Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Self-Portrait Tuesday-"All of Me, period!"

 Alright, we are almost done with this whole ugly mess, I'll be able to put on my 'rose colored glasses' tomorrow (MAR 1)and "fo-get-about-it". I could not let the month end without going out with a bang and addressing some of my boring but very "appearance related" all of me uglies. To explain the above collage, I offer the following details. These mostly take place in my bedroom.

1. Exhibit A and B: Framed photos propped against wall. One of my ugly habits. I move around photo, pics, furniture in the house "often". I wonder if they have a name for this disorder? Anyhow, the MAIN issue is that I leave the pics propped up where I want to hang them but then don't get around to doing it. Everyday they stare back at me. Case in point. Procrastination lurks it's ugly head in "all of me" artjunk land.

2. Exhibit C: Me in the morning, holding my toothbrush today and doing something at the same time (taking a pic for SPT). Another ugly habit I have: brushing my teeth and walking around doing something else at the same time. I often multi task. NOT a good thing I have learned. Don't I look great in the morning? Pretty scary stuff.
And don't even ask me to get on the scale...I have not wanted to know how much "all of me" weighs lately. Maybe I'll face the scale in March for our next challenge...ah, maybe not...

3. Exhibit D: Procrastination lurks again in folded clothes that have not been put away. I don't get the good housekeeping award for complete cycle laundry. wash, fold and PUT AWAY. There is usually a basket there. I just vacumn around it...

4. Exhibit E: My bed. I have a bad habit of using my bed for my office work. I layed out all my mail, bills, mags, etc. to sort on my bed this morning, before I even brushed my teeth and in between trying to get up the little munchkin under the covers in Exhibit F.

So, this is me. First thing in the morning. All of me. Now, I better get off the computer and go put those clothes away. shame. shame. :) LK Posted by Picasa

Monday, February 27, 2006

My Son Rich---Mom likes to Color...












Trying out my new watercolor crayons...still experimenting with colors and mediums. Found out about these from one of my books. Now I need some sketching pencils....anyhow, this is a pic of my son that he had "pixilated" on picasa. I saw it this morning as I was trying to find a photo in my computer files...they are becoming quite cluttered! Anyhow, got the idea to print this out and "color" it for him. He loved it!!! He said, "Mom, you have to put this on your blog!" You never know with him....he's 16, so I was suprised he liked it. LOL. Anyhow, this was my art for today! Now I am going to go "veg" and watch "24". I didn't have a good day otherwise, but it ended well. :)

p.s. you can tell how handsome my son is can't you....LOL....

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Inspire Me Thursday-Feb. Challenge #2: Self Portrait without a Camera! Tag!

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Lia K.
ART JuNK~

This was fun. I haven't sketched anything in a while and I learned that I so can't do anything beyond one dimension, so this was indeed a challenge. I also tried out some oil pastels we had around. They were fun as far as color, but messy and smudgey--maybe that was a good thing! LOL.

Check out the Inspire Me Thursday website for more challenges and inspiration. I am looking forward to stretching myself and learning from these amazing artists!

Friday, February 24, 2006

Blogging the Artist's Way---Stay Tuned

 
I think I had a major breakthrough with 2 key concepts from Artist's Way this week. I want to share so much but have to go take care of some family things today. I will be back soon to share!

p.s. this is a summer picture with my "bodyguard". That is what I call my husband. He is so protective of me. My girls and I are picking him up from his trip to Bahrain. more later! LK Posted by Picasa

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Journal Share~My house "journal"





Here is one of my many half full(LOL)journals. BlueDog asks, "what do you write in?". (my answer on her blog post). Anyhow, being the compulsive person I am (not!)--ha ha....I keep separate journals for separate topics: Home, faith, morning pages for Artists way, quotes I like, etc. etc. Now you know why I need my own shelf for all my "art/creative" junk. I took photo's of this fave journal of mine, as is, as I also stick stuff in them for later use or glueing down. Share your journal(s) if you like and let BlueDog know over on her blog. Have a great day---I'm off to buy some new paint markers.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Mixed Media Memoirs-"Living in Color"

  Posted by PicasaThis week's challenge for MixedMediaMemoirs is "The trajectory of my Life Changed when.."

