Alcohol Ink Play Date

Pink Altered Book Revisited

A couple of years ago my friends and i started an Altered Book Swap with a colour theme.  

I chose pink.  You can see the book and how i got started HERE. 

The book looks like a pretty handbag!

I got the book back this summer and added the spread above when an image in a magazine caught my eye.  With altered books you get to play at being a advertising creative - adding a new background, text and embellishment.

Here are some of the spreads done by my friends:

 I guess perfume is a popular theme!

 I had a trip to Paris planned when my friend created this spread - Paris in the snow with apple blossoms.

 For french themes.

 you know i love me some birds.

 and more birds

 and panthers?

 This spread went on for many pages filled with flowers.

 and this one features ATC cards done in a colour theme swap.

Thanks to all who participated in this altered book!

Water Colour Painting with the Family

 After all the excitement of Santa, and presents, great meals and fun games, I settled down to do some art with my niece and her dad.  I created this little birds on a cherry tree branch painting - my sister liked so much - she framed right away!

I am not really that good at water colours.  I am more of an acrylic painter - used to layering on (and fixing mistakes).  But this turned out ok.

 My niece is a brilliant artist and did this painting from a photograph she found on line.  She has the knack (which i lack) of leaving the white space where the sun sparkles on the water.

 My brother in law hasn't painted in many years - but is getting back into it.  Here is a first layer of a west coast scene.

 Another work in progress, some pretty fall birch trees.

 Anthony  is a pheasant hunter and illustrated a recent outing with his trusty Labrador, Jazz.

Here we are deep in the creative process at my sister's kitchen table.

Altered Book: Purple Revisited

In our colour themed altered book project for 2014, we are working in each book twice.  This month i had PURPLE again - my friend K's creation.  See HERE for the last time i had this book.

 For my first spread i wanted to use some vintage sewing pattern images.  these are from an actual pattern for just bodices!  who knew that's how you could make a dress back in the 50's?!  Use the bodice from one pattern and a skirt from another.  I created my skirts with solid purple paper - one full one slim, - then covered both with an overlay of purple organza.  I used a strip of glue runner tape across the top of each skirt - then gathered it up in my fingers.  the background is a combination of lighted branches from a catalog, and some foreign text.  A bit of woven trim creates the borders.  Simple and elegant.

For my second spread i wanted to create something jubilant with a girl jumping.  It was hard to find an image that wasn't a stock photo (with the company logo across it).  or that had bare legs.  But i found this gal, in jean shorts - short enough that i could create a paper doll size dress out of an image of purple flowers.   (hence the need for bare legs)  a couple more flowers adorn her hair.  She is floating on a background of scrapbook paper with a green field and blue sky with puffy white clouds.  Next i created an "UP" style bouquet of balloons with pink and purple toned solid paper - cut with a circle punch.  i used with pink twine for her to hold on to.  might add some words to the spread, and a bit of gloss to make the balloons not look so flat.

Pink - Altered Book Revisited

 As part of our 2014 altered book swap - we each got our books back this summer to work in - "mid swap".  My little pink book (see it HERE) is getting nice and fat with lots of clever, pretty and fun pink inspired spreads.  There was a little kitten on this page - so i decided to colour it in with pink paint and simply covered everything else with ivory acrylic paint.  then added some balls of yarn, highlighted with black sharpie.  A bit of robin's egg blue for shadow lines. I cut a couple of phrases from another page with said "where are the mice?"

For my second spread i searched through my paper stash for something pink to jump out at me.  Some wrapping paper filled with Russian nesting dolls filled the bill,  I glued them to the page with some floral scrapbook paper for a change of scale. I accented the page with some pink flowers and washi tape text.

Altered Book Swap - Cherry Red and Teal

I just finished working in D's latest altered book - Cherry Heaven Teal.  She created a beautiful altered book for our 2014 colour swap using a book titled Cherry Heaven.  She added two vials attached with wires, each filled with colourful beads.

Here is an example of one of her deep and richly textured spreads.  D. really loves texture and colour to create interest in her altered books.

For my first spread I chosen to do an Asian theme.  I dug out my folder filled with Asian themed papers and illustrations and found these ornate gold doors. 

Open the doors and inside are more exuberant Asian interiors.  all featuring the theme colours red and teal.

Here is another portal- using a red chest with an Asian medallion.

Inside is a pretty figurine holding a little butterfly.

Here is another look at the left inside flap - with a collage of origami paper, a Japanese sticker and a bird and cherry blossom branch cut from wrapping paper.

For my second spread I started with a background of a legal stock document with bold red scrollwork.  I added a marble statue face on the left, and a series of renaissance images on the right.  I was playing with profiles.  Four faces - 4 eyes.

The faces flip open to reveal a little red bird atop a pedestal.  I added the words cut from a catalog - "Captivating Curiosity".

 

Here is a shot of the beautiful sign in page D created in the back of her book.  On the right is a niche containing a small religious statue, surrounded by paper flowers.

And finally here is my sign in tag - more Asian papers and another bird!
Check out the other books in this years swap Here:
Pink, Green, Purple and Bling.  We will start over again for the second half of the year.