Date for 2009 Altered Book Workshop Retreat

It will be March 26-29, 2009 .... and will be held in Temple, TX .....
this will be a small Altered Book Technique Reference Book Workshop/Retreat .... 6 students will have space to work, sleeping quarters (individual beds), 3 breakfast, Supper the evening of your arrival, 2 lunches and snacks provided .... at a cost of $350.00 each ... your $150 deposit is due when you sign up, the deposit becomes NON-refundable by Jan. 15, 2009 and the balance of $200 is due by Feb. 15, 2009 or pay in full at time of sign up, it's simple just click the PayPal buttons to the left, please note that the banner on the PayPal page will say "The Art Sook" because that is the name of my business .... your deposit will hold your seat and since there are only 6 places you might want to sign up early .... you will arrive on Thursday 26th, between Noon & 1pm with the first session starting at 2pm till 5pm the second session will be that evening (the only evening class) from 7pm till 9pm ... then we will start at 9am till noon and 2pm till 5pm on Friday and Saturday ... that makes the 6 full sessions .... then on Sunday morning you will have time to do finish up work, have discussions & enjoy brunch before everyone heads home .... you may work Friday & Saturday evening if you wish but there will be NO formal sessions taught .... just email me Linda Manning Findley to sign up ... looking forward to this new adventure in Altered Books and seeing some of my return students

Itinerary - March 2009

Thursday -

Arrival - Noon to 1:45pm
1st secession - 2pm to 5pm
Supper (provided by Linda) - 5:30 to 6:30pm
Clean up kitchen - Linda - 6:30 to 6:55pm
2nd secession - 7pm to 9pm (the only night secession)

Friday & Saturday -

Breakfast (provided by Linda) - 7:30am to 8:30am
Clean up kitchen - Linda - 8:30 to 8:55am
3rd secession - 9am to Noon on Friday - Sat. will be 5th secession same timing
Lunch (provided by Linda) - 12:30 to 1:30pm
Clean up kitchen - Linda - 1:30 to 1:55pm
4th secession - 2pm to 5pm - Sat. will be 6th secession same timing
SUPPER - you are on your own both evenings

Sunday -

Coffee at 7:30 for those of us that can't function without it ... then you will have time to do finish up work while I fix brunch (about 10 or 10:30am) .... we can have a kitchen discussion of anything you have questions on ... around 11:30 you can start loading up and heading home hopefully having lots of fun and learning something you feel was useful ......

Things that will BE provided

This year I am providing all things to complete and basics to complement the techniques you will be learning ........ so just pack up your basic tool kit and the things in the "Things YOU need to bring" list and come on .... we are going to have a great time learning techniques for your reference book .... then in the future you can do wonderful things in your altered books ....... see you soon Linda

Thing YOU need to bring

These items are other than what is provided in class.

You will need to bring a book for your personal Technique Book ... I suggest your book be a hardcover sewn signatures (sewn binding of pages) encyclopedia or text book preferably no older than 1980 - 1999 (yes that is older than I usually use but these books are made to withstand lots of abuse and years of reading) you should be able to pick one up at a Library sale or Salvation Army or Goodwill for a couple of dollars ... PLEASE do NOT bring a novel type book
You will choose your altered book’s color scheme; I suggest 3 to 5 colors that go well together in varying shades and black that will always be in your basic art kit ..... you don't have to stick to a theme or even a color scheme just colors you like (the papers and such I have this year are in black/tan/red/green/pink/peach/off white/copen blue and maybe some aqua) so just about any color you pick should work.
1. Three to Five (3 - 5) Ink pads in your color scheme - light, medium, darker medium (something just a couple of shades darker than medium but not black). Choose dye based, hybrid, preferably not chalk or pigments ink pads. I prefer to work with dye base inks or hybrids but all inks will work on NON-slick book pages (if you have a book with slick pages the dye and hybrid are the only inks that will work). Marvy ink pads work well also. Chalk and pigment take longer to dry so you can't work as fast as you can with dye base or hybrids
2. Ribbon, lace, fiber in your color scheme (about 18 inches of each or 1 1/2 yds of one)
3. Alphabet stickers that will compliment your chosen colors: such as regular peel off stickers or ones that you will adhered yourself ... these can be made from metal, cork, cardstock or chipboard ... a couple of sets will be plenty
4. IF YOU WISH to bring your own ephemera -8 images about 3x5" or ATC size (2 1/2" x 3") nothing bigger ... they can be of people, butterfly's, flowers (printed on paper preferable but cardstock will work), stickers, postage stamps, 10 decorative brads (your color choice) ... everything is in your kit to do the techniques so you don't have to bring these unless you want