I STARTED LIVING IN COLOR

I chose to focus on what Art has done for my life. When I started on my art journey, it changed the way I viewed everything: my surroundings, my children, my life. I started to see life in "color". Seeing things from an art perpective helped me to focus on life's beauty. It also made me see that I could change something dark and bring light and life to it through my art. Art has been my helper and my healer. It's turned back the hand of time and found the young girl in me and given her a second chance to dream. LK

Inspire Me Thursday---ATC~"Junk Mail!"

 Inspiration abounds in this wonderful Art-Blog world! ,
Inspire Me Thursday has begun with a challenge to get out an ATC and try it out. An ATC is an Artist Trading Card. If you don't know how to make one, they have included a beautifully done picture tutorial. I hadn't done an ATC is a long while, so I went and got a card out last nite before bed. I had just finished cleaning the kitchen and there was a stack of junk mail staring at me at the kitchen table, so I ripped the envelopes open, grabbed a few pieces for the ATC (this is a challenge to just get creative...not make museum ready art, so pressures off, get out the glue and paints and go with the flow!) Anyhow, I gladly dumped the rest of it in the trash and went to work on my ATC. My hubby kept saying, "honey, you coming to bed?" and I said, in a bit! I love these little challenges to get me doing something artful each day. I had a hectic day yesterday and hadn't had time to do anything artful. Thanks to Inspire Me Thursday, I went to sleep with an ART smile on my face! LK

p.s. There will be a new challenge this week

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Self Portrait Tuesday-ALL of me..Hands, fingers and toes...




Ok, here we go. Since the "ALL of me" month has had a lots of hands, feet and belly's, I thought I would join in and share mine, well, the hands and feet, but I will not venture any further..... Mind you, I never look at my hands or feet. For one, I have four kids, so that that means that almost for years were spent where I didn't even see my feet. lol. anyway, as always, SPT get's me to "challenge" myself, so I have been strangely holding my hands out in front of me and examining them thoroughly. My kids look at me like, "mom, WHAT are you doing?" and I proceed to answer, "well, you know... ...selfportraittuesdayis having this...."whatever, Mom, ok,..."
So, where was I? Oh yeah, hands and feet. I have arthritis in my hands (note bent fingers), but this has thankfully been better this year. The main thing about my feet other than the fact that I haven't had a pedicure in, I don't know, years? The second is that my "baby toes" are longer than my big toe. I had forgotten that. Thanks, SPT, for reminding me.....now for my belly, sorry, I admire the women who don't mind bearing them (and trust me, you are not showing me anything I haven't seen) but I just am not there yet. I think my kids would surely be traumatized if they saw me taking a picture of that. Happy Trails. LK

Art Tag~"Escape"

 


"Somewhere out there......." LK

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Friday, February 17, 2006

Mixed Media Memoirs.....I'm just an old fashioned gal!

 


This is myMixedMediaMemoir for this week. Here you go, Melba, this one is for you! Thank you for all your encouragement!~Lia

Friday, February 10, 2006

"Live Life with ART" Tag

More ARTJunK Collage of my tags, etc......


Still playing around with photo software...I need to organize my photo's on one computer, that's what I'm working on right now! I can't wait to get to my art desk later today and create!! I have an appt. this morning and lots of other junk and then I will be back. I spent some time visiting art/collage/mixed media blogs and flickr groups yesterday. I am amazed at what everyone is doing and it really inspires me to keep being creative! I identify so much with many of the artists. Thank you to all of you that stop by and comment; you all make my day. It's also fun to visit your blogs when you leave your link. This is such a great community. It's really been so encouraging to me as I go about my day doing family stuff and taking care of my mom and others (many of us are stretched so thin...). Blogging has become part of my relaxation and "me" time other than my art! More later, have a GREAT weekend creating and being good to your Artist! LK

Me and some of my Art Junk.....

