An Altered Box, part one

 I set a monthly challenge on UKStampers and this is my almost too late entry for the challenge. The challenge was to create a piece of art in any format, use an image transfer somewhere on the piece, use a favourite stamp in a new way no red or hearts as I am the grinch of Valentine's day.

The idea behind the challenge is to try out new techniques and I have had all sorts of problems experimenting with image transfers as you can see here. In the end I used large photocopies of feathers I found on Graphics Fairy. I added layers of Golden acrylic gel medium in different directions and then soaked the paper and rubbed off the back. It leaves a transparent flexible image.
I began with this box from Molton and Brown which I added three layers of gesso to.

I then used TH text stamps from the Shabby French collection and stamped them randomly over each other - blue side used broken china, evergreen bough and faded jeans, orange side was spiced marmalade, worn lipstick and fired brick. 

I promptly forgot that Distress inks react with water and applied the feather over the stamping with acrylic gel. Cue smudged inks and major swearing. I then decided I could use this even more distressed look. I added more stamps on top and an other layer of gel. I also added some stazon and versamark inks that would not smudge.

The butterflies and dragonflies were image transfer feathers onto double side paperartsy tape and metal. I stamped on the metal and then embossed with metal tools and cut out. I also added some more alcohol inks.

 This was using stamps in a new way but I wanted to try something else. I had read a post from Annepat on the forum who said you could use hot glue, versamark, vaseline and stamps. The dragonfly and square stamp that holds the ribbon come from those experiments.

 I will post separately about those experiments as there would be too many pictures. I lined the box with adhesive back blue and green felt and used turquoise seam binding to make the tab ribbon and edge the box.

Stampotique 36 - Altering A Book

Wow this is my 250 th post. In celebration I will be giving away a book similar to the one I altered for this challenge. I will pick a random comment from this post next Sunday 21 August. Sorry there are a lot of photos in this post.
Valerie at Stampotique challenged us to alter a book. I had such fun with this one and ended up altering three pages in my book. The book was given to by my eldest son as he worked for the publisher when he was in Paris. I was going to give it to a niece or nephew but something told me I would want to play with it.
The book began life as this:

It has lots of different sized pages like the screen that  is a separate page

This made me think of changing rooms which are not places I like going into to.

I applied gesso to all the pages as they are quite thin and for that reason I used a mix of dylusion paints, inks, glimmer mists and water colour pro makers.

I tried adding some texture with the gesso

Inked, painted and coloured some of the existing elements on the page

Lots of ink dripping on this page

I stamped Stampotique's Olivia on card three times and then added her head and three sets of legs to the dress, I stamped dylusions Ruby Rainbow legs and Love Struck Lucy onto card and added them. I wrote the journalling on the paper that I had used to protect my pages and stuck it down. "Does my body look okay in this?" and "Why am I the wrong shape?"

I outlined the original girl and changed her clothing a little. On separate pieces of cards I stamped Stampotique's Angel Boy and Oh Dear on card and added the wings and Oh Dear the page,  then Ruby Rainbow in three layers. I also used my new stamps from Shady Tree Studios for borders and words. "Embrace your curves, bumps, lumps and imperfections!"

I used more border stamps from Shady trees and the number stamp from Paper Artsy. I drew a danger sign on card and added it to the page.

I hope you all embrace  your bodies - or maybe you are that rare breed and actually love your shape.

The book I'm giving away is Colour Your Way Round Russia. I will post more pictures in another posting to avoid too many pics.

Kitchen Notice boards as altered art style layout, step by step guide

Last night I was looking at the jumbled mess of the ephemera from the noticeboard I blogged about earlier and decided I had to do something with it. As the materials I had were messy, distressed and not great pics I decided they needed a different and too me - totally new approach. I have been watching too many Donna Downey Inspiration Wednesday videos and have been inspired by her anything goes style. I photographed the process so here it is in all its messy glory.

Step 1 - I cut and stuck what I had onto white card (ever thrifty, it came from inside page protector). Many people would stop there but I just felt it needed so much more...

Step 2 - I mixed up some pva glue with dark blue acrylic paint and painted all over the page and then I switched to red acrylic paint.

Step 3 - I covered a corner of the page in pva glue and then stuck a sequin string that had fallen off a

bracelet. Then I got out the oil pastels and using a scalpel flicked bits onto the glue, then smudged it with my fingers. Super messy but great fun.

Step 4 - I took some glass beads I had stuck into a jam jar lid with pva glue (and left to set) the night before, prised them out with my scalpel and added to the page.

Step 5 - I had some yellowish Laura Ashley flock rub ons and I added these to different areas of the page. Then I took my aqua pro markers, coloured them in and wet them with a pva water solution. I then dabbed off some of the excess with a tissue (I did something to the tissue after that but that if for another day).

Step 6 - I added some staples and rub ons plus a musical chipboard note that I distressed and stamped. Finally I stuck on a butterfly that used to decorate a pair of shoes but had got knocked off.