"flower girl" collage by artjunkgrl

"flower girl" collage by artjunkgrl, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

Thank you all for visiting my blog!

I am taking a summer "blog break" to attend to some other things. I want to devote some time to working on my altered books/art journals and finish my

BookofDreams, (check out ArtsyMama's beautiful project). I enjoy interacting with all of you and will be thinking of you. I just feel it's time for a break so I can spend more time with my family, playing and enjoying the creative process "off-line".
I'll still be posting some of my artwork on my flickr, so you can check what I'm up to there, just click on the above picture and it will take you to my album.


Wishing you all a great rest of the summer--stay cool and follow your heart and your dreams this summer and always!!

~Lia

junk finds and junk poem

Found this fabulous box of song sheets for $6 on my summer junkin' trails (exits I make my husband veer off on...lol...). some are so pretty I want to frame, others I can use for my art and swaps :)! I love junking!

A Poem for my fellow junkin' queens!*



ON THE JUNKIN' TRAIL
BY LIA K.

I love to hunt for treasures
because it's so much fun
I try to ignore my husbands pleas
when I hear, "it's time to go hun!"

I love seeing those big ole billboards
Honey, "Antiques 1 mile ahead!"
my husband rolls his eyes and pretends
he didn't hear what I just said...

But sometimes I get my way
And lure him off the road
He insists on following me inside
To remind me there's "no room to load"

Before he finishes I've left him behind
playing "hide and go seek" in my mind...

I find lots of little nooks and such
with ephemera and photos in mind
Knowing that regular stores
don't offer anything in this kind

I like to rescue what people don't want
and make into something good
I know the people that were left behind
once did that when they could

The vases, jewelry and books bring me back
the nostalgia overwhelms me
as I overfill my sack

"Oh there you are" my husband chides
I can't believe I'm found
But the more I try to leave the past
the closer I am bound.

L.K.
7/2006


**click on my sidebar Friday Finds (my inspiration!) we are all codependent junkers! lol!

"Splendor" by artjunkgrl

"Splendor" by artjunkgrl, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

I made this with a beach girl image from Tracy Roos www.tracyroos.com collage image collection that are available through www.alphastamps.com. The direct link to her images is www.alphastamps.com/tracycollagesheets.html

The background is painted newspaper I prepped while in west virginia visiting my sis. when I am having a block, I just do prep work and paint backgrounds for future collages. This is the first time I tried embossing. it's a lot easier than I thought, pretty straightforward. I'm finding that I want more and more layering in my collages. more "tooth" as they say...anyway, I love vintage beach images! Anyhow, the rest are stickers from dollar store and paper on bottom is from michaels collage pack.
I kinda lost my groove while I was away, but I'm back and trying some new stuff. Hope to get more art done and posted soon! --Lia

"Queen" of the house by artjunkgrl

"Queen" of the house by artjunkgrl, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

~"Even the Queen has to Clean!"

I am surely the Queen of this castle, but many times I feel like the Maid! I guess I want to wear the crown, but I often trade it in for the apron!

Well, today I took a break and put on my art crown....lol...boy, I am out of my groove. It always takes me a few days after being gone to get situated! I've had lots to do, but it's all good, and soon I will be back to my "semi-normal" routine. Thank you to all my blogging friends for encouraging me to keep creating and to have fun. You all mean the world to me! You could never know how much!

My Mom is doing MUCH better as of today and my eye problem is also clearing up! I guess when it rains, it pours, but then there is always the rainbow: family, friends and ofcourse, my collage junk!

I hope to post some more soon! I just got a few new things in the mail and used some of my swap materials for this. The crown and the silver ribbon...I love that stuff!!

~Lia

A little something for the trip HOME!

I came home last night from visiting my Mom. She is out of ICU now. She still feels really yucky. I wish I could have stayed longer. I am back home starting to "dig out" as my sis would say. My hubby and two older kids were on their own for a week....hmmm.....can you guess what my house looks like?? So, I'm a bit busy getting back to "normal" if there is such a thing!

On my way home, I stopped at a fave antique store about an hour out from my sisters on the road home. My girls said, "mommy, we don't mind if you go in there....". Are they total sweethearts or what??!!! Music to my ears. They are SO good in these places. I can't even believe they are since my older 2 would not be "good" now and they are old enough to be...lol....they are my 2 comedians....anyhow, I scored some goodies for under $20 and that included a bag of bracelets for all my girls. they are really liking those colorful bracelets these days...they are back "in". Oh, I feel so old! anyway, I hope to be back to creating and sharing more with my blog "sista's" soon. When the absolute normal chaos pipes down a bit, I will be here more! I have lots of goodies to share with you!! you know that I always have lots going on, even when things are crazy....the creative mind doesn't stop. I can't wait to get in my "studio" (former MUD room...to create!). I plan to do an AB* (Altered Book) for my Mom. I went up to my sisters attic and got some of my mom's old fabrics for it. More on that soon...I see all of you have been a busy bunch too! Life just doesn't stop for a second. I guess Ferris Bueller was right all along....

