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!

Preparing for the Carnival Soiree!
There is so much to be done before the Carnival Soiree, everyone is working hard to get things done, Albious Woodsby and his crew are winding the carousel, check each light bulb and detailing the elaborate horses. Albious' assistant Laurel is adding a special symphony to the organ hidden deep inside the core of the carousel!


Sherman Collings is gilding Phoenix the Lion's Carriage and Oiling the wheels of Garrison Shubert's Carriage. Garrison is the Lion Tamer for the Big Top Show and Elsie Shubert is the Lioness for the Show and the Carnival Soiree Celebration!


Over in the French Quarter of the Fairgrounds, the Human Marionettes can be heard practicing their lines, while Daphne the Pixie Wizard is over at Sophie's Dress tent, modeling her new costume.

Last Years Carnival Queens are trying on Soiree Outfits, the Candy-ologist are crafting diamond gumballs and the game staff is adjusting the Carnival Games located in the Carlisle Pavillion.


While I am busy sewing some soiree gowns myself, made from the most rare of materials, I am making the carnival hats and crowns, so every guest who comes through the carnival gate can get one. For the virtual Carnival attendees I have a few surprises for you, which I will unveil on March 14, 2009. Just be prepared to have fun, play games, share carnival, circus or soiree stories, artwork, recipes, party tips, projects and magic. Plus throughout the day I will be having giveaways as well.


I'll see you at the soiree!
Magic and Joy!
Lisa!