Secret codes and altered matchboxes...

I signed up to play in Bad Penny's altered matchbox swap. The swap has a '12 days of Christmas Theme" and I got "5 Golden Rings."  I did a little research on the net about the origins of this song to see if  I could draw some inspiration from it. Interestingly enough I found out that the whole song is thought to have been a secret code which allowed Christians to talk about the Bible and Christianity in a time where they were persecuted for it. The 5 golden rings is apparently a reference to the first 5 books of the bible. I ended up avoiding any mention of secret codes and persecution and doing my own 'recycled' thing!

Would you believe it but I only found these golden rings at the second hand shop after I signed up? I think they are curtain rings. I've only got one golden ring on each box (as you can see) but each box has 5 elements plus the golden ring.The red mesh (onion bag netting), white beads (from an old necklace), coffee dyed fabric and white fabric scrap and the lace.The boxes are covered in white material which is soft and velvety (and someone's thermal curtain in another life!)

Including something inside the box was optional so I haven't decorated the inside of it. I did include 5 small things inside though...like 4 'eggs' in a nest of course!
Small confession: I only did them like this for the photo. The box wouldn't close with the lace standing up like that. It would been cool to have opened the box up and found my nest though!

And last but not least, some pretty beads and gold thread to help keep all the contents inside the boxes on their journey! This was different but fun. I havn't altered matchboxes in ages! Now I can look forward to my ones arriving in the post:)


Next posting: Blog Giveaway winner! There's still time to sign up if you'd like to own the fabric collage below.
Coming soon...PULPY LOVE! I've been busy working on my next part in Kim's book and there's been some other fantastic pulp posts going on lately too. Watch this space!

Pulpy Love

Yay! A long last it's time for a Pulp Redux post! My son got out of hospital 5 nights ago after a 3 week admission. Time sure goes a lot faster here on the 'outside' lol. I'm not sure how long he'll be home for but every day at home is a day to recharge and I fully intend on doing that! On the first full day home in forever I created...and then for a few hours last night... and a few more today...yay! I am happier already!

Here's how you last saw my "Battle of Gate Pa" page in Kim's book.

And how it looks now... 

 I love the addition of red to the page. I cut up an old silk scarf I found in the second handshop and also added a string to close the fabric door. It dosn't make a lot of difference visually but atleast the papers can't fall out now!  I'm really happy with the way this page has turned out.

Open the door...

The Maori warrior was a magnificent, brave and fierce fighter. Their strong spiritual ties to the land led them to fight with passion and vigour.

This is the story my pages are based on, The Battle of Gate Pa.

The Battle of "Gate Pa" is probably the battle which made the greatest impact in the history of the New Zealand Wars.

In an effort to cut off reinforcements and food supplies which where filtering through to the Maori rebels in the Waikato area, the British sent their troops to Tauranga, in order to attack the fortress. The word Pa means ‘fortified settlement.’

Around 200 warriors from the Ngai-te-Rangi tribe were in place one side of the Pa, and around 35 warriors, mainly from the Ngati Koheriki tribe, reinforced the other side.
On 29th April 1864, the 43rd British regiment attacked the Pa. 1700 soldiers armed with a strong artillery train : 8 mortars, 2 howitzers, 2 naval canon and 5 Armstrong guns. The soldiers opened fire on Gate Pa, and during a short time bombarded it heavily. The following day the troops bombarded again, for a longer period, and this time succeeding in breaking opening a large point of entry to the pa.  An elite Brittish assault force was sent to penetrate the breach opened up during the bombardment.

The British had thought their previous heavy bombardment had taken effect, owing to the fact that there had been little response fire from within the Pa. However, on entering via the breach, the British troops found themselves being fired on at very close range from Maori in hiding.

A reinforcement group of soldiers was sent to relieve the trapped assault force in the Pa. However, the reinforcements found themselves caught up in the retreat from the pa by the first assault force. From two separate areas of the pa, the Maori were firing on the two groups of troops, who were by this time caught up in the deadly crossfire....

Depsite being signficantly outnumbered and under-armed the Maori won the battle and caused the Brittish troops to rethink the battle plans for other parts of NZ. Never again was the threat of a fortified pa under-estimated.

The above close up is a sneak peak of the page I have planned for the Brittish soldiers.

The story has pretty much been told on the 'Maori' page in the pile of papers found bundled behind the door but the Brittish soliders left a lasting impact on Tauranga and that story is still to be told.

The 3rd part of this story is that of the missionary's who befriended both the Maori and Brittish troops. I've almost completed this page which is dedicated to Archdeacon Brown and his wife. It's not ready for it's reveal yet but here's a quick preview...

