An Altered Book Page

I've been catching up a bit with some of my art projects this week, didn't get a lot done last week due to feeling under the weather, but am slowly getting back into the swing of things.  I'm participating in a round robin for an altered book, it's the first one I've done and I'm loving it - trying out new techniques and ideas for altering pages, it really is fun, so I thought I'd share what I did for the latest technique.

We had to colour some pages in the book we were working on, two colours that worked together, then fold them in a certain way and stick them down to create four diagonal pockets.  The pages were then decorated with any extra additions we wanted, stamping, glitter, paints, charms, etc.  After that we had to create four ATCs that worked together as a set and complemented the background pages, to slip inside each pocket.  There was a fair amount of work involved in this month's instructions but I absolutely loved doing it. 

I created an extra ATC using another of these beautiful female images, which have been digitally created by Julia van der Werf.  Click here if you want to take a look at some of her work, which is available to purchase and download from Etsy (I am very tempted)!  (I received this sheet of gorgeous ladies as part of the blog giveaway I won a few months back).

I have just one set of "Africa" cards on their way to me as I type, then they'll all be swapped out and posted on to their new owners after the weekend - everyone has created beautiful work and I must try and remember to take some photos this time before sending them out.  (Check out my blog on Sunday when the new swap for August will be posted). 

A Little Bit of Alteration ........

I can't believe a week has gone by since I last posted here.  We're still in the "big freeze", car marooned on the drive (just too icy and treacherous to risk moving it) and basically I haven't been further than the garden for the past week, talk about getting "stir crazy"!!!  I hope everyone has kept safe and sound during this icy spell, no slips or broken bones.  Despite being so chilly outside, it does look rather lovely - blue skies and bright sunshine - and if I wasn't such a "wimp" on the ice (I can do a brilliant impression of a penguin - LOL), it would be a gorgeous day for a walk.  Oh well, I'm afraid here I'm staying put until the thaw sets in.

I finally got around to finishing something that I had started just before Christmas with the intention of giving it to my sister Lindsay as part of her Christmas pressies - unfortunately, time sort of ran out on me and I had to put it to one side until now.  So, Lindsay, looks like you might be getting an extra belated present, always supposing you'd like it!

I always scour the charity shops when I'm in town, you never know what you might pick up there, and one of my latest acquisitions was this metal tealight holder, which I thought was just asking to be decorated.

The tealight holder was already painted green and I decided to leave this as it was, but you could change this if you wished by sanding it down, adding a layer of gesso, and then painting with acrylics over the top.  Instead, I chose to sponge all the metal parts, both inside and outside, with alcohol inks - I used a combination of Latte, Butterscotch and Gold.  (Before sponging the metal parts, I carefully removed the handle, lid and glass panels - be VERY careful not to cut your fingers when removing the glass, you might like to protect them with a cloth or paper towel).  This is also a very messy process, my fingers were covered with alcohol ink - it helps to squirt a little of the blending solution onto your hands when you come to wash them and give them a good scrub.

The next step was to pad out the space where the tealight would normally sit - I firmly squidged down a good wad of cotton wool, adhered with glue.  I had bought a small "guardian angel" resin figure which exactly fitted over the top of the tealight holder and I glued it down with some Glossy Accents. 

I added a layer of gold Stickles around the base of the "angel" and left it until it was completely dry (patience required here)!

The next thing that I decided to do was to adhere a sheet of double-sided tape to one side of two of the glass panels.  I then laid some gauzy fabric (mine had butterflies and dragonflies on it) over the glass with the right side of the fabric facing the sticky side of the glass.  I cut away the excess fabric and then slid each glass panel back into the tealight holder, either side of the hinged door, with the plain glass panel in the back and front.

I dribbled some more Glossy Accents around the base of the tealight, placed a white feather behind the angel and scraps of scrumpled fabrics/netting to cover the base.

I continued adding more embellishments around the "angel" - a butterfly charm (I only had silver ones so I altered it by colouring it with a gold Krylon pen), bronze pearls and a pearly bead chain, all glued to the netting/fabric with drops of Glossy Accents.

I covered the tealight "funnel" with double-sided tape and wrapped it with a vintage piece of tassel-edged trim.  I ran my gold Krylon pen around all the edges of the lid and panels, then wrapped the handle with thin gold ribbon and the beaded chain.  I also fastened a "word" charm to the handle (a Tim Holtz Philosophy charm - Believe), which I softened with a little gold metallic rub-on.  I reassembled the tealight holder then, as a final step, using a cotton bud, rubbed copper Stickles (I'd run out of gold) over all the surfaces.  Again, make sure to leave plenty of time for drying before you handle the finished item ..... and here it is ....

I hope you like it .... and perhaps it's given you some ideas for altering small items that you might come across in your local charity shop or car boot sale.  Why not have a go at giving something old a new lease of life and if you do, I'd love to see pictures of what you come up with!

Meanwhile, don't forget about the "Out with the Old, In with the New" ATC swap I'm running here - there's plenty of time to have a go at making some cards (the closing date is 12th February) - several have signed up already and I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!