A few art projects

I've been catching up on some art projects for swaps this past week.

First, I am participating in a round-robin altered book swap. Each person has chosen or made a book of their choice and decided on a color scheme. Then we are rotating the books through the group so that everyone creates a spread in each book.

This month I received a tiny little book with blue and rust as the chosen colors.

This is the spread I created, each page measuring approximately 3" x 4." I found a very old piece I had done as an encaustic wax sample years ago (the image of the little boy) and built my spread around that. The background is several layers of Stormy Blue and Vintage Photo Distress Inks. The metal gears and the chipboard clock die cut were covered in Prima's Rust Paste kit (three colors dabbed on randomly until it looked nice and rusty).  These elements were layered over a partial doily and a strip of script paper. Lastly I added some typed words and a metal Tim Holtz word band altered with distress paint.

The book owner had asked us to write a bit about our inspiration or how the page came together so I taped the right page into a pocket with the following page. I added a distressed tag inside with my explanation. I hope she likes it!

I was hostess for another quarterly swap where we are revisiting old techniques.  This quarter the technique is "Cracked Glass" (aka Shattered Glass) and the substrate needed to be either an ATC or a 4"x4" art piece.  For this technique, several layers of embossing ink and UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) are placed over a stamped image. Then it is put in the freezer to completely cool for about 15 minutes. After removing, it is gently bent in several places to make it crack.

I stamped the butterfly image over a previously distressed paper of turquoise and brown inks. Once it was cracked, I added it to a background of Vintage Photo Distress ink layered with a doily and the "FLY" 3-dimensional alpha stickers.

Interesting Week - "Fat Book" Swap

So, after ten days of this awful "cold," I finally got in to see the doctor. It turns out I had severe allergies and also a sinus infection! I'd never had one before so had no idea these symptoms might mean that. Anyway, feeling better each day now that I'm on some meds!

My husband has also been sick but with slightly different symptoms, including a fever. Took him to the VA ER on Thursday and, after 8 hours, an IV and lung x-ray, we found out he has pneumonia! This is the second year in a row even though he's had the shots! 

Despite all the doctoring, I've managed to get a few things done this week. I finished 17 little 4" x 4" pages for a "Gypsy Fat Book" Swap. Mine are all slightly different since I used a variety of papers, fibers and buttons on them. I'm even a bit early getting them off to the swap hostess since they are due on May 28. I can't wait to see the 16 pages I receive in return. They will be bound into a fun, chunky little book.

Here they are all laid out before mailing.

And a few to show the similarities and variety.

The backgrounds were covered with paper from a Boho collection from Michael's and pieces of napkins. Then I used a dimensional lavender paint through a stencil which came from the same collection. The gold feathers are stamped on vellum and then fussy-cut (what was I thinking since I had 17 to do!). The gold German "scrap" border is something I bought at one of my first conventions probably over fifteen years ago and the images I purchased on Etsy.

In addition, I managed to finish 6 Easter scrapbook layouts for my grandsons as well as a layout for Mitchell's second birthday. I'm happy to be caught up with those once again!