I'm a part of the Raven Altered Book swap at Altered Gypsy. Of course I'm behind, but what is new? It's been a summer of no muse. Would you believe I actually entertained the thought (TWICE) of just packing it all up and getting rid of my studio? That's how discouraged I've been feeling. No ideas flowing in the braino, no hot ideas off the press, nothing.
However, I've been behind on these two altered books and I like to meet my obligations. So hubby helped me clean the studio once again today and I thought I'd sit down and force myself to do something. I started by perusing through a stack of Somerset Studio mags. I made of list of every technique or special thingie on any art piece that caught my idea. I also wrote down any random ideas that popped up because of looking at the books, no matter how silly. This helped me come up with a few ideas for a spread. (click for closeup)
The little antiqued bottle is filled with cuttings from a Raven feather. The Poe image is from Altered Pages, the Raven w/saying stamped image is from Red Lead. Mixin' it up today I guess. The background with swiped with different paints and then I laid stencils over it and spray painted. It was fun to do.
This page I worked on last month. (click for closeup.)
THe vintage lace was added to the edges because I cut the page the wrong size and I was determine not to waste the paper. The middle dark paper is mulberry paper, the RAVEN letters are iron on soft fuzzy/felty type letters. The queen and tree images are from an old calendar a friend sent me from France.
It was an idea I had because I had read raven lore that stated Ravens are considered royalty. They hang around the Tower of London (also known as the Bloody Tower where in 1483 the 2 little princes were brought and disappeared, assumed to be brutally murdered) and the Tower Green where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. The superstition goes:
It was an idea I had because I had read raven lore that stated Ravens are considered royalty. They hang around the Tower of London (also known as the Bloody Tower where in 1483 the 2 little princes were brought and disappeared, assumed to be brutally murdered) and the Tower Green where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. The superstition goes:
“If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.”
Read more here on the Ravens and Bloody Tower.
6 comments:
very neat. I really like this. Did you use a premade album or do it all from scratch....
The book I sent out for other people to work in, I made. You can see it here: http://collagecontessa.blogspot.com/2010/04/quoth-raven-nevermore.html.
The pages I'm working on here are for other people's books. Looks like they made them as well.
Do you make altered books?
Wonderful pages.
I prefer hand books that you make as you go along - it's amazing what papers come to hand :)
Great pages, Kris!
I kind of felt the same way lately, but I think maybe it's just a summer slump; don't let it get to you. The haze will clear eventually, right?
RIGHT????
Oh Kris, I can't tell you how many times I've read about how the summer seems to be a brain melting fog! I know what you mean about packing it up!! So glad you didn't! You owe it to yourself to forge ahead, and with your talent, it would really be a shame if you didn't. I love what you've done with the pages and they will seep down into your subconscious and put out search beacons for your sleepy muse!
Did you know I was on your blog or did you just coincidentally leave a comment on mine??
Love your works with the ravens, especially the little antiqued bottle and the stenciling.
I have loved the Tower of London since I was little..... and the ravens in real life are HUGE!
Karen
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