Bird Altered Book Stitched Collages

It's been awhile since I posted anything from my bird altered book.  I love birds and making bird themed art.  I've been working in this book off and on for a few years now.  Here's the book cover:

Lately I've been using the zigzag stitch on my sewing machine rather than glue.  Maybe that is because (gasp!) I am out of Golden Gel Medium.  I really need to find a coupon and get to a Michael's!  But in the meantime I am really enjoying sewing on paper!  I love the texture the stitching adds to the collage.
I used to work in and manage retail fabric stores and sewed all the time.  But that was before paper arts took over my life!  Now I seldom sew.

So, here's a couple bird collages I made using 7 Gypsies Conservatory 8 x 8" papers.  I love that their paper pads have multiple (I think 6) of each design so I can cut pieces out of the multiples.

 
The background on the book pages is two shades of craft acrylic paints sponged on.  I did end up using Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive to glue the bird cut outs to the collages and to glue the collages into the book.

Thanks for taking a look!
Have a creative weekend!

Get Your Art On - days 4,5,6,7, & 8

Okay, finally time to post some more Get Your Art On days!  Blogging is definately going to be the challenging part of this for me.
Day 4
Decided the Tim Holtz die cut gears would make great fireworks.  Kinda difficult to see on the scan but made them sparkly by gluing on sparkly bits and glitter glue.

Day 5 and 7
I worked on these pages Tues and Thurs and forgot to scan in between.  Now I'm trying to be sure to scan what I did that day each night, whether done or not.  They are in my Bird Altered Book.

Day 6

I had alot of appts and errands this day and was pretty worn out when I got home.  My art for this day was art preparation.  Time to recycle some magazines so went through cutting out words, phrases, and images.

Here's a few words:

And a few images:

They'll end up in some fun collages one of these days.

Day 8

This is a journal page inspired by song lyrics:

I'll put the lyrics on the opposite page of my journal.  I don't know how I ever found this song and lyrics cuz it's not my usual style of music.  Just goes to show...step out of your usual now and then, might find something you really like!  You can check out the song on YouTube HERE.

Today's Get Your Art On is outside drying and not done yet so it'll get posted another day.
You can read all about 30 Days of Get Your Art On HERE.
Join in!  You can start your 30 days at any time!
Thanks to Traci Bunkers for the inspiration!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Violet Green Swallow

I just did a simple page in my Altered Bird Book using one of the backgrounds I had already prepared.  When I can't get my creativity flowing I sometimes just go through a journal or altered book and do some backgrounds.  Doesn't usually take much time for the ideas to start coming to me for more creativity.  Making backgrounds might be my fav part of the process most of the time!  Then once I'm ready to add something it's fun to go through looking for a background that'll work.

This time I found a black background with some iridescent green paint on it.  I sprayed over it with Wild Plum Color Wash then wiped it with a baby wipe so it was streaks instead of dots.
I had a postcard I've been saving to put in the altered book that my friend Debbie sent me.  She had added the words "Birds of a feather"  and I added the stamped feathers.  I lightly colored them with violet colored pencil but it didn't show on the scan.  I taped the postcard in at the top so I can flip it up and read the message on the back.
I think the page turned out great.  Thanks Debbie for the cool postcard!
Well, back to some major reorganizing of my studio area...I've been at it a few days but had to take a quick break to do some creating.
Hope you all are enjoying your summer.
Thanks for taking a look at my blog!

Kingfisher(s)

I seem to have a "thing" about Kingfishers with this book.  The cover is covered with Kingfisher postage stamps from Australia.  As well as a couple more Kingfisher stamps on the spine.
I finished up a couple pages in the book last night that are all about Kingfishers.

The first thing I did when I started these pages was glue a 12x12 scrapbooking paper to the pages with matte medium.  I've been working in this book off and on for a couple (or maybe even a few) years and some of the pages are starting to fall out so glueing that paper in reinforced these pages.  Also I've been taking advantage of numbers already in the book so cut out a window for the 7.  I used stamp decorative edge scissors to cut out the borders for the stamps as well as frame for the 7.  I could only find six of those stamps and needed 7 so scanned and enlarged one to get the seventh.  Arranged the stamps and glued them down.  Then stamped the word KINGFISHERS.
For the other page I thought since it's a Kingfisher I would use the crown on the scrapbook paper to embellish that point.  The image is drawn on a piece of Fabriano paper with Prismacolor watercolor pencils.  Then smoothed out with water and a paint brush.  I went over the blue with metallic watercolor paint.  Once completely dry I painted background with very light green and edged with a bit darker green.  Glued that down and then stamped the word KINGFISHER.