Extra things to bring ONLY if you already have them:
Japanese Screw Punch or Crop-A-Dial
12" Metal ruler
decorative edge scissors
hole punch to fit your eyelets (that you carry in your basic art kit)
eyelet setter for your eyelets
3 to 5 stipple brushes (one for each color ink you are bringing)

Basic Art Tool Kit

I feel all listed items should be in a well stocked basic tool kit, BUT if you work better with other items bring them.

Detail & Regular Scissors
4 large or 8 small Glue sticks - highly recommend Washable Elmer's School Gel glue sticks (orange lid with blue bottom)
1 new roll ¼" Double sided Wonder or Redline tape
Personal size Paper cutter
Package of regular sized brads - copper/gold/black (either color or a mix)
Package of 1/8" aluminum eyelets in basic metal colors
Black Memories or Versa Fine Ink Pad & re-inker
Versa Mark ink pad & re-inker (or some other clear embossing ink pad)
1 fine tipped water brush (this has a water reservoir in the handle)
1 mop head paint brush (about ½" fluffy head)
1 #3 detail paint
1 round sponge & 1 small sea sponge
Black fine tip writer (similar to ball point)
1 #2 pencil
White artist’s eraser
1 black Tombow or Le Plume type marker (you will use the paint brush/clarify type end)
Bone folder
Stylus
Black waxed linen thread and tapestry needle
6" Metal ruler with cork
Exacto knife with extra blades
Personal Cutting matt about 5x9"

Altered Book Retreat for 2009

I know that some of you are watching to see when I get this posted BUT at this time it will be a little longer ..... there has been a death in the family and I am tied up doing Executrix duties hopefully in a few weeks I can again get to planning ...... thanks for being patient ..... Linda

My Altered Grand Tour 2008 - the book I taught

A Great time was had by ALL

We started out the retreat on Thurdsay and worked hard everyday to produce a wonderful book ...

click to enlarge





Thanks to all of my wonderful students for making a great Altered Journey ....... Linda

Date change !!!!!!!

NOW .... March 13-16, 2008 ................


I am extending the date to sign up but all sign ups need to be the FULL payment now of $225 ... so email me to make sure you have a seat ...

well I guess you can say Jeri shouldn't have left the finishing up of 2008 to me because I made a big booboo .... the original date ended up being Easter weekend and we all know that no one competes with Easter so I have changed the dates ... sorry for any inconvenience ...... Linda

Thought I would post a couple of photo's from the book we will do at this retreat .....

Map to Salado, TX

Ok I can't do the pictures of the maps on the blog so click on the link Map of Salado, TX US and it will take you to MapQuest and then on the left side of the map you will find a bar that you can click on to get larger (to cover more of the state or US) and smaller to get close up of Salado .... the hotel is just off of Freeway I-35 take exit 286 it's on the left coming from Dallas headed south and on the right coming from Austin headed north .... with the addresses of these places you can select get directions in MapQuest and they are accurate so you should have no problems ...

address for the Holiday Inn Express -
Holiday Inn Express: 877-410-6681
1991 N. STAGECOACH ROAD, SALADO, TX ...

address for Austin Airport (if you fly into there) -
Austin-Bergstrom Intl Arprt: 512-530-2242
3600 Presidential Blvd # 411, Austin, TX 78719, US

address for Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport (if you fly into there) -
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): 972-574-2151
1530 W 18th St, Dallas, TX 75261, US