Time cover is finished

It has taken awhile to get to a sewing machine, but I have finally finished my Time cover. I am really pleased with the way it turned out and has the "WOW" factor I was hoping for. If you want to see a larger view, just click on the photos.

After I finished the sewing part of the cover, I put the clock up next to the book and immediately noticed that the clock, which I really wanted to use, was made with primary colors, while the book cover was pastels and soft colors. I knew I had to do somthing.
Here is what the clock front looked like before I "distressed" it. You can see how bright it is.
Thankfully, the back side had all the same colors, so I was able to experiment. I tried swiping dye ink (two different colors), bisque glaze, shoe polish, and combinations of the three on the foam clock. Before I took the photo, I left a bit of the original color for comparison.
The shoe polish won hands over fist, not necessarily for ease of application, but for the look I wanted. The white clock hands were colored with a pale blue glaze, and I dry brushed the same glaze on various parts of the clock face. It was time consuming, since I had to remove all the numbers and color them, their sides, and the inside areas where they went.
I attached the clock using E-6000, but only in the clock area, not the numbers. Here I have removed the heart and the "1" in the number 10. Anything behind the numbers will peek through, such as the words from "Turn, Turn, Turn" which was printed on shaving cream paper and sewn onto the Viva dyed paper towel. Also on this page are the words "Time flies" which can't be seen in this view, and two postage stamps.
This is a view of the back side of the book. This is where all the sewing occurred. The background was Viva paper towels, to which I sewed pieces of the hand dyed muslin made by spritzing Easter egg dyes and vinegar onto sheets of muslin. I made these nearly a year ago at my friend Kat's house with her help. Then, using her scraps, I sewed chenille, seam binding, and cotton scraps to manageable sized pieces of the muslin. The clock in the upper center of the page has brass clock hands attached with a brad, then the entire assembly was sewn on the piece. The only thing not sewn on the back is the "F" in "Passage Of Time." The "O" was made using another clock face, and it was also sewn onto the paper towel.

The most challenging part of the piece was the spine. I had embossed "Time, Time, Time" using gold embossing enamel. However, when we attached the cover to the book, we used a form of fusible webbing and IRONED it on, thus ruining the embossing. I tried to wick the embossing enamel up, but to no avail. I decided to leave it, since I'm probably the only one who it will bother :>)

So here it is, the finished cover in all its splendor and glory. I have to say, it was well worth all the frustration and effort. I believe it has that "WOW" factor I was hoping for.

TIME begins: all but the cover

This book, minus its covers, is all about TIME. The pages are shown in the order they appear in the book, beginning with the first page and ending with the last. It took around three weeks from start to finish. It actually began as an experiment in backgrounds and how many scraps I could use. It ended with the consumption of two and a half bottles of white glue, 13 glue sticks, 1/2 a roll of redliner tape, and more brads than I've ever used in my Altered Art life!!

Nearly a third of the book consists of tip-ins from three of four TIME tip-in swaps I hosted. Those will not be shown, because all but three were created by other players. In keeping with my policy to not show others' art on my blogs without their permission, I opted to not show any tip-ins, but to show only the artwork I created on the other pages.

The book begins with "Memories and Dreams." The concept came from the quote that I printed on shaving cream paper. After I added several calendars and calendar pages, I added the green bead trim and the title stickers.
This single spread backs some tip-ins. After I took the scan, I added two fibers down the middle, to which I added beads and clock face charms.

This page began with the peeling paint technique from Claudine Helmuth's "Discover Workshop." The image was a transparency transfer. Although it's simple, I like the page a lot. It is mounted on green mesh (fabric).
Just a simple magazine image that I cut to size, then added a scrap piece of scrapbook paper. I didn't want to take away from the hilarious image.
Another image I took from a magazine and glued it over paper I swiped with various pigment inks. This is a single spread that faces some tip-ins.

The background for this page was made by swiping red, yellow, and beige pigment ink on both pages. On the left, I added watches and the title, taken from a magazine.
Various magazine images were used to create this spread. I thought the green clock face went well with the green title on the other page.

I swiped gold pigment ink on the two pages, then added the tag that has some glossy gold fibers attached.
I collaged scrapbook paper, a piece of vintage wallpaper, and a strip from a Day Planner. Then I stamped the image of two little girls, but it didn't stamp as well as I would have liked. TIP: Stamp on another piece of paper, cut the image out, and add to the page.
Calendar pages from several years were glued to a Day Planner page. Beige pigment ink was swiped over the calendar pages. Quotes were fanned out from a clock face and Past, Present, and Future complete the spread.

This magazine image was glued over a paper towel I painted with blue and gold.
Two band-aids hold this message on the page that was swiped with several pigment inks.

