Tearing up books?

Tearing up books?

Hello there
Thanks for popping in!
Here we are Day 3 in France, and having a fine old time. 
Today we went to Hennebont and had a little mooch,
The sun was out when we got back, 
so we have been walking and talking non-stop!
While the others are over the way in the big house, 
making art and eating chocolate brownies, I thought I would slope off to our little house
(sleeps 4) 
to have a little chat to you, and show you what I did today.
Well actually, I noticed the others doing this trick yesterday, and it looked very interesting, so I thought I might have a go today, too.
See what you think…
First find a book you no longer want to read, that you are happy to cut up and deface. I must admit, this feels a trifle sacrilegious, so I asked Dave to donate one of his books!
He was more than happy to give me a book about the life and times of Van Morrison – mostly because the author’s critical opinion did not sit well with him. 
On the subject of books, there is one very popular book on my shelf well worth reading, NOT tearing up! My good friend, Nigel May, wrote his first novel last year, and is already ranked very high in the web book world. Now he is getting ready to launch his next novel ADDICTED. 
That impresses me. 
As somebody who wants to write a book, but hasn’t even figured out what to write about, it blows me away that my friend has not only done it – he’s now written the next one!
Cut out 3 hearts, different sizes, like so.
Then put them to one side.
We need 
some acrylic paint
Dob a small amount  of each colour on the Gelli Plate,
and then use your fingers, 
YES! 
your fingers to swirl the paint around!
I made 3, just in case…
Lay the 3 book hearts out as you would like to see them,
and glue them into place.
Outline the hearts with a charcoal pencil, 
both on the paper and off the edge.
Use your finger to smudge and shade.
Looks quite good when the hearts are shaded…
Design a layout with some stamps.
I used the Journaling Set and the 
I LOVE these stamps.
Using an Archival black ink pad, add a few images,
and then add the little squiggle border with a black micron pen.
There is a hidden message in mine. Can you see?
and as my Mum always says,
“A promise is a promise”.
So there we are. Inspired by Mandy, Maria and the ladies.
And inspired also by Nigel May. 
There are so many talented and clever people in this world!
Tomorrow is Market Day! 
Off to Josselin, to buy some more Gateau!
Here is a picture of Dee Paramour, with Paul Church in a headlock.
And all because of chocolate brownies….
Spot fag ash lil outside… (aka human spellchacker!) She’s not here. 
  much love,

57 thoughts on “Tearing up books?

  1. Morning Barb – laughed out loud at you going to Dave for a book rather than one of your own! love the grungy look and feel – love the idea of this – 'A promise I made to a friend' message….fab… it seems to me you are all having a ball – sharing ideas, exploring techniques and having loads of laughs – great bonding – superb and so lovely that you and others are sharing it with us back here in rainy blighty xxxx

  2. Looks like you are all having a great time. I must find myself some old books. Don't think hubby will donate any of his! This looks brilliant. Love to vibrant colours and mix of the acrylics. I always seem to get paint on me when using the Gelli Plate, so this is a good excuse. I can imagine my three (soon to be four) year old son would love this technique too! The smudging of the outline around the hearts works so well too, as does your border and your "I made a promise to a friend" message. x

  3. Wow I love it simple and effective with a lovely hidden message. I think I would have to be donated a book too! I'm not surprised about the headlock- fancy keeping a girl away from a chocolate brownie!!!! Have a great dat everyone. Love Diane

  4. Fab artwork, Simple but so effective. Your journalling set is really useful for adding finishing touches. Great to see you all having so much fun. The mini hobbit house looks tiny. Have fun today xx

  5. Another fabulous project. That French air must be doing you all good. I plan to have a craft day today and I might just have to get messy!

  6. I love this Barbara. Such a simple idea that looks really effective. Like the wording roubd the edge too – very arty. Glad ur all having fun – sounds fabulous. I have read Trinity and cant wait for Addicted to come out – go Nigel. Xxxx

  7. Fantastic to see you enjoying experimenting!!!!
    And to see the gang enjoying each others company! I am with you all in spirit and wish I could be there for real!
    Love and hugs to you all! Xxx

  8. Have to say I really do love this !! I have to wonder though if Sam's style is making you step out of your own comfort zone which has, it has to be said, been getting more diverse ever since the gelli plate discovery !! Enjoy what is remaining of your hols everyone xx

  9. Hi Barb,
    It certainly looks as though you are all having such fun. Mind you, I think you have sent the rain over here – it is absolutely foul here in Durham! Still, it is an excuse for me to go and play – as my chess wheelie and chessboard stencil have arrived, I might try to emulate your masterpiece of the other day! Love today's piece of art, right up my street as I always end up with paint all over me when I use the Gelli plate normally so I might as well use my finger! Did you titivate the canvas from yesterday, if so would love to see a picture of it. Have a great day. Love Alison xxx

  10. Oooooo fingers to smoosh the paint around, I like that idea. I have to admit to feeling a little stab to my heart whenever I see a book being used for crafting with. My sister keeps telling me to get over it and feel glad that they are being used for something. I don't know if she if right or not. If I did this one I would stamp some text and then cut the hearts out, much better for my book loving karma! Glad to see you are all having fun. Can't wait to see some of the art work you are all creating. XX

  11. Hi Barbara. Great to see all of you having a good time. Love the Hobbit house, I see transport is provided with it too 🙂 Great card today, I love your secret message, fab idea. I always love to see pages from books being used on other peoples work but I still can't bring myself to cut up a book myself! I am going to go to a charity shop and ask if they have any damaged ones that I will then be able to use without feeling guilty : ) I hope you get a good spot at the table! Take care.

