art junk girl

Inspiring Daily Creativity.

Dear Friends:
I have a busy life. Yes, I do. That is why I neeeed art. Art is my great escape. If I didn't have this outlet, I'd be the girl in the "Car's" Drive video swinging her arm over her head.

No lie.

So, I don't know how people say they don't have time for art or crafting or whatever you like to call it. It's just so freakin' fun to have this magical place to escape to. You can create your own world. I know that's what I do...and I'm stickin' to it! Like. Glue. "No pun intended".

I think I know the "secret" to the creative life. Yes, I do. Are you ready? You must do it every day. Even if you only have a few minutes. It get's you in the swing. It's kind of like exercise. If you need to see more about this concept, or want to challenge yourself in new ways, I encourage you to check some of my favorite links for living a creative life and in some cases, creating the life you want. All of these places encourage finding your own personal voice as well. At least I feel that they exude this in their writings and explorations of creative living.

52 Projects (there is a book as well), this is great for ideas to get your started on a creative routine!
Creative Everyday (with Leah Piken Kolidas), the title says it all!
Angry Chicken(she makes me want to get out my sewing machine and she just plain lives and breathes creativity, everyday!)
Whip Up-more project ideas than Martha Stewart herself...very creative and fun. It's also a great way to find creative blogs.
Sabrina Ward Harrison (Also check books, Brave on the Rocks, Spilling Open). My greatest inspiration!

So, those are a few of the places that always inspire me to live the creative life.

xo lia

my.life.

Dear Friends:

This is my son, Richard, and my oldest child, Maria. They.are.my. LIFE.
I love them more than anything.
I have 2 more too!
They all fill my life with joy and are the "wings beneath my wings".

I know I don't share personal pics much on my blog(s) because I'm a typical "overprotective" parent...but this picture made me so happy I had to share.
xo lia

Words for Today.

marilyn inchie, originally uploaded by artjunk88.

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when their right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
— Marilyn Monroe

Miss Lia is cleaning her Studio.

Yes, she is. She has come to the point where things need to be tended to. Only thing is, she lacks a chunk of "sit-down-and-figure-out-which-way-is-up" time. However, yesterday, someone took Grandma out for a playdate and the munchkins were at school, and no one else needed her, so poof, she sat her, ahem, beeehind down and worked away at her desk (s) until she made some semblance of order. It was indeed a good start, but Miss Lia has a long way to go. Of course, Miss Lia, being the side-tracked person that she is, decided to take lots of pictures of her current moleskine journals (one's started this year only). So, she wanted me to share them with you.

She is really hoping to stay focussed so she can finish the work at hand (she has a little problem with focussing on one thing at a time...but don't tell her I told you that...it will be our little secret). Oh, but, then again, you probably already know that if you know her at all. So, without further ado, here is some of the junk she's been unloading on her journal pages. Hope you enjoy. She will be back as soon as she's progressed enough to come out and play. She says hello.
Signed, "Epstein's Mom".

Mind.the.Gap ~ London Slideshow

Not the best quality, but a way to share lots of the photos I took nonetheless. Song Credit: Fake Empire by the Nationals (love this song so it's in a few of my slideshows!) Hope you enjoy! xo lia