Self Portrait Challenge~POP ART (the invisible woman)

The Invisible Woman

Sometimes I feel invisible

Like I'm in someone else's dream

Sometimes I feel invisible

An outsider on the team

Sometimes I feel invisible

just swallowed up in fear

Sometimes I feel invisible

When I can feel others are near

Sometimes I am invisible

Doing everything for others

Sometimes I am invisible

Among all other mothers

Sometimes I am invisible

though I am told I am not

I try to speak but am silenced

Or that's how I was taught

Sometimes I try to surface

And scream out, "I AM HERE"

But I am silenced by the noise

in someone elses ear.

LK

Close up of Corner shelves in Room Re-do

>
Close up of Corner shelves
Originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

Well, I'm getting there. Here is one "corner" that is almost done. You can see more pics on my flickr, (click on corner to go there).

Here is what I've got left to do and what I've stumbled on....

1. I still have one big wall that is empty and I don't know what I'm doing there yet...but it can wait.

2. This corner is nice on top but there is a lot of junk on the desk I put below it. It's kind of an awkward corner....not sure how this will be organized.

3. Curtain: I bought this laura ashley curtain on ebay last year for my daughters room. I have 2 and they are really pretty and new. The color of the wall is in the curtain exactly, but it is still kinda bugging me. It's a little too flowery or bedroomy.....I've been trying to "use what I have", but I think I'd prefer something else here...will have to go search.

4. Problem: I think this room is looking like a nursery! it's the "mudroom" and I'd like to use it as a studio b/c I need the space, but I'm not feeling the artsy thing here....

5. I need to finish bringing in more art supplies. I did organize the white cabinet so I have room to stash stuff in there.

I'll have to sleep on it tonight. any and all suggestions welcome, and thanks for all the comments!

Apparently, I have more than 5 loyal readers, LOL! I've gotten a few sweet notes. Here is an email I got today from Janet.

+++++++
Lia,

I tried to leave a comment on Art Junk but wasn't able....so I'm trying this method!

You can change the number to 6 loyal readers! I have only recently discovered your blog but I read it regularly now. I'm enjoying your room re-do and love the color you chose.

I have been very lax about leaving comments but I'm trying to do better....I understand their importance now that I have a blog of my own. Sometimes it feels as if I'm writing to myself!

And last, but not least....I like your artwork. I love paper, and think collage is fun but sadly I don't do nearly enough of it. Maybe you will be my inspiration to get busy!

Janet


"Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but the making something out of it after it is found."
James Russell Lowell

************

Thanks again. More soon, Lia

Room Re-do Part 2

Update
Wed., 1 p.m.
still painting...changed color...white is too white...my son says change, bruno came home and gave me "the look"...I'm living on borrowed time...my goal is to finish painting today and have decorated by tomorrow. talk about room re-do in a day...a sign of the times... the theme is moving towards shabby chic cottage (my fave)....now I'm off to Benj. Moore store cause I only had a pint of the color I chose. I was ticked that it was a BM one, because now I gotta treck out to there store....more later. I feel great to finally be doing this, sigh!!! yippeeeee! LK

Room Redo for my "Mudroom", will it be my new studio?

I'm knee deep in paint rollers, furniture, and trouble right now. I wrote a long post to my bloggie friends, but it got lost in blog-this land. So, here I go again, but much shorter since I have to get back to work. Here's the summary...

I have a mudroom I've wanted to paint for years.

I helped a friend paint her living room yesterday.
When I got home, my daughter said, why don't we paint the mudroom.
I said OK!
Now my husband is out of town.
Lucy is going to be in trouble when ricky get's home!
I'm painting it white.
I had the paint already.
I have ALOT of paint from past projects.
Will this be my "studio", I dunno yet.
It's kind of a "throughway" in our home with 3 entrances/exits.
I was painting last night for 3 hours.
I'm finishing up this morning.
while I'm painting, I'm thinking, "I can't believe I'm doing this right now." My daughter is graduating from high school tomorrow. Is this like "reverse" nesting intinct I got before the babies were born and I was painting and re-doing everything.
Seriously, this is the only room left to do on my first floor. It's blue, the rest of my stuff is creme, etc.
Will I be done before "bruno" get's home?
Stay tuned.

