art junk girl

Square roundup~

Dear Friends,
I know I promised to share some of my reflections on my 1000 square project from last year. Here is a summary of what I learned~
1. Having a goal and a project to work on kept me focussed during my "art time". I am sure to come up with a new project for myself this year so I can stay focussed.

2. Having a project in which I loved and was passionate about made me a happier person!

3. Having a project made my kids more appreciative of what I was doing and kept them interested and keeping tabs on my work. I really loved getting their feedback, hearing their enthusiasm and overall support.

4. Having a project got me organized in my art area because I had to have the things I needed ready to go when I started a square making session.
5. Having a project helped me meet alot of fascinating people. I didn't expect that posting a project would generate so much enthusiasm and support. I met some of the kindest people, some of which sent me supplies and their own work as a way of contributing to my goal.

So, as you can see, it was a great experience, one in which I am still involved in. I now have a body of work in which I will incorporate into projects for this year.
Thank you all for your kind support and enthusiasm this past year. I appreciate it all, and that is why I share my art and words with all of you. xo Lia

paper scrap quilts...with squares, of course..

Dear Friends~
As I mentioned before, I've been thinking about all the things I want to try this year and making lots of lists...like I ever will get to half of them. One thing I've learned for sure is that I'm on a journey. It's hard to move on to something when one thing can fascinate you for hours..Speaking of squares, one of the things I've been doing with leftovers fro my square project is taking the square punched backgrounds and making them into postcard quilts. Here are a few I did the other night. This is a very relaxing activity for me when I sit and watch movies at night with my hub, or if he's watching "the game, any game" and I'm sittin' with him. I love using up these bits to make these.

These are super fun and easy to make. First you just punch out squares from whatever scraps you have leftover as well as your fave catalogs or junk mail. It's fun to randomly stick them together and see what emerges! As I've said before, if you are interested in collage, it's good to keep a shoebox to put things in that appeal to you as you come across them. Then when you are ready to sit down, you have collage fodder you like, all in one place. Now, I gotta tell you, when you are a paper-a-holic, it's major league difficult to throw away paper...at least for me it is, but I will tell you some of my favorite things to save.
~Catalogs with vibrant colors.
~photocopied poetry (sometimes papers from my kids homework)
~maps from brochures while travelling
~older copies of my fave magazines
~vintage magazine covers (these are usually vibrant in color and a bit sturdier that the pages)
~movie tickets (yes, I've used these for square backgrounds and in regular collages)

So, as you can see, nothing is really off-limits, but it is good to access the sturdiness factor when working on small pieces.


I decided to experiment with ink on one of these (the lower right one). I really love using ink, but it takes some getting used to...but it does have a way of spicing up the ordinary. Well, off I go to work on those lists...be back soon! Hope you'll try making some square postcard quilts. xo lia

Let's Create in 2008...

I've been runnin' around like crazy lately.....trying to do this and that, checking things off "the list", you know the deal! Anyhow, I have so much I want to share on my blog....new art cards I've made and journal pages, but have not had a chance to settle down calmly and get back into my routines.

I am SO jazzed about having a whole new beginning this year, in living creatively (everyday) and looking at life with new possibility. I have been doin' lots of thinking of where I've been, where I'm going and what I want to do this year~and how I can infuse creativity into everything I do. Everything I see and do has a potential to make it's way into my art. I work intuitively. I love to just let go and create. I need to create or I get really, really cranky! I pull all my special boxes of ephemera and pens close to me at night and start to cut and paste. It's like my own little comfort zone. A place to go to unwind, dream, and relax. When I made this card, I was thinking about how Art and creativity gives us the ability and opportunity to look at life anew and in some ways, create miracles.
One of my resolutions, (which I will post soon), is to simply embrace my creativity every day. Sounds easy, right? well, it isn't always easy. I sometimes struggle with the freedom and youthful playfulness that being creative lends itself too...like I need to be more "serious" and adult like, etc. etc. (I've spoken of this before). Well, I've decided this year is a year that I will step out and embrace my creative self, all parts of myself. I don't know if I'm making sense here, but this is where I am at right now, ready to take a leap, ready to be myself, ready to show my true colors, ready to get my ART on! Hope you'll join me....xo Lia