Altered book junk..."Faces in the window..Paris"

I finished up a spread in my altered book yesterday. I started it a while back. To see a larger size, click on the picture. LK

B.O.D. ~"Be a STAR"

*Be a Star*

don't quit until you get it....

--This is one of my first attempts at doing the crayon/color pencil technique that nancy baumiller describes on her blog, (see my sidebar). I know it's a
Teesha Moore phenom, boy, is she ever amazing, and the tutorial on her site is the bomb, she is so cool. I just love all these cool artists, they make arting so much fun! you have to have the skills though to put all the stuff down first and then color. I'm too impatient for that...LOL....and I don't quite do the pencil thing right. I scribble too much, I'm not methodical, I'm like the 40 year old who always colored in the lines because I was told too, but had the scribble mind with a zillion other things I wanted to glue down and add it...lol... I prefer paint markers, but not the smell, so I'm trying to use them less often or in good venilation since I'm sensitive to that kind of stuff. Anyhow, this is in my book of dreams. my goal in this book is to be free flow and try all the techniques I've been wanting to...now, if I could find more images I like...still workin' on that. sometimes I get bored with the same one's...comment if you have any suggestions and happy arting. I just love arting around!!!! Have a great weekend all!!!!

journal junk~My illustrated to do list....

A Day in the Life of Artjunkgrl.....Gotta go. See you all later! I love doing my art journal. It kind of kicks off the day on an artful note!! I was also inspired to do this from the Inspire Me Thursday challenge to see art in the "everyday". LK :)

Book of Dreams~Pocket Page

Wow. I'm having fun with this. I haven't made a pocket in a journal or book before and always wanted to know how. ArtsyMama showed us 3 or 4 variations on her website for this week's tutorial on our "book of dreams" altered book project. For more info, check ...

ArtsyMama's Blog. She is providing lots of inspiration and excellent links. I picked this one as I found it to be the easiest (lol) and figured I could punch a few brads in and I'd be done. Then I could get to the fun part: painting and covering my pockets!!! I used some things today from my collage pack that I bought from Lynnette April' "Over the Moon Art". Check out her link on my sidebar. (both the quote and paper are from the pack). Then I painted the other side with one of my new acrylic paints. I went and got some new colors b/c I was getting bored with my art journal pages. I picked some way out there one's I wouldn't normally use, but I love this turquoise color. I like the folk art paints. Good for my budget too. lol. Anyhow, I decided to slip in a few tags that my daughters made for me a few months ago. I had them saved up in box. That is why I chose the little girls. Anyway, off I go. Gotta get back to "reality", but I can't wait to come back to my book of dreams! Your comments/questions are always welcome.LK :)
P.S. I am using a small flip photo album book with black pages. I picked these up at dollar tree a while back. I like the size, weight of the pages and the fact that it's something I can play with and not be "afraid" of...

Inspire Me Thursday: "The sign of happiness"

My children are often my greatest inspiration. Here is what happened while painting this.

JJ: "mommy, what are you painting?"

me: "I'm painting flowers, it's the only thing I paint..."

JJ: "Mommy, that is the sign of happiness. You paint flowers because you are happy."

me: "Thanks JJ. I think you are right". :)LK

Photobooth Pic for Self Portrait Tues. funny faces. circa 1985

Last Tuesday I put up my recent photobooth pic from Spring break. When we got back from the beach, I searched for the "original" that we did in 1985 (the year we married). So, here it is, going back in time...me an my honey. wow, I feel old....look at those chunky cheeks and the BIG glasses on Bruno! This was before the lasiks, 4 babies, etc, etc..... LK

p.s. my inspiration for digging up my photobooth shots (and subsequent obsession with getting family photobooth shots..vintage, which I don't have yet) is from hulaseventy's blog. She posts them every friday. She has some great one's so check it out!!!!