If your not all 'pulped out' yet then make sure you check out the Pulp Redux blog and see the utterly amazing work done by Kim on Lisa J's book (Roots- beneath the layers.)  My book ' Labyrinth' is currently in the very capable hands of Alicia Caudle and she posted a pic on her blog a side profile pic of my book on her blog. You can see it here- look how FAT it is! Bulging (litterly) with layers of lovely texture and fibre! Wahoo!

Now, my turn to surf! Can't wait to pop in on ya'll over the next few days!

 *See you soon.*

Pulp Redux Chapter #3 Alicia's book

Here it is! My promised Pulp Redux Update! Last posting was my freshly completed "Charlotte" page. Charlotte is the secret daughter of Hester. You can read more here if you missed it. The AB follows a storyline and it's be a lot of fun creating the story and setting the scene.

The Imperfect Patch.

When Hester was pregnant with Charlotte she created a patchwork quilt, loving crafted from scraps of fabric and an old cotton dress. One of the patches was imperfect and Hester decided that her unborn child would only have the very best and the patch was put aside. As fate would have it this impefect patch was to play a very important roll as it was to become one of the few momento's Hester would have of her daughter. Hester lived a life of self imposed seclusion, she rarely saw anyone which was why she was able to keep her daughter a secret. When Charlotte was one year old she realised that a life of seclusion was no way for a child to live and she made the heart breaking descion to send her beloved daughter to live with her sister. They made a pact that Charlotte would never know that Hettie was her mother, instead she grew up thinking her Aunt was her Mother and totally unaware that Aunt Hettie was actually her mother. After Hester's passing the old ladies secrets were revealed and this was just one of many...

Charlotte's Pocket.

Keeping safe in this pocket is the imperfect patch, a key to Hesters secrets box and some of Charlotte's diary pages. The pocket is attached to the blue page with Charlotte's photo on the other side and is made from coffee dyed fabric, op shop fabric's and op shop lace. I didn't embroider the rose, I cut it from an old cotten napkin also gotten from the op shop! The top embellishment is a heart I sewed from fabric scraps.

The next page in Alicia's book is Hester's Diary...

I colour photocopied a Thrush nest watercolour from a delightful old book called "A country diary of an Edwardian Lady" and the book is a month by month account of Edith Holden's life in 1906. Fabulous book! I sewed over the nest with coffee dyed thread (the nest is a loooong piece of thread stitched on top of the painted nest.) It took me forever but I think it was worth it!

The cover of Hester's diary. The pages are yet to be written though! The cover is made from velvet (from the opshop ofcourse and bargain of the year!) apricot lace and green stuff that I can't remember the name of! The beads that embellish the lace frame are from an old necklace gottem from...the op shop! This page is made from 99% recycled materials. You probably  guessed that by now!  The ribbon roses I made today, they don't show very well here. I havn't made ribbon roses in years but they were kinda fun to do!The only bummer for me here is the strap which will attach the book to the book. I wish I had spent more time on it and finished it a little better. Never mind! Live and learn (and keep on sewing!)

Coming soon...Take it and Run Update and a new collage series called "Four Weeks in Autumn."

Labyrinth AB- Finished!

I'm all done! I've completed the last few things I wanted to do in my book and now it's in a box waiting to be posted later today (to Kim of Merlin's Musings in Australia.) It's quite exciting on one hand to look at this formerly unloved book and to see what it is now but on the other hand I feel a little sad to see it go! It's been a big part of my thinking time and art time lately! However, this books journey has only just begun and not only will 4 other fabulous books make there way into my home over the next 7 months or so I will also have the excitment of it coming home again! I am very sure it is in good hands!

Above: The sign in pages on the left were created using vintage photo album pages and the the collage I kept from the series shown last post. This pic helps to put the size of them into perspective and helps me to see how they tie in with the rest of my book, the colours etc are very me! The right hand side of the top photo shows a partially bound signtaure and my note to the other artists. The copper piece is actually a plant name tag on a wire 'stake' of sorts. I picked up a packet of 6  in the supermarket for only $3.00! I love finds like that!

Above:  My visual diary pages for this book. I've just realised that I have completely missed photographing one page...opps! I  like this page because it really shows the difference my h.a.t print makes to the final look.( The h.a.t print is almost a Ghost print but not quite! thanks Mick for the info!) The actual cut is quite plain and not all that clever, it's the transformation that it undergoes with the h.a.t proceess that makes all the difference. Most of the library issue cards have poetry in the background. The words of the one shown here are in a pic below which you can enlarge to read if you wish!

I was never quite happy with the blank area above the nest on this page but a few lines of simple writing took care of that! I'm happy now:)

The company was gathered, and Life the auctioneer, stands up before the bidders, his hammer lying near.

"Lot One" he cries 'I offer is Time that's passing on, an Time my friends remember, is going, going- gone!

Two bidders fight to buy it, but not with Gold Accurst, they offer all their effort, their hunger and their thirst.

