AlteredPages Artsociates

Hi all! Becky here today to share a glimpse of how I used the " At the Beach " kit I designed for Altered Pages in July... This kit comes with tons of collage sheet images, a great Arch-shaped Board Book , paper & more! I decided I wanted to use some photos of my daughter playing on the beach last year in Maui. In keeping with the vintage theme of the book, I tinted all of my pictures in a sepia tone & printed a "contact sheet" of them in PSE to get a sheet of images that were roughly 2x3 (some I made larger).  Then I hand-colored her skin with a Copic marker to make them stand out a little.  I also printed some little tag lines from the computer as well...   I think it's a really fun book to remember those sun & sand-filled days at the beach! I hope you'll check out the kit here ! As well as most of the supplies, in the directions w/photos , I show you how to add the paint layers to each page & then muss it

Welcome to Altered Pages ! Christmas in July is drawing towards the end - Susan here bringing you a special holiday project using  Altered Pages  Digital Collage Sheets. This project is pretty simple using Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer and some inexpensive cookie cutters. I'm a Christmas Elf and I have been creating Christmas cards all year, so it was fun to make some handmade vintage ornaments. I selected an angel from AP-2044 Blue Angels Digital Collage Sheet. This isn't a new idea - this idea is all over magazines and holiday idea books every holiday season. What you want to do is size your image to the cookie cutter shape and print out on cardstock. Then you run a bead of Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer around the inside edge of the cookie cutter. This will act like caulking around a window frame and seal the paper to the metal. These are so fun to make - they are like decorating cookies!  After drying completely, trim edges and embellish with some pretty rib

Well, I stopped looking at the computer screen, put on a bathing suit (OMGOSH) and paddled around the pool for an hour, but even then I was multitasking by making phone calls to family and friends.  As soon as I get away from my desk again today I will be making some fabulouso Gelli Prints which I will then die cut with the Fantastic Revolution Machine.    I am participating in the Inchies Trade produced by Jane Eileen at the Art Unraveled event. Exciting Event this week in Phoenix Tomorrow is Meet the Artists night at Art Unraveled in Phoenix and I look forward to seeing so many Facebook friends and instructors that I know.    I will take photos & share them.    To name a few artists you may be familar with; Jane LaFazio, Michael DeMeng, Kelly Kilmer, Lisa Pavelka, Pam Carriker, Ruth Rae &  more. I will post during the week, culminating at dinner on Saturday night with Michael as our MC.   A monumental Event was also held Saturday! Yesterday was Miss Gabrie

Hello everybody, Ingrid here. I'm so excited to share this tag with you because it took my old puzzler some trial and error to come up with a solution to using die cuts with foil. My first attempt was to take a sheet of scor-tape and run it through my die cutter. The idea was that I would peel off one side and place it onto the background, peel off the top layer and then press the foil on it. Well that's great for circles and leaves but for the damask die cut there were some long skinny parts to it so when I tried to peel off one side it just stretched and stretched. Then it folded over itself. I even tried placing wax paper over the picture of the damask die for "perfect" placement so that I could then flip the whole thing sticky side down onto the background and peel away the wax paper. I just couldn't get the little skinny pieces to behave. Then I noticed that I had a negative cut out of the damask (the part left over after the pieces are taken out) sitt

Okay, let's go by the old school name--3x3 inch deco squares!   The backgrounds started out as serendipity , but then I got out the paint,  and, well, you can't really see anything much of the ephemera any  more . . . it happens, right?  But I think it makes the Altered Pages collage images really pop. What do you think? Happy weekend, everyone!  :)trisha

Hello all Kelli here with a cute little Halloween Tag Kit sneak peek!!! I have used an image from the collage sheet, The Other Side of Halloween AP562D on this little snippet of the book and some coin envelopes that you can get from Alteredpages.com as well. Throw in some glitter and a little walnut ink and here you have a cute little piece ready for some hidden treasures, maybe! LOL Can't give to much away! I hope you enjoy and are getting as excited about Halloween as I am!!! Isn't that a wonderful image!!!  There are so many Halloween collage sheets to choose from! 

You may see the Linky login on the right.  Try it out.  It allows us to easily link together for blog hops and such.  It's free, no worries....it makes life a bit easier when trying to blog around!   It's Wednesday 7-25-2012 and on Altered Pages Facebook we will be giving away a scissor mouse in a random drawing at 7pm MST.  If you have not done so already, go and share us and we will include you in the drawing! This tool is such fun, cut straight or curvy - whatever!    Easy on your hands and fingers.  It's safe even for kids, perfect back to school item or for collage kids too!  Will not harm the surface on which it is used.  If you do not win the drawing, you can Click here to get one for yourself or as a gift HAPPY WEDNESDAY Jean and Gang