My book of dreams~"Beautiful dreamer" by artjunkgrl

I love to dream, this is a great idea for an altered book! I made this today in my "book of dreams". For more info, check LK

Artsy Mama's Blog. LK

M ARiLyN! by artjunkgrl, "Book of Dreams"

I'm working on a "free flow" book of dreams for a blog meme. I've decided to just put images that inspire me in it. One's that I've collected...I am trying to not think to much and just enjoy this process...something that I really need to do lately! The inspiration for this meme is one of my favorite flickr contacts, "Citrus Faire." I like how she described her process in doing her first book of dreams on www.artsymama.blogspot.com and make sure to check Citrus Faire's photo's on flickr, www.flickr.com/people/citrusfaire.
LK

A "Book of Dreams" Journey~

Please check Artsy Mama's Blog for more info on participating. She will be posting links, tutorials and encouragement on making your own "book of dreams". This came at a great time for me as I have not done much in the way of "altered" books lately. I really enjoy it so and I've been procrastinating! Anyhow, you can read about the artist who inspired this as well as lots of other interesting info by visiting Artsy Mama's blog.

I made my cover tonight and decided I would focus on a "free flow" book where I can just experiment with altered techniques and not worry about "how it's going to look" or "making it perfect". To me, that IS a dream~to create freely without worrying about all that!

I also wanted to add that I received an amazing package of goodies from Lynnette April Over the Moon Art this weekend. This is again, perfect timing as I will use some of these fun things in my book of dreams. I ordered the collage pack. I am still going through everything and I know I will be for a long time to come. I also ordered an assemblage box (my first one) called "Angels in Paris". It is absolutely beautiful and already displayed in my home. I love visiting her picturetrail for inspiration! She is pretty amazing! You must check it out!

I also traveled along blogging row this weekend and found a great tutorial on doing art journalling pages from a mixed media artist who's work I adore, Nancy Baumiller. I used her technique in my book already! She is awesome. Check out her blog as well for more info on that.

Well, I think I've done lots of art this weekend and I'll post more soon on my book of dreams. I hope you will join too! :)LK

More little canvas junk....I'm getting a little obsessed..

Painted these 3 little canvases tonight along side my daughter. She was doing a painting on a lunch bag...like mother, like daughter....she's so much fun.
I've been down again with fatigue and body aches from weather/time change. my daughter and I layed down plastic and the paints in the family room and had fun while watching tv. I need to get more of these now. I told you I could only do flowers. but, that's ok, I just love mixing the colors and painting. I also worked on my art journal today. I'll post soon when I feel a little better. have a great weekend all and hope you find some time to art! LK

Little canvas artjunk~ "Tidying Time".

Little canvas artjunk~ "Tidying Time"., originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

Can you guess what I've been doing these past few days? I guess I do windows after all...I love vintage aprons and I wear them often when I cook or clean and I've been doing alot of spring cleaning lately. I will flickr up some of my vintage apron collection soon. I may do a few more of these little canvases now that I picked up some more. These little babies are expensive and hard to find. I need to order them online if I want more! :)

Home Sweet Home~"I love the 'cottage' look".

Here is a small view of my family room mantle (It's reflected in a mirror on an adjacent wall). I painted and distressed the mantle mirror and sconces a few years back when I decided to go to the "cottage" look in my home. (They used to be gold). I wanted more light inside the house and although I love vivid color, I also adore the cremes and whites. I find them so soothing and versatile as you can change your accent colors and everything goes with it! LK

Take 5 blog minutes and answer these 5 ?'s~

Saw this while visiting Collage Contessa's blog so I thought I'd post my answers here on my blog. I should be going to sleep right now, but it's so darn quiet around here I'm lovin' the time to play on the the blog trail! :)

**********
Five minutes to yourself:
blog of course or make some tea.

Five bucks to spend right now:
more art junk
Five items in your house you could part with, right now, that you hadn't thought of already? black tote suitcases, empty frames, old curtains, old cell phones and cell phone chargers in charger box that we don't use but rifle through when we go in to look for a needed one.

Five items you absolutely, positively could never part with in your house? my people, of course AND my coffeepot, coffee, coffee creamer, coffee grinder and fave coffee mug

Five words you love? love, hugs, sweet, mommy sez.

