journal spread

a page inside my moleskine...
mind numbing 

Acceptance comes from meeting life's challenges vigorously. 

To not numb yourself to your trials and difficulties, nor build mental walls to exclude pain from your life. 

To claim "victory" one must confront the problems, and find peace in-between the cracks. 

There are those episodes in life... no other way to explain it. 

2 for Tuesday

textured tags - project 
I simply can not control myself, when it comes to creating texture! 
The process is all about " self exploring" and apply a verity of mediums to achieve wondrous effects.
You know that moment has arrived, when you look over an art piece and it has reached
its destination of "textured bliss". 

How do we create texture? 
Using more than one medium and building up the layers. 
2 for Tuesday is creating something artful by incorporating 2 products.
I am going to share with you just how these textured tags were made, along side with me is alteredpages.com and the very talented design team. 

To achieve the looks of this tag you will need the following materials: 

manilla tag - 1

torn vintage book pages 

collage sheet - Vintage-Butterfly-Graphics

matte medium 

gel medium 

Dylusions Spray Inks

Gelatos

embroidery floss 

StazOn-Ink- black

stencils

 The techniques used are all about layering. Allow the process to be absorbed.
- Apply Gelatos first to the tag. 
- Glue down with matte medium your torn book pages.
  (dry)
- Apply a good amount of gel medium down where you will be placing your image(s).
  Do an image transfer:  
  place printed image down on gel medium, rub, wait a moment, lift & peel paper off.     Image will be transferred.   
- take a stencil / apply Dylusion Ink 
- Go around edges of tag with StazOn Ink (black)
- Finish off by hand-sewing the edge of the tag with embroidery floss.

This next tag here... I am still following the same techniques and process.

I just went ahead an added another layer, another medium.

Wanted to dramatize on "texture" and by applying joint compound, this can easily be achieved and create that effect. 

Once all the mediums have reached their drying state you can apply this technique. 

- lay a stencil on top of artwork, use a pallete knife and apply the joint compound over the top of the stencil. 

- lift carefully, you do not wish to distort the shapes. 

(dry)

These tags are amazing!! 

The look and feel of these textures are incredible. I LOVE IT ALL. 

What is even more exciting is...I am not finished with these tags either. 

I have a purpose from them and these tags will serve me well for a future project 

I am designing. 

I CAN NOT WAIT TO SHARE! 

for more exciting projects from the design team

visit us at 

http://alteredpages-artsociates.blogspot.com

   

ATC - series of three

ATC
swap/challenge over at The Studio-artist thriving community Facebook group 

theme:
How do you love yourself? 

This ATC swap ran for three weeks. 
Each week a new " love of self " ATC was to be crafted carefully. 
Artist's opened their hearts and shared with the group, a little more about themselves. 
Resulting in a deep spirited series of three "one-of-a- kind" ATC's. 

Here is my collection, which is now being handed over to my swap partner. 

ATC titled: Motherhood - #1 

 ATC titled: Love of Self - #2 

ATC title: Introvert - #3 

There it is... 

now YOU know a little more about me and the love I have for myself.

What do you love about yourself? 

work in progress...

art book 
designed with coffee stained paper, layered paint, joint compound applied for distinct texture,and inked stenciled patterns... all coming together to create this book. 

This art book project has been inspired from a recent "Paper Ephemera Project/Swap" 
I Hosted for our artist community here- The Studio. 
Once we received our paper goodies, we were to create something from the collection, which the prior artist had treasured.

This project has been time consuming, I will admit. 
Applying layer upon layer, on such delicate book pages... can be a challenge all it's own. 
Patients must be practiced during the different stages of the layering. 
The last part of the journey has arrived... binding everything together to create the art book. 

Wish me luck!!

I will post more on the art book completed and bound together. 

Got a "bright" idea for a project...

altered lightbulb- mixed media project 

Before you go throwing away the next lightbulb that goes out... try altering it!!

materials required for project:

collage sheet- Curiosities-of-Nature

collage sheet- Le-Papillon-Magnifique

tissue paper

matte medium 

acrylic paint 

embossing powder

jewelry wire 

Lights out everyone!

www.alteredpages.com

How do I LOVE thy self...

ATC 
swap/challenge over at Facebook group The Studio - artist thriving community

theme:
How do you love yourself ?
I have self respect for my own well being.

It is easier to be self destructive than to pull yourself back, take a moment, and then decide... is it at all worth it?

It takes courage, strength, and above all self respect.

Happy Valentine's Day!

form a heart shape

:: art project ::
Molding heart shapes, apply texture, and adding paint for color...melts my heart away!

These delightful heart ornaments, started out as an experiment... 

I was curious to work with join compound and see if I could create the look and feel of 

potter's clay. Great experience. Love the texture. 

First I molded several heart shapes using aluminum foil.

Applied layers of tissue paper and matte medium to secure the application.

(allow drying time) 

Follow up with applying an all purpose joint compound found at a hardware store. 

Added layers of craft acrylic paint.

There will be ruff areas from the compound which can be sanded down, using a small piece of sandpaper.

Using cardboard for the backing (painted ahead of time) the wire and heart were then glued on by applying E6000®-Craft-Adhesive

enjoy a little heart art today!