THINGS LISA LIKES #001: Cult Films - The Phantom of the Paradise

"He sold his soul for Rock n Roll"

The Phantom of the Paradise is one of my favorite cult films.

So it makes me very happy that this Saturday, September 17, 2011 the Capitol Theater will be playing Brian DePalma’s Phantom of the Paradise as part of the Cleveland Cinema’s Late Shift Movies! OMG YES! <3 Even better, Simply His Servants, the same cast who performs during Rocky Horror at the Cedar Lee will be performing live throughout the movie.  So if you are free this Saturday come see the Phantom of the Paradise at the Capitol Theater. I might even bust out my  black Makeup Forever Lipstick in Rouge Artist Intense #50 to channel my own Phantom.

There’s nothing quite like a favorite cult film playing on the big screen with other fans shouting out things at the screen ;] (Side note:  Simply His Servants acted out Clue during a Late Shift movie last April 2010, which was awesome!)

I even doodled the Phantom in my 2011 Sketchbook Project. <3

THINGS LISA LIKES #011: I ♥ Adventure Time!

I am absolutely obsessed with "Adventure Time With Finn & Jake" on Cartoon Network.  It's this surreal children's cartoon with lots of wacky characters and situations which I can only describe as if Tim & Eric and Dungeons and Dragons had a lovechild.  With it's simple yet wacky animation style, it's quickly become a cult favorite among kids and adults alike.   The premise is a  boy named Finn and his BFF dog Jake go around fighting wizards, finding treasure, saving towns, having dance parties... you name it while having fun in this magical land of Ooo.

On Sept. 5, the long awaited "Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake"  fan service episode will be featuring Finn and Jake's gender-swapped counterparts: Fionna (a girl adventurer) and Cake (a cat).  To celebrate I drew some doodles of what I would look like if I was in the world of Adventure Time.   

So this is me, Adventure Time Lisa with my stretchy pals Snowball and Tube Socks.

Snowball is my favorite stuffed animal who I took everywhere with me when I was a kid.  He started out as a white, fluffy Precious Moments stuffed rabbit.  He currently looks like a gray, flattened, loved to death, stuffed animal resembling more of a slushball than a snowball.  It doesn't matter.  I've already decreed he will be buried with me in my coffin. He currently sits on my bed.

Tube Socks is the family cat we saved from the streets.  In real life he is a very handsome black and white tuxedo cat with a really chill personality.   His cartoon alter-ego would be sort of a trouble making dickens I suppose.

Fionna and Cake meet Finn and Jake

BLOG #010: New Business Cards for 2011

Hey guys!  Here are my new business cards for 2011!  I made them at the end of July so I could hand out my updated business cards while on my vacation to NYC networking to other designers, friends, industry professionals, and cute boys. *cough cough*

BLOG #009: Final Fantasy VII Extra Knights

Admittedly, I also like collecting certain nostalgic toys and action figures in addition to my collecting of clothing, accessories, makeup, and books.  When you are a kid, you are somewhat limited in purchasing or collecting certain toys that were available while you were growing up due to lack of money ($3 allowance only goes so far) or parental prohibiting.

Fast forward to 2011 where eBay can make all things possible!

Last week I had a sudden urge to make good on one of the items I've always wanted: an original Cloud Strife Extra Knights Bandai action figure.  Final Fantasy VII is hands down my favorite and millions of others favorite game.  Ever since 1997 I saw these action figures at a HMV, but my broke 12 year old self wasn't allowed to buy them.

Well look what came in the mail today!

Me and my Final Fantasy VII Extra Knights Bandai action figure set c. 1998

I'm such a happy fan girl right now <3
Originally I was just going to get myself the Cloud Strife extra knight, I didn't care if it was opened.  However through my master searching skills I was able to find an unopened box set with Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith for a little more than the unopened Cloud and opened FFVII Extra Knights set.  I wish I could open them and play with them, but the good news is that  they will be worth lots of  $$$ money in the years to come.  Guess I have to collect the rest of the characters to make my set complete.

Are there any toys you always wanted but didn't get when you were a child? What were they? Tell me in the comments section :]

BLOG #008: New Website Redesign!

Hello!  Lisamalanij.com is back up and running complete with entire redesign including video, scrolling photo galleries,  and integrated blog!  Major props to my designer Mike Stone for the site facelift.
I’m very happy to have a cohesive place to promote my professional work and musings all in one site.

For the moment I am working two jobs (I am a Beauty Advisor for Clinique and temporarily working at my local gym) plus my freelancing  so life is a bit hectic and my design work has been temporarily on the back burner.  I have a new conceptual collection that has evolved into something  into two collections, as well as my upcycled 3xHearts line.