Inspire Me Thursday~Vernal Equinox challenge with my sweet daughters flower pickings~

This was fun. Not what I originally set out to do, but that's half the fun! My sweet daughter that's 11 picks me flowers everyday. I made this weeks challenge with flowers I saved in a glass next to the sink where I keep them. She came home today and when I opened the door, she was standing there with a flower again! I excitedly showed her the project and she smiled from ear to ear! :) Thank you Inspire Me Thursday ! LK

Here is my process:

1. First I painted on watercolor paper...got idea from another participant, had not used this type of paper before...I liked the thickness. I love it when I find something I like to paint on! I put on some of my fave music and painted with some of my leftover art journalling paint. (I prepped some of my pages today) anyway, where was I?
2. I grabbed a bunch of the flowers E. had given me this week that were in a glass, dried out and ready to paint. I cut some stems evenly. then I flattened them a bit so I could glue them down. I glued them down using clear decoupage glue. I then gently tried to press down and glue the flowers. I also pressed down a bit to flatten (but not too much). I also tried some gel medium, but even the soft kind was too thick, so I stuck with the decoupage stuff).
3. I drizzled a bit of glue in dots across the top and sprinkled down bits of the flowers (mashing with my fingers while sprinkling). Then I waited a bit for that to dry and lifted it and let whatever excess fall (not alot did thankfully).
5. I sprayed with a glue fixative (actually tried out my photo mounting spray). First I tested some, then sprayed gently. That seemed to hold it all down. Now I think I may frame it!
Have fun creating!I'm really learning alot experimenting and doing something I would not ordinarily try! LK

Self Portrait Tues.~funny faces and photobooth fun

Ok, I still haven't gone over the email to figure out how to get listed on spt again, but wanted to post my pic for this week. I am really intrigued by the photo booth shots that girlhulaposts (hulaseventy). (see also her flickr...) she is so cute. Anyway, I don't often like to post shots of me without me hiding behind my sunglasses...lol....and it takes alot of guts for me to do, but wanted to share the shot from last week's beach trip. I dragged my Bruno into a photobooth (he humored me...) while my kids prob. spent $1,701 in coin slot games while we waiting the 3 long minutes for the machine to plop the pic out...Anyhow, I gotta get this up here and get back to work. Today the kids went to school :(, but I gotta get the place here in order so I can relax later and do some art! Bruno picked up a rock at the beach last week and said, "here, (thug)paint something on this for my office"....I was like, "ok, who do you think I am, freakin' leonardo da vinci?"...he doth not understand....Anyhow, I thought this morning (after days of starring at the dag gone rock and wondering what on earth I can paint on it and if I wanted to base coat it first or leave as is and draw with paint markers...) Then I thought of Inspire me thursday and how I can use for that! So, off I go...more soon! LK (artjunkgrl)

Quote of the day: RESPECT YOURSELF

From my "morning pages"

wanted to share...
Have a great day all!

Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power. - Clint Eastwood (got to love him!)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Yourself!

Mixed Media Memoirs: "I am my best self when...."

Here is my MMM for this weeks prompt. Go to Mixed Media Memoirs and check out the awesome entries this week! LK :)

"Pasta Time"

"Pasta Time", originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

Guess what I made for dinner tonight? I often have one of these blue boxes open near the stove, ready to go for dinner in "30 minutes or less". Gotta love pasta, it's the best. Read my previous post for my "technical difficulties" on these little canvases and supplies and please offer me suggestions if you can! I really want to learn more how to do this and what to use--which is so hard for me to understand...too much on the market these days! Anyhoo, more soon! ~Lia
(artjunkgrl)

"Home"

I could not get this image to load so well. I tried my best. I did this on some flat little canvases I bought (which I don't like, bleh, bleh)...too grainy....this is an exagerated version of a few things in my home....I have to start somewhere! I don't like these flat canvases though. couldn't find any more of the 4 x 6's in stock that I had bought on sale ages ago (which I used for the previous two earlier in the week)..I may have to order them online if I still like doing this....not sure yet....I want to do some more of my collage now. this paint thing is too confusing. I tried to pick out some acrylics today, but had NO idea what. there are just too many choices and I have no idea what I am buying.

we went away for a few days and it was WAY nice to relax. I really needed this break!! I you all have any suggestions for acrylics that I can use on a small canvas after outlining my sketch, let me know.

p.s. I did this with the paint markers again. I tried a few prismacolor markers, but the colors aren't as bright as the paint markers. I hate the smell though. Oh well, enough stuff for tonight. I'm tired. a good tired though...have a good weekend all! thanks for your encouragement. you all are helping me so much. I really have so many questions and things to learn. I guess I am just going to have to experiment and see what I like! more soon! ~Lia

"Breakfast Time" by artjunkgrl

"Breakfast Time" by artjunkgrl, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

still playing with the little canvases I had in my drawer....bought a few new paint makers...I think I'm "hooked" but what do I do after flower and mugs--the extent of my one dimensional skills...lol...oh well, I'll figure it out!

off I go. bruno will be home soon and asking why I'm not ready to go....lol...

