Money, altered book style

This is an altered book (AB) about MONEY.  It was one of my most ambitious altered books and took me over a year to create.  It is also one of the most enjoyed altered books by people who have seen my ABs.  It has been handled a lot and scanned at least three times.  The second time I scanned it, I lost my computer and had no backup.  That will never happen again.  I had the AB posted on AlteredBookLover, but when I ran out of room a few years ago, I deleted all the photos and the descriptions.  I will never do that again, because once the photos are gone, they are gone from all blogs they are posted on that are associated with the same e-mail address.

You can see I have used a different account I created just to show this and my TIME AB, which some of you may already have seen.  Bleubeard and I are still around, though.  We appreciate that you have stopped by.  

I'm not sure how this is going to work, because I have never disabled "comments" before.  However, for continuity, the comments will only be shown at the very end of the AB.  So I ask that you hold your comments until you have seen the entire book.

For those of you who don't like using magazine images in your ABs, you will probably be disappointed.  Also, all the embellishments were created using whatever I had on hand, including several foreign coins.  

I know some of you believe I have a lot of toys (tools and supplies), but that is simply not the case.  I want to clear up that misconception.  My craft budget is sorely limited to what I can find at my Household Hazardous Waste Swap and Shop, at my favorite thrift store, in my neighbor's dumpster, or on the clearance table at Michael's.  I have been known to buy a few new items, though.  When I must buy something, I reach for coupons and never pay full price for anything. 

Now let's take a look at my MONEY AB.

 

As some of you may have read when I showed this on WOYWW one Wednesday, this AB was covered with a very stretchy and unruly tee shirt.  It seems the polymer clay piece I made for the front of the AB has broken, although it is still intact in this photo.

You can see I altered this book between 2006 and 2007.  This is the inside front cover.

On the left is a page I created using fabric, a used gift card, and a button all with a Christmas theme.  On the right is an image I cut from junk mail and a sentiment I wrote using a gold leafing pen.

Magazine images show I completed this in 2007.

As I was picking this up to scan it, I tore the book.  Although it is sewn, the continued wear and tear seem to have been a bit much for it.

More magazine images are complimented by a bandaids on the left and printing onto some of my handmade paper (hmp) on the right.

Several magazine images were used for this spread.

I managed to cut off the word "game" I made from letter stickers on the left page.

I noticed after I scanned this, the real, albeit outdated bank card had the same number on it as the one I'm now using.

This was an ad I got in the mail, then turned it

into a three page spread. I added little pigs, a bank vault, and some copper paint to the mix.

For the second time in not too long after I started scanning, I tore this book.  And yes, that is a real stone I added to the page.

Has anyone heard of the Dire Straits song (one of their most successful, in fact) "Money for nothing?"  I used the title, along with a part of the last line in each stanza: "for free" (without the chicks).   I printed the words out on some paper I spritzed, then carried the same paper onto the next page.  I included two Ozzy Osbourne bucks, as well as a couple of Asian coins and a faux US coin in the title.   On the right, I wrote a "Momism," which reads "Mom told me money doesn't grow on trees."

This magazine image on the left is actually an interactive page (see below).  Of course, you should get a chuckle out of Yuppie Chow, which I added to the scrapbook paper background using two types of masking tape.

By opening the overlay on the left, you see yet another image.  Both page titles were created using a Dymo label maker.

More scrapbook paper, a gift from my scrapping friend Kathy, a price tag, Dymo label for the sentiment, and a magazine image were used for the left side of this spread.  I wrapped a section of flower stems and leaves with faux money, then added leaves made of money for this spread that also included a sentiment and magazine image, along with a backing of green rice paper.

Instead of scanning the top of this two page spread, I must have gotten the bottom instead.  You can't see the page on the left held a two sided pamphlet that was held together using two brads at the top.  The crown I made for the guy (found in a magazine) on the right was some of my hand painted paper.

