Speaking of fumes...CITRASOLV TECHNIQUE

This technique is super easy, super smelly, and can be super messy! LOL

First you need a bottle of CONCENTRATED Citrasolv. It is a natural cleaner/degreaser found in the grocery store or co-op food store. The one I found in my local food co-op smells like oranges. A 16 oz bottle was about $10 US. It also comes pre-diluted in a spray bottle BUT DON"T BUY IT, CUZ IT WON'T WORK. You have to have the CONCENTRATED formula.

Second you need a National Geographic magazine LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD. I don't know why, it's just what I read. Must have something to do with the inks?? GO OUTSIDE or SOMEWHERE WITH GOOD VENTILATIONPour some of the Citrasolv in a dish and use a paintbrush to spread it on the pages of the National Geo magazine. On the one I used I found it did NOT work on the cover or the first few and last few pages of ADS in the magazine. Just brush it on the front and back of all the nice COLORFUL pages. Leave it all closed up and let it sit for about 30 mins to 1 hour.

Check it after the first 30 minutes just to make sure it's still wet enough that the pages are not sticking together. Peel a couple pages apart and see if you like the result. When they are as you like rip them individually from the mag and lay them out to dry. I just laid mine all over my patio.When dry they are ready to use. You can't tell really well from my photos, but they'll have sort of a shimmery appearance. Very easy and very beautiful technique for backgrounds.

Mixed Media Altered Photo

My favorite city is San Francisco!! My heart beats faster, I smile bigger, and there's a spring in my step when I'm there. It's as if the city is alive and I can feel it beating and breathing through me. I don't think I'm conveying the feeling well - just making myself sound like I've inhaled too many paint fumes. Anway, if you DO "get it", you know the feeling I mean. For me, San Francisco is like "coming home". I've never lived there, but it just feels right. Austin, TX is the same, as well as Boston, MA. Whatever "it" is, I just can't get enough.

I needed some new photos for a Mixed Media Altered Photo ATC swap that is coming up soon. One of the criteria for the swap is that YOU have to take your own photos. The altering part is completely open to the artist's whim. All of the above photos were taken on a recent visit to SF.

After printing the pics I sanded them a bit, added some crackle texture, and added color with Silky Crayons. I then used some acrylic paint to make the circles and stamped the text with one of the cute little BonTon Bon-Bons word stamps.

Chunky Book Pages

These pages were made for a recent chunky book swap. I altered photos of doors & gates that I'd taken recently in San Francisco to turn them into a sepia tone. The backgrounds were done with Golden acrylics and Portfolio water soluble oil pastels. For the final touches I stamped the entire piece with a background "abc" stamp,then stamped the boy image, and last I wired beads to the eaves.

Recovering

I had carpal tunnel release surgery on my right hand at the beginning of April. The surgery was successful, but recovery time means no use of the hand for quite awhile. I'm past that now and have finally been able to CREATE!!

This Altered Paint Box project was inspired by an article titled "Rainbow in a Box" by Connie Govea Stuart in the May/June 2009 (Volume 13 Issue 3) issue of Somerset Studio.

I'm going to give it to the guy at Borders, here in Davis, who always rings us up (Justin). He's the one who told me about the article and he was SOOOOOOOOOO excited about this project.

Hope he likes it!!

Description: Citrasolv background, rubber stamp images, dye ink, Lumiere paint, Metal embellishment, faux gemstone, seaweed, metal coins, microbeads, glass crystals, doll arm (which has a little wire that can be used to hang the piece on the wall if desired. Justin and I are kindred spirits in that we have a "thing" for doll PARTS. I like the arms. YES, just arms. I have a little collection of them on my windowsill. DON'T LAUGH! IT HELPS KEEP THE NEIGHBOR KIDS FROM TORMENTING MY KITTIES WHILE THEY SUN ON THE WINDOWSILL. Justin likes the heads.)