Altered Art Canvas Discover Italy

I started this altered art canvas at the same time I did my wooden birdhouse but just got it finished up today. I had lots of Italy-related ephemera so thought I'd use that as a theme for this piece.  Italy is another one of those places I'd love to visit one day, so it was great inspiration.

I started by painting the 5x7 canvas with a buttermilk yellow acrylic paint.  I added some texture by stamping on some script text in a brown ink. Then I added a distressed piece of torn scrapbook paper horizontally on the lower part of the canvas.

Next up was basically a bookmark blank that I had grungy'd up with my coffee stain. To that I added a stamped black rose image and some sticker embellishments. Then I Mod Podge'd the bookmark to the canvas. Everything else is a combination of a  series of Italy-themed stickers, some bumblebee stickers for a touch of color, and red rose sticker, to tie in with the stamped rose image. I also added a button and a fabric flower to complete the overall design.

And thus you have my homage to Italy. :)

Wooden Birdhouse Inspire

I decided to try something new today in the studio. It's sort of a combination of Altered Art and just plain being crafty. The end result was this decorated wooden birdhouse.

I started with a plain wooden birdhouse that I found at JoAnn Fabrics. I painted it a buttermilk yellow color all over. Then I added some light turquoise colored scrapbook paper with a copper-looking pattern on it to the birdhouse roof.  I also added a burnt sienna color around the bottom edge of the birdhouse for some color contrast with the yellow--and to also tie in the with copper-looking color in the roof paper.  And for just a hint of texture. I dabbed on some copper ink on top of the burnt sienna edge color. Once those basics were finished, I began with embellishments.

First I added a decorative paper element around the birdhouse opening. It's a K & Company piece that I used a craft punch on to cut a hole out of the center. Then I added a Tim Holz metal gear element near the top of the birdhouse front.  Next I used a decorative rubber stamp to create a border design around the birdhouse using copper ink. I embellished that with some light turquoise ribbon. Then I added a fabric flower with a copper/bronze brad and a metallic bird embellishment.  And I finished it off with a 3-D sticker that says, Inspire. I'm always inspired by nature and things outdoors, so that seemed an appropriate sentiment for this piece.

I had so much fun making this birdhouse, I think I might do a whole series of them. I have been jotting down ideas for future projects, so we'll see what comes of it in the future.

Have a safe and creative end to your holiday weekend, everyone!

Absence Altered Hang Tag

The second of two altered hang tags I made in the studio yesterday. This one is called, Absence....as in, makes the heart grow fonder. :)

I started with a 7 Gypsies hang tag. Then I added a vintage photo, in transparency form, to the hang tag.  I really love working with transparencies, as they really let you keep details that you wouldn't normally get to see behind a photo. Next I added a little white butterfly sticker to the bottom right of the transparency image. Then I added a flower embellishment and the "absence" 3-D element. I finished it off with some lace and brown ribbon at the bottom of the tag, and the same brown ribbon at the top of the tag. I really love the look of the lace on the hang tag too.

This turned out to be one of my favorite hang tag altered art creations!

Sweetness Altered Hangtag

I made 2 altered hang tags while in the studio yesterday and I just love how they turned out. This one is called, Sweetness. I'm also using this as a challenge entry at the Everybody Art Challenge blog's Things with Wings challenge.

I started with a hang tag from 7 Gypsies, which I had never used before but I really love them. I added a vintage photo of some little girl angels, which I added to a piece of grungy fabric and then adhered to the tag.  I also added a torn paper element near the middle of the tag.  Then I added a butterfly sticker, a postage stamp sticker, a flower and brad, and the 3-D "sweetness" embellishment. Then I finished it off with some blue-green and brown ribbon (it doesn't look quite blue-green in the photo though).

Sweet!

Dream of Paris Artist Trading Card

This ATC is the result of the May challenge on the Scraptivate site...the theme of which was "Metal." The first thing that came to my mind was one of the biggest hunks of metal on the planet: The Eiffel Tower! So that was my inspiration. And since I do dream of one day going to Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower myself, this was a fun way to do some daydreaming.

I created a crackle paint finish using Tim Holz crackle paint. I also distressed the edges of the ATC a bit with some copper ink. I added a photo sticker of the Eiffel Tower and a diecut flower. I stamped on a postage mark that says, Paris, France, and also embossed the word "dream" onto a piece of paper and adhered that as well. Finishing touches were some copper brads, along with a 3-D dragonfly that has some copper antennae. I really love the texture of the crackle paint, and overall I love how this ATC turned out!

Au revoir for now!

Mother's Day Altered Bookmark

I decided to make my mom something creative this year for Mother's Day. Since she loves to read, and since I'm a total Altered Art addict these days, I thought I'd make her an altered bookmark! But I didn't stop there...I also made her a handmade card too. :)

The card is a piece of marbled card stock. I used some edging scissors to create a decorative edge on the right side of the card. Then I took some Distress Ink and used that edge to create a stenciled effect inside the card. I added a cardboard accent, topped with another piece of stenciled card stock, and topped it off with a pink paper flower with a glittery copper center. Then I embossed the word "Mom" with copper embossing powder.

For the inside of the card itself, I didn't do much other than to stamp on Happy Mother's Day. I wanted to keep it simple, so as not to take away from the Altered Bookmark in the middle.

The focal point of the bookmark is a transparency image of my sister and me, taken oh so long ago, when I was about 5-1/2. I adhered that to a piece of distressed muslin and the Mod Podge'd that to the bookmark, which I had already stamped with a text stamp and distressed with a tea-dye Distress Ink.  Then I stamped on a clock image in the bottom right, along with the words, "a moment in time." I added an embossed hangtag diecut image, a postage stamp sticker, a pink paper flower and a dragonfly diecut image (because my mom loves dragonflies!). Finally, I added alpha stickers for NAIH, which means Never Apart in Heart--a family motto; and I added the pink ribbon to finish it off.

So Happy Mother's Day, Mom...you know I love you more than words could ever say. You are truly the best mother I could ever have!

And Happy Mother's Day to all of you, too. Give your mom a hug today!