was on HGTV
Most interesting : Prayer closets
Funniest : Halloween Haunted House Fair
Ground there were sledgehammers
involved
but it was for a cause
DJ: Women love men who love children (SN: He’s notmarried and doesn't have any kids) you have to have abeautiful patience for that . What struck your heart forautism?
KC: I used to teach second grade for two years and I had a few
children with autism in my class . I learned to understand them and
pull out the best in them, they snagged my heart . Their parents
connected with me on a personal level because of the relationship
I developed with their child .They’ve asked me to spend holidays
and vacations with them. It grew a desire to raise money for them.
I plan to start Friends for Autism once things slow down, so stay
tuned for that. DJ: What are you working on at this very moment and howdo you plan to end the year?
KC: I have several projects I’m working on right
now but my main focus is rebranding myself, up
until now I never had to really market myself, I
don't need to but I want to take it to the next level.
Every job i’ve done has been word of mouth. I take
that as a great compliment because it's not easy to
break into this industry but I have a great support
system of family and friends that push me. I want
my niece and nephews to look at Uncle K and say
if he can do all of this I CAN DO ANYTHING .
KC: I love working with kids with autism and
giving back.
Connect with KC @kcwii
7 Creative Resources for 2017by Chatoya Antwine
Sometimes as entrepreneurs and creatives we hit roadblocks and our creative juices stop flowing. It is very important to
have a source that inspires you when you experience lack of selfinspiration or when your well runs dry. I have various
sources that I am able to turn to when I need a spark in creativity or when I need help balancing my creative ideas.
So I’ve listed 7 of my favorite creative resources that I am excited to carry forward in 2017.
TED TalksI am a huge fan of valuable, inspiring, and motivating content. I truly believe that you are what you consume
and I am very mindful of what I let my mind process. Every TED Talk that I have enjoyed watching has
sparked some level of inspiration, motivation, or confirmation for me.
A few of my favorite Ted Talks include Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action, Tony Robbins: Why
We Do What We Do, and Elizabeth Gilbert: Your Elusive Creative Genius.
Fast CompanyFast Company has been one of the best business investments. It is inspiring and leading me to invent a new
wave for entrepreneurs to shift their creative mindset and get to the next level in business. I have gained a
tremendous amount of business knowledge on leadership and technology as well as proven strategies from
thought leaders and leading global corporations.
IGZOOD MAG | 17
Creative MarketCreative Market is my goto for design inspiration when choosing fonts, patterns, and stock photography.
I utilize this online design marketplace when creating digital products, physical products, and when
upgrading stock photography for my website or social media accounts. My favorite feature of this site is
that every Monday they give you access to download 6 design freebies.
COLOURlovers
I am a very detailed oriented, organized, and sort of a “Perfect Patty” when it comes to my brands. Everything
has to be perfect from branding to execution. I love to play around with COLOURlovers to browse current color
and pattern trends and pick the perfect color palettes for my products.
Community
You can not succeed through entrepreneurship alone. PERIOD! This is one of the exact reasons I created Creative
CoLAB and my Creative CoLAB Community. On a daily basis we inspire and motivate one another. We push each
other to higher heights, brainstorm ideas with one another, and grow together as a community. Whenever my
members are struggling to accomplish a certain goal, it sparks my creativity and inspires me to create a digital
product or workshop to help them break the barriers that are preventing them from succeeding. Join a community
of likeminded individuals!
IGZOOD MAG | 18
When I’m browsing the web, social media, or find content that sparks my interest, but I am unable to currently
read or watch it, I save it to Pocket. Pocket allows you to save articles, videos, images, texts, and links directly
from your browser or favorite apps and view them later on your computer, phone, iPad, or tablet.
I am a visual person so I write all of my ideas and goals on big post it notes and place them on my wall so that I can
see them daily. Sometimes when we write goals in notebooks we tend to forget about them, but when they are in sight
everyday, it helps to know exactly what you should be working on.
I hope you enjoyed these 7 creative resources! Feel free to share which ones you plan on using for 2017.
Big Pad by Post It
Connect with Chatoya & her creative online community Creative CoLab@creativecolabco on FB, Twitter, IG
Personal IG @chatoyajaneil
IGZOOD MAG | 19
Time for Sugar rehabby Devin Joyner
Ever since I decided to give my life back to Christ and lay down all my addictions for purity, I began to eat. Sugar to
be exact. I traded in sex, men, weed, and excessive shopping just to ruin my face and body. I swear it wasn't my
intention, but now I realize how it was effecting my focus and commitment. It has been proven that how you eat
affects your productivity and creativity.
This of course is ultimately our decision as people, but when something tends to go wrong in life or in business the
release I would usually get from smoking or sex was being replaced with cookies, brownies, and cake. You name it, I
ate it. So I have decided to take back the control! What most would call a diet, fast, or challenge, I am making a
lifestyle. For the rest of the year (except for Thanksgiving and Christmas of course) I am making the daily decision
not to eat trashy foods or dark meat. I want my mind to be clear from clutter and get my body disciplined before the
new year begins.
Although I burn a lot of calories by dancing, when I perspire I want a clean release from my body and not one of
grease and food color red #234. I don’t want my pores so easily clogged. This will also help with the overwhelming
breakouts I’ve been getting. It’s crazy how one small decision of what you eat during the day affects your entire life!
