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!