 
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Thursday, February 09, 2006

Art and Creativity Classes @ Designedly, Kristi

Talk about synchronicity! I received an email today announcing that Kristi Schueler is bringing back Art and Creativity Classes @ Designedly, Kristi....back by popular demand! I had emailed her to please teach again, and apparently many others had also! I took 2 online classes from her several months ago. They were amazing. I learned SO much about collage design. She is an amazing teacher and Artist. I hope some of you from "The Artist's Way" will come take one or both of her classes starting Mar. 1. I am taking the one on "Bodacious Backgrounds", ahem. I am SO excited! I will post her links on my sidebar as well.

SelfPortraitTuesday...How many chins can you count???

 


ok. I did it.

whew.

yikes.

--LK Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Checking in--The Artist's Way thoughts, revelations, ramblings

I finally sat down and went over some of my reading, notes, etc. yesterday as I needed to "tune in" to the AW. I had not done morning pages in almost a week, although I have been "writing out" things on the blog and pondering on alot of my "junk". Does art count as "morning pages"??? I feel my artwork is like a journal of what is going on inside me. Now, Julia Cameron says something about this, I believe in chapter four to the effect of being more creative if you get all that junk out on the morning pages. Sometimes I kind of think, "This is analysis, paralysis", meaning, I'm analyzing my navel too much and not moving forward. I just want to get to my desk and make something and now I'm breaking my flow by making myself sit down and do MP's! But then I think, "oooo, the book says that if I'm avoiding MP's, I must really need to do them now, so I better get on with it." Now, I know that much of this introspection IS helping as I am letting my "true" self emerge (and I see more of 'her' lately), but sometimes I just get tired of it and want to take a break from the thinking about what I'm thinking about and why I'm thinking about it and what, who, where raised me and how that impacted me and that does that mean I'm screwing up my KIDS???? Ok, I guess I do need to go to my room and do my morning pages as all this junk is now coming out on my blog and I'm rambling on and someone is going to write me and tell me I need to take some meds or something....ha ha...
But, anyhoo, let me get to some positive stuff on my "Artist's Way" journey from this week.
1. I didn't cut out reading, but I read less and I found that as a result, I talked to my friends more and talked on the phone more (which I don't like to do), but actually picked it up and rang a few friends and had delightful conversation.

2. I actually came up with an Imaginary Life story!!!! Back in the beginning, I had posted that I could not come up with one.....well, it was "buried deep within my psyche...ha ha..." Guess what? It's a BALLET dancer!!!! I realized it when I was driving home one evening and I passed our local ballet studio (in which my daughter attends) and I could see the dancers up at the window. then I thought, as I gazed longingly---oh my gosh---that's it. I've imagined that life before! I still do as when I am picking up my daughter and I see the adult class beginning, I want to go right in and join them!! So I think that's progress.

3. I like the "speed kills the censor" saying that Julia mentions. That made me chuckle, so I quickly completed the "I wish list..." (p. 102).

4. I admit, I am an the absolute "VIRTUE TRAP" (chapter 5) Poster child. I was raised that you do unto others, not yourself. a hard habit to break! ARtist's Way has dispelled this myth to me as I now see it as an "excuse" to remain creatively blocked.

5. Lastly, I must let you go if you have gotten as far as reading this last one, since I'm sure you don't have this kind of time to continue to listen to my ramblings and I will be the virtuous person that I am (LOL)and end with a the Artist's prayer I wrote, (chapter 4 suggestion). I wish everyone a creatively blissful week!

My Artist's Prayer
By Lia (aka Art Junk)

I PRAY THAT I CONTINUE THE JOURNEY
WITHOUT FEAR OR
REGRET

I PRAY THAT I OPEN DOORS OF POSSIBILITY, LOVE, AND GIVING AS I EXPRESS MY
CREATIVITY

I PRAY THAT I CAN GIVE REST AND SOLICE TO MY SOUL
AND THAT OF OTHERS

I PRAY THAT THROUGH MY CREATIVITY, I CAN SHOW MY FAMILY WHO I AM AND HOW MUCH
I DEEPLY LOVE THEM

I PRAY THAT THE WELL OF CREATIVITY INSIDE ME BRINGS FORTH GOOD

I PRAY THAT I CAN FACE, SLAY AND CONQUER THE DEMONS WITHIN THAT KEEP MY CREATIVITY
AT BAY

I PRAY THAT I WILL INVITE MY ARTIST TO STAY
BE COMFORTED
BE SAFE
BE WELCOME
AND BE LOVED
EACH
DAY
of
MY
Life.

