a peek inside my sketchbook

BIG scrappy painting

I have been in the midst of organizing and cleaning my studio (its been a while and desperately needs to be done!) and after lots of work I ended up with a GIGANTIC pile of fabric scraps. While I am pretty organized with all of my scraps- I tend to keep just about everything that is fabric and it was time to scale it down a little. I had the idea to use all those scraps to create wall art inspired by the vibe of my new book- Sew Wild so I made a BIG painting full of all my leftover scraps that had the look of a quilt but without the sewing.

I painted over an old painting that I had created a while ago on a huge piece of wood. Side note- I love painting on wood almost as much as I love painting on canvas.

Instead of using glue or gel medium (which definitely could be used) I actually used paint as my binder. This is something that I have been doing since college when I wanted to add collage elements to my paintings.

I covered my surface with a nice generous layer of white house paint and then stuck my fabric to it.

If you don't sew or don't have the time to sew this is a great way to create quilt inspired art without pulling the sewing machine out.

I used all kinds of scraps in different colors and patterns, scraps of my handmade fabric, leftover scraps from my latest book project, scraps of painted canvas, scraps of recycled fabric...scraps, scraps, lots and lots of fabric scraps (at least they are not taking up space in my studio).

Once the surface was completely covered I add swipes of white paint and some drizzles and drips here and there.

Why? Just because I love to add a little element of messy and because it felt like the right thing to do :)

The end result is a huge piece of art that looks like fiber.

Of course, once again this guy just couldn't stay out of a photo!

puff paint onesies

By now you should know that I am a BIG fan of puff paint (otherwise known as 3-D paint or dimensional paint) see here, here, here and here. I always like using it to create pattern on the surface of many different things. And when faced with the challenge of starting to collect baby clothes for our new addition (all the info here), I decided I would rather make or alter things for the first few weeks instead of spending money on expensive clothing- there will be enough time for that in the future :)

So I decided to use dimensional paint to alter a handful of white cotton onesies.

ummmm.... are babies really this small?!?!

I used a product that I haven't used before from ilovetocreate- Scribbles 3-D Paint Pens.

Oh how wonderful I have another puff paint product to add to my stash of materials.

They are like dimensional paint but come in a pen so they are a little easier to hold and maneuver

and they are nontoxic and totally washable. Perfect for altering t-shirts, fabric and all kinds of fiber projects.

I started just like I start all of my pattern drawings and doodles

and began adding more and more

and more in different colors.

I then added some white embellishments with regular Scribbles Dimensional Paint.

I made different versions in different colors.

And now I have a cute little collection of altered onesies!

online class giveaway winners!

I am happy to announce the winners of the giveaway for three free spots to my next online class-

Jaime, Carrie and Laura

Send me an email with your contact info and I will get you the information for the class.

Class goes live August 15th

and for this week only I am offering a sale- $10 off- two more days left!

$̶5̶0̶ $40 for this week only!

30 weeks

new online class- beneath the surface and a giveaway!

My next online class Beneath the Surface is now open for registration!

And the class starts Monday, August 15th

$̶5̶0̶ $40 for this week only!

here is a little peek-

beneath the surface online class from Alisa Burke on Vimeo.

music- dog days are over by florence and the machine

I am super excited about this class because I LOVE surface design and with a background in painting and printmaking I have discovered and put my twist on all kinds of easy techniques to build layers, create pattern, work with color and use a variety of simple tools and materials to go wild on the surface of fabric. Rarely will you find me buying fabric for my sewing projects and mixed media projects, instead I always try and make my own. The result is a huge stash of colorful, sometimes messy, pretty, unique and one of a kind fabric to use in a variety of my projects.

Beneath the Surface is a class dedicated to designing and creating your very own unique and one of a kind fabric. We will start with the design process and move into all kinds of techniques- screen printing, dyeing, resists, painting and LOTS more. And not to worry if you are wondering what to do with all your fabric- I've got another class coming soon all about sewing.

Class goes live August 15th

and for this week only I am offering a sale- $10 off!!

$̶5̶0̶ $40 for this week only!

Sale is now over class is $50

Important note about all my online classes-

All of my classes have unlimited access which means once you register you can create and access at any time and work at your own pace. Whenever I "release" a new class- I always structure it in a week format. Many people who want to work in this format, as the lessons are posted each week, enjoy working at this pace but once the five weeks are up there is unlimited time to access everything.

I have found that some people prefer to work along with the five week format when I release the class while others will wait months until they have the time, money and the schedule to register for the class. Either way works- just know that once you are- there is no deadline or pressure to create.

GIVEAWAY-

I am giving away three free spots to the class

Just leave a comment

and I will announce the winners on Friday!

REGISTER-

to register for class you can click below

or visit my website or online shop