Cute, Artistic Journaling: Favorites Page

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Altered Books: The Basics

Hi there!

To be honest, I've never altered a book before, but I've seen them and have done extensive research, so let's learn together!

Suggested Supplies:

• Wax paper
• Saran Wrap
• Sponge brushes
• Used credit cards
• Acrylic paint
• Pages from dictionary, phone books, old journals (you can find these bits online, make them on Microsoft Word or Picmonkey and then print them off)
• Pop-Out stickers and Die Cutouts
• Random junk items
• Pointed object to scratch with, like a toothpick, cuticle cleaner, and so on
• Something solid to cut on, like a cutting board, self healing cutting mat, or cardboard
• Something heavy to press down certain items and make them flatter
• Paint brushes
• Used hotel cards
• Spray paint (optional)

Suggested Paper Scraps:

• Newspaper and magazine cutouts 
• Junk mail
• bills (some formal sentences in the bill are nice, like "sincerely")

Suggested Scraps:

• Beads
• Buttons
• Crayons, markers, colored pencils, gel pens
• Calligraphy pens
• Rubber stamps and ink pads
• Ribbon and string
• Tape, probably like Washi tape
• Die-Cut paper punches
• Needle and thread
• Fabric
• Stickers or die-cuts
• Tissue paper or (decretive) napkins
• Paper clips or other page clips, stapler and staples
• Brads
• Clear laminate sheets
• Stencils
• Glitter and/or glitter glue
• Mod podge
• Hot glue gun
• Elmer's bottled glue
• Rubber cement
• Glue sticks

Tips and Tricks:

• Glue two pages together for a thicker page
• Don't buy anything new for it. It's fun to use preexisting items and neat household finds!!!

I have just sprayed two pages in my book (I'm using the Twilight Saga Eclipse, haha) gold using gold metallic from Krylon. I'm also spray painting the outer cover soft green (Rust-Oleum's "Green Apple"). Let's see where I'll go from there!!

Favorite altered books:

Reclaim an Old Shelf with Paint and Lace

Let's cuten-up a trashed book shelf!

Materials:

• Shelf, regardless of age, color, height, ect
• 2 colors of spray paint
• Lace ribbon

Time:

• 10 minute prep
• 5 minute spray
• 30 minute dry
• 5 minute prep
• 5 minute spray
• 30+ minute dry

Difficulty:

• Moderate

Silly me, I forgot to take a before picture. Well, this shelf wasn't in bad condition really. It's about 10 years old, so its brown wood had faded, being under a window it was sun bleached a bit. It had a few scratches, but besides dullness, it wasn't trash. I'm redoing my multipurpose room right now (click to see my plans!), and splashing bright colors and floral patterns around. I ADORE lace, floral, vintage, all of that! So this was perfect, and I was so excited when I thought it up.

So, step one:

Take the shelf outside and put it on a window curtain panel (err, well, anyway spray paintable area). Do a quick spray of the minor color paint, on the back panel and the two side panels. Here's an example, however I painted the top coat first, but I suggest doing it the other way.

So, paint the panels real quickly from top to bottom.

Step two:

Then, after it dries, cut lace ribbon (mine is from Walmart) and painter's tape it to the top and bottom. Then, every few inches, use a small tear of painter's tape to hold it down.

Step three:

Then, with the major color, spray paint the other panels, shelves, and just everything! Make sure you paint over the lace straightly, not at an angle, or it will seep through the lace.

Step Four:

Remove and fall in love.