Tag Archives: Alpha Stamps

May21

A feast for the eyes

Posted on May 21, 2016 by Betsy Skagen

So it turned out to be serendipitous that Alpha Stamps asked its designers to create something Alice-themed this month.

Because my daughter will be a unicycling performer in an upcoming Alice in Wonderland Circus production this summer, Alice has been on my mind a lot more than usual. Considering that Alice was never on my mind before now, this isn’t exactly an earth-shaking change.

I decided to make an Alice-themed paper cake. In a strange turn of events–as if we could expect anything else from Alice–a fellow teammate also created a paper cake. What’s wonderful is that both cakes turned out completely different from one another. Read the rest of this entry →

May11

Was Lewis Carroll a secret crafter?–an Alice in Wonderland Altered Tin

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Betsy Skagen

Was Lewis Carroll a secret crafter?–an Alice in Wonderland Altered Tin

Becoming a professional crafter has changed my life. Monday mornings? Couldn’t be better! Daily commute? No sweat! I. Love. My. Job.

Admittedly though, it has made me a little odd. I am often going out in public with dyed blue fingers or traces of glitter in my hair. And seriously, who besides me makes frantic dashes to the dollar store before it closes for the night in order to buy cheap dolls to dismember?

Ummmm…Apparently several of you. When I asked fellow Alpha Stamps Design Team Members that question, more than one had done the same thing. One, who shall remain nameless, coughTristancough had bought 12.

Scary.

This is not the first time I have dismembered body parts in the name of crafting…

Read the rest of this entry →

Apr13

A little birdie told me Mother’s Day is drawing near

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Betsy Skagen

A little birdie told me Mother’s Day is drawing near

For moms of young kids, Mother’s Day can be difficult. I bitched for years about not being able to enjoy the “holiday” because it meant racing around trying to honor my mom, step-mom as well as my mother-in-law before she passed away. At least my husband would help my kids give me a gift–I know single moms have it harder. .

Losing my Dad and nearly losing my mom this year gave me an attitude adjustment. Immensely grateful my mom is still with us, I am determined to relish this day. Read the rest of this entry →

Mar16

Pink rabbit noses and roses abound in this tunnel book–but be careful, not all bunnies you meet are sugary sweet

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Betsy Skagen

Pink rabbit noses and roses abound in this tunnel book–but be careful, not all bunnies you meet are sugary sweet

I am not sure why I had never made one before, but I am here to tell you that making tunnel books are a whole bundle of fun.

Read the rest of this entry →

Mar5

Big news deserves a big altered art project–I am joining the esteemed Alpha Stamps Design Team!

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Betsy Skagen

Big news deserves a big altered art project–I am joining the esteemed Alpha Stamps Design Team!

Dreams really do come true. I found that out firsthand when I recently got invited to join the Alpha Stamps Design Team.

I can’t adequately describe what an honor this is. Nor how terrifying it is. Many artists I have most admired over the years are on this team. Simply put, their work is brilliant.

Austin Kleon says, “Stand next to the talent” because you will only be as good as the people you surround yourself with. He tells artists to hang around people who are smarter and better than themselves. That’s what I am doing–I just fervently hope I don’t fall on my face (subsequently impaling myself with craft scissors or suffocating from all the glitter on my studio floor).

Alpha Stamps is announcing my arrival on their blog tomorrow. For my debut Alpha Stamps project, I created a three-dimensional Altered Art Greenhouse from two 6.5 inch tall House Oddities Boxes, complete with a mossy roof, wind chimes, iron bridge and flower urns. You can see this miniature greenhouse featured on the Alpha Stamps blog. Read the rest of this entry →

Sep30

Creeping up my Halloween–Part Two

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Betsy Skagen

Creeping up my Halloween–Part Two

I’m back with Part Two of my Creepy Creaky China Cabinet. Please hop over to the Robin’s Nest today to see the rest of the tutorial.

Fabulous stuff used in this project

Gina’s Design China Cabinet
Plum Fleur (and stripes on reverse side)
Plum Purple Glitter Cardstock
Purple Bats Glitter Cardstock
Black Bats Glitter Cardstock
Spiderweb Glitter Cardstock
Purple Crackle Glitter Cardstock
Light purple cardstock
Black cardstock
Glitter Mask
Halloween decorative ribbon
Curio Knobs by Tim Holtz Idea-ology, 3 per Pack, 1 x 7/8 Inches, White and Clear, Metal and Plastic, TH92840Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Vintage Photo
Alpha Stamps Small Amber Bottles with Corks Alpha Stamps Stitched Leaf Ribbon Alpha Stamps Miniature Rustic Broom Alpha Stamps Long Antique Bronze Skull Spider Pendant Alpha Stamps Ceramic Gargoyle Bead Alpha Stamps Skull Charm AlphaStamps Corked Dome Spooky Labels Miniature glitter book Miniature Black Hinges Black paper ribbon Plastic fern Vintage Halloween images from personal collection Halloween skeletons, spiders and doo-dads from personal collection Wooden spool Black acrylic paint Red permanent marker Black permanent marker Assorted adhesives

Sep29

Creeping up my Halloween–Part One

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Betsy Skagen

Creeping up my Halloween–Part One

Soon I will be pulling out the Halloween decorations. In my kitchen I have a floor-to-ceiling distressed white hutch that I religiously decorate for each season.

For Halloween I fill it with fun mid-century Halloween items. The only problem is, the decorations, along with the painted white cabinet, are so darn-tootin’ cheerful, that they are not a bit scary.

To create something a little more spooky, I made the Creepy Creaky Halloween China Cabinet–a miniature hutch that includes spooky Halloween colors and creepy crawly doo-dads, yet still sport some fun mid-century graphics. To see the tutorial for this project, please visit my post at the Robin’s Nest.

Read the rest of this entry →

May28

All aboard for the circus altered art train

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Betsy Skagen

All aboard for the circus altered art train

Ladies and Gents–step right up because Cirq Alpha is coming to town!

Loaded with spellbinding stars and breathtaking beasts, Paper Calliope’s circus train is sure to dazzle and delight you. Step up close and learn just how this spectacle was created.

I am sooooo excited to be featured as a guest artist at Alphas Stamps, that the over-the-top adjectives of the circus world do not even begin to describe how I feel. Since my journalism professor would roll over in his grave if he saw me using this superfluous language ( “Omit needless words, Betsy!”), I will move along and get right to the point. Read the rest of this entry →

Jan28

Paper Calliope makes its first…are you ready for this…paper calliope

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Betsy Skagen

Paper Calliope makes its first…are you ready for this…paper calliope

So, by now you probably know that I love making vintage circus art. It probably has a little something to do with the fact that my kids have gone to a circus performing arts school since the youngest was still in diapers. Yep, The Daughter™ hung from a trapeze, even before she was out of Pampers.

Aside from my kids’ involvement, I also like making circus-themed art because of the vibrant graphics and the endless opportunities for whimsy and creativity. Over the last week,I have been laboring over a special project that has been on my to-do list for a long, long while. It was finally time to make a paper calliope.

Read the rest of this entry →

Jan25

Make a Valentine pop-up box

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Betsy Skagen

Make a Valentine pop-up box

Be still my heart–at least until I get my heart rate down. There’s been such a flurry of Valentine projects underway at Paper Calliope that I haven’t had a moment to blog.

That changes today however. Please stop by the Robin’s Nest and see a tutorial for this fun little box I created using paper and the spring from an old ballpoint pen. Read the rest of this entry →