I finished up my acrylic album over the weekend (save for some journaling that needs to be added) that I started at Inspired (cool slide show, Paolo!).
The cover is something is a graphite transfer I did in Kal’s class, over the top of one of my favorite photos (the same one I made into a tape transfer on the page that says, "Hopeful.")
Totally took Ali’s idea of incorporating stuff from the event itself. That kind of thinking rarely finds a home in my brain. If it’s not in the handout, well, then hellO, it so does NOT belong in the same room as me. But a funny thing happened as I worked on this album: I felt moderately adventurous.
What I mean to say is that as a designer, especially in my work for the magazine in publication design, I have a very carefully controlled way to approach any given project. I am of the belief that in publication design, it’s all about how to communicate the information in the most direct way possible, lest you create chaos. (pronounced, just for fun, as "chowce")
And don’t get me wrong, I still have issues with tilting and believe that good design is essentially balanced and linear, but… I did feel just a tiny bit out of the box for me.
And I realize that my "out of the box" might look like your "anal retentive freak of nature."
But go with me for a minute here.
I mean, tape transfers and alcohol ink, y’all. It’s like I got really, really drunk and now, can’t really remember what I did the night before, but, I woke up feeling like I did something I could regret, but that it was likely very worth it.
I love when that happens.
The lack of regret, that is. Not the super drunk, hangover part.
Love,
Cathy
Materials
(not a complete list, and a lot of this product wasn’t part of the actual class,but for those who need to know)
•Tim Holtz Adirondack Inks in Lettuce, and Denim
•Scenic Route ruled patterned paper
•Tiny Alphas in black from Making Memories.
•Rub ons from Luxe (these heart rub-ons are SUPER lushous!)
•7gypsies’ ATC Inserts 97% Complete (i just cute off the tab parts and used them as journaling cards throughout.)
•Big Timber Line Technique Tuesday stamps (an old stand-by fave!)
•Heidi Swapp Damask stickers and block alphas, that I can’t find a link to. Anyone? I love those stickers, too.
•Other patterned paper is by My Mind’s Eye and I used Prismacolor Premier colored pencils to color in some of the stamped letters and some of the rub ons (also called Pencil Crayons in an earlier post.) That’s what cute Kal calls, ’em. Maybe it’s a Canadian thing?)
Jaana says
“Pencil crayons” is most absolutely a Canadian thing.
I love your album, especially the alcohol inks and tape transfers (which I have never tried myself and am now very interested in thinking about trying…
Happy Monday, from the snowy (grr) white North!
Michelle says
I totally love your album Cathy – you are pushing me to finish mine. Gotta do it – thanks for the kick! Another one of those Canadian girls.
Janet says
Love how you “colored outside the lines”, if only for a little while. As wonderful as this project is, personally, I hope you never start tilting b/c that would mean that I would have to start tilt, too. And that would paralyze me with fear. 🙂
kal barteski says
OUI! Yes!
Canadian = pencil crayons
Yankee = colored pencils
The pencil crayons from our Inspired class (and the only brand I will use) are Prismacolor Premiers. Available everywhere. Buy two whites. You will need them.
Cathy – you rocked it. I love it all. It’s awesome and it totally resonates your fingerprints. THAT’s what makes it worth it.
Woot!
Debbie says
I’m very proud of you. From one non-tilter to another. Good stuff.
Nadia says
totally love your book, eh? yup, canada here…great white frickin’ north. totally covered in snow and your post made me think that perhaps I should pull out my “life is beautiful” and finish er up. ciao baby!
Tracy B (in Alberta) says
Yup they are pencil crayons — just in case the comments above didn’t convince you. And yes it is the great white frickin north here today, the snow was totally gone, and now there is at least 6 inches of it and it’s blowing.
Cathy, I loved the picture of Adian squinting at the sun and your comment on it…to funny and sad that we don’t really know that the sun HEATS the earth.
gitz says
Umm… you are a freaking out of the box artist trying to break out of the anal retentive shell! Amazing stuff. Seriously. The best part is that you can pull of clean lines and obviously can pull off all the artsy-fartsy stuff. You’re cooler than you even know…
🙂
jennifer says
cathy, you rock. seriously. i couldn’t wait until you posted this b/c i kept hearing everyone at inspired talking about how cathy actually got dirty with the product. hmmmm.
anyway, loved meeting you at the workshop. remember me? just kidding, i’m sure your head was swimming with all your adoring fans.
thanks for sharing.
jen
Keely says
love, love, love the album! and that pic of aiden with the hair in her eyes is gorgeous!!
Lori Salyer Hudson says
Graphic design and tilting? Most of my clients are hotels and theme parks and tilted pictures are in the contract! Album looks great! I wanted to mine just like Tena’s because I liked it that way, but maybe I will add some stuff.
ronni H says
Cathy, I wish you were here. I’d pour ya a Timmie’s and we’d totally dish. (Cause apparently all us Canucks need to tell ya how cool we think you are. And yes, we have a ton of snow still here. *sigh*) And I’d slobber all over you, tellin’ ya just how cool you are. You made me laugh so hard today, I nearly peed, and that is so not a good thing to do at work.
ronni H says
Cathy, I wish you were here. I’d pour ya a Timmie’s and we’d totally dish. (Cause apparently all us Canucks need to tell ya how cool we think you are. And yes, we have a ton of snow still here. *sigh*) And I’d slobber all over you, tellin’ ya just how cool you are. You made me laugh so hard today, I nearly peed, and that is so not a good thing to do at work.
katie scott says
awesome (i still need to go back & finish some stuff)
Rebecca G. says
Absolutely adore your book. When I saw Ali’s book on her blog, I decided that I also wanted to incorporate my art from the event into my book. Great idea, huh?
