How to Make Rainbow Melty Bead Earrings

Throwing it back old school for this week’s DIY. We all loved (and still love) making things from Perler beads. Here’s a tutorial for making super cute mini rainbow earrings.

Let me know what you think!

How to Make a Pineapple Collar Pin

So…

I LOVE collar pins. I just think they are such a fun and easy way to jazz up an outfit. And whats more fun than a pineapple in the summertime?

Here’s a video I just posted on how to make a collar pin yourself. Its super easy- I promise!

It’s also the first DIY I posted on my channel- so let me know if you love it or hate it 😉

You can get the pineapple charms here: Gold-plated Charms Yellow Green Pineapple Shape Handmade Jewelry Making Findings(pack of 15)

Road Trip to Yosemite

 

Yosemite is one of those places that has been on my bucket list for years, and after seeing it, I’m glad it was.

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It’s very much unlike anything I’ve ever seen. With the massive rocks, big waterfalls, and trees for days, you really can spend days getting lost among its trails.

Unfortunately, I only really had a day. Still, I managed to pack a lot into my short time there. I saw Half Dome, the falls, El Capitan, and the explored the Valley and its little shops.

The toughest thing about the trip was hiking to the upper falls. Its basically like climbing a flight of stairs for 2 and a half hours. Couple that with the fact that it was about 90 . Or the new cupcake shop that opened in Old Town. I’m flexible 😉

Monologue Monday (On Tuesday)

I was thinking it’d be fun to start a little Monologue Monday thing. Keep those acting juices fresh and work on monologues. Share a link if you end up posting a monologue so I can take a look 🙂

 

 

LA Arts District

Have I mentioned lately how much I love LA? There’s so many beautiful little gems, fun places to take pics, and little neighborhoods to get lost in.

The Art of the Perfect Monologue

I happen to love performing monologues.

Whenever I’m not in a regular acting class or working on set for a project, I feel like its a great way to keep my acting chops sharp. Plus, its fun.

They can also be very educational. If you need practice on your timing, hitting the different emotions, or understanding your own movements and body,  monologues are a great little exercise for you. They aren’t a substitution for professional training, but they can definitely help you overcome some of your own personal acting challenges.

Want an example? Maybe you haven’t noticed (and if you haven’t, pretend I didn’t say anything) but I have pretty big eyes. While some people things its wonderful, and I’m quite fond of them nowadays too, they were actually a pretty big challenge for me when I first started modeling and then when I shifted into acting. I didn’t know what to do with them, how to focus them, and how to not look like an anime character.

Recording myself and acting at home really helped me get used to them and make them work for me instead of against me.

Now that you’re convinced, lets talk a little more about how to choose a monologue. I’ve performed all kinds, from the really zany to the incredibly deep. Though I do think finding the right monologue is a bit of a learning process, here are a few things that you should keep in mind if you are in the market for a new one:

1. Keep in mind the characters you are hoping to play- If you need to perform a monologue for an agent or manager, keep in mind the sort of roles they may be sending you out for. If you are a character actor, you should pick a monologue that highlights your range and abilities. Keep the character’s age, look, and attitude in mind when choosing.
2. Don’t be afraid to push your own limits- Just because you identify as a “comedic actor” does not mean you shouldn’t explore your more dramatic side. The fun part of acting sometimes is pushing your own limits and learning what you are truly capable of doing.
3.  Choose a monologue with range- You only get a limited amount of time to make your impression on the audience. Choose a monologue that lets you show a bit a range. Perhaps something that starts off more comedic and has your audience laughing, then flips the switch on them and gets a bit deeper in the end.
4. Don’t be basic- I kind of think this one goes without saying, but I’m saying it anyway. You want to be memorable. Be that person who no one can stop talking about. So avoid using the same basic monologues that everyone else is using. Be unique. Pick something more original, and do it really well.

Those are my basic tips to get you going.  But as a final thought, remember to honor the requests of the agent/manager you are meeting with. If they ask for a 2 minute contemporary monologue, you’d better pick something contemporary and definitely practice your tail off to keep it under 2 minutes.

Remember that the whole process is supposed to be fun. And you may have to try out a few different monologues before finding one that suits you.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to drop me a line.

Break bones 😉

Palos Verdes Shipwreck Hike

One of the fun things about living in L.A. is that there are ton of new little random bits of history sprinkled into it to explore.

This week’s exploration was of the SS Dominator shipwreck ruins in Palos Verdes. The ship was marooned back in the 60s, and is now mostly underwater. But there are a few rusted pieces that remain on shore.

This was not the easiest hike, as the trek is basically entirely across the rocky shoreline. But Palos Verdes is so beautiful, and the weather was spectacular, which alone made this trip worthwhile.

There were tons of cool little tide pools, little crabs, and other typical beach side finds.

The wreckage itself is not going to blow you away if you’re expecting a big pirate ship, treasure, etc. But there are still some big pieces that were cool to see and explore.

That includes this big piece that looked like a giant fish head.

And this one. I’m still trying to figure out what it was.

The whole hike itself only took about 2 hours round trip. There were only a few other people on the trail, so it was mostly peaceful. Of course, I did get hustled out of my water bottle by a random guy and his kid. What can I say? I’m a big ol’ softy.

The kid inside me is satisfied. What kid doesn’t want to go searching for sunken ships?