Monday, April 2, 2012

Altering my book

Lesson 4 over at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's Altered  Book Lover's blog  is well under way.
My experiments with glue can be found  here.


I had not done Mod Podge so I tried it for this class.  It is okay and fairly cost effective as well. But I am also learning that actually working in the book is not ideal because of the spine.  These pages do not thrill me but I have begun.  I'm thinking I like the idea of 'tip ins'.  For these an inch of so of two pages is left to insert a completed page between.  


With the idea of a tip in page in mind I put mod podge between a music page and a piece of printer paper. 
Some forethought presented itself.  The title for the music was reapers and I was thinking spring fern fronds.  I made a second set with the fern fronds in mind.  Reaping will be towards the end of the book where winter is  featured. 


An experiment that s p r e a d !

We were asked to use white glue as a design element.  I tried a tree.  I like the idea but a young sapling quickly spread to an old punky tree.  The tree also became way more realistic so those cute duckies are totally inappropriate.  :(


 Serious touch up for an aging tree.

 
A paper I'd photo copied of ferns glued to a music page. Not original but my own thought at least.  hmmm, I shoulda printed on green paper.  I also shoulda put new ink in the printer!!!  But the suggestion is there for me and I'm confident I'll run afoul of no copyright laws.  lol

I drew in frond shapes.  With several markers in browns and greys I filled in dead foliage and emerging ground.  With a paint pen I sketched the essence of ferns and filled in the background sky with a watercolour pencil. 



I like and it'll be up and away from here! 


I wanted a tree branch.  I'd traced a branch unto tissue paper some time ago.  It is wonderful having an assortment of material laying about in various stages of readiness.


  I mod podged it down and put wax paper on top when I was flattening it.  Awk!  It was tearing the tissue when I lifted it.  Well, wax paper could be another layer.  Right?  But it turned out to be pretty peelable when it had dried more.  The wax paper had some gesso on it which adds to the whole I think.  Memo to self: sometimes clean wax paper is preferred!  ;-)


A bird stamp to finish it off.


I have learned that creative tries create their own inertia.  Ideas and abilities begin to tumble over one another.  Sometimes it is even hard to keep up!  I felt so flush I sketched my very own branch on scrap book paper using every brown and black mark maker I could find.  I do like stamps, but simple ones.  Wow, instant depth.  I like!  lol

One last photo.


 In keeping with the idea of one thing leads creatively to another I have decided to do a journal calender. It will be an opportunity to do and record simple arabesque designs each day. 

I can't believe I've added one more thing to an already full agenda.  But this is heady stuff.  I was making a calendar way past my usual bedtime.  The rooster was turning out lights on me wanting a good night sleep so he could be up early for crowing.  I was laying awake trying not to count future eggs before they could be hatched.  Here is to a creative April.  No fooling!

10 comments:

Mary Ann Tate said...

I had the Bluebeard and Elizabeth blog bookmarked after seeing her stuff on WOYWW at the Stamping Ground. I have been trying to resist doing an altered book but you are making it look like so much fun.

SandeeNC said...

I understood how you felt about lying in bed and trying to not think of ideas and the urge to get up and play in your AB, I feel the same way! It is so much fun experimenting and playing with ideas! Also, I learned the same thing you did about clean wax paper, I finally threw away some gesso'd parchment because it was creating messes i didn't want, lol They must, after all, be intentional messes for me! Your doing a great job on your book, and I cannot wait to see it progress! waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Very, very impressive. I like the idea of tip-ins. After all, that's how I got started in ABs. I made tip-ins and traded them on a yahoo group. When I realized I needed a place to store them, I experimented (what else is new?) to find the best way to insert them in a book for storage.

I'm so glad I live alone. I was up until nearly 5 am working on future lessons, when I realized I had to mow my yard today or wait till next week when it would once again be dry. I know what you mean about the ideas, and I often have a horrible schedule because I can't contain my own enthusiasm (or impatience).

I confess. I know a LOT of people use wax paper in their ABs, but I simply don't because it is usually single or no more than two time use. Too expensive for me. I guess I should say something about it on my blog, but since I so, so seldom use it, I will probably forget (grin). Now aren't you glad this class only meets every two weeks?

Createology said...

You are really making wonderful progress on your altered book. I admire how you try different things and then roll with them when they turn out to be something other than what you were expecting. I completely get your rooster turning out the lights on you...I find myself trying to navigate in complete darkness sometimes too. Geesh...leave a light on please. Let April be the best creative month to date this year. Blissful Inspiration...

Helen said...

I didn't do my glue as a design element bit of the homework but yours is very impressive! In fact everyone's work is very impressive. Looking forward to seeing what you do next.

HollyM said...

You have been busy! I have lots of odd bits lying around here and would like to get into doing a book someday. I even have the book but I'm not ready yet. I like all the effects you've tried, especially the branch over the music.
I'm also interested in trying the calendar journal sometime. I think that would be lovely to look back on. Do you have a reference site for that?

Terrie said...

I'm just loving your branches and the results of all your experimenting! Isn't this fun? I'm just loving Elizabeth's class and all the information - plus it's so much fun seeing others who are working through it for the first time too. Your book is looking great - can't wait to see where it goes next.

Karen said...

WOW!!!! I am in love with your glue tree!!!!! What a brilliant, brilliant idea!!!! I am loving that you played around with all the glues, so much fun. Your Ab is going to look amazing x

Jacqueline said...

I ADORE that glue tree!!!

Thanks for sharing,

Jackie x

Ann B said...

I'm another AB classmate and a fan of your glue tree. Love your book.