Warning: Do not try this at home.

Yes, I am a nut-case, but you all love me anyway, right?????

xxoo Lia

"uh-oh"..Don't miss this heartwarming blog link.....

Dear Friends and Visitors:

Today I woke up feeling like I got beat up from head to toe last nite. Well, that did not happen. YOu see, I suffer from both arthritis and bouts of chronic fatigue. I never know when it's going to hit. sometimes it's the barometric pressure, sometimes it's from being run down and on the go, sometimes it's from stress about a situation that manifests in my body. I'm currently quite sad about a personal situation in my family so that doesn't help it. My husband is out of town and returns today. I sit here this morning, with my coffee, checking on email, making my list, and trying to pin down which things to tend to for my daughters upcoming grad. events. As always, I thought I'd go check my "flickr" account "real quick" (I'm a bit addicted to flickr lately) before getting on with the day. I saw a picture of Nancy's "uh oh" doll, with a reference to read about it on her blog. I had to go see what Nancy said about this little hand made "uh oh" doll (I know nancy for often having funny names for things, but also for her positive attitude). Well, Nancy's Post left me in puddles. Again, she had another great message to share. I was shocked to see that she suffers from chronic pain. You would never know with her attitude! Her positive attitude helped me so much in the past, so I wanted to share this cute story of her's with you. So if you don't have a lot of time today, or if you are feeling kind of "uh 0h" about anything, go read the story of Nancy's Uh Oh doll, I'm sure it will put a smile to your face, it did mine. I'm ready to seize the day. pain and all. thank you, Nancy!!!!!!!! Love,Lia

journaljunk entry: Art Brain Overload!

I love art and feel blessed to see life in a creative way, but the bad part of it is that I often lack focus. There are SO many fun things to learn through art sites, memes, etc., not to mention great inspiration on flickr, but sometimes my brain goes on overload! I need to slow down and focus a bit. It's hard to do b/c it all looks so fun! Do you ever feel like this? If so, how do you focus your artwork?
I also want to say thankyou to those artists who responded before on how they approach their artwork: plan vs. no plan. It was SO helpful and VERY interesting to read/hear your responses. I also gathered that it is a common thing for artists to keep an "idea"/inspiration book. I will start to do so, I think this will really help! thank you SO much! --Lia

Self Portrait Challenge-Introductions

This is a challenge as I don't like talking alot about me and I don't like to show pics of myself often. I'm sure "O" would say that I don't "love myself" but that's not true. Maybe I'm a bit shy, maybe I'm a bit protective, or maybe it's just that there is not alot to tell! If you want to know more more about who I am and what I like, then take a look at my art. I think this should be able to tell what I can't tell you with words. I think that art is a way that I can verbalize what I feel inside, the person I really am deep down. Things I'm "working out" or things that get pushed to the back of my mind when I'm too busy to think straight.
I am also,(pardon the overused expression), like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get! I am just really a mixed bag of stuff. I like alot of things. I like to change stuff around. I guess there are some things about me that stay the same, but I haven't really thought about it and perhaps I will share some in my next may into "installment". I pretty much conform with those around me, but if you look really close, I'm rather different. I don't do the "nail, hair, clothes" thing alot. I always look neat, but I'm often donning a ponytail, jeans and plain top (which I love to wear-comfort is key). I like simple things (materially speaking). I like older stuff because they are to the point and uncomplicated. It doesn't take alot to make me happy. I'm probably a bit on the naive side. I can be ditzy too. I don't keep score. I love a good cup of coffee in the morning a good cup of herbal tea in the afternoon. I don't make fancy meals. I like the basics. So does my family. When I find something I like, I stick with it. I guess I'm a bit of a "cleanie" but a bit of a "messy" at the same time. I love order. I thrive on order, but my many interests sometimes take over space and then I have to pair things back and corral my stuff. I am obsessed with magazines. Mostly home decor, some art, some beauty (in style) is my fave. An occassional peek at People mag. during vacations. Ok, that is enough for now, hope I have not bored you silly...yawn....off I go. Have a great day all!!!!!! -Lia

p.s. the pic above is from my Mixed Media Memoirs journal page. I'm combining some of my challenges!