A time to see (student ABs that is)

I want to begin by pointing out, I still cannot leave comments on any blog with embedded text.  If you aren't sure what "embedded" is, simply look at how your comments are shown.  If you see the words "Add a comment," I can't leave you one.  If you see "Post a comment," it means your comments should come up in a new window or page.  If comments don't show below your post,  I can leave you a comment.  So, please be aware, I try every time to leave a comment, hoping against hope that Blogger will stop torturing me, especially in this time when so many blog hops are lasting an entire month.  It's simply NOT FAIR, because it's a BLOGGER issue, but ultimately it makes it MY issue, too.  

Now that I have that off my chest, these are the final entries from my students.  I hope you found them as creative and enjoyable as I did!

We'll begin in the order they came to me from the links, which I still can't see unless I use my Bing translator.  For the most part, I don't reference any specific lesson, although I do tell what lesson it is from (such as transfers, folded pages, etc).  You can find each lesson on my right sidebar.  They cover Lessons 11 (pockets) through 18 (student's choice), although there is some overlap as some of my previous lessons were used in conjunction with these lessons.  Please enjoy!

Dawn at Pesky Little Sister:

Dawn used recycled acetate from a box to create this pocket which held these cute creatures.

This pocket holds the first tag Dawn made for her first blog post.

Dawn did a far better job with her window than I did with mine!

Dawn set the bar high when she posted these folded pages.

They are definitely unique.

Not content with her lovely folded pockets, she added this spread

and made these tags to go along with it.

Dawn's windows

led to this decorated edge, which

led to this door.  Very clever use of space and lessons.

What could possibly hide behind this zipper?

The catch of the day, of course.

Dawn started with this fabric entry,

and finished with an homage to the remains of her favorite shoes.  I would want to keep at least a part of them, too.  This is gorgeous.

She used gesso to highlight the first of her image transfers,

then added this clever transfer entry.

and although she doesn't mention it as such,

this is a perfect example of interactive pages and decorative edges!!

Then she added a page she created from some of the techniques she had learned.  Well done, Dawn!!


Susan of Susan's Art and Inspiration, who is from the Netherlands and the only Susan now playing had these offerings:

She must have known I have a real love of cats, because she placed one behind her door which turned into a window!!

Susan created this fabric angel for Lesson 16.

Susan's decorative edges were created from buttons

she made.

But she didn't stop there, adding washi tape and handmade beads to a second set of pages.

Remember Susan's secret pocket from last week?  Those bottles are made using polymer clay, which is Lesson 17.

And finally, Susan's gorgeous pop-up, where she used pan pastels to color the book pages and the castle.  I bet she's on a cloud, just like that castle is in her clouds.


BJ from C Craft Corner:

BJ used autumn as the theme for her folded pages, which included this clever hidden tag,

her new Dymo label maker, and magazine images.  She thought the candles looked like they were being blown on when you turn the page.  I have to agree.  Great imagery, too.

BJ used a stocking image to display her zipper page.

When open, here is what you see: the true reason for the season.  Very well executed, too.

BJ's well thought out summer sunflowers

were the theme for her window,

which turned into the backdrop for

her decorative edges.  I can't figure out how she got all three images on one line, because I spent a long time trying to get them to line up.  One would always slip to the next line, no matter what I tried.  So, my hat goes off to BJ's mastery of blogger imagery. Sorry, I can't show the middle photo, which is a close up of her stitches.

BJ's Big Ben pop-up was perfect for her New Year's spread.

Here is BJ's sewn page with silver and red threads, along with red and silver beads.  This is great for her November page, which she said was fireworks.  Since I'm not from the UK, I have no idea how they celebrate with fireworks there.  None-the-less, her sewing skills are incredible and I am in awe of her fancy machine stitches and beading.

And finally, a page to round out BJ's book for February.  Beautifully executed BJ.


Elle of Elle in da Coop:

Elle worked on several books, and chose this one for her niche.  I apologize I'm late showing it.

Elle used her Leaves AB to make not just one window,

but two!

Elle's decorative edge was perfect for her leaf theme.

It was fun seeing what form those leaves would take, and these leaves are made of fabric.  Such fun.

Elle used a covered tin to bake her polymer clay leaves.

She contemplated using this embellishment on her book cover.

