Friday, January 22, 2010

Altered Notebooks, Faux Metal, and one other thing.....

I've been altering very plain mini notebooks, the kind you get in the office supply stores for very little money...the ones that start out in life looking like this:

You could emboss some thin metal, embellish it and attach it to the covers. Or....you could glue some aluminum foil to a piece of cardstock and emboss that instead.  Which is what I did here, running the cardstock through an embossing folder and coloring it with different shades of Stazon ink:


and here, where I also added a grungeboard bird and some Tim Holtz embellishments:


If you follow Wendy Vecchi's blog (and you really should), you know how she is always so happy when "things work together."  A stamp from one designer works well with an embellishment from another.  Stuff like that.  I feel the same, and am also very excited when I can get something to do double duty.  Check out the closeup of the bird:


I used one of Tim Holtz's foliage flowers for the birdie's head feathers, attaching it from behind so you only see the top of it.  But look at how the brad that attaches it also forms the eye!  I really thought this was waaaaay cool. I know, it doesn't take much to excite me.

Speaking of Tim, he has been posting sneak peeks on his blog of all the new products that will be making their debut at CHA this weekend.  Everything is wonderful, as expected, but one stamp from one stamp set really took my breath away.


Do you see the name of the movie being advertised in the stamp on the left?  "My Sister Eileen."  Not only one of my favorite old movies, but it's MY NAME!!
If that isn't enough to cause heart palpitations, the name of the movie theater right below that is The Biltmore.  Which, just so happens to be the name of the theater that was right across the street from the house I grew up in, in Brooklyn, New York.
In my little fantasy world, Tim designed this stamp with me in mind.  Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  LOL!!!

26 comments:

Diann said...

Oh, another fantastic visit here!
I love your faux metal covering and the added Tim stuff! I am sure Tim had you in his mind and heart when he did those stamps of his for this year! Thanks for always sharing! Diann

Angie Hall Haviland said...

OH EILEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These are BEAUTIFUL Journals!!! So glad to see you are playing with your metal too!! ENJOY!!!!!

Nancy Lynn said...

Fantastic art. WOW...just beautiful. Never thought to alter the mini composition books. I have just always done the big ones. Another project for me. Thanks for the inspiration Eileen.

tracy kaufman said...

love your notebooks. the metal is fantastic. As usual your art is out standing.

Sherri Auld said...

Wow Eileen, your journals are beautiful. I love the metal look with the inks - so vibrant.

Helena said...

Love the birdie and you're so right: the brad-eye is fantastic.

Of course Tim had you in mind when he created that stamp set :)))))

Anonymous said...

You're such a clever girl!!

Bethan

Linda said...

Too funny! (about Tim's stamp) When I saw it, I thought you were lucky to have your name in one of Tim's stamps.

Love your altered comp books. Aluminum foil glued to card stock, what a great idea! What type of glue did you use?

Awesome work as always! Thank you for sharing!

Linda

Big Apple Jen said...

Love that Tim made a stamp specifically with you in mind! How funny is that?!

Ok ... aluminum foil on cardstock, got it. I'm assuming it needs to be a decent thickness to really take the embossing, right?

As always, beautiful work E.

SusanK said...

Awesome job! How cool that all those things just worked out perfectly together! And I think Tim should give you that movie set. How coincidental can you get?

Pam Austin said...

Tim and you together pictures on ATT home page, Tim reads your mind and makes that stamp set from your inner memories - KISMET I SAY!

I sure thought of you when I saw your name there!

how cool.

Nancy said...

I can't wait to have time to play with faux metal & embossers!
And I'm VERY sure Tim had you in mind when he designed that stamp set! Yep, sounds good to me! ;o)

Unknown said...

And you stick to that story! Who says he didn't? lol

Lori said...

Love what you did with the books, aluminum foil, who woulda guessed? Looks great. Yep, as soon as I saw that stamp on Tim's blog, I KNEW you would be all over it. I thought, OMG, EILEEN!!!! That is a total riot. And wouldn't you just die if he did say YOU were the reason behind the choice? lol. Love it.

Anonymous said...

Oh I love these Eileen!!!!! GREAT job ma'am!!

Lori said...

I forgot to mention the ideaology piece for the bird feathers was pure genius...genius, I tell you.

Anonymous said...

I'm so in love with the altered books and how you have used Tim's treasures. I truly believe you and Tim have something telepathic going - Eileen, Biltmore. What next, Gotham City? Now that would be a very cool launch! Thanks for continuing to inspire me.
Vicki B in OP western NY

Renee said...

I don't post often, but I love your blog!!!

Kathy said...

Love the new look of your site. I just hopped over from the ATT board. GREAT idea for the bird feather/eye.
kathy m

Sandi M said...

Eileen - what gorgeous journals. I've altered a comp book before, but WOW - nothing this cool. I'm going to have to try one with the foil. Sandi

Barbara said...

Eileen - these books are awesome. I've made several, but none as cool as yours. And you're right - the stamps were made for you!
Barbara K

inge said...

Hello Eileen,

your metal covers are really cool ! They would make nice presents !

Did you use plain aluminium foil you use in the kitchen ? Doesn't it tear when you run them trough the cuttlebug ?

I had to laugh when I read about the new stamps...We are people that don't need much to be happy huh ! :)

greetings from belgium
Inge

2amscrapper said...

I, too, am amazed when things just "come together" such as your bird embellies, not to mention the TH stamp! How perfect is that?

Tami Putvin said...

Another beautiful project completed.. I just love your creations..

Anonymous said...

Eileen, I love the way your bird cover came together. Using the foliage piece is just too darn clever. Whoever get that in the swap has to be delighted.

And, naturally, Tim had you in mind with the movie name and theater. You should get one from him just for that reason alone!

Lois Bell

Julie Ann said...

How awesome!! I love that embossing you did with the foil. It really looks fantastic!! And the use of the foliage for the bird! It's always the small things that make us the happiest!! :)