Hi everyone !! Wanted to share a quick little gift idea for you to create ...either at the last minute or make a bunch of them to have on hand ! Everyone can use a magnet to hold up a note or the most recent art project created by a loved one ! I usually make several of these at a time and have on hand to give as a little thank you gift ! I use wood clothespins , these I dyed with rit dye ! Any color choice you can do , today I used my blue one's or you can use natural one's also ! Next I picked a collage sheet from Altered Pages large selection , the one I used is 4 by 4 Collage Backgrounds VI , I liked the vintage look I was going for !! I used each design on the sheet , decopodged onto the clothespin , let dry  and then used a blending tool and aged the edges . Searched through my button stash and added for a little bling, you can get creative and use rhinestones, flowers , old jewelry ...you get the picture !!??. I use the strip magnets on mine , you can also use the s

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite products that Altered Pages offers.... Canvas Albums ! Yes I know, everyone loves the "idea" of a canvas album but few people actually use them.  WELL, today I decided to share what I like to do with them and get you to using them instead of just admiring them! Now of course you can sew them, paint them, ink them but most people shy away from them because... well, because they aren't a paper product and they don't know how to adhere items to the pages. Since these books only have 6 pages (front cover, 4 inside pages and back cover) I like to cut my canvas albums apart.  That way I can insert chipboard or other bits between the canvas pages. After I have my pages cut apart the first thing I usually do is to color them with my favorite mist inks..... After they are dry it's time to begin working on the book it's self.... I use Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue. This glue has gr

It is National Hot Dog Day! It's also hot and humid in most places, difficult to find a muse or even just get going!    I find the best way to trick myself into getting things done is; 1.  Make a List 2.  Temporarily ignore the List Allow your mind go to other things like National Hot Dog Day!   Think about being a kid and going to picnics, what was your favorite thing to eat at picnics?  Why is it that a hot dog always tastes so great at events?   Is it the Dog or the Event?    See that?  Your mind is already filled with images and ideas of summer and fun and friends!  Sea Shells, sporting events, sack races, bicycles, drippy popsicles and so much more.   Can you now see those things on ATC's and cards?   How about a summer journal of picnics and laying on the grass watching cloud animals or the starry skies.   NOW go back to your list and see if you are energized to do something, that little vacation may have helped! Enjoy you wee

The focal point for this pink and green ATC comes from the Altered Pages collage sheet AP 1343 ATC children.  The images on this sheet are perfectly sized for smaller projects. The background is stamped, colored with markers and embellished with tiny ric rac ribbon.

We are all Kids after all...... AlteredPages is about ART, OK we know that.   AlteredPages is also about helping other artists grow and mature and gain confidence.   We want to virtually embrace artists and especially those involved in paper crafting.    We are all a little bit of a hoarder, a little bit of a Kid and a little bit a dreamer! From the time I was a little girl I was very tactile, not knowing what that even meant at the time!   I used to go to the local printers shop and he would give me stacks of papers that were leftovers from printing jobs.   To me it was a treasure, scraps of different colors and textures, WOW.   I bet I'm not the only one like that!   I see it with fabrics too, I love fabrics and have tons of pieces for "projects".    Whether or not I get to the projects, it still brings me comfort knowing I can hold those fabrics and enjoy the colors and textures.  I have worked with many mediums including paints, metals, clay, papers, inks,

It's never too early to start preparing for the holidays.  We all know the phrase, "Christmas in July."  Well, I've decided to have Halloween in July.  I've been enjoying using the Halloween Collage Sheets from Altered Pages and created this card recently to share.  This is the second card I made using the Antique Halloween collage sheet.  I have to admit this is one of my favorite Altered Pages collage sheets.  The photos are so fun to use and there are tons of ideas to use them on such as this card or a party invitation.The orange dot patterned paper from the Vintage Blue Collection  is a fun accessory to this collage sheet and can be found at Altered Pages, too.  Get a start on your invitations for your Halloween parties now so you can focus on the fun that scary night!  Head over to Altered Pages to help you with them! 

Inspiration from Ingrid As you may have seen Ingrid created a Mermaid Shadow Box and used some awesome embellishments to create a Crown for the top of the box.   Well, I did not have the items she used, so was inspired to create an alternative.  I used the new Lifestyle Genius magnetic die cutting platform and I am LOVING it!      All 13 inches X 6 inches of it!     I will throw away the mats for my Cuttlebug now!  Works with cutting systems that have a 6 inch wide cutting area.    The extra long platform makes it easy to use paper wisely and cut so many pieces at one time.  Being magnetic it holds the dies in place and allows great accurate cuts!  Only one mat required!     We have a limited supply that come with a free set of dies worth 24.99.  GET it NOW Above is 5 different die cuts, an image from AP collage 591, three sea shells and 2 rhinestones, accented with hand painted color.  Click for available dies                                    

Happy Friday everyone! For today's post I am taking a break from my Christmas in July crafting to share with you these 4 ATCs honoring the moon in all its glory. In commemoration of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's first steps on the moon in 1969, July 20th is celebrated as Moon Day . I used the black and white images of the Halloween Box Camera  and the Wicked Witches Collage Pages along with Sakura Crystal Lacquer, Mica Powders and chunky glitter. The Process The collage pages were printed on plain card stock and adhered to chipboard ATCs with Crystal Lacquer. Mica powders were mixed with lacquer to color the moons yellow and pumpkins orange. A thicker bead of lacquer was added along some edges of the ATCs to hold the weight of chunky glitter. Finally a light dusting of mica powder was added to the non-chunky glitter edges. Thank you for looking! Happy Moon Day! ~leslierahye

