Altered Calendar March

I showed this to you a few weeks ago - it was the first page of the March Calendar in the 2010 Calendar Girls round robin project.

I also showed you that this book was filled with trashy romance novel cover illustrations.  But Marie, the originating artist, had requested that we alter the pages to make gardens!

To prep i painted white gesso all over the calendar-y sections so that the only the blond lady was left in her black negligee.

Well, this is how the spread was transformed!  I tore some pages of lavish gardens out of a Martha Stewart magazine.  (i used to treasure my MS magazines- saved them for 15 years - then when i moved i gave them all away.  Now i can gleefully rip them apart without remorse!)

I added some soft scrapbook paper for the trees and sky above the hedge.  Then realized the trees were BARE and it was clearly the middle of summer - judging by the blooms - so i had to hand paint in leaves on all those branches!  I over-painted the blond and gave her a new dress made out of an Anthropologie catalog shower curtain.  A nice big yellow daisy makes a sun hat and i added a whimsical phrase:

Please come into my garden

I could use a handsome man like you around here.

Do you know anything about weeds?

This next spread started out with a sultry vixen leaning against a tiki bar.  I decided to give her some exotic asian inspired surroundings.

I added some asian script paper in white and red in sort of banners.  then i layered on some large succulent plants on the left and a large black bonsai tree on the right. Marie had included some shiny origami paper with the calendar - so i incorporated some squares to evoke stepping stones. I added three large butterflies and two strings of hanging lanterns. a bit of white paint along the edge makes them look  "lit up" - but it is hard to see in the scan.

Finally on the last "half-spread" i just grabbed some beautiful sepia roses from a calender.  I layered them on top of a page from a garden book about roses.  And slid in a romantic couple.  Just a touch of brown vintage lace seam binding as a final touch.

Thanks Marie for the time with your fun calendar - i wonder what the theme of the next book will be?  I will be altering April. Easter theme anyone....?