More to come soon, promise!!! lia (artjunkgrl)

Self Portrait Challenge: PopART:"Lia-Lyn"

I would like to state the following disclaimer regarding the above "pop art" photo.

1. I was going to skip this week's challenge, which was to go a step further with the Pop art (see the SelfPortraitChallenge website for more details). The reason I was going to "skip" my weekly routine is that I don't have digital software that can manipulate the pics as I have seen on the site and other places. As a result, I spend too much time cursing at my computer, trying to get it to do what it won't and wanting to go do something else...BUT, I persevered and....

2. This is the last week, so I figured, what the heck, I'll give it another go....SO, I learned that I STILL really don't like doing digital photography art. I will stick with glue on my hands and paint on my pajamas and limit my digital art enjoyment to oooing and ahhhing over my latest digital scrapbooking magazine knowing that I don't have that kind of time or patience.

3. I am a great fan of Marilyn Monroe. I really believe she was the most beautiful woman ever. After manipulating her photo and seeing it even closer, I was still in AWE. I also was humbled by the beauty emanating from her photos and was utterly astounded by how incredible homely an goobery looking I am. I thought my features resembled that of a four legged species instead of a glamour girl such as Marilyn.

4. It made me think, hmmmm...maybe I should wear more mascara and kinda do the "half-eyelid open" kind thing more often, "hi, honeeeey, glad your hOme..", he would look and me and say, "have you been sleeping?"...

5. I also thought, sheesh, I really need to get my homebody self off the friggin computer and get some junk done around here.....I've been approached way too many time by "mommy...are you there?" (glazed look in my eyes, no response)...another reason for staying away from digitally manipulating pics for 3000 hours....

6. So where was I, oh yeah, is this challenge over yet already?

So, Marilyn, I'm sorry I merged my face with you, ...but even a little girl like me needs a side glimpse of glamour every now and then.....

LK

"South Laguna", experimenting with mixed-media ATC

I'm really into the beach theme and think I will carry that throughout the summer in my blog....anyway, I'm experimenting alot with some different mediums I have been wantin' to try. I tell you, this took the longest of anything I've worked on thus far. It's got layers of build up on it, acrylics, color pencils, gesso, cut collage pieces and wallpaper, paint on top of that, some markers, you get the picture! Anyhow, I'm definitely trying things out. I make a lot of mistakes, I will tell you about a few pieces I made the last few days later. I recognize this is part of the process when you are trying to explore new territory. Anyhow, I do share almost every thing I make on my blog. even if I'm not 100% happy with it. It helps get me out of my comfort zone. Anyway, enough on that. Gotta go to the eyedoc again. I am still having trouble with my eye. Say a prayer for me or send happy thoughts my way, ok! Have a GREAT beachy day (if only in your mind! lol!)

~Lia

Time for a "Coffee Break", by artjunkgrl

The day started kinda crazy and I'm off again to see my friends for coffee. It's definitely time for a break! It's been raining here like crazy (but I don't mind as I think we need it). The girls ranshackelled the whole house yesterday making "forts"...it was fun though. Well, off I go.

--Lia

(p.s. I could not get this to show up well on the scanner as it had some dark colors/layers....I try to upload it as close to the original as possible. I usually don't make one's this dark I guess...anyway, I used markers, crayon, pastels, over the painted background.) This was my "coffee break", I will be back to my beach obsession theme shortly! :) Lia

"beach house art" by artjunkgrl

Reminds me of the quote:

"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home". ~Twyla Tharp

I love the places art takes me to...back in time, to places I've been or I want to go, to a colorful and happy world!

Where will you go today?

--Lia

"try it because...." by artjunkgrl

"try it because...." by artjunkgrl, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

worked on this little collage last night. Had fun with it. Tried something new. I love putting together collages, it's like doing a puzzle and it is SO relaxing for me. It's definitely my "escape and relax" time!

Items used:
_wallpaper background (from discarded wallpaper books, check your local hardware store. I called once and they were begging me to take them!)
_sewing pattern piece
-vintage image from an vintage sewing magazine
-photo markers (I always use these for the black and white photos to add some light color). If you want to know brand, I will look it up for you.

About the quote: try it because...

try what you say? art, collage, going with the flow, that new dress, a new style, seeing things in more than one way.... you fill in the blank!

Have fun this summer! I'm "trying" to! lol!

--Lia