But never fear, I will be updating my blog frequently.  Watch over this space for updates through the blog for local events, trends, fashions, outfits, and of course current projects, illustrations, items for sale, and Lisa fashion news.

It’s good to be back!

TREND ALERT #002: The Undercut

Hate it or love it. THE UNDERCUT.

Variation 3: All Under = Connecting Sides + Back of Head (Kate Lanphear, style editor of ELLE)

Blurring the lines between feminine and masculine. Beautiful and ugly. An extreme cut that looks good on both boys and girls, curly or straight, medium, short, or long hair! It also is a commitment and a b**** to grow out.  The undercut trend has been around originally and again more modernly among the streetwear styles in places like London, Germany, Stolkholm, Japan, NYC's most edgy for a while and now is becoming more prevalent in the midwestern states thanks to celebrities rocking this 'do.

TREND ALERT #001: Pastel and Ombre Hair

This ain't your manic-panic 'do from high school.  I'm talking about the colored hair trends that have been prevalent on the runways, style blogs, and fashion mags of Spring/Fall 2010.

Turquoise and platinum ombre hair.

Ombré, from the French ombrer meaning "to shade," is a dip-dye effect given to fabric (or hair!) in which the color is graduated from light to dark.  In the past months I myself made a leap of faith and jumped aboard the grunge/pastel hair color train.  In fact, I am currently redying my hair a shade of Manic Panic's Bad Boy Blue as I type this post.  I had been coveting the girls of the Proenza Schouler S/S 2010, Scalpture.com, or the I<3Fake Magazine's #17 Grunge Issue.

LISA LOOK #001 TOXIC TEETH

Hey girls and guys! Lisa LOOK outfit post #001!

One of current contest Lookbook.nu is running is Sony PIIQ Music Inspires Fashion contest.  A neat contest where you can post your music inspired look along with your own 8tracks.com mix to enter.
So on top of making custom mixes, you can show off your awesome fashion style.  So if your stylish and love making playlists, give it a whirl!  You can also have more than one entry.

I'll be posting my looks in the future. For now, check out my first entry and themed playlist titled: TOXIC TEETH!
Make sure to click the "HYPE" button to give me lots of Hype. More Hype gets me more attention!
Listen to my specially crafted playlist for this look too!: TOXIC TEETH 8track Playlist: http://8tracks.com/llvlss/toxic-teeth

http://lookbook.nu/look/1188211-TOXIC-TEETH

BLOG #007: Lisa Malanij on LOOKBOOK.NU

For those of you familiar with the fashion style collective, LOOKBOOK.NU, you know it's one of the best open access style sites on the web.  As a designer and trend hunter, I check Lookbook.nu often to assess the current pulse of streetwear and it's style movements.  Many Lookbook posters wear and display new trends and styles that haven't reached the dreaded common mainstream yet, and display new ways to layer, wear garments and show off their individuality.  Chictopia.com is also a similar open access fashion site.

I use my Lookbook.nu page as a personal catalog of daily outfits.  My way of sharing my personal style back to the style community.  I'm certainly no professional model, but it is fun to showcase my own interesting, cute outfits and ideas with others.  I will even post some of my favorite looks here on my blog.  Though I strongly encourage every fashionista to start their own LB page :]

So fellow fans, friends, and fashionistas, I please encourage you to "Fan" me and PLEASE "HYPE" ME a lot!

SHOW YOUR LISA LOVE! :D
My Lookbook.nu page: http://lookbook.nu/user/147231-Lisa-M

BLOG #006: Pledge on Kickstart for Buzz & Growl - Cleveland Fashion Incubator on Kickstarter

Pledge $1-2000+ to Buzz & Growl on their Kickstarter page!

I just got off the phone with Valerie and found out about another fabulous way besides the Pepsi Refresh contest mentioned in my previous post that you can support Buzz & Growl, Valerie, and local CLE designers!!!

You can pledge any amount of money to Buzz & Growl's Kickstarterer page: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yellowcake/buzz-and-growl-clevelands-new-fashion-incubator

And as an expression of thanks, gifts will be given to each price level donation, such as $1 will get you eternal thanks, $10 donation will get you listed as a supporter on the B&G website, $20 will get you website cred and a limited edition Buzz & Growl book, $40 will get you a signed one of a kind sketch, so on and so forth.

I personally will be donating in the $20-$40 range.

For more info on the Cleveland Sewing Co-op Buzz & Growl, check out their official website: http://www.buzzandgrowl.com/