Board Book with Canvas - Play

The cover to my 8" by 8" altered child board book. This all started with a piece of canvas I used as a worksheet piece of paper on my work table. When it became covered with paint I used bits and pieces of scrap text and fabric from other projects to glue or sew on it. I then added the fairy and girl images. Originally I was going to cut it up and make ATC's and 4 by 4's with it. However it seemed a shame to separate the little fairies so I made a book instead. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.



This is the first page to my altered board book. I used some of the same ideas throughout this little book. First each spread has canvas collaged images that are beaded and sewn. Each page was prepped the same with gesso and dress patterns. I picked a color theme that was dictated by the canvas - pinks, yellow and oranges.




Page two, which is actually the center of my book, is again like all the other pages gesso, then a dress pattern tissue glued on with gel and then paint, paper, etc. On this page I needed some different texture so I went with dyed cheese clothe.

I dye the cheese clothe by mixing acrylic paint and water in one of those small plastic deli containers with a lid. Make sure you mix the paint well with water. Then, wet your cheese clothe, wring out and put in container. Put the lid on and give it a shake. Let sit for awhile then remove cheese clothe and squeeze out moisture and let dry. I dry it on paper towels. You can use remaining paint water to dye fabric, lace, or even paper towels.

On my little fairy girls I sewed the canvas an added the beads before I attached them to the book. The buttons were an after thought so they are just glued on with gel medium.




This is the last page of my board book. I used a vintage embroidered handkerchief that was badly stained in one corner. I soaked it in yellow ink and dried it to take the really white out of it. I then laid it crosswise across the center of the book so that I would get most of the embroidered part in the book. Also my center was a little tacky looking and this covered it up well. Again, I used canvas panels that I painted, collaged and sewed on.