Hi, Katrina here form a very wet soggy England. It has been raining here now for 3 months and we are ready for some sun now please!!     One way to get away form the rain is to travel, so here is my new kit - travel the world!!  You have a choice here as to how you use this travel inspired book, you can either use the images from the collage sheets as I have done or you can use your own photographs if you personal travels instead.I give you plenty of ideas on how to embellish them with step by step photo instructions and photos of every one of  my pages too. Which ever way you choose I will show you how to cut your own windows and use acetate to give an interesting sneaky peek  of the pages to come.   You can find my new Travel the world kit in the kit section of the Altered Pages website.                                                                                                                             Happy crafting                                                   

Hi there! Becky here today to share a simple little summer project with a mason jar! I cut out an image from the " Lovely Ladies " collage sheet & colored their skin with a flesh colored Copic marker. I then glued them onto a piece of blue cardstock from the Glitz "Lace & Grace" 8x8 paper pad, & then glued that onto a piece of sea horse paper from the Graphic 45 "Boardwalk" collection.  Then, I simply slipped the paper into the mason jar, filled it with fine sand & some sea shells from a recent beach vacation! I might add a quote along the lid of the jar later...something like this: " One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few. " Ann Morrow Lindbergh That's it for now! Hope you're enjoying your summertime! Thanks for stopping by!

I have been feeling SO Beachy and thinking of far away places and mystical spaces, ocean blues and sapphire skies.     I can almost feel mossy rocks and smell dew drop blossoms. Wait until you see the newest Kits we have for you.   TRAVEL and passport books and journals are waiting for you to store your magical travel memories.   YES, even if you stayed home, it will be fun to add your thoughts and photos to the fantastical kits from.... Leslie, Susan and Katrina.    http://www.alteredpages.com/shop/Kits.htm

I made this colorful tag by using spray inks in the background and then layering images from Altered Pages Collage sheets for the focal point.  My main image is from AP 544 Gene Pressler, but I also used images from AP 1350 Bingo and AP 292 Botany.  I die cut the main image, adhered it to the tag and then tucked the smaller images behind it.  I finished off the tag by stamping a border and the sentiment at the bottom.  I like all the bright colors on this one.

Hello Night OWLS! Susan back with my completed projects using the faux paper leather technique I shared earlier today. I hope you enjoyed the video how-to and were inspired to go and create! This is the completed mini book with the first technique using torn strips of brown paper decopauged onto the cover. I really love the distressed look and bits of black peeking through. I added a piece of decorative embroidered ribbon to the edge. I also gave a little decorating on the inside front cover and front page of this book. The inside front cover is decorated with an image from AP-1724 Collage Backgrounds I . The right hand page is one of the ATC Decorative Borders painted with  Sakura Crystal Lacquer and Bronze Terri Sproul Mixers  with an image from AP-2133 Eiffel Tower over Paris . The second technique resulted in this beautiful painted background which will make a wonderful cover on the mini book with the window. This is after a second application of colored mis

Welcome to  Altered Pages ! Susan here bringing you another technique to incorporate into your altered projects along with your other ephemera and your Altered Pages Collage Sheets. I have several books on hand to prepare for altering and art journaling and I want to make faux leather covers for them. I have several new collage sheets from  AlteredPages.com  and will use some of these to finish off these books. **A NOTE** This is a TWO-PART post and I invite you to play along. This post will feature the how-to video below...and later on around dinner time - I will share a completed project with the techniques shared today. I invite you to play along too and post your projects at the Altered Pages Facebook page HERE . Via the magic of Ustream... I bring you a step-by-step on making faux leather backgrounds! Video streaming by Ustream There are several ways to go about making a faux leather background. In this video, I share three

School's just around the corner and you're never too old to try new techniques. I have to admit I was scratching my head wondering what on Earth I was going to post for today. So when in doubt pull out some and start altering away. Thank goodness I had a million Gelli prints in my paper stash to choose from. The beauty of making your own Gelli prints is that you will always have original one of a kind prints to use at your disposal which makes anything you make with them your very own. Then it was just a matter of cutting and pasting papers onto the tags and adding some embellishments. I'm loving those gears - especially the little ones with a little paint added to them - to use in place of the reinforced holes of the tags. My favorite tag so far is the letter C with Mr Lamb professor from the AlteredPages  Curiosity of Nature collage sheet . Also used: Manila Tags Gelli Printing Plates Chipboard Gears Lightbulb Safety pins

detail pic of tags featuring Altered Pages images Looking for some summer fun?  Altered Pages has plenty of seaside images, perfect for creating your own  Summer by the Sea , including a ready-to-go package featuring  graphic45's On The Boardwalk . Add my two favorite tag add-ons-- lightbulb pins and  railway tokens --and you're ready to hit the beach! (more info on this piece HERE .)