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How to Make an Altered Book

November 12, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner 16 Comments

How to make an altered book

I know it’s sinful to deface a book. But, if you think about it, an altered book is recycling a volume that no longer has value to a reader. And yes, there are out-of-date books no longer read such as Encyclopedias or textbooks on antiquated subjects.

This was my first attempt at making an altered book. I am in no way an artist or paper crafter. (Yes, a disclaimer.) I forged straight into the project with minimal research to see where my mind would take me without prompting. As the basis for my altered book, I used an old Better Homes and Garden binder purchased at a flea market. The original book was filled with loose-leaf pages about landscaping and gardening which tied into my Grace Grits and Gardening theme (not that the original book needs a tie-in). My goal was to update the original book, allowing a portion of the old to blend with the new.
My supplies included a few pieces of scrapbook paper, four dated magazines, Mod Podge, Gesso and scissors.

Here is the before picture of the original book.

Altered book project - before
Original book

Here are a few of the ‘before’ pages from the book.

altered book project - before pages

I added Gesso which makes the individual pages stronger and ready for embellishment.

Altered book project - adding Gesso
For this page, I cut a heart shape into about twenty pages, then glued the pages together to make one thick page. I coated the front and back in Mod Podge to stiffen, added words and paint, then added a picture to the back so that it showed through the heart cutout. A 3-D page…
Altered Book Project - 3D page
glue individual pages together
Altered book project - 3 -D page
add words and paint
Altered book project - 3D page
3-D heart page
Several of my pages drying…
Altered book project - pages drying

The after cover.  Some of the original artwork and lettering still peeps through.

Altered book project - After
After
Over time, I plan to add many more pages, including blank pages for journaling and additional decoration such as buttons, pictures, fabric. This is definitely a work in process. Maybe I’ll post more on this project later.

Have you ever made an altered book or art journal?

talya

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Flying Bats – Halloween Craft

October 22, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner 19 Comments

Bat Craft Project
THIS flying bat project is my favorite Halloween craft. I made these flying felt bats several years ago after reading a how-to article in Country Living.  Click HERE for the original felt bat article and template.
This project requires only stiff black felt, duct tape, scissors, one piece of paper and a pencil.
Draw a bat pattern on the paper. Cut out the first bat and use it as your pattern for the others. The more bats you make, the better.  I have about forty in two different sizes.
Duct tape the bats across the front door area of your house as though they are flying in a colony. To make your display more realistic, space them unevenly and not in the identical direction. In nature, bats fly in a more sporadic formation.

See how these real bats look…

flying bats
Morguefile

Here’s my naked front door.

flying bat project

I’ve added a few of the largest bats.

bat halloween craft project

Duct tape…

halloween bat project

Here’s a shot with all the large bats attached. (Look closely and you can see two schnauzers watching from inside…).

halloween craft bats

Fill in the flock with smaller bats placing most of them on the left-hand bottom side and the right-hand uppermost side. This creates the illusion of distance.

halloween bat project craft

That’s all there is to it!

A flock of bats would look great indoors as well around a window or fireplace.

After Halloween, use care slowly removing the bats as duct tape can peel paint. Store your bats folded in a plastic bag. Next year, they will be perfectly shaped as though flapping their wings.
halloween craft project
Now there’s only one thing left to do. Wait for the Great Pumpkin.
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
Musical Pairing:
The Great Pumpkin Waltz, Vince Guaraldi

 

 
 
Check out my other Halloween projects:

CREEPY HALLOWEEN DECOR

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKINS FROM RECYCLED BOOKS


How to Make Faux-Mercury Glass

October 17, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner 10 Comments

grace grits and gardening
Have you tried Krylon’s Looking-Glass spray paint? It’s an easy way to make faux-mercury glass decorations for the holidays using inexpensive pressed glass. 

Although I had lofty ideas of painting plastic pumpkins, for successful results the paint should only be used on clear glass objects like bowls, vases, picture frames and candlesticks. When sprayed on the reverse side of an object, the paint dries to a dull finish then reflects a mirrored-like shine on the opposite side. (This product is for decorative use only and should not come into contact with food.)

I love the way my project turned out. To see the entire article featured today on Inspiration Cafe today, including before and after pictures with step-by-step instructions, click HERE.  

talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
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Talya Tate Boerner


Hi! I'm Talya. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Now Available!)

Click to BUY NOW!

Talya Tate Boerner books
Gene, Everywhere

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