Here's a couple other pages I've done in the book using the numbers in the book:

The other thing I did to the book this weekend, in addition to glueing in 12x12 paper to reinforce pages, was to go through the book and use patterned packing tape to put loose pages back in the book.  As well as using the tape to reinforce pages coming loose.  Here's an example of one of those:

Thanks for taking a look!
I hope you are having a creative weekend!

something to CROW about

Although I've slowed down some I've been trading ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) for quite a few years.  And I have a couple huge notebooks full of them.  And they are a lot of fun to look through every once in awhile.  I trade alot of cards with my friend, Debbie (she's hosting a great giveaway on her blog, you might want to check it out by clicking on her name).  And they are all great ATCs but there is one from a couple years ago that is my favorite.  And I decided it needed a place of honor in my bird altered book.  So here it is:

I had a black background page already and mixed up some acrylic paints to get colors to resemble the ATC background and the moon (which is a plastic bingo game piece) and used punchinella/sequin waste to color the background with dots.  Then stamped a crow on 3 small pieces of card stock and colored the edges with a black ink pad.  I glued down the ATC and the 3 stamped birds.  Needed something more and after some thought decided to stamp the bird directly on the background a few times to balance out the page.
So that's the favorite ATC and the page I created around it.  I like having it in a place of honor!
Thanks for taking a look!

Owl

Owls are just about my fav animal and bird.  I think they are beautiful and fascinating to watch.  I've been watching a couple families of Barn Owls on UStream the last few months.  From eggs hatching to the young owls fledging.  Really fun to watch (except when they tear a little critter apart to eat...I know it's part of their reality but I chose not to watch those parts!).
Inspired by those beautiful owls, and a desire to play with my new watercolor pencils I drew this owl:

I drew it on a card of smooth Fabriano paper.  I had a page in my bird altered book that already had the copper and platinum background paper on it.  Sometimes when I can't come up with an idea or am not feeling very creative I just play around with backgrounds in a journal or altered book.  Then the background is all ready when something comes along needing a page - as in this case.  I adhered the owl drawing to the background with triangle shaped dark copper brads.

Thanks for taking a look!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

A Whimsical Little Bird

A friend gifted me with a set of 24 Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils that she never uses.  Yay!  They are really nice!  I wasn't even aware Prismacolor makes watercolor pencils.  I really enjoy playing around with watercolors.
Here's the first thing I drew with them - A Whimsical Little Bird:

First I drew the little bird with a pencil.  Then filled in the color with the pencils.  After I took water and brush to it the first time, I went back over it with a white pencil to add some shading/highlighting.  I was drawing on a piece of cream colored card stock.  I tore the edges with a ruler for a sort of deckled look.  Next I put some of the blue pencil on a page in my bird altered book.  After smoothing the the pencil marks out with water and brush I sprayed the page with a mixture I made of Glacier Glimmer Mist and blue Memories Reinker ink (careful if you try this - if you get any on your hands it doesn't easily wash off-takes days to wear off-is it a bad thing to have blue hands???).
Next I found a piece of decorative paper to layer with the bird.  I fussy cut some of the flowers to put along the bottom side of the bird picture, as well as a couple more here and there.  And called it done!
Thanks for taking a look!
Hope you have a creative weekend!

Sing Sing Sing

Seems like every once in awhile I forget how much I like to create with tags.  Before I got into art journaling and atcs and was mostly a stamper I used tags ALL the time.
So this week I have been playing at creating with tags.  Here's one I used for a page in my bird themed altered book:

The book is filling up and getting thick and has stuff sticking out of the edges like the ribbons and yarn on this tag.  Love it when an altered book or art journal starts to get to that point!  I don't know...maybe makes it feel more cherished to me.
For this page I chose a page that I had already put some leftover patterned paper on - I do alot of backgrounds ahead of time, using leftover paint and papers from other projects.  Or sometimes just to try a backgound paper idea or technique I want to try.  Also helps me sometimes when I can't get started or come up with a creative idea to just start out by making backgrounds.
I took a standard shipping tag and covered it with sheet music using gel medium as the adhesive.  Once good and dry I cut around the edges of the tag to trim off the sheet music.  Then repunched the hole, stuck one of Tim Holtz idea-ology reinforcer stickers over the hole,  Next I stamped the "sing sing sing".  I screwed up the second "sing" so had to rescue that by gluing a K & Co bee over the G I messed up.  Then glued the K & Co bird and nest image onto the tag.  I had a strip of scrapbook paper with music notes on it.  Tore the edges for a more shabby look and glued it to the background.  Found some coordinating ribbons and yarn for the tag.  Once I had those attached through the hole I glued the tag down.  That's it!
Thanks for taking a look! 

Crate Label Birds

Happy May Day!
Here's a spread in my Birds of a Feather altered book.  The crate label images are from a little calendar a friend sent me.  I decided it was time to quit hoarding, eeerrrrr, uhhhmmmm, I mean TREASURING (I don't hoard!) and give them a place of honor in my book!

For the First Pick page I applied Golden acrylic to the background with an old hotel key card.  Scraping the paint on this way is my current favorite way for putting down acrylic phint in my altered books or journals.  Then I used sequin waste and a heavy inking of a foam brush to make the black boarder.  I stamped the word "spring" across the top and stamped a bird themed postoid rubber stamp all over before glueing down the label I had cut out with deckle edge scissors. (you might need to click on the image to enlarge it if you want to see the stamping as it didn't show up so well in the scan)  I glued everything on these pages with matte gel medium.  I glued a flower I had die cut out of an old book page and then painted with same red paint as the background in the upper left corner of label.  

