Merry Altered Christmas, Jean

What do you do when you need to find a way to show someone how extra-special they are.  When you need a gift that expresses your fondness and appreciation for their special place in your heart?  If you're an artist, you make it!

This Christmas, the girls on the Altered Pages Design Team created a mini-book as a gift for Ms. Jean Moore, the wonderful woman who owns AlteredPages.com.  We each made one page in this book and our team leader (Lyneen) organized the entire thing, collected and bound the pages all together and shipped it off as a surprise Christmas present!  What fun!  Now that the cat is out of the bag, here is my contribution to the project.  Please take a couple of minutes and hop over to the Altered Pages Artsociates blog and see the book in its entirety. 

Side one - pocket empty

I covered the chipboard on both sides with a lovely jewel-tone pink handmade (though not by me) paper.  The stencil from the latest Mailbox Muse Gypsy Bazaar kit was used with clear ink and then embossed with copper powder.  The book pocket was covered in jewel-tone ribbons, mini borders and various embellishments.  Then a set of swirl stamps was used to give the paper a little background and tie the pocket into the page.

This tag was decorated on both sides with collage images from Altered Pages (top and bottom images) and a few rub-on words and stars.  A couple of paper dragonflies frame one of the images.

Peek a boo!

And for the other side of the page, I chose a die cut bodice that came in the Mailbox Muse All Things French kit.  It is such a fun girly embellishment! 

Side two

I added some of my favorite die cut shapes from my own collection and a stamped saying that I believe suits Jean very well indeed!!  I know she has altered my life for the better.  Her kindness and belief in my art has given me so much confidence and has truly lifted my spirit. 

Jean, we love you.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry Christmas dear friends! 

I hope that Christmas finds you all with family, friends or BOTH!  While we take today to celebrate I have some cards to share.  I hope you enjoy them.

And here's a chuckle that I've had stored on the computer for years and years.  Sorry, I can't give the author credit because I have no idea who wrote it.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas: Parent's Version

'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
I searched for the tools to hand to my spouse.
Instructions were studied and we were inspired,
In hopes we could manage "Some Assembly Required."

The children were quiet (not asleep) in their beds,
While Dad and I faced the evening with dread:
A kitchen, two bikes, Barbie's town house to boot!
And, thanks to Grandpa, a train with a toot!

We opened the boxes, my heart skipped a beat....
Let no parts be missing or parts incomplete!
Too late for last-minute returns or replacement
If we can't get it right, it goes in the basement!

When what to my worrying eyes should appear,
But 50 sheets of directions, concise, but not clear,
With each part numbered and every slot named,
So if we failed, only we could be blamed.

More rapid than eagles the parts then fell out,
All over the carpet they were scattered about.
"Now bolt it! Now twist it! Attach it right there!
Slide on the seats, and staple the stair!

Hammer the shelves, and nail to the stand."
"Honey," said hubby, "you just glued my hand."
And then in a twinkling, I knew for a fact
That all the toy dealers had indeed made a pact

To keep parents busy all Christmas Eve night
With "assembly required" till morning's first light.
We spoke not a word, but kept bent at our work,
Till our eyes, they went bleary our fingers all hurt.

The coffee went cold and the night, it wore thin
Before we attached the last rod and last pin.
Then laying the tools away in the chest,
We fell into bed for a well-deserved rest.

But I said to my husband just before I passed out,
"This will be the best Christmas, without any doubt.
Tomorrow we'll cheer, let the holiday ring,
And not have to run to the store for a thing!

We did it! We did it! The toys are all set
For the perfect, most perfect, Christmas, I bet!"
Then off to dreamland and sweet repose I gratefully went,
Though I suppose there's something to say for those self-deluded...

I'd forgotten that BATTERIES are never included!

A Day at the Beach

Hello my friends!  Yes, I know it's December and I know everyone is in the holiday spirit, but it's cold here in the northwest and, quite honestly, I miss the warmer weather.  So here's a little bit of sunshine, from me to you!

I resized this fun and flirty image from the Altered Pages Brighton Beach collage sheet and printed it on card stock four times.  This picture is perfect for a tole card.  For anyone not familiar with paper tole, it's a technique where an image is layered on itself to form a 3D image. 

One image was left full-size to build on and then each of the scenery layers was cut down and mounted in place using adhesive foam squares.  The hottie on the beach was cut out of the last layer.  She was also mounted with foam tape, but I made sure the layers of tape left her appearing to bend forward.  In the full photo you can see the shadow she casts!

I found a nice Graphic 45 scrapbook paper in the perfect color to compliment the water!  The card base and panel are a nice cream which coordinates with the beach towel.  This month, Altered Pages and JFF Rubber Stamps (Just For Fun) are partnering and the design teams get to play with fun stuff from both companies.  I stamped this fun saying by Just For Fun rubber stamps onto the cream leaving a border around each word.  I dipped each cut piece into the same ink for a matching border and to make the words really pop.

To give the water a little extra something special I used a Wink of Stella pen to make it sparkle.  I wish I had been able to get it to show in the photo!  Stay warm out there!