Finally, Elle showed her transfers, although she hadn't added them to her AB at the time she posted this entry.  Great job in taking on two books, Elle.


Debbie at Craftymoose Crafts:

Debbie combined hidden and shown pockets, along with her folded tag page she covered with her revised color wheel, all the while keeping with her "travels she has taken" theme.

The back of her color wheel was equally adorable, but the fun was in the Rat Pack "mice" photos.

A closer look at the tags shows the dice were actually buttons.

Showing symmetry,

Debbie took us to Alaska with her zipper spread, 

which included an Alaska zipper fob.

Debbie cleverly used images from various cruises to show what to expect

on an ocean voyage.

Her clever heavy cellophane windows did not show unless you looked

through them.

Can you guess what's behind Debbie's door?

The King (Debbie's idol), of course!

Debbie's decorative edge was inspired by the ceremonial button robes of Alaska and the Pacific northwest.
 

Straight from the Pacific northwest, we travel to tropical islands, where polymer clay hearts are featured in this spread.  I knew Debbie would enjoy this lesson, because she works with polymer clay.

Debbie combined fabric (the Lock) with polymer clay (the monster and rocks) to highlight her trip there.

Image transfers took on a life of their own in Debbie's capable hands.  This was a most impressive display of the students choice and an excellent use of image transfers.

Debbie also created a pop-up with a gladiator behind the Coliseum.  Way to go, Debbie.


Paula at Paulaexuk:

If you dropped by last week, you saw Paula's Christmas theme AB folded page, along with her hidden pocket.

What I didn't show last week is the rest of the folded page, and the one facing it. 

Paula's Christmas scones and table scene were the perfect backdrop for her zipper page.

Her use of the hand embossed copper sheet crown went well with the sentiment of Copper Candle Scone in red metal.

Paula used a gingerbread house to demonstrate her windows and (two) doors.  She even found ten Christmas greenery images to fit behind each of those icing laden windows.  Although she admitted she had to piece the house, found in a magazine, together, it is difficult to tell it has been pieced.  This was a great job.

Fabric took on a life of its own, when Paula added it along with snowflakes to her pages.

I couldn't believe she was able to stamp the berry border so flawlessly, as well as the "let it snow" in white ink and glossy accents on that fabric.  Even the sequin snowflakes were made of fabric (ribbon).

Paula got a bit carried away with her decorative borders.  She started with these beauties,

then added the gold doilies to disguise the back of the buttons.

This was the perfect compliment to her "cool color" page from Lesson 8, too.

One more decorative edge was also called for, in the shape of these leaves made from a found earring, then added to the page.  Paula colored the leaves using alcohol inks and gold acrylic paint.
 

For the lesson on polymer clay, Paula dipped her "Visit From Santa" stamp in pearl ex before stamping the clay.  The holly and berries at the top were treated similarly, but she enhanced the colors with felt tip pens.  She also embossed metal tape packages (along the bottom center) and colored them with alcohol inks.  

Paula had the same trouble with gel medium transfer I sometimes have.  I've had good luck with some gel medium transfers and no luck with other gel medium transfers.  I think it has to do a lot with the background or substrate.  But I'm sure she won't let that keep her from making more image transfers using a different method.

And finally, I leave you with Paula's pop-up, one of the cleverest I've seen. Way to go, Paula.


I apologize if I have missed anyone.  These are the students who completed this course (short of decorating their covers).  They have all made me extremely proud because they all did such a fantastic job taking the basics I taught and turning them into their own creations.

My philosophy is to teach the basics, what has been known to work, and what to avoid.  Then I show examples that should never look like what a student makes.  I don't sell any products, nor do I encourage students to use the same supplies and materials I use.  That is because much of what I make comes from found objects and cast offs.  I give basic tools, most of which the students have more of than I.  Having said all that, you can see how awesome all these books came together over the months, and how each person followed her theme and used her art skills to complete her book.  Thank you to all.

And those of you who started, I congratulate you, too.  The hardest part was taking the first step.  You now have the information (on my right sidebar), great student examples, two altered books I've made in the past (here and here), and I believe the skills to finish your books, too.

This is Day 18 of AEDM. Next week we will finish the altered book class after nearly 11 months.  I hope you've enjoyed the journey as much as I have.