  12. Glad you are all enjoying yourselves Barbara and the creative juices are flowing!
    Love today's card , I have an old book in my craft room that is half ripped to shreds !
    It beats buying paper with script on!!
    Have a great weekend,
    XxRuth

  13. Wow oh wow I am going to be smoothing paint with my fingers and cutting up some books. My lovely friend Linda gave me some old Childrens Encyclopedias to alter a little while ago, so I at least know what book I will use. Enjoy Market day, I love the Markets in France they are usually very good and the patisseries are just wonderful, just like a work of art to look at the colour and designs. The bakeries in the UK have a lot to learn from them. With the exception of the odd few.
    Denise x

  14. Hi Barb, looks like you are having a great time, love the little breakaway house, the pics of the group are really good. This card is fabulous, and love the hidden message. I know some people have a phobia about getting their fingers dirty, but I for one would love to smoosh paint around with my fingers, so this project goes on the to try list. Bx

  15. That's great, Barb. I love it!! I am a lifelong lover of books and do find it hard to cut them up. However, I have a book that someone wrote about Elvis and it's rubbish so I happily use that! I just pick about the little factual bits about Elvis rather than the nonsense! I am reusing paper that otherwise had no use!! Sounds like you are having and great time, Helen xxx

  16. I really like that technique with the gelli plate, must have a play later. Do love your sense of humour too, Barbara. A read of your blog is always guaranteed to start the day with inspiration, and a smile 🙂

  17. What a lovely idea Barbara. Please keep the ideas coming. My Gelli plate never seems to be put away nowadays. Only started using it about 3 weeks ago but I LOVE it.
    Love Val in Spain x

  18. It looks as though you're all having great fun over there in France, I can't think of anything better than a craft holiday. Love the modern look you've created by swirling the paint on the gelli plate. x

  19. Really love this image, grungy but quite beautiful. Haven't read Nigel's book must look it up and give it a go, he seems such a nice chap! You all appear to be having a fantastic time. Enjoy your trip to the market, French markets are super, shame we don't do it over here, I'm sure we could if we tried! Joan x

  20. Another great idea! Thankfully it's raining here too …..so I will be forced to play with my craft stuff, instead of gardening!!
    Keep having fun.:-)

  21. Love the messiness of this technique. I don't think I could tear up a book unless it was already in a poor condition, but I could adapt the technique to use some documents printed from the computer.

    Looks like you are all having a fantastic time and am so pleased that you are finding the time to still write your blog each day.

  22. Easy but really effective technique. Well, I say easy but I haven't tried doing it yet – perhaps you just make it look easy! Enjoy the gateau with a nice cup of tea. Pat x

  23. Love this idea – must have a go when my folks go back down south! Thanks for sharing – I so miss my crafty friends from the south – we often had get togethers and taught each other different techniques and ideas! Inverness is a bit far away to nip down for a crafty afternoon!!! Enjoy the rest of your time in France. Susan x

  24. Hi Barbara. Fab card. I have done something a bit like this before it's great fun. I must say yours is better.
    Looks like your all having a wonderful time Debra x

  25. Love that you used hubby's book lol! And I can tell you enjoyed getting your fingers in the paint too, three "just in case" my foot 🙂 great to see you all having such a good time. Maddy x

  26. Love this idea will give it a go today as it's grey and windy here, hope your weather is better. Looks like you are having fun !! Love the new club stamp as well this month so much potential and have just joined the stencil club so am officially a gold member yay xx

  27. Brilliant idea, looks very cool! My hubby buys crime books from charity shops and some are on their last legs so when they are falling to bits, I get them for guilt free crafting! Yummy brownies! xx

  28. Wonderful, and yes a promise is a promise ( Dave),!!! Lol the place your at looks amazing, good old France it's so pretty, & well done Mr May, must get his Book, thanks Barb, enjoy your Trip. Xxxx

  29. This is beautifully arty Barbara, but for me the icing on the cake is the squiggly line round the edge with the message in it. This trip looks a lot of fun and creative too. x

  30. You do look as if you all having a great time. Love the little house, so cute. Always difficult to spoil books so can understand your feelings on that one but the end result is amazing. I always told my children if I promised something then I would definitely do it and I stuck to that but was very careful before I actually said the word. They still keep me to it now. Well done to Nigel, must have a read of his book. I reckon you might get that book written one day, bet it will be a good one too. Lynne xx

  31. Barbara love the art work love the little house glad your all having a fabulous time .will have to look up Nigel's books once saw him on pointless he was very good got to the pointless final. Might give this ago with a book I don't like ,as I keep my books xxx

  32. Looks as though you're all having fun! I love this card and can't imagine why I never tried sticking my fingers into paint on the gelli plate!!! I seem to do it with everything else, whether intended or not. Will definitely give this a go. Thank you, Jan

  33. Never done finger painting in my life, so that would be a new experience. I would need water etc close at hand to cope with that, otherwise I might have two painted dogs as well. I was always taught to take great care of my books, but it was my Mum who wrecked most of mine in her later years. She would borrow them and bend them back and end up sitting on them, things that she would have been horrified by before then. However, it has left me with a few books that are unreadable, so maybe I could upcycle some of those. Love those bright happy colours. xx Maggie

  34. Very inspiring, I adore Nigel. I was so very lucky several years ago and got chosen to visit the studios, I met Steph, Nancy and Nigel among others. Everyone was awesome but Nigel was super amusing and warm.

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