One means to use it  nobly, the other for his boast. The hammer falls, he had it, who longed to get it most.

Click the photo if you want to read the rest of the poem, it's a a lovely poem I found in a child's encyclopedia and didn't want to cut up!

So that's it...I hope to put a slide show of my section together when I have a little more time (ironically) and ofcourse you can always see more of this book and the others on the Pulp Redux site. Check out our new banner too...created by the clever Alicia of Altered Bits!

Pulp Redux/ Labyrinth Update

Here's a few glimpses of what I have been doing with my Labyrinth book for the Pulp Redux Collab. I've added a piece of foam board to my cover and created a niche for a 'dead' circuit board to go in. You can see the cover and the story about it here.

I love the way the green side of the circuit board looks so jewel like (it also reminds me a bit of pac man! lol) and the maze like pattern is perfect for the labyrinth theme. My son came home from school the other day and was quite impressed to see Mum's been dismantling a circuit board and I had to tell him I'm not all paper and nests ya know!

I havn't been blog cruising for a few days, my Dad's been staying with us and I got a new nephew this week but things are settling down again and I hope to be 'out' and about visiting you all soon! Thankyou for your visits, they are very much appreciated!

Postcards and Placemats

The first two postcards were made for a mail art swap. The lady I made the top one for said her favorite colour was Orange. I don't have a lot of orange in my stash but luckily the power company put out the (orange) pamphlet and I was able to use it for my background...wheew!
The postcard below was made for someone who likes blue, purple and teal....and I didn't really need much of an excuse to use that nest image! Or the teasel:) This one's printed onto tracing paper, which I quite like the look of. The blue weave is the inside of an envelope and I thought the weave completed the nest to well not to use!

The 3rd postcard is my 5th postcard for the postcard book I mentioned a while back. I've got a bit of a 'thing' for pears at the moment...but there will be more about that later all going well!

This is not any ordinary placemat! This is a currently-being-altered placemat! I scored 6 this size for $1.00 at the second hand shop (op shop, thrift shop, charity shop...same thing) and I nearly left them in the shop. I actually went back to them 3 times before deciding that I did actually 'need' them and it wasn't just because I might use them! I've taken over more than my fair share of space in the garage as it is! I thought I would use them as bases for collage..but as I type they are drying in a nice painted shade of "pohutakawa". Tomorrow I hope to paint pears on them. I havn't painted in a very long time. I put so much pressure on myself for every painting to be great that I ended up being totally uninspired and dried up. (Much like the brushes!) I hope to put an end to that tomorrow...and I think even I can cope with pears! I just need to take a deep breath and do it. Tomorrow.

Looking up trees (again)

I enjoy looking up trees as much as I enjoy looking at them! These magnolia's are just so stunning they command attention. I was happy to oblige of course.

I was also fortunate enough to get some more butterfly photos which you can see here if you wish too.

Oh.. and guess what? Alicia from the Altered Bits Zine accepted my piece! Yay! That means I will do the full reveal of my piece when she's published the zine around the middle of September. If you havn't already checked out her site then please do so here you definately won't be dissapointed!

Paper making and altered books.

Paper making! It's my latest obsession! It's amazing how addictive it is once you learn to make stuff that isn't the same thickness and texture of an egg carton! In the time that I have been computer -less I've been experimenting with different mixes of paper, varying degrees of processing and different methods of colouring and adding interest. I've had mixed results and I am definitely 'into' continuing along this road! It seems to be a natural road to follow given my interest in collage and being environmentally aware. Its almost surprising to me that I have been here already! lol.

The top photo shows my spread in an Altered book that made it's way to my house. The theme was birds...lucky me! I made the birds eggs from my own paper and the background paper was also one of my experimental pieces. The yellow comes from marigold dye (I knew I would get back to that someday!) and as the (3rd from the top) photo shows it looks a bit sickly when being made but the results are lovely. The white paper has flecks of marigold petals in it.

The leaves are some of my autumn gatherings which I pressed for collages and you can see them on the AB page too. Last but not least, my AB "the Four elements" as it looked just before I sent it off on its long journey around NZ. The pocket held tags made from feathers (air) twigs (fire) brown patterned card/bird imagery (earth) and lovely blues and white patterned card for the water. I'm sure your recognise my 'world famous' sparrow by now!

I have more on paper making to post here...and more on my disentegration bundle so please watch this space!

The Four (elements) AB project.

Glued and folded pages from my book (above) and the other half of the double page spread (below) not yet glued. The spread is made up of 8 pages (4 each side) glued together to make 2 pages. The center (which is sort of diamond shaped) will have the letter by Chief Seattle written onto it. More to come on that later, the words are more than beautiful!I've been making progress on my book although it is now at a stage where most of the construction side has come to an end. I think. I am tempted to take it a step further and physically divide the book up into 8 segments (there are 8 artists playing including myself) who will work in the book repeating the four elements as we go.I have the book home for another few weeks before it starts its 7 month journey around NZ so I may yet give into the temptation!

