Monday, August 9, 2010

Back to the begining

Time passes so quickly and now the summer is almost a memory. So here I am once again back at the beginning. Sometimes what really helps me to create is to get back to basics. They sometimes get blurred and a good review is just the cure.
I have had a small collection of antique books that I have had since I was a kid. We had a local antique shop within walking distance of where I lived. I would save my allowance and go to this store and buy antique books. For whatever reason they really held a fascination for me. I have had them with me for most of my life, and sadly they have been just sitting around collecting dust. So I was inspired by some paper beads I had seen and thought it would be fun to try to make them myself. Again going back to my childhood I used to make paper beads out of colorful magazines. Now as an adult I am doing the same thing but with a little different flair. I decided that those books had been on the shelf much too long and needed to become useful and given new life in my art work.

Several coatings of UTEE later and some colored embossing powder added to the ends. These paper beads take on a new form. The ultra thick embossing powder darkens the paper, and seals it leaving the bead with a glossy sheen. My books now come alive with color and are ready to be made into some sort of jewelry. Not bad for paper that is actually 102 years old! Perhaps now it will be around for another 102 years!

4 comments:

  1. What a great idea Lisa, with lots of potential! Looking forward to seeing what you do with them...

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  2. What a great idea. I like the look of them.

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  3. Being madly in love with print, I am so intrigued by this inspired idea of yours! I had to visit your etsy to view the finished product and those earrings NEED me to rehome a pair or 3 of them!

    I hopped over from blogfrog and am glad I did!

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  4. Thanks Intentional family. Ya know there is something about about the printed word that intrigues me. So glad you hopped over from blogfrog!Nice to meet you!

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