CSI: a really old altered book

This post is on autopilot scheduled. If all goes well, I am on autopilot at the Kansas State Fair. I'll be back tomorrow where I may appear to be on autopilot, but that won't actually be the case.

Way back in 2003, long before (OK, 2 years before) I started this blog, I hosted a CSI tip-in swap on my Yahoo group. I hope everyone knows that CSI stands for Crime Scene Investigation. Back then, CSI (a popular TV procedural in the States) was in its third year and the most watched American TV show since 2002. On our Yahoo group there was lots of discussion about mysteries, CSI investigations, and solving an imaginary murder. Although I can't show the other players' tip-ins which I have added to this folder, I will show the contributions I made to turn this into a fun altered book.

The fact that it took me over six months to complete this book stemmed from the fact that one of the players failed to follow the size requirements and made her pages 8.5 inches X 11 inches, which was double the size of the other tip-ins at 5.5 X 8.5 inches. This led me to rethink how I would preserve the pages of this book.



I started with a regular two pocket, three hole file folder


and after a great deal of searching at the various office supply stores, finally found the fasteners that I could glue to the folder. I think there are about 98 left in the box, if anyone needs one (grin).

On a serious note, when I started making altered art, all I had were magazine images, freebies my friends tossed my way, dumpster goodies, and my love of backgrounds.


I guess I forgot to mention, I had a sense of humor back then, too! Contents of page include magazine image, sticker, hand decorated paper.


Magazine images on card stock.



A friend gave me all these wonderful stickers that added so much to the magazine images and computer generated words.


This background was tissue paper.


I must have really liked this background technique since I used it quite often.


Tiny puzzle pieces added a bit of dimension to this page.


I had been given a bunch of cardboard circles, so I covered one with yellow copy paper and stamped the image. I added the Dymo label to add a bit of humor to the magazine image.


Quite the contrast! I had some very old photography magazines, along with some new photography and lab equipment magazines.


More of those circles and magazine images.


Tissue paper and paint were used for the background, while magazine image and words completed the page.


I tore this page trying to bend it so I could scan it. It was at that time I decided I had to remove the pages from the folder if I didn't want them to tear.


Just another example of why I hate my handwriting. On the other hand, I really love my handmade paper I used for these two backgrounds above.


For the life of me, I can't figure out what this background is. It feels like about six layers of paper and maybe a layer of wax paper. Whatever it is, it is thick and heavy.



Again, I'm not sure what the center background mat is made of, but I know I made it, probably from ink or paint. In a way, it feels like felt.


Another reason why I don't like my own handwriting. The caption reads "Could this be our suspect?" I free form cut the angel from a book page, then added the "embellishments."


For this page, the background and the foreground were the same. I used Caution tape sent me by a friend.


I can't believe I was making those grungy backgrounds back in 2003, but paint was one thing I had plenty of back then. The puzzle pieces are actually magazine images.


Another grungy background was used for this magazine image.


I used a napkin and various magazine images for this page.


I used a portion of a real target on this piece in which the left side is scrapbook paper covered with vellum.


This page was just a bunch of hats and letters, many of them printed on my handmade paper.


I had some rice paper and didn't really know how to use it. I paired it with the red fingerprint and the 911. These last two pages are not all that great, and may be why I've never added them to my folder.


This was my tip-in. Instead of adding it to the folder as I did the other players' tip-ins, I made holes in the top and wove the tip-in through the metal fastener. I used a real bullet casing, as well as a real syringe (never used) my neighbor gave me left over from giving medicine to her cat on each of my tip-ins (I'm not certain that sentence made sense). I took some tiny vials that had no cork or lid and glued a syringe into each vial. I poured some glue that dried clear in the vials along with a tiny bit of red paint. The back side of each tip-in documents the evidence and displays my name and vital statistics.

As you can see, my art has changed mostly based on new materials and techniques I have used. However, when I went through this CSI folder, I was quite happy with the results, even if the pages and the techniques were over eight years old. I just hope I can be this happy with my art in the next eight years. But for now, I'm off to the fair.