AMEN. --LK

Monday, February 06, 2006

Mixed Media Memoirs-"I am ready to stop avoiding...."

Here is a part of my entry for this weeks Mixed Media Memoir. I'm having a great time doing MMM (go to
MixedMediaMemoirsfor a full description). This week I went back to actual journals, as one of the suggestions indicates, and it was a whole new experience. I was not as focussed on making the art as I was on reading and examining what I wrote and looking back on it.*which I believe is the true purpose that Melba intended. I also got to experiment with art journalling which I've always wanted to do and now I have the "jist" of what it's like. It's so much fun to paint over the words and make everything colorful. It was a relaxing and peaceful activity for me today! LK

Self Portrait Tues...True Confessions....I am the queen of mean when it comes to clean....

Ok, so, this month's challenge is exposing not the good, not the pretties, but the uglies....the messes, the mayhem, the moo-moos. WEll, this has hit very close to home since I have to realize that 1)I like everything being clean and 2)I don't want anyone to see my mess and 3)I get real mean when my family is not cooperating with my need for clean.
My pic for this week is typical of the admonitions and warnings that I leave around the house. I am often reminding everyone that they need to keep it spiffy around here. Now, I'm not saying I am perfect. I am not. I can create messes quite easily with all my pictures, magazines, books, etc., but I am quite disciplined about getting things in order afterwards.
You see, I grew up in a very chaotic and messy home. My Mom was a pack rat.She also fried food alot so things were "gunky" in the kitchen and my Mom sewed at home so their were always scraps, pins and fabrics around. She often left the house with clothes and fabrics and all sorts of stuff that we may "need some day" laying out. It always made me feel uncomfortable. So, as you can see, I have some "tissues" as my hubby would say about the whole neatness thing and how shameful it is for my home to be found anything but a den of order should I have company pop in unexpectedly. Now, if I go to my friends home and there are piles and such, I think it's normal, but I don't cut myself any slack and I normally drive myself crazy keeping up with my home (which is often much more than I can handle myself). In fact, I spent several years solely devoted to organizing every crevice of my home. I finally realized I was never leaving the house or having a real life, so I slowly weaned myself from this unacheivable goal. I still get nervous if things are chaotic and I often am trying to bring it to order so I can relax. I don't like to sit down and relax unless I get everything cleaned up. I now stop at a certain point of "good enough" so I can get around to doing some art or relaxing with my husband and kids. So, I will try, try, try to show my homes ugly side. I will need some hand holding on this one though! More to come! ---LK

Sunday, February 05, 2006

TAG~"Lost Treasures"


...the jewels are violet but they did not come up as so on the scanner. This was a fun one to make. My daughter's helped me. JJ added the green buttons and the maroon ribbon on the bottom!LK

My Artist's Date

I've been so excited to share my artist's date with all my fellow AWB's but Blogger really did a number on my site this weekend! At least it taught me to save my template! I had finally figured out how to link the BAW and MMM badge with the site and then it got wiped out!
Anyhow, I was trying to post my "almost complete" Quilted Memory that I made in a class with a woman I greatly admire, Lesley Riley,author of QuiltedMemories. As chance would have it, I heard through a friend that she was going to give a class in my area. I was so thrilled! It was an amazing class and she is indeed an amazing artist and teacher! I feel so blessed to have had this chance to not only meet her, but spend a day amongst many other talented women as well. I chose to make my first Quilted Memory Quilt with a photo of my Mother when she started out as a Seamstress. Those of you that have been here know of her and how important she is to me. Here it is...I'll be posting soon on AW and I will be getting to my desk to make some more tags shortly! It's been quite a week! I need to fit in more art time as it makes me so happy and able to give more of myself to others! LK

Friday, February 03, 2006

Mixed Media Memoirs

 


I've been wanting to do my MixedMediaMemoirs challenge this week and I finally got to sit down and do it. I always feel better after a few moments of art and retrospection. Please go to the MixedMediaMemoirs site to see everyone elses. It's been great to participate in this. LK Posted by Picasa