ATC inspired books...

It all started with some ATC's I made and and I ended up with 3 books...

A while ago I experimented with some friends to make backgroundpapers. Wallpaperpaste mixed with acrylic paint was spread on large papers.

We made marks in it with all kinds of tools : paintbrushes, the back of the paintbrush, different sized combs bought and handmade, jarlids,... 

We dragged the materials through the mixture, stamped in it, wrote sentences enlarged and in different directions,...

We ended up making marks with our hands...

The papers were put away to dry completely.

Another moment we came together and made some ATC's. 

I teached them how they could do the "enamel" technique I learned from Shelly Hickox.

I ended up embossing the ATC's  I made with 3 layers of UTEE.

The UTEE made the already nice backgroundpapers shine and the colors were even enhanced.

The ATC of the praying girl was made with the backgroundpaper, washi tape ( red with white dots) and an inked piece of paperlace made with Tim Holtz laceborderdie. The girls was stamped on glossy paper which works best for photostamps and some extra stamps were added with archival ink.

After embossing the ATC's and seeing the result, I knew I wanted to do something with them.

They would make a perfect cover for my small handsewed books ! 

I covered two boards with the same backgroundpaper I used for the ATC. The ATC was glued on top with glossy accents and 4 metal pieces were added on the corners.

For the inside I made paper with inkrefresher which make the paper very durable and flexible.

I colored the brown packingpaper with distress stains and covered it completely with the inkrefresher. I rubbed the inkrefresher in the paper and then let it dry completely. 

To reflect the washitape with the dots on the ATC I inked the paper with distress ink barn door and a stencil.

Alternating the signatures I added a strip of red washitape with white dots on the edge of the signatures.

This gives the open spine a nice finish.

This ATC was made in a similar way as the other, but after I added the UTEE and melted it, I put it in the fridge.

I cracked the UTEE and you can see these cracks which give an extra texture to the ATC.

On the edges of the signatures I added tissuetape of Tim Holtz.

The book was sewed with orange sewing thread which contrast nicely with the tissuetape on the spine.

The third book was made the same way as the others and I also cracked the UTEE here.

You can see the orange washi tape I used on the signatures. I love how the images on the washitape gives the spine an extra visual effect.

The paper on the first signature on the inside was made again with the inkrefresher.

The detailed lacestamp in red distress ink came out fine on the paper.

I love the sight of these open spines ! 

The sewing is made with the copic stitch which makes it possible for the books to open completely.

These books are 7/10 cm ( 2,75 inch/ 3,93 inch) which makes them nice books to put in your bag or your pocket. 

You can use them to write quotes in it, draw in it when you are on a travel, make a little journal of it, use it for birthdays,... or you can use your ATC's in them ! 

I also made some more cards this week. 

This is a card I made for a collegue who lost her 92 year old mom. The quote says : sorrow for the loss, joy for what has been .

I used the image of trees to represent the life and death a tree has in it.

Even when a very old tree dies, it's not completely dead. When you look around it you see all the little seedlings it has around it...

It' s the same with old people... of course you miss them and you have sorrow for them, because it was your mom... But she's not dead as long as there are people left who remember her and talk about her. She lives in her kids and her grandchildren... That's what I wanted to express with the colorful flowers under the black and white trees.

This is an easel card, so you first see the quote and the trees. When you open it and let it stand up, you also see the colorful flowers...

Life and death are one...

Of course I also made some more spinnercards  this week ! 

The image of the aspen trees ( stencil of the craftersworkshop)  is used here again but this time to represent to wood a bear lives in.

On the right an Asian inspired spinnercard with pinks and blossoms and washi tape...

Just one week to go and we have Ratteljee ! 

Our creative event happens for the second time in the Castle of the Rats ( an old priory in the city where I live).

20 creative people with all kinds of creativity "come outside to show what they càn".

First of all we want to tell about our passion which we mostly practice behind closed doors.

We have some things for sale, but that's not the first purpose.

Maybe when you are close, we can welcome you ? 

Inge