Green and brown glazes were used to make this background. A magazine image was all I wanted to add to this background.
"The Weft and Warp of Time" began with paint chips that I wove together. Next I stamped a pocket watch image and embossed in silver. Although the colors weren't exactly right for this page, it was the last image I had and the page was empty. After scanning this page, I saw how badly the color was against the background. To correct the problem, I swiped burnt sienna glaze over the image. It looks marginally better.

This technique layering technique came from "Altered Books Workshop" by Bev Brazelton. Although the book is pretty rudimentary and geared toward beginners, I never read a book I don't learn something from. What I learned from this book was the secret to layers of glazes and paint is to first use a warm color, then a cool, alternating so you don't get a muddy look. You can also begin with a cool, then add a warm, as long as you don't put a warm over warm.

I began this layout by applying some beige translucent glaze. I added some scraps (trying to lessen the mountain of paper bits in my studio) using a glue stick. The next layer was green, which I felt was too dark for the page. I didn't help much when I added even more scraps, then layered it with burnt sienna glaze. Before adding the focal image on this page (left side), I glazed over it with beige glaze, then attached it to the page. I then dipped my finger in a pale blue glaze, then a dark blue glaze, and added these one at a time. The green was still overpowering, so I added beige glaze over everything. I allowed it to dry overnight.

I looked for some little gold wedding bands I know I have. While looking, I stumbled onto these gold rings mixed in with my gold buttons. The scale seemed good, so I added them to the page using E6000. I first laid them out along the strip to the left of the picture, but didn't like that there were only two, so decided to place them under the sign and above each person. I still didn't like how there was an even number, so I freehand cut three hearts and placed them below the couple. I then glazed over them using first beige, then burnt sienna, then blue.
For the wedding announcement, I used burnt sienna before adding it to the page with glue stick. I thought the page was too boring, so I found the die cut cupid, but it was cut from a soda/pop can and the front side was aluminum. Once again I got out my glazes and used all the colors from the page. When I placed it on the page, it blended in too well. So I lightened part of the area which would be behind the die cut, then outlined part of the die cut with gold leafing pen. Finally, I attached it using E6000.

A concept I strongly believe in is going green. I honored that by using mostly paper scraps, including the clock, which I punched from a piece of wallpaper.
Here is the left side. The background is made with glazes. A flower brad holds the real clock hands on the page.
The right side shows some of the embellishments hanging from the fibers I attached to the center.

This spread is called "It's about time." And it is all about time. Lots of quotes and magazine titles make up this page that has a direct to paper pigment ink background.
The left side
and the right side.

Time keeps rolling on is from a magazine image. The background is a page from a Day Planner that I accidentally got upside down.
Two identical photos, one small than the other, grace this page, along with some clock face brads. The background is a technique I got from one of my Yahoo groups. You are supposed to apply acrylic paint, then splash rubbing alcohol on the paint. Unfortunately, it didn't work, but it's still a cool background. A sheer ribbon was placed over the title, which I wrote in Krylon gold leaf.

More Timely Pages

Various images and my hmp make up this spread. I spray painted light green for the backgound, then spritzed color washes over the dried page.
The background for this piece is shaving cream paper. The image on the lower right came from a greeting card and is embossed.
Pockets were made using cardboard that I spray painted on one side and used Twinkling H20s on the other.
This is the right side with some of the tags in place.

I had several double images that I combined in this two page spread. I began by swiping the background with red pigment ink.

This is the entire left side,
And this is the right side. I purposely used mismatched puzzle pieces for the title.

I got the idea for this spread from Marci who came up with the concept of "time out." Marci draws, but I'm not good at that, so I went to the internet and found a whistle. I got the idea of printing the whistle and titles on red paper when decided to do a black and white spread. To get the stripes, I swiped black pigment ink across the two pages, imitating an Umpire's uniform. The "O" is a button that I removed the shank from.
The picture is from a basketball photo from the 1960's. I used a black Zig pen to add the hands in the "O." I got the idea for this spread while watching the "Slam-Dunk" Contest. One of the announcers said the players were working overtime. Ideas can come from anywhere. I copied the fairy tales from the internet and the image from Dover clipart. I may color these later.
This spread should read "when good ideas go bad." Everything about this spread started wrong. I began by painting a CD with gesso, then red acrylic paint. When I laid it on the page I planned for it, it was too close to the color of the background, so I decided to put it on a different background. Next, I outlined the clock using a gold Krylon pen that was leaking. It dripped all down the side. I nearly scrapped it, but I already had the little balls on it, as well as the clock hands. I laid it on the page to dry, then realized the gold ink had seeped to the back of the CD and was now on the page. What else could I do, but make it as messy as possible, imitating the messes a wild party can make. Now it's one of my favorite spreads, and I laugh each time I see it.

