Altering Your Pattern

Altering, that word just makes me happy - to make something unique or change it's use: I believe that is what every artist strives to do. With this month's challenge of altering your paper, let's just say it's been a good month! I tried to work with some older papers in my stash to see what I could create - I think this could keep many of us busy for a long time. hehe

It has been wonderful to see your ideas so far for altering your papers! Keep up the good work!

My first samples worked well in this layout - I wanted to have an organic feel to go along with the gardening theme. You can see the samples later in this post.

Of course, not really sure how each paper would turn out, I didn't get enough photos of the process so, I duplicated it on another paper for my step-by-step.
What do you think of the text on the photos? Is it distracting? Or does it work for you? These papers were from an old K&Co pad I bought when I first started scrapping. Do you remember Chocolate Neapolitan? I used it for several of my samples. (sorry for the red paint in the background on these pics - I was using a piece of freezer paper to protect my surface.)



I later added some gesso splatters - it adds a bit more contrast. On my layout using white cardstock and teal paint - I spritzed it with some gold glimmer mist after the paint was dry.





I love to use mists to alter my papers - Gayle talked about how she makes her own in her post earlier this month - I do mine the same way, except I don't add as much hairspray, I am sensitive to odors - even if it is unscented and I add dye ink from re-inkers to punch up the colors on some of them. We are going to have more on that coming soon.

I love this photo and created this for a challenge from Sassafras Lass. I was so thrilled to see they showed it on their blog on Friday!

Here is how I altered the paper under the photo:

I pressed this with my iron and it got really stiff - I guess the hairspray? So then, I wet it a bit and crumpled it to end up with this:


Now, just some samples I made for this tutorial:




And to close with a special challenge from me - post a picture of a paper you altered using any of the techniques this month and I'll send you: my before and after samples as a RAK - you have until the end of the month, so get altering! This is separate from the monthly RAKs. :-)

I've come up with an idea for altering paper using some simple digital tools that I'll share later this month so stay tuned.

Lucy