Pulped!

Title page and my 1st altered page. The woven page has had moving beads added to it and so has the Labyrinth title page. It's a little more "domino effect' than abacus but it's fun to play around with the beads and really interact with the page. Labyrinth means "maze like, entangled, intricate" and the woven page is a little bit of each definition.

My second page is 'Entanglement' which was quite litteral at times! I've tied on some little Pearl like beads with copper wire to add a bit of interest. The rest of the entanglement will come as this book  nmoves around the globe! My 3 page is "Intricate" (yes it's a nest! what better example of intricate could I have found?)  and I've created a window to sit the lino print behind and then enclosed parts of if with nest like stitching. The string was dyed first with coffee. The beads on the cross over copper wire free flow from top to bottom of the strand and make a lovely little tinkering noise. I am definately going to explore this moving pieces idea further!

My part in my book of this RR is almost done. All I have left to do now is the last signature which I am turning into some sort of niche/folder/accordian thing that will hold some papery bits and random pieces looking to find new homes with the other artists working on this book. We are getting close to our goal posting date now of November 15. Wahoo!

In addition to this book I've also started on another ICE collage and a small piece for an Art Swap. If your interested in playing in this swap (and not already doing it unless you know loads of people!) please leave me a comment and I will forward you the details! Watch this space!

Winter Hedge- AB and Poetry

Nest photo copied onto tracing paper, Poem by Ruth Dallas (see below) Leaf/ink rubbings, Small cheque book calender page, string, childs playing card, scrap handmade paper and brown paper, twig, buttons.

As part of the 'Off the Page' Round Robin I get the chance to work on other people's Altered Books. This board book arrived in the mail the other day with the theme of 'Poetry.' I already had the poem chosen and the page came together very quickly even though it wasn't pre-planned. I love the way it turned out!

Here's the poem by NZ poet Ruth Dallas.

Winter hedge

How like shells they are, these deserted rain-bleached nests

half filled with small black leaves;

the green leaves that summer- long sang like waves

have left the now as shells on sand

are left for anyone to find.

To lift them from the tangled boughs

of theses deep sleeping hawthorn trees

would be like taking shells away

from all that gives them colour-

sea, sun and sand.

How sad they seem

and faded when you take them home.

Marvellously as they are made

with moulded earth and moss inlaid

with woven bark and straws and

warm with thistle-down

half their charm- even when the trees are bare

is in them being where they are.

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!?