art junk girl

Chunky Monkey

chunky book project, originally uploaded by artjunk88.

Dear Friends~
I'm being a chunky monkey again and working on altering more chunky books. This one is for a one-to-one swap. I am quite pleased with the way it turned out. It was originally a "real" childrens chunky board book.
Well, let me tell you in advance that it's not the type of project that I consider easy. You have to have alot of patience to sand the pages to get rid of the gloss. Then, you have to sometimes put several layers of paint down (letting it dry between coats) to get it lookin' like a "fresh, new pallet". I'm just sayin' this in case you see this and say, "hey, I'm gonna do this today" and then wonder why it looks like chunky monkey ice-cream if you skip steps one and two (sanding and priming).
It's super fun and rewarding though and each page is sort of like it's own little canvas. I am not quite sure what theme I will chose for this (although I'm leaning towards an "alice in wonderland" sort of theme).
To see more what a finished version of one of my chunky's looks like, just click on the pic and it will take you to my chunky book album on flickr. I will try to post more links on these fun little books tomorrow.

P.S. What I meant in my last post about posting more often is that I want to make more time for it because I EnjoY it. It's fun for me to share what I'm making in hopes that you will want to make something too. There is safety in numbers. I love to create something everday. It makes me happy. xo lia

Spring Break Wrap-Up!

Dear Friends~
I think I read a quote somewhere this week that stated something to the effect of "people judge you by your actions, not your intentions."

I try not to judge people but that's not what this is about...it's about the fact that in this case, it applies... I "intended" to post here on my blog all week but somehow time got away from me! It looks like it's neglected, but nothing can be further from the truth. I'm always thinking about what I'd like to share here, but I often have trouble organizing my thoughts and carrying it through.
As a blog reader, I know I love to read blogs with frequent updates. It's really exciting to see what people are doing day to day, livin' this artful, creative Life. I find it takes some discipline to keep this up! I know my "intention" is there, but I need some commitment to turn that into action!
Anyhow, I had quite a busy week as the girls had spring break. We did not leave town, but instead took a few little mini-roadtrips close to home. Here's a photo montage below of different snapshots I took. I find that you don't have to go very far to see beauty in the world! Often time, I find much beauty in the mundane. Be back soon my friends! xoxo lia

My art home away from Home~

Dear Friends~

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

Mixed-Media Supply makeover...

Dear Friends~

I was getting frustrated with managing all my different pens/marker for drawing class until I found this awesome organizer yesterday at Joanne's Fabric and Craft. Even better, I had a "coup" so it was only $5-ish. Now I have to find one long enough for my colored pencils.The brand is "artbin". I'm sure it's available online. I will look for a link if you are interested. I love that it's see-through and I can find things easily. I've said it before and I'll say it again...It doesn't take much to make this girl happy. Lol. Talk again soon my friends! xo lia