A Mid-Century Modern Memento Album by Betsy Skagen

A talented friend of mine has taken on the challenge of giving her entire house a Mid-Century Modern updo with only inexpensive secondhand goods. 

Her ingenuity impressed me so much that I thought she should memorialize her project with a mini album. As a surprise for her, I made this little album so she could paste in before and after pictures, make notes of her awesome estate sale finds and even add in inspiration and ideas from magazines. 

The best part about this project is that I was able to do something nice for a friend, without going to a lot of cost or time. 

To make your own Mid-Century Modern Album, begin with an empty spiral bound album.

Cover the front and back with a coat of white acrylic paint. 

Apply Molding Paste to the front through a stencil with repeating shapes. As you can see from my photo, there are inherent dangers in working in the great outdoors. After the paste dries, repeat with another stencil on the back cover. 

While the paste is drying, paint the Mixed Media Fragments Retro with assorted colors (preferably following Mid-Century color palettes).

Give the front and back cover, including the raised stencil surfaces, another coat of white paint. After it dries, paint the raised stencil surfaces in another color. 

Adhere the Mixed Media Fragments and translucent Dew Drops to the front and back covers. 

Use your computer to design a title graphic for your album. Print and adhere to the cover. Outline the edges of your Mixed Media Fragments in a darker shade. I used Distress Markers to do this. 

Add Atomic Atomburst and Atomic Coordination paper to the inside front and back cover. 

That's all there is to making this quick and easy book. 

Great Stuff

Mixed Media Fragments Retro

Atomic Atomburst Digital Paper

Atomic Coordination Digital Paper

Dew Drops

7gypsies blank album

Acrylic paint

Tim Holtz Distress Markers

Beacon Adhesive

Don't be a bird brain (and watch out for homicidal parrots) By Betsy Skagen

I didn't know parrots were bullies until I created this little altered art project. Hopefully not all parrots are such big meanies, and these guys are just a bad lot.

As you can see, they convinced this dim-witted lass that she can fly--that's why she is precariously on the edge of the house, readying to launch herself into the air.

I wonder, is that yellow bird whispering in her ear telling her to stop or egging her on? (you did see what I did there, didn't you? Birds > Eggs = Giggle Snort.)

Tutorial--How to make the altered art bird brain house

Now that you have recovered from being dazzled by that pun, you can find out how to make this little project. Begin by assembling and gluing the Mini House Shadowbox 4. Ignore the torn finish on the shadowbox in the picture below. I had it temporarily held together with some tape and wasn't careful enough when I removed it. It makes no difference for our project.

This shadowbox is so sweet. It is only four inches tall! It would be perfect for little fairies, elves or your kid's pet night crawler (ewww).

Next, give it a quick coat of aqua paint. Don't worry about making this perfect as you want a distressed look.

Emboss the entire house with Verdigris Sparkle. Before setting the embossing powder with heat, intentionally swipe with a small cotton swab to remove some of the embossing.

After the embossing has set, add extra dimension by rubbing the edges with a brown ink pad.

Cut out the images you are going to use from your collage sheets. Then use a hot glue gun to adhere plastic greenery to the inside of the house.

Next adhere the background parrots.

Layer the rest of the birds, the nest and the girl. You can't see it because of the message, but I actually sliced open the nest to slide one of the girl's feet inside it.

Print out your message, ink it with tea dye distress ink and adhere it to the bottom of the box. 

Have you ever encountered any strange parrots in your life? I met a parrot at a Jewish-based post-hospital care facility that wished everyone a Merry Christmas and made loud catcalls to the elderly ladies.

I hope everyone has a fantastic Saturday. Make sure you stay away from any homicidal parrots!
--Betsy

Great Stuff

Mini House Shadowbox 4
A Trip to the Zoo #1
All About Birds
Plastic ferns
Hot glue gun
Ink jet printer
Tea Dye Distress Ink Pad
Vintage Photo Distress Ink Pad
Ranger Aqua Acrylic dabber
Verdigras Sparkle embossing powder

A Fun Fairy Door

Hello!!! Nichola here, with a wee fairy door project to share. Isn't it cute as buttons?!

To create this adorable fairy entrance I've used Gina's Fairy Door 'Deann', Faux Metal Number Plates and Keys & Plates Shape Set.

In this example I've used the stone door frame piece that comes with the Fairy Door as a stencil and applied a layer of spackling to give the texture of a stone doorway.

To create the illusion that the door is made of wooden planks, I've scored the chipboard with a stylus before painting. If you don't have a stylus, you could press very hard with a ball point pen to create the grooves. A light wash of dark paint allowed to seep into the impressed lines will emphasize the effect.

The 'hinges' are created by cutting a large keyhole in half, applying to the door and trimming.

Fairy doors are pretty dang adorable and an excellent way to include a bit of magic in your household. Be sure to get creative with them by adding a little plant, a welcome mat and other accessories... great curb appeal will be sure to entice the wee folk into your home ;)

Fairy Door 'Deann'
Faux Metal Number Plates
Keys & Plates Shape Set

Acrylic paint
Small metal brads
Spackling
Glue