Greetings

Hello and welcome to my blog.  I’m Alisa, a San Fernando Valley/Los Angeles-based writer and mixed media artist.  This blog is about nothing in particular.  I simply post about my interests, life and work as an unemployed post collegiate Renaissance gal.  Feel free to subscribe by email while I share neat things and make stuff with my hands until I find a full-time job.

Surge of Inspiration

Last night I attempted to take on my current journal, which I haven’t worked on in months before last week.  My latest pages consist of drawings, found items and photos I took during Ryan’s and my trip to Portland for New Year’s Eve.  I put on a Basquiat documentary that was in my Netflix queue, but instead of being the background movie, it became a catalyst for me to paint again.

I’d found a big hardcover book called Native Nations a couple of years ago at a garage sale in my neighborhood before my house got foreclosed.  It’s a black and white photo book that features tribes and indigenous cultures around the world over the history of photographic portraiture.  It became my reference material, and while painting, when the Basquiat doc ended, I put on another documentary called Art & Copy, about the world of advertising, which was very interesting and compelling.  Anywho, here is what came out after 3 and a half hours –

I’ll probably sell ‘em, since I can barely keep up with my bills.  If you’re interested, hit me up!

My Handmade Notebooks are up on etsy!

Monsters

It was a modest holiday this year.  My real Christmas was last weekend, when my awesome brothers who I miss dearly and rarely get to see came to town — and I got to meet my brand new niece, Olivia!  She is such a sweet little thing and a genuine heart-melter.  Every time I smiled or sang to her she smiled her big, cartoon smile and marveled at my red mane.  She’s going to get spoiled by her crazy aunt for sure!

I’ve been remiss with my posts.  But it’s been such a hectic month — making presents because I’m broke, preparing for the arrival of my out-of-town brothers and their families, prodding my boyfriend to attend my very large extended family’s wild and loud events, dealing with constant technical snags while editing my short film, and trying to get into the groove of being on “vacation”, even though I can’t ever get rid of the gripping bummer and stress of unemployment.

But I’ve been making things, which is important.  Without this simple activity, I’d be thrust into the bowels of woe.  It’s impossible for me to not be productive in some way.

Here are the gifts I’ve been making!

These journals are my own design, made with recycled and re-purposed paper and stamped with my own designs (as well as found ones), that I carved into linoleum blocks.  I’m also selling them for $4 and $5 each on etsy.  Check ‘em out!

The monsters are from a book I picked up last minute at Jo-Ann’s while looking for a lion doll pattern, which I was going to use to make Olivia’s Christmas present.  After nearly giving up my search, this book caught my desperate eye.  I can’t even keep count of how many I’ve made so far because they’ve all gone to babies already!  Unfortunately, since these aren’t my designs, I can’t sell them, but soon I’ll be designing my own characters and monsters and you can count on them showing up on etsy ^____^

Hope everyone had/is having a great holiday.  So looking forward to my New Year’s trip with Ryan, where I will pop 2 cherries: going to Portland and going snowboarding!  So excited.  I haven’t been in the snow in 15 years!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Y’ALL!

“Shame On You”

People, the Occupy Movement is obviously growing into a bigger social revolution.

The video above is of police pepper-spraying nonviolent, calm UC students who refused to leave their campsite on the university quad.

We need to recognize and discuss police hostility toward peaceful protesters happening all over the nation.  Everyone has a right to express their dissatisfaction with the way things are going and they certainly shouldn’t be punished for it.  Those acting upon their desire for significant, positive change in a broken system are being physically attacked for their nonviolent resistance.  What message does this send to future generations of our nation?

At least the video ends on a positive note.  I believe that with enough inspired and involved people, we can make significant change toward human compassion, social advancement and enlightenment — things we’ve lost along the way to becoming money- and material-obsessed robots.

Wake up.  Act.  Band together.

Update via The Daily What

Hire Me!

My car broke down on Halloween, thrusting me into an ocean of stress and existential dread.  Instead of throwing money away on repairing the old dinosaur, I’m looking to save up for a newer used car.  Thing is, I only have one part-time job.  Since this unfortunate event, I’ve been sharing a car with my mom and searching far and wide for full-time writing and editing jobs, literally shooting out my resume like bullets from a Carbine gas powered semi-automatic weapon called Desperation.

