Altered Art Circus Projects, Sneak Peak!
Altered Art Circus By Lisa Kettell, Quarry Books is a book filled with artful magic. Its not your A-typical art and crafts book, there is a lot more to it. Each project inside the book tells an actual fact or is accompanied by a story, a story of magic, whimsy, a story which takes you on a journey into your imagination.

The projects are simple and easy to complete, try them out with your children, your friends, family or make some of these projects for yourself, each one can be made simple or elaborate, there are no rules. I choose these projects as a way to spark your imagination and creativity, I didn't want projects that you would be afraid to try or had to go out and buy expensive materials for, you can recycle items around your home or pieces from left over projects to make these.


I include simple age and distress techniques/recipes using coffee, cocoa and tea, all items that can be found around your house including liquid starch and bleach.
Even old or recycled books, piano papers, newspaper and scrapbook papers, all inexpensive and easy to find. Recycling is good for the environment, perfect to teach children and costs nothing, I am a huge advocate of recycling and do everything I can to recycle.

Some of Lisa's Recycle Checklist include: Bottles, Jars, perfume bottles, Garden paper cups (peet pots), cigar boxes, books, ephemera and doll parts. The jars are used for captured glass fairies and scenes. The bottles for dolls and decorate, books for altered books, assemblages and for scrap.

To the experienced artist my book is perfect for inspiration, applies great techniques and brings you back to a not so serious world, a place we found in our childhood but might have lost as an adult, like trying to re-locate wonderland again.

Some of my favorite projects are the circus toys, the circus carts and the glass scenes. I'd love to know what your favorite projects in the book are? How have you used one of my projects or ideas in your work? I'm currently working on new project variations from the book. Example, replacing the paper doll in the Princess and the Pea Project with one of my handmade clay dolls and parts.

I'm creating other circus animal toys using hippos, birds and elephants, incorporating wizard and fairy themes to them, I'm creating newer circus cart assemblage examples, one is Ollie The Wizard which I blogged about a few days ago. For Ollie, if I wanted to turn him into a circus cart, I'd just add wheels and some ephemera.

The Jar projects are perfect projects to incorporate into party and favor ideas for weddings, showers and birthdays. Replace images with ones of your loved one(s) and personalize it, so many ideas.

I hope you enjoyed a sneak peak into some of the projects from my book and the new variations of them that I continue to create.


Magic and Joy,
Lisa!

Meet the Storybook Toys, Friends of the Charlottes!
Pictured are: Violette, Bluebelle, Taffy, Pippie, Piccadilly and Percy!Each Doll is hand sculpted, (no molds), painted, felted, glittered and brought to life w/ a variety of techniques, each started with an illustration! These dolls are apart of my new illustrated doll line.
Now available on Etsy at http://www.moonfaires.etsy.com/
or click on the direct link to their listing at:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29165141
In my Etsy Store you will be able to pick which style doll you want and it will be handmade and assembled for you, all one of a kind.If there is a specific toy wood block base you'd like, I will do my best to accomondate you!For your doll you must pick between these styles: A. Violette B. Bluebelle C. Taffy D. Pippie E. Piccadilly F. Percy. Then your doll will be handcrafted and mailed off to you safe and sound. Each doll w/their toy block measures between 5 1/2 inches to 6 inches tall.The dolls are available and custom dolls as well!Magic and Joy!Lisa!

Their Story:
A whimsical symphony of music can be heard in the faint distance, as you walk closer it becomes more profound, sending delightful chills through you. Now just a short distance away the smell of chocolate, candy apples and cotton candy have filled the air, flickering lights in colors of the rainbow can be seen over head, the pitter patter of footsteps abound. Birds with pointy hats can be see flying overhead followed by racing dragonflies and Charlotte Flying Muses.

"Where is that red and white striped gate?", you have just asked yourself outload, then a little voice replies, "Straight ahead bare a quick left by the grand oak tree"
You turn to find a tiny chick who introduces himself as Piccadilly, an enchanting chick with a tinsel hat. After a grateful sentiment, you proceed ahead, bare a quick left at the grand oak tree and voila there it is, The red and white gate!

