Spring ~ Page 7 :: Altered Book :: As the Earth Turns

Ingredients:

acrylic gloss medium, white tissue paper, olive green F&W acrylic inks, Japanese maple leaves

Lessons Learned:

1) I have to remember to open the spread really deep into the gutter. If I glue something across the page, and the center crease doesn't go as far down into the center as it can, then this has a negative impact on the way the other pages around it open and close.

Process:

During the summer I made the paper that covers these two pages. This is how I did it: I took a piece of tissue paper and placed it on a piece of freezer wrap. I covered it with a coat of gloss acrylic medium. Then I placed the Japanese maple leaves that I had picked from my tree earlier in the day, and placed them on top of the wet tissue. After that I took a second piece of tissue, laid it on the freezer paper next to the leaf covered sheet, and covered it with medium. I gently, oh so gently, lifted up the second wet sheet of tissue, flipped it over, and placed it on top of the other one. I smoothed both sheets together, making a tissue-leaf sandwich and let it dry.

I did the same thing with flower petals, but by the next day, all the pink petals had turned brown. I was afraid the same thing would happen with the maple leaves, but it didn't. They look at good today as they did when I plucked them from the tree.

I painted the book pages with a wash of acrylic inks. Next, I cut this decorated paper to the size of my book's double page spread, and using acrylic medium again, glued it to the pages.

Reflections:

I'm afraid the loveliness of this page doesn't really show through in the picture on this page. I have to say that I was really surprised with how well the leaf paper turned out. I didn't dry the leaves at all, and I didn't think they'd last; however, it's been several months now, so I'm hopeful that they'll stay fresh-looking.

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