I’ve got a Bachelor’s Degree in English and have experience writing copy for the Dan Eldon Project website, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages. I’m also adept with WordPress and have basic HTML and Photoshop skills. Currently, I work part-time as a screenwriter’s assistant and have knowledge of the inner-workings of writing, producing and promoting a film in Hollywood. I’m also a budding filmmaker — I’m wrapping up my first short film as I type this.

Although my professional experience is limited, I am an ambitious and quick learner and would bring my creativity, hard work and ‘passion for writing to any great company.

If you or anyone you know needs a copywriter, copy editor, social media/community manager, journalist, screenwriter’s assistant, production assistant — or just plain anyone to work full-time for them — please forward my information.  Much appreciated!

– Alisa

Everything Burger

Just thought I’d share. I just found this awesome blog.  It’s pretty self-explanatory

Remedy

More awesome burger art!  This one’s by E.W. Thomason, who absolutely rules.  Thanks to my partner-in-crime, Ryan, for finding this for me <3

It’s so bad-ass, it’s smoking a cigarette.  Looks delicious, no?

"Remedy" by E.W. Thomason

Do-It-Yourself Burger Costume

I’ve been getting a lot of requests to reveal how my burger costume was made.

Now, I must warn you — like all things do-it-yourself, this costume takes lots of time and careful work — but whatever you put into it, you’ll definitely get out of it.  So if you’re looking for a quick and easy do-it-yourself, either look elsewhere or try to work with what you have.

I had my friends Stephanie and Jeffrey help me since they both have formal training and experience with textiles and design.  I’m guessing it took a total of 9 hours of work and about $30 of fabric and materials, but that’s probably because we had to start from scratch.  You, on the other hand, are in luck because we’ve already taken care of figuring out a functional and comfortable design.

—–

MEASUREMENTS

These measurements determine your comfort and mobility inside the burger.  You’ll need to take measurements of the following:

length from shoulders to upper thighs (bun diameter)
width neck
width of shoulders
waist
hips

—–

SUPPLIES LIST

Measuring tape

Sewing machine
Surger machine if you have access to one, but it’s not completely necessary
Fabric scissors

Needle and thread in colors that match your fabrics for hand-sewing

String

Tape

—–

SHOPPING LIST

If you live near a fabric district like the one in Downtown, L.A., you’re in luck for some great materials at super affordable prices.  Here’s a list of the materials we used, how much you’ll need and estimated cost.  These fabrics are mere suggestions; find similar fabrics or ones that work best for you.

–

bun	tan velvet	1.5 yd	$7
ground beef	dark brown crushed velvet	2 yd	$4
tomato	shiny red satin	2 yd	$4
cheese	hard yellow felt	1 yd	$3
lettuce	sheer light green polyester lining	1 yd	$2
sesame seeds	neutral muslin cloth	.5 yd	<$1
filler	polyfill	1 large bag	$5

–

Remember, it pays to get more material than you’ll need — and really cheap material you can practice on — to leave room for error.  You don’t want to make multiple trips to the fabric store.  My total was around $27 for fabric and filler.

—–

PROCESS

These burger design illustrations and steps were crafted by the amazingly talented Stephanie Ferdin for this blog post.  Thank you, Steph!

I’ve also included some process photos from last year, reference photos and some snaps of seams.

The costume will fit like a jumper without a bottom for easy toilet access.  Meat straps will go over your shoulders and on your sides.  I wore a dark brown maxi dress, dark brown tights and black leather Chucks with my burger.

NOTE:  The measurements below are tailored to my body —  I’m 5’3″, 110 lbs.  If you’re close to my body-type, you can use these measurements!

ANOTHER NOTE:  To make a perfect circle for your buns, fold your future buns in quarters and mark the center (on the wrong side, of course).  Then cut a piece of string to the diameter you want, leaving some slack.  Tape/tie your marker/chalk to the string and pivot the marker from the center with your finger.  Viola!

For those of you who take on this fun project, I’d love to hear about it and see your results!  Reply to this thread or email photos at: burgerfoot@gmail.com

HAPPY SEWING!

I can’t stop listening to Wild Beasts

Beautifully Twisted

The External World by David O’Reilly