Vintage School Tip-In for Altered Swap

Another contribution to the Altered Book Tip-In Swap will leave my house on Tuesday.  I am enjoying this swap so much, I want to share it with others.  Our Tennessee Stampers' Yahoo Group will be starting a swap just like this one in January, so this is a little food for the swappers.  We all benefit from seeing examples of the project, so here is some more incentive for those of you hesitating to come on board with this fun swap.  This two-page spread is my part in the Inkyrangers Yahoo Group tip-in swap.  Particularly enjoyable is the ease in mailing each page, instead of packaging up a book and worrying that it will arrive without too much stress on the binding.  By controlling how a tip-in is installed in your own book, it will be in better shape at the end of the swap. 

My assigned person's theme this month is Vintage or Shabby Chic.  Having done an altered book a couple of months ago that had the theme of Good Ol' School Days, I had lots of supplies that made this a perfect addition to a Vintage/Shabby Chic altered book.    Up until this month, we have done regular tip-ins with decoration on both front and back of the page.  This month we had a choice. She chose to have a two-page spread this month. 

I chose a sheet of dictionary printed cardstock from my old stash of collage papers.  Distress Inks in Tea Dye and Vintage Photo were rubbed all around the edges and over much of the cream colored background paper.  Distress Stain in Tea Dye was added to the edges to give it an old stained look.  Torn papers from another collage collection were adhered to various areas on the spread after distressing the edges of each torn area. Stamps from Oxford Impressions "My Story" collection (now retired) were added to the page, and Rusty Hinge Distress Stain was rubbed haphazardly over one image in the center (Public School), and Scattered Straw Distress Stain was applied to the face of the boy.  Stormy Sky was used on his clothing.  I love the quick application from the Distress Stains.  Then my favorite in that collection, Picket Fence, was rubbed over several areas, toning down some of the vibrancy in several areas. 

And now, the most fun part for me is pulling out my dies and constructing some dimensional objects on the page.  The two string-closed envelopes are made from Tim Holtz's new Sizzix Movers and Shapers L Die Pocket Envelope.  They are cut from Kraft cardstock, perfect for this application, and distressed with the same ink colors used on the background plus Walnut Stain Distress ink.  From my collage stash, I pulled some little tag board printed frames and matching tag in a ruler theme.  Design Originals made these several years ago.   The tag is stapled to the top of the page with Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher, and the tag swings freely like a bookmark.  The frames decorate the front of the string-tie envelopes.  The apple basket and apple are from my button stash.  The little stamp shapes inside the frames are cut from a vintage school collection of papers by Graphic 45.  I filled in those frames with a coat of Ranger's Glossy Accents.

Detail--Little booklets inside string envelopes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always like to include a little "surprise" in altered books--a little reward for opening something that invites the viewer to explore.  Inside each of these envelopes are little booklets made from more of the Graphic 45 double-sided cardstock collection.  The edges of these were distressed as well.  The fun comes when each is opened.

Booklets Open

The booklet inside the envelope with A is for Apple on it contains an apple that is made with Inky Antics Honeypop paper and a Sizzix Originals apple die.  More items cut from the Graphic 45 collection are added to the inside.  The other booklet has another little booklet made from cardstock and two transparencies, one is of an old school book and the inside is a grading key for a math test.  The photo is a transparency of a class (or it could be the entire school).  Other elements inside this little booklet are from the same Graphic 45 collection.  I still have lots left over for scrapbooking school pages when my toddler granddaughters are old enough to go to school.

One more thing I did to this page:  Judikins' Paper Glaze is my "go-to" finish on lots of my work now.  I love the way it brings out the colors in stamped and colored images.  It adds a subtle sheen and protects the paper from fading, etc.  If I could only figure out how get it out of the jar and onto the projects without getting it under my fingernails, I would be a happy paper crafter!  (I guess I COULD use something and dip it out, but it takes a small amount, so just dipping my finger into the jar is enough for most cards.)  After rubbing it into the paper, I take a soft paper towel and rub off the excess, buffing it well.