Images stamped on my handmade paper (hmp). One image was colored and attached using pop dots. Clock hands were attached using a brad with a jewel center.
More images stamped on hmp. Title from a magazine.

My goal for this page was to use as many scraps as possible on this background. I actually got the idea from a 16 year old ABC member, Kayla, whose spread of squares inspired me to make this. I used a punch to make each square the same size, but the process took about 7 hours.
After I made the background, I hated to cover it, so found small images I could place in a few of the squares.

I first glued calendar pages from various years to the book pages, then glazed the entire spread in silver.
Small silver flowers raised with pop dots complete the spread. Sometimes you plan a spread, then it takes a totally different turn. That's what happened with this one that began with red and metallic turquoise paint. However, the image I planned to use blended in too much with the background (see the clock I used in "Party Time"), so I had to rethink my spread. The clocks are made using old CDs, which I first gessoed, then glued parts of a US map to each. Next I added the clock hands using brads, then attached the "clocks" to the page. I added a toy airplane, then used a turquoise cord to plot routes beginning at 6 and 12. As an added embellishment, I added a watch case and wheel to the "O" in the title.

Here is as much of the full spread as I could get on the scanner. It is obvious that I got the background colors from the postcard on the right.
For this side, I used only cancelled postage stamps as the frame. Vinyl letters make up the title.
I used old calendar pages along with cancelled postage stamps for the frame on this side. The awesome "framed" picture is a postcard I picked up several years ago.

Although it's simple, this is one of my favorite spreads. I began with green and beige glazes mixed together to tone the green down, then added October calendar pages from Italy and America. A clock half and a clock charm finish out the spread.
Left side showing the background is from a Day Planner, as is the right side. I left the "October" tab on the page and positioned it slightly outside the book page edge.

I have to admit it, this is one of my favorite spreads. I had so many clock and watch images, and it seemed that all were set to the same time.
The left side.
And the right side with the title. The background started as black, grey, and white scraps.
This spread began with the background, which I made using scraps. I found this great image and the spread just came together from there. I added the "USA" ribbon as much for color as for meaning.
Here is the complete left side. The book is so large, the scanner doesn't have a chance!
And this is the right side. Note that I didn't center the image. I learned this is a design principle.

This two page spread began with the background, which I created from various purple scraps. I hunted thru my images until I found something that would coordinate with the purple. I've always liked red and purple, so the image was a perfect match. I added a watch part to the "o".
Another purple clock went well with the background, which wrinkled badly when I didn't get it down evenly, then tried to smooth it out afterward.

I used a paper towel and various glazes on the background, along with gold Krylon pen. The title is "Money will stand the test of time."
I found an appropriate photo to go with the title.

I started this spread with the idea of making a flag spread, but flag spreads don't work in books too well. They need a cover to pull them open. Since I had already colored (using a green glaze) and laminated the play money, I decided to make flaps instead. I painted six pages with green glaze I blended with beige glaze, then cut four of the pages to hold the money.
The left side of the spread reads "Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time." I printed it on some paper I had colored with pigment ink.
Here we are halfway thru the bills. You can see they are pretty realistic for fake money. I had it left over from my Money AB.

This is the two page spread, showing all the bills' backs and the right image.

This is the final image. Note that the clock is not in the middle of the page, but is covered before you turn the bills, thus creating a bit of a surprise for the viewer.

I apparently had saved some of my hand printed schedules from when I attended Wichita State. What fun to look back on 1992 and see what I was doing. Someone also gave me an old book receipt from Wichita State bookstore dated 1964. To this I added calendar pages, a ruler printed on my hmp, and a saying I thought was funny: "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."
For the right side of the spread, I used the same 1992 schedule, ove which I glued a British rail timetable from the first part of this century. To that I added an embellishment that has rubber buttons with the words "Start, Pause, Reset."

This page is much prettier in real life. It has lots of color and clock images stamped over a dictionary page on time. I used pigment inks to get the vibrant colors. Appropriately, it is called "Time is on my side."
Right next to the dictionary page is "Time on my Hands." The image was cut from a magazine. The title was printed on shaving cream paper, then embossed. I added a flower petal using a brad, then strung some tiny beads onto embroidery floss and tied it into a knot. That took longer than anything else! I finished the page by adding Crystal Laquer to the clock hands, her fingernails, and her bracelet, although it is hard to see in the scan.

Another two page spread I had fun making is called "Hands of Time." I made this spread during the second half of the Superbowl. Funny how some things stick. I was on a glaze kick, so the backgound of both pages is colored with light blue, green, and beige glazes. I used more brads on these two pages than I think I've ever used in all of my previous altered art. The hands are die cuts from various paper scraps. I hammered a couple of the brads, going for an aged look. I don't much care for them. I think they just look like I messed them up.
"Hands of Time" created using vinyl stickers, some of which I colored.

