Saturday 25 May 2013

For the love of reading

Hello everyone and happy Saturday to you all. A very warm welcome specially to new followers, thanks so much for joining me here.
Today I am showing three bookmarks I made with the help of wonderful images from Nicecrane Designs
After crafting and messing about with paper and paints, reading is probably my most favourite past time, and at anyone time I will always have a number of books on the go, so I'm always looking for more bookmarks.
I made some not that long ago here, but someone bought them, so I was delighted when Ignacio, Nicecranes wonderful designer created some new book marks. You can find them HERE.
The way they are designed you could just print them straight onto card, cut them out and be done with it, because they are all beautifully digitally matted already, but me being me, I wanted to play with them a bit more.
For each of them I created a couple of mats, one of plain card painted with two colours of acrylic paint with a layer of crackle glaze in between (hard to see on the photos) and one of matching card stock. I then mounted them onto craft card, which had been stamped, embossed and inked first. The embellishment on the one above was a Spellbinder die cut from thin metal send to me as a RAK by my wonderful blog friend Cathy. The piece I used for this was bright green, - I painted it with Antique Linen Distress Paint and then went over it with Juniper and Stonewashed Alcohol Inks. The central bit is a decorative brad, also dabbed a bit with the inks plus some Baroque Art gilders paste.
Number two was created in a very similar way, only this time I used a brass filigree bit at the top rubbed over with some of the Gilders Paste. The little heart at the bottom was wood, treated with Copper Mixative and Pitch Black Alcohol Inks.


And finally, Number three, very similar to number one, just different colours:

There is still a 4th image in the pack, as of course the wonderful images Nicecrane used came originally from the famous Four Seasons paintings by Alphonse Mucha, but I reckoned three bookmarks was enough for the time being.

Anyway hope you liked them, and thank you so much for visiting.
Have a great weekend!!

35 comments:

artwolf2009 said...

very elegant and beautiful, love the tiny details you have added

Paula Whittaker said...

gorgeous...they're far too nice to hide between the pages of a book!

Brenda Brown said...

Beautiful. By adding those little embellishments and the textures you have finished them off perfectly.
hugs {brenda} x0x

Anonymous said...

Beautiful book marks Astrid, love the addition of the metal embellishments and the images are, as you say, gorgeous ! Sue C x

Maryann Laursen said...

Gorgeous bookmarks here Astrid. I love the vintage look and the colors are amazing as is all the small different details on each of them, just beautiful work in every corner.
Have a wonderful week-end and thanks for all your great inspiration here always.

Marianne said...

I have always been a great fan of Mucha and had these images on my PC allready, but I love the way you have used them. These tags are really stunning!!!
xxx Marianne

Rita said...

Gorgeous bookmarks Astrid. Those images are so nice and the colours look divine. Hugs Rita xxx

maria's knutselplezier said...

Like them, I just love them they are so beautiful , lovet the images , love the way you made the backgrounds, and the details are fantastic!!!Great tags!!!

Greetings
Maria

Ros Crawford said...

How very lovely these are ... I love the filigree such a wonderful touch

Words and Pictures said...

Oh, lovely, Astrid! Beautiful enhancement of those already wonderful images - your matted layers and added filigree pieces are all simply gorgeous.
Alison x

Unknown said...

reading and crafting is my me time. love these so beautifully done and the colors are to die for.
tfs..........
milissa

Martina said...

What beautiful bookmarks, dear Astrid! I love the Art Nouveau motifs! Really great.
Have a nice weekend my friend.

Debbie Brackett said...

Beautiful tags, as usual. I really like that you added dimension but not so much that the bookmark would not let the book close. Great job!

Anne (cornucopia) said...

These are beautiful!

Unknown said...

Lovely Astrid! As you say you could just print them out on card but what would you have a picture? You have made creations that would be special to keep!!

Crafty Hugs
Heather xx

Unknown said...

Love them!! They turned out beautifully!!!

Happy Crafting,
Tracie

Redanne said...

Astrid, these are so very beautiful and dare I say it - too nice to be buried away in books! The images are gorgeous but you have enhanced them to another level with your wonderful embellishments. Hugs, Anne x

Dianne said...

I agree with Anne too,to GORGEOUS to hide in a book nope not these works of art, I too am a faithful reader and have some lovely bookmarks from a swap but I never use them to lovley, crazy but I can't :). The background you created are very fitting for those art images,thanks for sharing these beauties Astrid and hope you are having a great weekend..

Netty said...

The designs are nice but its your embellishments that make them special. Annette x

Anna said...

Great job! Your bookmarks are adorable!

Margie said...

These are all lovely Astrid and I hope you get to keep them for yourself. Margie x

Dorthe said...

They are so wonderful - Mucha is fantastic,-but what you did with them makes them something totally special,dear Astrid!
How amazing it looks with the filigree pieces you painted, to look marvelous, and the wooden heart just like a rusted metal piece- and I love the crackled layer!!! -so special and beautiful!
How is your weekend dear? here it is cold and windy- I wonder when we will see the sun again !!
Hugs from Dorthe-xx

May said...

Beautiful book marks Astrid, Love the added touches to them all... Hugs May x x x

2amscrapper said...

gorgeous images and bookmarks!

Julia S-W said...

Simply beautiful bookmarks Astrid. You are right when you say they are wonderful just printed off. However, you have taken them to a next level with those layers of matting and your perfect filigree embellishments. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Juliaxx

~*~Patty S said...

Each of your bookmarks is so lovely Astrid...Love the richness with such pretty detailing too!
oxo

ria gall said...

Hi Astrid
these are beautiful bookmarks too pretty to be shut away in books really. Love all the extra bits you have added to make them your own, really lovely
Ria

Marisa Job said...

These are gorgeous! Love the images!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous bookmarks Astrid! Mucha is one of my favorite artists and I have done a whole post on him and another using his images in a domino book. Glad to see someone else likes him too. Hugs,
~Deb~
CDAC DT Member
A Look Through My Eyes

Sarah said...

I love the works of Mucha and these bookmarks are stunning.

lisa said...

These are stunning, Astrid, my favourite images and I love how you've embellished them. I shall have to have a look at the link. I could do with some new bookmarks myself.
hugs Lisax

Margaret Mifsud said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous bookmarks. Love the images and the way you've mounted them. Beautiful, Astrid. ox Marg

Nicecrane Designs said...

OMG Astrid,,,,,,,LOVE THEM, LOVE THEM, LOVE THEM,,,,,I love every detail on these stunning bookmarks,,,,, What a creative idea to add these metallic ornaments and the vintage background,,,,,,,woww, And I love the the tassel,,,,getting this special so old and antique bookmark,,,,,,You did the perfect use of my A.Mucha Bookmarks my friend, You are rock.

Cathy A said...

Oh my these are wonderful, I love what you did with the metal, and how you coloured it, so cool!!!

Jenny Marples said...

These were already superb bookmarks but you have taken them to new heights. Love the varied colour schemes and the little coordinating embellishments. These would make such a wonderful gift. Hugs, Jenny x

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