"Tea Time" by artjunkgrl

"Tea Time" by artjunkgrl, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

so I'm a bit limited to flowers but I love to color! I am loving these paint markers...but not the smell...there is something about a little canvas that is not as intimidating.
p.s. my husband bruno said this was his favorite "artjunk" so far....I think my art journals and collage are too abstract for him....LOL! I love my honey (and tea!)

Think Positive~MOM!

Think Positive~MOM!, originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

I was encouraged by the "Funky Art Queen" to list some positive things to counteract the "20 reasons journal page". I'm glad I did it. Thanks Funky Art Queen!!!
check her site at
www.funkyartqueen.blogspot.com
What an inspiration!

journal junk: Think Positive Mom....

I was encouraged by the Funky Art Queen (on my flickr page) to make a positive list to combat my "im-perfect" mom journal page. Thank you for your encouragement!
Funky Art Queen(if you have not check her out, please go now!) This blog community has been so good to me! I needed to do this!LK

journal junk: 6 things....

Inspire Me Thursday Challenge This Week

I've been in a "quilt" kind of mood lately, so it was fun to use this new paper pack to make this. "All you need is LOVE!" LK

journaljunk: "True Confessions"

Don't ask me why I felt compelled to do this in my art journal this morning.....or why I would "publish" it....but here goes, ..the good, the bad and the ugly...sigh. At least I put the thoughts down so I can move on..."Tomorrow is another day."---Scarlett "A".

I'm back to Tag! Chapter IV: "Count"

Chapter IV: "Count", originally uploaded by artjunkgrl.

This is the fourth in my "school chapter" series. I just love making these little collages! It's so much fun, like writing a story with pictures! yippee.

p.s. I actually got really energized after doing some art today and I cleaned a bunch of stuff in my house. I am trying to consolidate all my "art stuff" in one desk area! We'll see! I'll try to post pics soon!:)Lk

journal junk: random thoughts, "The Artist's Way", staying connected....

It's amazing how quickly I fall into my old habits regarding my "art" or creativity time. This weeks topic for Mixed Media Memoirs is, "I will stay connected to my creativity by....." This topic is a timely prompt coinciding with the closing chapter of The Artist's Way book. This seemingly harmless prompt did strike a cord with me. If I were to go back a few weeks, I would have immediately been able to fill in the blank. But here I am again, letting the stresses of life take over and again, pushing my creativity to the back burner.
I really learned SO much and felt so connected to my creativity and to others by participating in Artist's Way Blog (KatsPaw). Kat was and is an amazing, caring, kind leader who really encouraged me to "step out" blogging wise, art wise and committment wise as far as reading and incorporating the principles of the AW book into my life.
Did I see changes? yes. Did my creativity start flourishing? yes. Did it cure me of my tendency to restrict myself of creativity time? no. I realize that is something that I will always have to fight. I see now why it's so important to incorporate DAILY rituals like the morning pages and weekly artists dates so that we can stay "connected", even those of us, like me, that are wayward saints....
So anyway, I'm starting to nauseate myself with all my self loathing, so I'll get to my point....The point is that in order for me to stay connected to my creativity, I've realized that I have to do something creative EVERY DAY. It's been 3 or 4 or more days since I've sat down to create a tag or collage (which is my favorite thing to do). I keep telling myself that I'll sit down, "when this or that or the other thing is DONE". Well, as always, it's never done! This is what I used to do and the days turned into years. So, I am going to renew my "contract" again. I need to learn that the contract needs to be renewed every time I fall into the "abyss". I need to remind myself that I am worth the time and committment to my dream. I am hoping that with the great support of my blogging friends, and with my own committment, I will continue on the path...the Artist's Way! LK

journal junk: 5 fun and crazy things.....

This is actually a big deal for me. I'm often too serious with my mind on what I have to do and do and do. I need to just let go and have fun. This is the kind of fun that really matters to me: enjoying nature, playing with my kids and just not being so strict with myself all the time! :)LK