AlteredPages Artsociates

Because, well, why not?  A group of friends and I are getting together once a month and having an art day--last month, we use mixed media to alter tea bags. You can see bits of Vintage Text pages under the layers of paint. Pencils are great for this use too.... The teacup is acrylic paint , pencil, and chalk For the month of February, Altered Pages is warming up with the love of RED--check back often for plenty of hearts, roses, and red inspiration!  Wanna peek at one of my favorite red collage pages?  Check out these gorgeous red backgrounds:  RED Collage Backgrounds Happy Thursday to you! :)trisha

Here is a look at some Valentines past--SOOOOOOO many Valentines, and, hopefully, lots of inspiration for your own Valentine making.  If you scroll to the end, you'll find a list of my favorite Altered Pages Valentine making goodies: 5x7 mixed media collage ATC mixed media collage card  mixed media collage card And here it is, the promised list! THESE Valentine appropriate flowers Vintage Valentines collage page Angelic Hearts collage page Dresden Foil Hearts Heart Pearl Hat Pins Steampunk Chipboard Hearts Hearts and Arrows stencil ALL these paper flowers! Dew Drop Hearts Ruby Red GLITTER!!!! Don't want to have to choose?  Pick a kit, full of great papers and pages and embellishments, along with instructions. A Small Token of My Love , a tiny book kit A Valentine School Days art kit--love the glassine envelopes with this one! All You Need for Valentines --another kit full of Valentine creative goodies Valentine Bunting kit Valentine Day ...

REUSE SCRAPS AND THROWAWAYS FOR PERFECT HOLIDAY DECOR  If you can or make jelly/jams, chances are you have a stash of canning jar bands lying about.  That's how I first came to make this type of ornament, years ago--a pile of slightly corroded canning jar bands with a really fun altered looking patina needed a new job!  So simple--just trace the circle and cut an Altered Pages collage image to fit inside.  If you print on heavy cardstock, you can add the image as-is, but if you print on a lighter weight paper, or fussy cut an image, you may need to add a piece of cardstock behind.  Add a little lace around the edges, and a loop at the top for hanging, and you're finished!   Hang on the tree, decorate packages, or even use as tags. You can get rings and lids by clicking here . I used Perfectly Pink Christmas and Christmas Cherubs for these.  My daughter's favorite page this year is Christmas Kitty Cats , she made orname...

Creating never was so much fun... The Crafters Workshop stencils are so versatile,  there are many ideas and techniques and ways to use them.   Use any papers from newsprint to deli paper!   Spritzy inks over TCW's Graffiti Kisses Stencil--left on newsprint, right on deli paper.   Th e newsprint is adhered to blue cardstock, the deli paper to sheet music. Torn edge around the cardstock base   A h eart cut from the sheet music/deli paper, sliced into "squares," and adhered to the cardstock Stuff I used: TCW Stencil Graffiti Kisses ink mists newsprint adhered to cardstock deli paper adhered to sheet music glue stick crayons lightbulb shaped safety pin tulle manila tag, cut down transit token

Not sure what the theme of this little book will be, but I'm leaning towards using butterflies--can you picture a pretty one right in the center of the flower shaped cover?  Here's how this little book came to be . . . First, I stacked two Foundations Décor flowers, clamped them down, and drilled holes in three of the petals.  It turns out that two would have been sufficient, but I wasn't sure how I'd be stitching them together. Next, I glued a gel print on the front, but of course forgot to take a pic!  The Xacto knife you see in the background was instrumental in trimming the paper from between those petals. The inside of the flowers needed a little something as well, so I used paints similar in color to the gel print.  Most of this won't show after the pages of the book are added. The pages 2 1/4 inches wide, cut from a nice off white paper, accordion folded, and then glued together, but leaving wiggle room for the book to open.  Since ...

This week I've used the lovely Winged Girl f rom Lost Coast Designs, in a successful attempt to improve (not to mention destash) some prints from a pile of less-than-stellar monotypes: Here she's stamped on a deli paper print. This image is on craft paper--after stamping with Versafine, I dried the ink with a heat gun, and used a straight edge to tear the image to a size that fit some premade craft paper cards. This one is my favorite! Have a wonderful Thursday! :)trisha Gel Press Printing plate paint ink cardstock

Did you ever see a rubber stamp, and immediately know what you would like to make with it?  When I saw these new zentangle inspired cat stamps from Lost Coast Designs, I knew my girl child would love a hand bound coloring book full of kitty pages.  Don't want to make your own book?  Try one of these great little Square Coaster Books from Altered Pages .  You DO want to make your own?  Here's a how-to for you: 1.  Tear or cut five pieces of paper to 5 by 8 1/2 inches--fold each of these in have widthwise, or hamburger style. 2.  To make the papers easy to turn and easy to tear out, so they can be used on cards or little notes and suchwhat:  on each page, 1/2 inch out from either side of the center fold, fold each paper again.  So, two more folds, but then lay the paper flat. 3.  Stamp a cat image on the front side and inside of each folded paper.  I used VersaFine, and heat...

Fine, yes, you already know we overdo Independence Day at our house, but at the risk of oversharing, here is yet another 4th of July party project.  These are practical AND fun, as they can serve as chalkboard buffet signs.  Plus, I had blue chalkboard paint in my stash, waiting to be used!  1.  Two coats of blue chalkboard paint on Foundations Décor Banner Circles.   2.  Red cardstock circles, cut to fit, with a little distressing and inking to the edges.  A ring of white eyelet added to the NOT painted side of the wooden circle, along with a red painted wooden skewer. Tacky Glue is perfect for this.  3.  Patriotic collage images, cut to (almost) fit inside the red cardstock circle, inked with some Mix'd Media Salazar Inx.   I attached the images with a  glue stick . Added a few Tacky Glued buttons for embellishment!  4.  Attach the red circle to the back of the mini chalkboard, making a l...

Remember the Spring Flowers book from a few weeks back?  She's returning today with her pockets full, with tags and flowers and all sorts of pretties. The tags are all from a package of Assorted Tags, and there are plenty of lovely floral, bird, and butterfly themed collage pages to be found at Altered Pages. The blooms are all from a set of the beautiful Renae Blush flowers.  All the little bits and bobs are attached to the tags using the lightbulb shaped safety pins . I'm particularly pleased with these French Enamel Chipboard numbers--they have the appearance of real little brass plates ! Have a wonderful, flower-filled week! :)trisha