This two page spread went together quickly, since I cut a triangle and printed the words on my hmp for the left side, while I used a magazine image for the right side of the spread.

This spread might have been what I call "tip-in mentality."  Instead of side by side images, I created the two pages

back to back.  You can see where I pieced the two images together as shown to the right of the larger foot.  The sentiment was printed on my hmp.  A tape transfer was used to make the spread on the right.  I added sticker letters for the sentiment, along with some letters I stamped on some of my hmp.  Paint was splashed on the background.

Please continue to the next section.

I think I had more humor back in 2006-7, because I'm not sure I could come up with "I think I've been Quartered," or "Maybe I've been nickeled and dimed" again, although it sometimes feels that way.  I liked how I use the lovely lavender rice paper on the right which picked up some of the color from the magazine image.

A magazine image and computer generated text were all I used on this page.

This spread came from junk mail.

The city was digging in the parking area of my home and after they finished, I picked up these flags.  When I found the water faucet magazine image streaming money, I knew how I was going to use it.  I made up a fake monthly statement of utilities.  It's truly fake because I'm probably one of three people over 12 who doesn't own a cell phone.

On the left, I double matted two images, one of which I apparently cut off, under which I laid down some of my shaving cream paper background.  For the right side, I cut the HUGE head off the woman and placed a much smaller one on top.  I added some real (shredded) money I got when I visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, DC.  In fact, I used quite a bit of it in my MONEY AB.  Since the pig was so small and I made the gal's head so small, I named this "Perspective."

A couple more magazine images were placed over some of my shaving cream paper.  On the right, I added some text printed on my hmp.  I also included a piece of punchinella (sequin waste).

Magazine images, game pieces, computer generated text on hmp, a foreign coin, and coin wrappers were used on this page.

Another page of magazine images, game pieces, computer generated text on hmp, foreign coins, and coin wrappers completed this page.  My favorite image was the dress form on the right.  I included an ad for a business loan I received with my name on it.

When I first saw this spread, I thought it was upside down.  Just the word "money" I printed on hand painted paper was.  It was held on with a regular brass brad from a discount store (Big Lots for those of you who live in the States) that I dipped in embossing ink, then embossing powder and heated using needlenose pliers to hold the prongs because I knew it would get very hot.  More magazine images, computer generated text on hmp, a foreign coin, and coin wrappers were also added.  Gotta love those shorts from 1985!

I couldn't seem to use enough of these money images, because I had so many.  I spritzed some faux US bills with green ink and also used a "$" sign I got (along with a big bag of numbers) at the thrift store.

My friend Scott printed these eyes on his laser printer and I painted them.  I got several pages, which I used throughout this book.  The ink was perfect because it didn't bleed when I added paint to the page, then wiped some off.  I encased the faux bill in a plastic pocket (which I stapled in place), then circled the eye on the plastic.

The background of paint and paper was used in conjunction with a magazine image on the left, and a coin envelope I got in the mail, along with a foreign coin on the right.

I can't remember why I had so many of these same images, but I used three on this page, one of which I double matted.

I had considered making windows, since some of the images were reversed, but I decided to only make it "appear" to be a window.  On the right, I added a ribbon and also double matted the large image.  Sometimes simple is better.

On the left, you can barely see how lovely the gold in the background paper is.  I fussy cut the food basket and made the caption out of various sticker letters and foreign coins.  Where I got the scrabble tile, I'll never know, but it came in handy for "Rollin' in the dough!"  The caption,  "Paper or Plastic," printed on some hmp, came to mind when I first saw the magazine image on the right.

I used some left over hmp as a background for the "Coin Toss" I found in a magazine.  The background on the right was made using color washes, over which I added some shaving cream book text. 

I used the same technique on the dollar sign, although it was far too close to the background colors, so lost much of its importance.  The images on the right edge of the dollar sign are from an old tie I found in a friend's dumpster.  A piece of ribbon was run through the word "Money" for the right side of the spread.

