AlteredPages Artsociates

As you know this month Altered Pages has partnered with The Artists on the Block to share our Altered Trading Block creations using Eileen Hull's Sizzix Block dies . I was so excited because ATB's are so much fun, like an ATC on steroids! I knew immediately that I wanted to make a Steampunk theme block because AP offers so many great collage sheets that can be paired with that theme... so I got started and just couldn't stop at one! I ended up making a whole tower of ATB's! The bottom block was painted then covered with pieces from a glassine envelope that I disassembled, inked and stamped.  The center block was painted black and a different "Frankenstein Experiment" diagram was affixed to each side.  The top block was painted then I added torn bits of cork here and there.  I then applied Duo Adhesive to all the corners and sprinkled on metal leafing flakes. After all of the blocks were dried I cut out and applied various images and lab...

Hello Friends and welcome to the blog today. I have for you a continued bit of fun with our cross promo with the Altered Pages design team and the oh so talented bunch at E ileen Hull and Artists on the Block . I hope you have been able to view all of the amazing ATB's from both teams. I mean the projects have been beautiful, fun, fanciful and just plain AWESOME! The ATB that I have for you may just be a bit inappropriate...yes, I said inappropriate. My ATB is so loaded down with fun junk that it is just too much junk for the trunk. I hope you enjoy! Seriously, you guys, you think I am going to use all this fun stuff...oh yes, I am going to try!!! I started out with my ATB and added metallic tape to give it the retro travel trailer type of look. I used a bunch of fun retro collage sheets from Altered Pages. You can see that here. I began building the silver metal tape and super fun collage images as well as a bit of fun retro polka dot ribbon.  A bit more det...

Deb McCormick here from Ohio on this beautiful day May 19 2014. Good morning, I hope you all are doing well and expect to have a great day.   I didn't use many products for this project, I have found that sometimes less is more.  Assembling the box was quite easy.  After I did that I drew my doodle spaces with pencil so that I had individual places where I could do my doodling, when I was happy with my space, I went over the pencil with a typical pen used for Zentangle.  I use the internet to find patterns/tangles to use in my projects.  Here's where I started. I know it doesn't look like much, but once you start filling in the small sections with doodles/tangles it moves along rather quickly. different views of the ATB.... I doodle/tangled all but one side of the cube.  I didn't really have to doodle/tangle the bottom of the the cube but I was on a roll.... Once I completed all of my doodling, I colored in the blank white spa...

Happy Tuesday to everyone.   It's Jean her and it's time for another ATB (Artist Trading Block).  Each Tuesday and Thursday in May is shared with the Eileen Hull ATB Design Team.  Make sure to see what they are doing too! After seeing all the FAN-TAS-TIC blocks being created I have to admit I was intimidated!   We all know that thing called inspiration, well it came went over the last week until I found two pieces of ephemera in my stash. I knew I had Glitz 8x8 paper pad Sunshine in my Soul and the colors were a perfect match!  Voila, the idea was born. I did learn that while the blocks are 3x3 inches square, it is a good idea to cut the papers at 2 7/8 inches to get a clean edge for the folds of the box. Cutting and placing the papers should have your direct attention.  If not you could wind up with patterns upside down or on the wrong squares. Cut EACH square individually, I found it worked better for me than wrapping the papers due to t...

Now that we have sufficiently distanced ourselves from Halloween I am sharing a Shrine that I made for Day of the Dead.  Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) has NOTHING to do with Halloween. There. I said it. But given the symbolic skulls and the temporal proximity (it is celebrated Nov1-2nd) the confusion is understandable.  I used an Altered Trading Block as the base of my shrine. I also used the Graphic 45 Bohemian Bazaar collection of patterned papers to cover the wooden base and chipboard. Skeletons and skulls symbolize our fragile mortality, but when they are colorful and dressed up festively they are not macabre and indicate we should not fear death, for it is part of the cycle of life. Brightly colored patterned paper Catrina, by Jose Guadalupe Posada Day of the Dead is a celebration to honor those who have passed and who not only are remembered, loved, and missed but are still a cherished part of the community.  Since we...