This is an enormous sized wooden gate with 2 pink column turret structures attached to it, followed by a line of giant bushes, to thick to pass through. The sign on the gate reads: "Ring Bell, To Enter", Once you ring the bell, the door slowly opens, revealing more and more glimmers of light and amusement.

Within minutes the gate opens to reveal the most magical, the most enchanting, the most amazing site to lay upon the eyes, a feast of pure imagination begins to surround you as you enter this most mystifying place. A Carnival, A Toyland, Storybook Land, A Fairyland, what else could you call it? Wizards of every kind, fairies, carnival-ites, real life dolls, charlottes and toys. "Could that be Pinoccio walking with a Princess?" "Is that a pool of mer-chicks frolicking around in the water?" As you walk by, you come across the most fabulous carousel ever seen with gilded golds, pinks, aquas, every color of a cupcake palette, with beautiful storybook characters gracing its floors, did I mention it is a three tier carousel!

Just around the corner from the carousel is The Magic Toy and Apothecary Shoppe, owned and operated by Percy Withermoore who also owns The Percy Withermoore Circus!
One glimpse through the large framed windows, one can see rustic shelves lined w/colorful bottles in odd shapes and sizes, ornate handmade toys and special goodies, a feast for the eyes.

In the garden of Mysterious Delights located on the outskirts of Storybook Land, is filled with secrets labrinyths, and tunnels, which lead to many other areas of Fairyland, including the Land of Charlottes, who are close friends with the Storybook Toys and Friends, One day if you come across a flickering light caused by a sweet chick, ask him or her the way to Storybook Land!

Altered Art Circus, Previews, Guest Artists!

Hello All,
As of tommorrow, the official release of the book is out, Feb.1, 2009, but for many, it has already been available, for you to buy and enjoy! The best part of this whole experience is being able to share it with the you and the wonderful and talented guest artists who are involved with it, each of them are truly talented, their works bring magic to my day, everyday.

Here are some previews of the projects in the book:



Here are the wonderful guest artists in the book, who have made this book so much more special! Love them all!

Wanda Eash http://craftymule.blogspot.com/
Gina Smith http://lillysoflondonish.blogspot.com/
Eileen Grobeck http://cheeseclothmoon.wordpress.com/
Amanda Howard http://www.maygreen-fairies.blogspot.com/
Ann-Denise Anderson
http://whimandfancydesigns.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Hayslip http://sweeteyecandycreations.typepad.com/
Lori Karla http://www.lollishops.com/faeriewindow
Debrina Pratt http://whimsicalworldoffairies.blogspot.com/
Izabella Pierce http://izabella.typepad.com/
Laurie Duncan http://happy-as-a-lark-designs.blogspot.com/
Marla Tomlinson http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5181545
Alejandra Pliegro, Sandra Koterba
Buy at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592534872 Border Books, Barnes and Noble, Target Online, Your Favorite Art, Craft Site, Bookstore or soon through Me!

Altered Art Circus, Quarry Books, Lisa Kettell, Now Available!


Hi All,

My new book:Altered Art Circus, Quarry Books, came in the mail 2 months early, due to the amount of sold advance copies!

Thank You All who are supporting my works. The book is now available! Look for my book signings, tv appearances, workshops, products and more this year.

Here is a scan of the cover and back cover, the cool thing is the lettering is in a metallic pink/violet color emboss, its beautiful! LOL, I think so! The Best Christmas Present I could receive this year! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Filled with my magical storytelling before each project and/or chapter, filled with real facts, artful techniques/tips/tricks and project variations, Loads of Projects for every level or crafter, artist and designer, create for kids, family, friends or yourself.

There is a contributing guest artist photo gallery in the back with wonderful artists, and several pages of collage images to make many of the projects in the book.

There is loads of artful eye candy here, so pick up a copy, sit in your fave chair or couch and prepare for a magical adventure into my world!

XO!
Lisa!

Visit The wonderful review by Teresa McFayden: http://teresamcfayden.typepad.com/minutia/2008/12/bring-on-the-color.html
Visit Gina Smith's Wonderful Post at:
http://lillysoflondonish.blogspot.com/
Visit Mandy (MayGreen Fairies) Post at:
http://www.maygreen-fairies.blogspot.com/
Visit Laurie (Bewitched Magic) Post at:
http://happy-as-a-lark-designs.blogspot.com/