How to make an Urban Fairy Gifts Altered Board Book

Look for a child’s board book that’s the size and shape you would like. Prep it by pealing away the images. Alternately you can sand and gesso your pages. You can leave the book intact or separate the pages.



Start collecting images and background papers which you feel the Urban Fairies might enjoy being a part of. (After much consideration of the life style of the Urban Fairies of Ann Arbor, my thoughts went to wild landscapes, flowers, rivers, windows, light, color, multicultural fairies, and of course chocolate.)

Supply List:

* Prepared board book (peeled, roughed up, sanded,
or painted with gesso), or even a variety of unmatched
board book pages.
*Awl to put holes in the board book pages.
* Your favorite scrapbook papers with an ancient,
distressed, vintage feel or a fairy tale feel.
*Old family photos, vintage cabinet cards, postcards,
favorite quotes, bits of old books, favorite recipes,
(lovely old images and lovely old text) and of course
wings. Fairies need wings.
* 1-2 yards thin but sturdy ribbon for binding, and other
fibers for embellishing .
* Eyelets, eyelet setter, small hammer. (Memory Makers
has these)
* Bench block for hammering eyelets - the blocks are
handy for this. A good, lightweight one for traveling can
be ordered from http://volcanoarts.biz/
* Cutting mat, exacto knife, scissors, ruler.
* PVA glue (good, quick drying, holds paper very well) –
can also be ordered from volcano arts.
* Paintbrush or void credit card for glue, cup for water,
paper towels.
* Small palm-sized square of fine grit sandpaper.
* Fine-tipped pen.
* A few colored pencils and oil pastels or oil crayons for
aging and distressing.
* favorite ink pad & sponge to distress and age things.

Start creating your collages, backgrounds first. They should
be beautiful and something you would imagine a fairy might
enjoy.

Now create fairies from your favorite images of people
or pets. Don't forget to give them wings.


Then study the resulting fairy and background. What does
this fairy need? Provide it. That is your gift to the fairies.
This process should be a quiet and meditative process, a
dialogue with your inner artist.

The results will surprise you! They surprised us in Ann Arbor!





And I'd like to thank Lindsay, Nell, Lois, Lucia, Mary, Robert, and Kim for letting me take pictures while they worked.

Working on a book/necklace.

Here's what I've been working on for a swap on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artezinecafe/
The image is the same image as the previous blog. I've added a layer of mica as a front and back cover. The back cover has a pressed flower in it. The pages have some text and are covered in beeswax. I created the links and the chain with techniques and tools learned from Nina Bagly. Thank you Nina. And watch out Kim, I'm having a blast with this stuff, so our challenge is going to be amazing!

Stuck in Ann Arbor

My little NorthWest Jet couldn't fly into Halifax due to fog. Stayed 3 extra days, had a great time.

Altercations, Ann Arbor, Friends, Family, Wabi-Sabi Art & Fairy Gifts; I can't wait!

A wabi-sabi fairy gift collage by Lani

Getting ready for Ann Arbor and Altercations the Altered Art Conference! Check them out!
Don't miss it if you live in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio or Illinois. Oh, or even Iowa! Here's the list of teachers: Shari Beaubien, Linda Duvall, Donna Engstrom, Lani Gerity, Charlene Jacobsen, Thomas Mann, Bheki Naylor, Lauren Nwachukwu, Karen O'Neal, Dana Peters, Kristin Steiner, and Cheryl Strait. I'll be visiting with my two favorite sisters, one of my favorite brothers-in-law, two of the sweetest niece/nephew you could ever want to be related to AND some of my very favorite ArtFest pals. Oh, I can't wait.

We'll visit all the new fairy doors and see how things are doing for the Urban Fairies. I can't wait to see Jonathan Wright's book Who's Behind the Fairy Doors (with my niece's art work inside - got to get their autographs!). Then there's the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair! Oh, my, what fun.

And did I mention my favorite bead store in Ann Arbor? Or Hollander's store, a book binders' delight?

Want to come along?

Lost Sisters Retreat and Reunion - Success!!!

First Annual Lost Sisters Retreat and Reunion. Oh my goodness, did we have fun!!!











We all had a restorative, delightful time. Thank you all for helping make it such a fantastic retreat.









So these are a few pictures from my book of memories.



























There are the two beautiful B&Bs,
Pam who helped with the food,

Edward and one of the Bergamasco Boys who helped in the background in so many ways,

there are all of us




and the other Bergamasco Boy and all our dolls!

What a fantastic weekend with the full moon over Prospect and no sign of fog or rain.












Someone had their crucifix on the clothes line, which is a Prospect kind of thing to do to ward off bad weather. Thank you all for all your contributions!