Transylvania Vintage-Gothic Style Handcrafted (Altered) Book

Who can resist a great looking book, went “Dracula” style with this one!  I love Halloween and finding fun, unique, one of a kind décor! And sometimes that’s hard to find, so I was inspired to start making my own. Each altered book is a “one of a kind”. I love making these and I take a lot of pride in preparing all the bits and pieces carefully with quality materials.

Altered Book

Altered Book

This book is stained and painted with various acrylics and Tim Holtz Distress stains and paints and then covered with grungeboard which has been prepped with distress inks/stains and then various papers are embellishments are applied including a wax seal for that old world feel. I’ve added a brass hardware hinge and other jewelry (chain, key, cross) The book is sealed shut (not intended to be opened) includes 5 pull out handmade cards.

Handmade Tags

Handmade Tags

The are decorated as well on the back – all of the cards are handmade as well. The tag can be pulled directly out of the book and used as a bookmark for your own favorite book! The books I used are all old books and I’ve given them a re-purpose (aka upcycling). Makes for a great conversational piece and will look great on a mantel above a fireplace or on a bookshelf or in a haunted house!  This is my kind of “old-world” realistic décor!

Back/side of book

Back/side of book

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Depeche Mode, Styxx, and Violent Femmes (FBF – the 80’s) Commonalities

Ok, “SOMETIMES” I just have to go back to my 80’s music and play it LOUD and “GET THE BALANCE RIGHT” and play with my art supplies just like I did a few years ago (oops, I mean 25ish/30ish years ago) ok, math was not my thing, but ART was! (oops, I mean doodling in notebooks was!) Spending my day off work playing until I have to go to my kids events.  “All I Ever Wanted, All I Ever Needed” was a boyfriend back in the 80’s and now “All I Ever Wanted, All I Ever Needed” is “Time”.  Oh, that makes me think of another song that my brother used to play on those things called records – “Too Much Time On My Hands” —–ughhhhh—– IF ONLY!!!!

Ok, probably obvious that I didn’t get enough sleep.  I’m just doing this to put in my Art Journal, not going for a blogging award.  Time to “KISS OFF”!   Keeping it simply stupid…. time to get inky, I’m

better without words!!!!.  Being 40ish and joining 10 different types of social media sites in 6 months…not one of the brightest things I’ve done in my mid-life.  oh, well, for what it’s worth, a little Flash Back Friday!  Now, do I “hashtag” or just “tag”? Share to Facebook, Instagram, Google, TSU, Pinterest, CANVA, Tumblr????  OMG..at least I didn’t grow up in the 60’s!   #creates #fortysomething #art #stamping #blogging #music #inspired

Handcrafted Christmas Cards 2014

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My Christmas Cards

Is it beginning to look a lot like Christmas? I’m not one to skip over Thanksgiving, but I need to get a jumpstart on making cards! I am “little” excited about the snow now…well for a few minute’s,  but it will pass.

  #cardmaking #stamping #diecut #inky #distress #DIY #showyourwork