Category Archives: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts

What is this packing light you speak of?

What is this packing light you speak of?

What is this packing light you speak of?

I just don’t “get” people who manage to pack light. Even when I travel to the family lakeside cottage less than two hours from home, I manage to fill an entire minivan with vital stuff I simply cannot live without.

This particular postcard, which I made as part of the “Postcards from the Road” set I created for the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts/Canvas Corp Match Up, drives home this point. Read the rest of this entry

Memorializing a Mid-Century Updo

Memorializing a Mid-Century Updo

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A talented friend of mine has taken on the challenge of giving her entire house a Mid-Century Modern updo with only inexpensive secondhand goods.

Her ingenuity impressed me so much that I though she should memorialize her project with a mini album. As as surprise for her, I made a little album so she could paste in before and after pictures, make notes of her awesome estate sale finds and even add in inspiration and ideas from magazines. Read the rest of this entry

Beware of homicidal parrots when creating altered art

Beware of homicidal parrots when creating altered art

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I didn’t know parrots were bullies until I created this little altered art project for Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. Hopefully not all parrots are such big meanies, and these guys are just a bad lot.

As you can see, they convinced this dim-witted lass that she can fly–that’s why she is precariously on the edge of the house, readying to launch herself into the air. Read the rest of this entry

Turn an Altoid tin into a spooky mini album for Halloween

Turn an Altoid tin into a spooky mini album for Halloween

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Spooky things come in small packages. Take for example this Altoid tin that I altered into a Halloween mini album. Read the rest of this entry

Heads may roll when you go to the zoo

Heads may roll when you go to the zoo

Coming to you straight from my vacation dockside are these zoo tags.

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First there is the Pretty in Pink flamingo nestled within his cage. The` second tag features Mr. Tiger.

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In addition to using the amazing GSL chipboard, both of them feature some of my newest digital image releases–At the Zoo #1 and In the Garden – Bird Cages.

GSL-Zoo-tagsl-by-Betsy-Skagen-0151 Read the rest of this entry

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams

Eleanor Roosevelt’s statement, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” is so powerful in my life right now that it inspired me to make this mixed media piece.

While mixed media in its strictest definition is not one of my strongest skill sets, I am always trying to learn more and improve little by little.

I am pleased to say Gyspy Soul Laser Cuts was kind enough to feature this work on their blog.

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Part 2 Tutorial on making the Never Ending Book plus secret forgotten pages

Part 2 Tutorial on making the Never Ending Book plus secret forgotten pages
Part 2 Tutorial on making the Never Ending Book plus secret forgotten pages

Have you ever felt something similar to a panic attack? Writing Part 2 of the Tutorial for the Never Ending Book certainly brought it on for me. First, I misplaced my notes. This book is ginormous, so if I did not have my notes, there would be no way I could recall how to make the pages.

After searching through my my messy office and then my even messier studio, I finally remembered I had written Part 1 of the Tutorial while sitting in a hospital waiting room. I looked in my book bag and  found my notes. Phew!

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It’s here! Part 1 of the tutorial for the Never Ending Book

It’s here! Part 1 of the tutorial for the Never Ending Book

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In my last post I introduced you the Never Ending Book. Filled with flaps and fold-outs, the book is absolutely ginormous. Because of its magnitude, we are breaking it down into a few blog posts. You can explore a fun overview of the book here.

This is Part 1 of the Tutorial, in which I show you how to make the cover, book foundation and some of the pages. Read the rest of this entry

This is the altered art album that never ends

This is the altered art album that never ends

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This is the book that never ends. It goes on and on my friends. Betsy started it, not knowing what it was…

Sorry, not sorry for that little earworm. But it perfectly describes this extensive album I made. Designed to hold photos or other scrapbook mementos, this album featured on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Blog offers page after page of surprise pockets, flaps, folds and hidden pages.

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Because this book is so big, I am just going to give you an overview of it in today’s post. Then, in later posts at Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts, I will provide tutorials on how to make the book. Read the rest of this entry

Getting rusty

Getting rusty

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Remember when rust was considered a bad thing? Now altered art enthusiasts cannot get enough of it. In fact, we even try to turn not-metallic things to rust. All the elements on this tag are paper, yet adding some paint techniques to Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Lock and key really makes them appear rusty.

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I wanted to share this tutorial which was recently featured at Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. I learned the basics of this faux rust technique from watching tutorials by Andy Skinner. I took his basic technique and adjusted it to my own whim and supplies on hand. Of course, the snark is pure Betsy Skagen! Read the rest of this entry