That's Clever airing!

Well, after a two year+ wait, HGTV finally aired my That's Clever segment this morning. We recorded it on TIVO, on video tape, and i filmed it with my digital camera. I spent just about all day trying to upload the video to my blog, but finally gave up and uploaded it to Youtube instead. That only took 3 hours! I have never inserted a you tube clip into my blog before - so for now here is the link. Please note the quality is not great - but at least you can see the show!

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5GEEN4B4eg&feature=channel_page

Thanks so much to all the people who have already seen it and sent me great compliments!

Here are the detailed instructions for the altered book keepsake box.

Book Prep:
· Wrap the book with wax paper to protect the front cover.
· Generously coat the sides of the book with gel medium.
· Allow to dry for several hours until the book is a solid block.
· Apply a thin coat of gesso to the cover and sides of the book.
· Paint all the edges of the book with metallic paint.

Heart:
· Use air dry clay to form a heart shape.
· Keep it organic as if you found a stone shaped like a heart.
· Stamp into the heart with a word or letter rubber stamp.
· Allow to dry for several hours.
· Paint heart with acrylic paints and glazes. Use a stippling effect to resemble stone.
· Let paint pool in the letters so that the word is clearly visible.

Niche:
· Use a metal edged ruler and pencil to mark the size of your niche. At least one ruler width in from the edges.
· Use a sharp x-acto knife to score the pencil lines – over lapping at the corners to get a good clean edge.
· Move around the niche cutting a few strokes on each side until the pages in the middle come loose.
· Keep cutting until the desired depth is reached.

Deli Paper:
· Create hand painted deli paper using acrylic paint and an old credit card.
· Deli paper is available at superstores. It is a very thin but strong paper – and is ideal for painting background papers for altered books.
· Painting directly in the book is messy and can cause the pages to pucker and warp. Using deli paper gives you a dramatic background, while preserving the book.
· Spread newspapers on your work surface
· Work with one sheet of deli paper at a time
· Squirt on three colours of acrylic craft paint, in stripes on the paper. Don’t use too much – the excess will just be removed!
· Use a credit card to blend the paint and cover the entire surface
· Allow to dry.
· Use an ink pad and rubber stamp to create patterns on top of the paint.
· Use metallic glazes to add sparkle and shine to the paper.
· Optionally, place a textured mat or stencil under the deli paper. Then use a credit card to spread the paint or glaze. You will have the pattern of the stencil on your paper.

Altered Book Background
· Prepare the cover page by gluing several pages together. Cut a hole in the page opposite the niche, slightly smaller than the niche.
· Apply a sheet of deli paper to the inside cover and facing page.
· Cut the deli paper in an X over the hole.
· Wrap the paper around and trim.
· Cut or tear a piece of mica to create a window over the hole. Punch small holes with a Japanese screw punch. Attach the mica with small brads.
· Glue the deli paper over the page with the niche.
· Use an x-acto knife to cut an X in the paper over the niche. Fill in underneath the X with the scraps. Glue the triangles down to cover the niche.
· Cut an X over the window. Fold the triangles inside and glue.

Altered Book Decoration
· Create a collage for the cover of the book using vintage papers and ephemera. Cut out a vintage image and glue to the cover. Add some flowers to the collage.
· Adhere a vintage key to the cover with sticky glue dots.
· Add a silk ribbon around the cover of the book.
· Inside the book add a few touches of collage here and there.
· Add the phrase “Only you, Have the Key to my Heart” using letter stickers or calligraphy
· Place the clay heart inside the niche with a sticky dot.
· Paint 4 wooden balls with acrylic paint. Glaze with metallic paint.
· Glue to the bottom of the box with super strong glue.