The final three spreads are to be read as one.  I formed the words using 16 GA (heavy) gold wire to which I added a few hearts.  All images are from magazines.  It reads "Cash

In

Hand."  The final word was created using 22 GA wire, which was much easier to manipulate.

It's now time to progress to the next entries.

I burned all the matches in this pack with the exception of one, which I covered with gel medium.  Then I covered the match cover with computer generated text on my hmp.  I admit I used a lot more handmade paper back then than I do now.

Computer generated scrabble "Money," three buttons, magazine text, and the image were used on the left page.  Some faux coins, bit of scrapbook paper, and a magazine image make up the right page.

I double matted the left image, which I thought was clever (the image, that is).  Note how Bleubeard has tried to get to this book.  I'll show why in a minute or so.  On the right, I wove several colors and widths of ribbon and attached them to the page.  I then made a money rose, which has flattened over the years, and placed it in between the weaves.

I couldn't scan this pop-up page I collaged using a Numismatics catalog, sale stickers, hmp, and a piece of copper colored embossed paper.

Here is a closer view of the pop-ups.  I used cards from the game of Life I found at a garage sale.

I fell in love with the image on the left and felt I had to leave it just as it was.  I'm not much of one for political statements, but back in 2006, when I was working on this book, I was horrified to read about blood diamonds.  I cut these "diamonds" from cardstock, then swiped them with red pigment ink.   I called the spread"Blood Money," which is what I think of blood diamonds.

This is an attempt at making an origami dress from faux US currency.  I added the dice arms and a face from a magazine.  On the right, I made an angel, but no one sees it as an angel, even after I explain it.  The head is the round yellow piece, the body, which includes a rose, intersects the head, the foot is a coin, and the wings are the bill perpendicular to, and behind, the body.

I found this image (matted, on the right) in a magazine and translated it.  It was 13 Gold Coins, and I added the translation at the bottom of the right side "(A traditional Mexican wedding gift)."  I had just been given some colored paste, so added it using punchinella (sequin waste).

Pigs and piggy banks are quite popular, so I used several images from various magazines on these two pages.  I also added two British coins to the right side to simulate the pig looking in the mirror.

Magazine images and sticker letters were used on these two pages.  On the right, I used watercolor pencils for the background.

Doesn't every American love Ben?  I "heart" Ben to pieces, including the puzzle on the right. 

These two pages explain all about Ben!  If you want to see the text up close and personal, be sure to click for a better view.  In fact, all these pages enlarge.

From Ben to Lincoln.  Our smallest denomination is shown here.

Two magazine images were used on these two pages.  The caption on the left reads "Never invest your money in anything that eats or needs repairing."

This magazine image called my name, so I cut it out and added a my own background, which included the black spray stuff, although I can't remember what it's called.  I think I've used the entire can, which I found on a clearance rack many years ago.

Remember when I said I would show why Bleubeard wanted to investigate this AB?  I made the mistake of adding some chocolate coins to the spread.  Yes, he tried to dig the chocolate out after I had finished the book and set it on the floor of my living room.  When he did, I found the remains and set it on a table until the chocolate was so dry (and more than likely inedible) he had lost interest in it.  However, he caused a lot of problems in a single day.

The background of shaving cream paper was enough for these magazine images and wording.  Note the torn page on the left is the back of the chocolate coins.

This entire spread was created from a junk mail ad, with the exception of the weed eater string and plastic crab. 

This side reads "teach a man to fish and he'll retire in wealth."  The tag was from a magazine I mounted on cardstock and wrote "I'm hooked on cash" on the back.

This may be the only time I stamped in this book.  I  created the background using the direct to paper method of crumpling the paper after it was colored, then running black ink over the highlights.  Once again, please click on the page to get an up close look at this spread.

Magazine images and coin wrappers were used to create this page that was embellished using a tiny bit of coin ribbon a friend sent me.

And finally, magazine images were used along with green tissue and paint in this spread.

I hope you aren't bored.  Let's go to the next group of pages.