Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Halloween brings out the tea in me

I'm starting this Halloween tea post with Assam tea at my library table. As you can see, I have gathered a few embellishments to add to my Halloween altered book.


As the tea steeps, I begin reminiscing over this book that I started in 2004 with a few tip-ins from a swap.


This tip-in above is especially important, because it came from my dear departed friend Gina Wise. It is the only tip-in made for a swap that I will show, other than a few I made myself, and one made especially for me. This was sent as a gift from Gina because whatever the swap was, I was not a part of the original players.


I sewed this plastic together and turned it into a pocket page.


Here I stamped a pumpkin using a foam stamp. I also added a slide holder that I covered with handmade paper and stuck some Halloween confetti behind a bit of organza.


Here I used several UNICEF boxes left over after collecting for UNICEF. Actually, I think this is from two different years, because I was quite involved with UNICEF back in the early 2000's.


I realize this is not much, but I wasn't much of an altered artist back in 2004. You can see I had very few supplies and tried to make due with what I had on hand.


To compliment the tip-ins I received, I decorated pages near the tip-ins. This is one I actually liked. Once again, I used my handmade paper, something I had an ample supply of when I was first getting started making altered art.


Tissue paper and a decorated brown paper bag on the right compliment the paint chip on the left. The tag pocket (also on the left) is highlighted with words about the "the day after Halloween."


A little filler called "In the pumpkin patch."


This is one of the houses I got in my Haunted Houses Halloween swap a few weeks ago. This one was created for me as the swap host by Dianne of Art Beneath the Cottonwoods. Several of these tip-ins were placed back to back, so you will see more than one tip-in in the picture. But, the one from Dianne, hand drawn and hand colored, is front and center.


All of the houses have now been added to this Halloween altered book, and I've started adding a few pages to complement the pages between the houses.


I have a few more pages to go before it is finished, and the cover to decorate, then I can call this book finished after seven years.


Now to finish my tea and continue decorating my still sparsely decorated Halloween home (not that my house is sparsely decorated, quite the opposite, it just doesn't have a lot of Halloween decorations).

Please join Kimmie and the rest of my tea friends today as I start a full week of daily tea drinking. It should be quite an adventure since I am a coffee gal from morning to night. Now I don't plan to give up coffee, but I do plan to drink tea every day. I have so much tea, I need to make a dent in my stash before I turn into one of those hoarders you see on TV. Wish me luck (and head on over to Kimmie's for more tea-ventures).

19 thoughtful remarks:

fairyrocks said...

Delightful halloween remeberance book. Thanks for sharing so much of.

Craftymoose Crafts said...

I really enjoyed your post and seeing your altered Halloween book--I would really like to try making one, perhaps with another theme. Going to go look for a book now!

Btw, do you have a favorite tea?

Yvonne said...

I love this! I had never heard of 'tip-ins'. I worked on a few altered books in RR's but would love to do some more. Happy tea day.

Nancy said...

What a great book and you have a lovely place to work and have your tea :)
Enjoy your whole T week :)

Dianne said...

Very cool book... Great concept, to have a continuing book for a holiday...

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

What a fun book filled with lots of memories. Will be great to go back through time and time again. Good luck with the tea destashing. We've got so much tea here -- from India, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Japan ... We all really need to drink it up. I need my two cups of morning coffee -- but usually drink a cup of tea or two in the afternoon. Hope your day is great. Tammy

~*~Patty S said...

Your book is filling nicely...and what a precious (even more than you knew at the time) tip in from dear Gina!
Love the last photo...it is so welcoming...beckoning actually the way the light is captured and all
Happy T to ya whether it's coffee or tea or :)
oxo

Terri Kahrs said...

By the time you've finished with this little book, it'll be a true treasure, Elizabth! Hugs, Terri xoxo

Unknown said...

It's always fun to look back and see our humble beginnings ... I enjoy going through my ATC collection sometimes too. What a special gift from Gina Wise. That was very kind of her ....

Happy Tuesday!

Dianne said...

fun to see how your Halloween book has evolved through the years...a nice surprise to see the haunted castle included here! glad you liked it. have fun finishing the book!

Unknown said...

I loved seeing this book and especially all the growth you've had since you started making art ( I LOVE the pumpkin patch, btw!) I have a drawer full of tip ins I exchanged with other art teachers that I've never done anything with- maybe you'll inspire me to put them all together :)

Darla said...

I'm impressed that you kept the book going all that time. You have quite a treasure and lots of memories there.

Darla

Bea said...

Can you be a tea hoarder? I would rather think of you as a tea collector. lol I have a lot of tea too. Going to a tea shop with a friend was a big mistake. I went nuts and bought all kinds of teas to sample. And, yet, this morning it's back to coffee.
Love the altered book. I haven't done one in years. They are fun, aren't they? :)Bea

Shelinwa said...

Hey there I just got your message sorry for the delay I will get it from Tammy.

Thanks

Healing Woman said...

Your creativity never ceases to amaze me. What a book!

Neet said...

I am late with my WOYWWing this week as I have been on holiday so just paying a visit to those I normally see. My oh my you have been busy and I love the idea of your book.
Enjoy your tea drinking. - Hugs, Neet x
ps would love to see Bleubeard on a posting.

thekathrynwheel said...

This post makes me wish I was sitting at your library table, altering a book and drinking tea with you :-)

voodoo vixen said...

OK... what happened to woyww this week? You sick? Hope not!! Love the idea that you have been doing this book for so many years and now it is nearly finished... gives me hope for some of the stuff I have started and not quite got back too!!

Halle said...

Fun altered book! So glad you shared it....