This is the other side of the niche page (with the seeds in it) and it acts as the 'lid' for it. A sort of treasure chest if you think like I do!

Off the topic from my book but still on the topic of altered books I really want to encourage you all to go and look at the "Reversing Vandalism' exhibition that is permanently online (although previously at the San Fransisco Library.) The exhibition came about after staff discovered that books on Gay lifestyles, Aids/HIV, transgenderism and woman's issues were being systematically vandalised and left behind. Over 600 books were eventually discovered and they were the outward symptom of what was obviously a hate crime. The vandal was dealt with by the law but that left 600+ books destined for the rubbish pile. Thankfully this wasn't allowed and the library united with artists and the results are stunning, moving and impressive. Ironically the book that the vandal was finally caught with was called "Becoming Visible." Check it out here and here.

Happy Birthday Van Gogh!

I mentioned a while ago that I was not- so- patiently waiting for my Van Gogh tin to arrive in my mail box...well here it is! I was going to post this earlier but then I realised that Van Gogh's birthday was this month and I thought it would be nice to hold of till now. I am really pleased with my tin (which is litterally over-flowing) and I hope that there will be another swap of this type in the future.

My thanks have to go to the groups hostess Beth and all the artists who contributed from the Off the Page Yahoo group.

International Collage Exchange #9 & 10

Well as you can see it has been a busy and productive few days since I last posted! I hope that it also shows how much I am enjoying creating these collages! I am loving the layering and playing around with bits of thread and paper! Thread as almost taken over the role of glue in this series, a method I am keen to keep up with once the series has finished. I love the 3D effect you get from the loose (but secure) layers that you don't get when you glue the elements together and squash all the air bubbles out. It's a bit like 'tacking' a sewing pattern together and then deciding to leave it all tacked up instead of sewing it! I took a few different photos to show the layers and texture that I am enjoying so much. As always your feedback is most welcome!

International Collage Exchange #9. Title: Winter planting, Summer harvest.

Laser copied nest photo, coffee stained paper, end page from animal behaviour book, junk mail, newspaper text, thread. I used a ruler to rip the edges on the photo because I love the roughness of it.

International Collage Exchange #10 Title: Waiting.

Laser copied photo, childrens book pages (The wood ducks nest) recycled brown paper bag, a 'to do' list I wrote to myself, white mulberry paper, thread.

I guess 'Inspiration' was a more likely title but I like the text on the childrens book page that spoke of the male bird waiting for his partner to return home.
I love these 'shabby chic-boho' look layers!

Last but not least I have recieved these 2 great things in the post these last couple of days. The tag was part of an Altered Shipping Tag Round Robin that I organised on NZ mail art. I sent it off as a gold/patterned tag and as each player has recieved it they've added either the image, word, embellishment or fibre (depending on there place in the group.) I am really pleased with what came home again! The triangle is a tip in page which I received as part of an "Off the Page" tip in swap. I was so happy to open the mail and find this nest and bird and bird eggs waiting for me! Arn't I spoilt!?

New Year, New Project

Brown paper bags, recycled vintage school atlas page, wool, letters from Magazines.

Top image, Cover Page Front. Middle Image, Inside front cover, Bottom Image, Back Cover.

Happy NEW YEAR everyone! May 2009 be fruitful and inspired!

This is the first project of the year, a Travel and Techniques paper bag book! You may have noticed that the cover only says "Travel and" at this point but that's because it's not quite finished yet:) I don't know what sort of lettering I want to use yet and currently there are no embellishements jumping out at me. It dosn't matter though as this is a 1 page/country/techinique a month book and it's only the first month!

The pages of the book are made from paper bags, the insides of the bags are going to act as sleeves for cardboard pages which will be made by myself and other artists. I will cover the pages. This is basically a Visual Diary with a twist!

The first destination is France for a play around with the romantic shapes and style of French Art Nouveau,March will see us 'travelling' to Madrid to use masking techniques, in April we'll be off to Australia to explore Aboriginal Art and and dot work...and you get the idea! The travel theme helps to give a spring board to work from as well as making this a very different sort of travel themed book.

I'm hoping this new boost of inspiration will last this time, unlike my last short lived burst! I woke up yesterday morning thinking about Altered books and collage so hopefully that's a good omen for the year ahead!

It's nearly time to get creating for the 11th INTERNATIONAL COLLAGE EXCHANGE which is in April. There's plenty of time left for anyone interested to join in so watch this space for more details (and get gluing of course!) and if you have time there's a great collage exhibition online at the moment called Crow Count by Laura Lein-Svencer. You can check it out on the virtual tart website here.

Back soon!

Lisa:)