I scanned this "journal" page, then took a photo of it (below). I made the bottle caps using Crystal Laquer, clock images with the times noted, and lots of little watch parts. I did the journaling using a purple Sharpie. The backgrund is various colors of acrylic paints built up over time. This is probably the best image to see the contents of the bottlecaps. Click on the image for a large view and you might even be able to see the clock faces in the bottom.
The color is closer to the scan (above), and it's harder to see the watch parts in the bottle caps in this rendering. Neither way did a great job, but I think you can read it better in this image. In case you can't read my handwriting, here is what it says:

February 16, 2008

9:30: What an exciting day. I began the day by working on this book, anticipating the NBA slam-dunk contest tonight. As I was finishing one spread, I remembered how I started collecting TIME images in 2003, and, five years later, I will soon have this book finished.

10:00: With my second pot of coffee brewing, I was about to inspect my TIME bottlecaps when Bleubeard decided to check them out. Unfortunately, he was not helpful.

10:20: One of the bottlecaps was not dry, so I had to rework it. Now I must wait for it to dry. At least I have the weekend basketball events to look forward to.
These bottle caps are much clearer than this photo suggests. I got the depth by adding a few watch parts to Crystal Laquer, allowing it to nearly dry, then repeating the process. I did this four times for each bottle cap. That's how I was able to suspend the watch parts.

What better passage of time than a birthday? Beige striped tissue paper was laid down on both pages prior to starting this spread. Tissue paper from a gift was placed over a birthday postcard. A die cut ballon from my handmade paper was added on top. Birthday stamps complete the spread.
Birthday tissue paper continues on the right, ove which is a gift cut from scrapbook paper. The ribbon and bow was cut from coordinating scrapbook paper, and the stamps were used to compliment the other side. The inscription reads "There's no present like time."

I don't often use scrapbook embellishments in my work, but I had the clocks found on the right. They seemed perfect for the geometric background I made earlier out of gray and black scraps. The clock on the left is from a magazine.

The good old days are represented here using images from an ad I got in the mail, along with words from the Byrds "Turn, Turn, Turn" which was printed on some of my shaving cream paper, then embossed using gold EP.
Things have changed today, and so have the images. The text is from Ecclesiastics, on which the Byrds' song was fashioned. Again, the words were printed on shaving cream paper, then embossed using gold EP.
Magazine images and words, and a 2 year planner cover were used to make this collage. I kept the right side plain.

The background on this page was dark green pigment ink that used the DTP method. I found all my red images and assembled them on the page. After I finished, I found the small watch hand and added it to the apple. I got the idea of accenting the apple using Crystal Laquer (CL). I carefully kept inside the lines, then set it up to dry. At some point, the page tipped and the CL ran across the page. I tried to remove it, but it had already dried. TIP: When drying anything that requires the page to be flat, be sure it is secure before walking off and leaving it.
Images, calendar strips, and a puzzle piece complete the right side of this two page spread.

Once again, brads were used as an embellishment. Two sizes of the same style and color brads help unify two different pictures, which ironically show the same time. I "marked" out the three and added a "7" sticker to make the number correct. I used brown to go with the lower words. I counted the total number of time zones at least five times. See if you come up with the same number.
I originally used this technique (one word in various fonts and sizes on a page) in my Money AB. It is fun and makes an effective statement. The background is gesso, over which I dry brushed blue paint to achieve a weathered look.

Believe it or not, this background was unintentionally nearly obliterated by the pocket watch tissue (below) that I covered it with.

If you look really hard, you can see remnants of the gold and brown paper scraps under the tissue. The clock was stamped onto heavy gauge copper using Staz-On and cut with metal shears.
You can actaully see the gold swirly background in the lower left part of this page. The image was from an art book, the words from a heavy cardboard box.
I call this one "Time begins in the garden." Originally it was going to have a time journey theme, but the flowers won out.

A combination of magazine images, small clock charm, and words from a book make up this page. The background is a combination of the following glazes: beige, burnt sienna, light blue, and a green I mixed. I used my fingers or a credit card to spread the glazes on the page, which started out as a Day Planner calendar.
"The Upside of Downtime" background is the same as the one above. . I took my color cues for both backgrounds from the colors in these images from a magazine.
The next to the last page is a stack of watches from a magazine. Although you can't see it, the fiber running the length of the spine also has two two beads and a clock charm attached.
Although I managed to cut off part of the message, you can see we have finally arrived at the last page. I wanted to keep it very simple. The clock on the left is probably a scrapbooking item, although I'm not sure. The words on the right are from a magazine. The red and silver corners are made of cardstock.

I hope you have enjoyed the journey as much as I've enjoyed showing it to you. I trust you will find it was time well spent!!