Oh, and is Dan grabbing your boob in that photo, or what? LOL! Too funny…
Molly says
Your “out of the box” is what I call FANTASTIC. This little collection of lovely pieces is just wonderful. You did them as seperate projects, yet they feel together. They are all some version or part of your head + heart. I love this. Thank you so much for showing it today.
sue Treiber says
it totally 100% rocks.
Lisa says
Um, wasn’t your daughter a little kid like 5 minutes ago? She has turned into a beautiful young lady. Gorgeous book.
Lauren says
I always think Cole looks so much like Dan, but on this one up-close shot, he looks a LOT like his mama…Aidan is so grown up. Wow! Time marches on.
tena Sprenger says
ok….. you busted some seriously artful moves on this album, most definitely even beyond jiggy per your previous post! Inspired most definitely was an event of shared creative inspiration… after looking at Ali’s book and yours…. I think I gotta make another book that has some more funky stuff it, I will be arming myself with some yankee colored pencils for sure! You slay me… loved your getting drunk analogy for your experimental use of art supplies! You are more versatile than you evah knew. tena
Nicola says
I realise I’m showing my ignorance here, but how did you get colour into the word beautiful on the cover? Is that paint or ink? Surely it’s not coloured pencil on acrylic?
Rose says
OMG!! You so cut lose on this and it is totally beautiful and still you all at the same time. How did you do that?? OHH I can see it now you are so gonna get bit by the altered art bug and you will rock it like only you can!
Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Rose
Kelli says
Love the album. Anal or not!
Traci in Virginia says
Cathy-
I love your album. Very cool. Do you have a site we can link to that explains how to do tape transfer? Like yourself, that would be very out of the box for me…I don’t tilt photos much either, but would love to try this technique b/c it looks very cool! Thanks for sharing your photos!
Anne Marie says
Who makes that clear album? I love it! You did a great job!!
Sue in Grapevine says
brava! for trying something new.
I would very much love to have the tag templates for the months of june & july. Might this be possible?
My DD is doing summer school in Paris & I would like to send her w/a tag book to use as a journal while she’s there & to take apart & use for SB journalling when she returns.
Merci d’avance!
Is there a better way to contact you than this? Couldn’t find an email address on the blog.
HEidi says
Love this. I just purchased a clear acrylic album and really appreciate your ideas. So thanks!
HEidi says
Love this. I just purchased a clear acrylic album and really appreciate your ideas. So thanks!
Keisha says
Love the album. I knew that boob-grab shot would come up in a finished product. Nice!
Julia says
OMG, Cathy, you make me laugh so much! I’m mostly a linear kind of gal myself, so I totally get how out of the box this is for you. I love your album. It’s a bit less “out there” than some of the others I’ve seen, and that makes it more appealing to me. Maybe even I could do some of this stuff! YOu made my day!
Heidi in Edmonton, Alberta Canada says
I’m posting because I think it will create a greater % of posts in your Comments from here in Canada 😉 (OK, so technically I’m an American living north of the border.) And yes, the first time my Canadian husband said “pencil crayons” I laughed for about 5 minutes before asking him “what??” And then he busted out “washroom” and some other Cdn lingo 🙂 🙂 And you’ll note all the comments from Canada are mentioning snow…plenty of snow here in the Great White North. Winter’s last freaking hoorah.
Oh ya, love the book. Sahweeeet.
P.S. Should I admit that I haven’t tried tape transfer (from your previous post) either? It scares me 🙂 Maybe I’ll get jiggy w/ it this week 😉
Louise says
Another graphic freak here who has never really uesd a technique in her scrapbooking life !
Great Album, like the transfer tape, wonderful effect.
Pencil crayons in the UK too !
Tonja Trump says
I think it looks absolutely mahvelous! Thanks for sharing and posting the materials list too.
Christine Villacarlos says
you rocked that project, Cathy! i love it!!
Glee Scrap says
Way to go, Baby! You are one CREATIVE Mama! Rock on….
alyssa says
Acrylic albums rock! Especially yours. This is so cool… Can’t wait to get my greedy little fingers on one of these. Thanks for sharing!
Pam Gerdes says
Great album! I have yet to finish mine although there is a tape transfer in there already just waiting for me to do something else with it. Soon as I did those I thought “Oh that has to go in the acrylic album it’s so transparent!” And now seeing yours and Ali’s I have to add some pencil crayon and graphite transfer too I think. Very fun!
Pam
Robin says
Cathy,
It is so good to see you out of your box. Being a like linear soul, you have so made me want to create something new (to me anyway). I am enjoying watching you get some kind of a n art creative bug. I have missed it.
Robin
Jodee says
Cathy you always make me laugh and this post was over the top! Love your album, love it that you were out of your box, love it all. I must share with you because I just about spit out my water when reading, and because it means a lot to me. I have a very close friend, and this close friend and I share a personal joke of using the word chaos pronounced ‘chowce’! It has been going on for a long time and we still laugh our asses off at each other! I thought we were the only crazy ones who said it that way! Maybe it’s a “midwest” thing. (I’m from Iowa.) Thanks so much for bringing up a good memory and giving me a good laugh!
cindy b says
Cathy,
I just gotta say that DAMN!!!.. for someone who is so ‘linear’ you sure did an awesome ..OMG – youactually went outofthebox ROCKIN’ album!@#(*@#*( LOVE it!! peace and blessings, Cindy