Let's say if I choose oatmeal for breakfast , avocado smoothie for lunch, a banana and yogurt for snack, and fish
tacos for dinner. This will give me the energy I need to fulfill the daily task of school work, emails, choreography, and
work. Versus if I eat pancakes, eggs, and bacon for breakfast. Eating that type of meal makes me sleepy so I can’t
read for school and i’m napping all the way until lunch. Dinner turns into cheese nachos, coffee, and candy. I let a
whole day pass away and my todo list gets pushed back once again. I have to bust my butt the rest of the night
depending on what else gets added to my things to do. This makes me frustrated and more likely to eat a big dinner
with dessert, and a midnight snack that could possibly involve a sugary energy drink.IGZOOD MAG | 20
Now I have replaced focus with food. I will no longer emotionally eat.
It not only affects me but my future. Life hacker blog made a point
that our eating habits affect our grandchildren! As a millennial my
mind is always on the future. What am I doing now that is setting me
up for my future? If I expect to live the best creative life as a dancer, I
have to eat clean. If I want be effective in business, I have to eat
clean. If I want to be alive to see my grandchildren, I have to eat
clean.
This mission starts today. Check out the points I snagged from
Cassanda Bodzak’s book Eat with Intention and follow my journey to
holistic eating @de_fyingravity
Workout.Eat Right.Create.Suceed.
Making Peace with your Body
1.Realize it's a gift and privilege to first have
a body that operates effectively
*It is a daily miracle that you have no
deficiencies
*Give gratitude to your body it brings a
greater appreciation! Set aside time in your
daily routine to openly be thankful for how
your body operates and allows you to live
*Don't think of your body as an opponent
stopping you from eating or living how you'd
rather live
*We can't live our bodies based on
conditions we set, we don't do that to our
mother, best friend or husband. When we
love unconditionally we leave room for
growth
2.End negative selftalk
If you happen to fall or cheat do not down
yourself by punishing your body or abusing it
just pick yourself up and start again
a. Laugh
b. Acknowledge the behavior
C. Devise the pattern
D. Effortlessly shift the behavior
Become a Food Detective
1.Start a food mood journal
*Make yourself aware of patterns
*Log how you feel before and after the meal
For the more amazing tips,mediations and recipes
purchase the book for youand a creative you know this
holiday season !
Connect with Cassandra andEat with Intention TV@cassandrabodzak
IGZOOD MAG | 21
Embark on the Journey
The ClimbBY KAY KING
There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb…-Miley Cyrus
It’s in the climb that you learn how
much strength you have. You learn
about what you can overcome and
how much you can endure. It’s in
this season, I’m learning how strong
I am and what I’m capable of doing.
You never know your strength until
you’re faced with a test.
You learn to persevere. To push
through. No matter what may be
standing in your way, you realize
that there is a David inside of you
and that you too can slay that giant.
You’ll remember that you come
from a lineage of people that faced
adversity but they didn’t give in.
They pressed towards the mark,
they remained determined. And
ultimately, they overcame.
The climb also helps to build your
faith. It removes selfdoubt. It
erases your lack of self confidence.
You see as you continue to climb
you find out that the only limitations
on your life were the ones that you
set. And the higher you climb, the
more limitations you break off your
life.
I mean the view is so much better
from here.
I understand that everyone’s in
hurry to get to the destination
but for me it’s all about the
climb. I’m in the climb of my life
right now and while it may not
be the greatest place to be, it’s
the place I need to be. It’s the
place where God is pruning
me, it’s this moment in my life
where I’m beginning to
discover who God created me
to be.
I just know that I am going to
look back on this season of my
life one day and think to myself
I wouldn’t be the woman I am
today if it wasn’t for what I
learned about myself during
my climbing season.
I know people would rather
rush through this season of
their lives because it’s the less
glamorous part of life but it’s
the part that is most needful. If
we could just arrive at our
destination what would that
mean for our lives? NOTHING.
What would we learn?
NOTHING.
I don’t know what season of your life
that you’re in but for those that are in
the climb, I encourage you to take a
deep breath. Don’t rush through this
season, stick around to see what the
climb will teach you about yourself.
I understand that there may be people
around you that are well into their
journey and you’re looking at them
feeling discouraged. Wondering when
your idea will take off or when your
book will get published. I just want to
remind you that the lyrics of the song
says “ain’t about how fast I get there,
ain’t about what’s waiting on other
side ..”
So, enjoy the climb. Enjoy what’s
happening on your way to the
destination. Trust me if it were all
about the destination, you would’ve
been born into the destination but
God placed you in the journey. He
placed you there to grow you into
your destination.
I hope this encouraged you and I look
forward to hearing all about your
testimonies. This season wasn’t
meant to break you, it was meant to
build you.
Connect with Kay @_kayking
Credits
IGZOOD MAG | 23
Movie Pictures: Universal Studios
Drawing of Lady Gaga stereogum.com
Colorful face image for There is No Fear Here designspiration.net
The Climb : EYE Tumblr.com
ROAD Youtube video Eddie Vedder " The Long Road"
TUNNEL conversationalreading.com
BLACKED out image of man: flickr.com
Fast food girls WISEGEEK