For the Kentucky Cardinal label page I chose a page I had already covered with black patterned paper and glued the label down.  I die cut a bunch of flowers using Sizzix's Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Florals die.  Sprayed them with Cranberry Color Wash (made by Ranger).  I glued them around the label, and cut one in half to glue on the side of page to sort of pull the white edge into the design.

Thanks for taking a look!

I hope you had a creative weekend! 

Songbirds

After a long period of time, I finally have something to post here!

It's taken me a long time to get my creative mojo back after being so sick for so long.

I've had plenty of ideas but not very good at executing them.  I've spent alot of time sitting at my art desk "thinking".  But one day I got going and have been working on this page in my Birds Of A Feather altered book.  The birds on branches are from a large sheet of Cavallini paper (my friend Debbie sent a bunch of the images to me - very cool stuff!).  The background is sheet music.  I tore some pieces, applied gel medium to the center of the pieces and pressed them onto the page.  When dry I tore off the edges that weren't glued down for the torn edge look achieved.  Then painted purple with watercolor crayons.  Next I put down the 3 stripes of tape (some green tape with birds on it).  I wish the tape wasn't shiny - maybe I'll finish with matte medium to see if that tones down the shiny.  Next I glued down the two bird images with gel medium.  Last I had some die cut birds I glued on with gel medium.  I just got a die cut machine before I got sick and have barely used it.  I don't have many dies but did just get an alphabet and used it for the letters for "Songbirds".  I used glue stick to apply them.  I figured I would make a huge mess using gel medium on something that small.  I'm  messiest enough as an artist as it is!

Thanks for taking a look.  I hope I'll have art to post more often going forward.  We'll see...

Bird Altered Book

Here's another couple number themed pages in my bird altered book.  Plus on the right side I made use of the printed words on the page.  Just had to add the word birds.  You might need to click on the pic to enlarge so you can see the other words.  I love it when I can incorporate the words on the page!  I also got a chance to use some of my fav blackbird rubber stamps.  As well as the blackbird postage stamps.  Years ago, prob atleast 10 now, I bought a lot of postage stamps on Ebay - I think it was 7 lbs - and about half of them were bird stamps from Ireland.  Yippee!  I love stamps with birds on them.  They are my fav!  I may never run out.  Unless I ever do get to a project idea I had to cover a wood chair with them.  Think for a minute how many stamps would equal 7 lbs - it is alot!  The rest of them were mostly Australian, again lot's of birds, including the ones I used to cover my Bird Altered Book.

      

I also did a quick page using one of the other things I like to collect (I'm a COLLECTOR not a HOARDER!).  A postcard.  This is a really nice vintage one so I put it in with photo corners so as not to damage it.  The backgrouns is scrapbook paper with an edge.  And I spread some white pigment ink on it before I wrote Baltimore Oriole on it and inked the edges.  And drew the line in the center with the same black sharpie I used for the words.

Hope you enjoyed taking a look!

Have a creative weekend!

More bird altered book pages - finally!

Finally, I have some more pages in my bird altered book to post.  The finally being due to the fact that my studio area was such a huge mess I couldn't find the book for months!  If that isn't a sign it's time to clean up, I don't know what is!  As it turns out I ended up swapping a storage area in my computer room with the area I was using for my art studio.  Do you know how much work it is to move from one really full space to another really full space - whew!  That's why we usually move to new homes instead of just moving around in the one we have!  Ha!  

Anyway, now I have more room as well as having my art table under a big window for lots of natural light, and having it in the same room as my computer.  And, BEST of all, I found my precious bird altered book.  I really love working in this book and have all kinds of ideas and bird stuff I want to use.

Above are acrylic backgrounds, using a couple dif colors of paint.  I then wrote "bird" on the page with a black fine point sharpie.  On the left page I covered the background with netting.  Then used brads to adhere the two small squares I had painted birds on (cards like these are available in my ArtFire shop here).  The background and the birds are all acrylic craft paints, the outlines and feet are black fine point sharpie.

  

The page above I made using decorative papers and rubber stamps.  Also some nailheads glued on the page.

And the last page I have to share today is a black matte acrylic background stamped on with white pigment ink.  The word CRANE was stamped on white paper and then glued to the page.  I decorated the two corners with large leaf sequins adhered with brads.

Thanks for taking a look!

More from the Bird altered book

Here's a two page spread I did in my bird book using birds I drew with colored pencil, scrapbook paper and metal letters.

bird altered book numbers pages

I like playing around with the numbers I find printed on the page so have been using the numbers to decide what to do with some of the pages.

The "4" page are birds I made out of fabric scraps and adhered to muslin scraps I had hand painted. Then sewed to paper and glued that on the "4" page.

The "17" page is 17 of my favorite bird postage stamps I glued to the page with gel medium. I love stamps and love to use them in art.

Bird Altered Book

I've been working on a bird themed altered book for awhile and wanted to share some of what I've done so far. You'll see birds appear in my art quite often.

Here's the covers, front cover, then back cover and spine :