Saturday, December 14, 2019

Alice Part 1

Hi everyone.  Happy Saturday.  It is dark and very wet here today as it is pouring rain. All our snow is gone but it is supposed to get cold again after this front moves out and  there may be more snow come Tuesday. I am glad it is the weekend after what was a somewhat long and rather eventful week. But mostly a good week too. I will fill you in on a few things another day.

So last month I did a bit of a tease (which you might possibly remember) with some photos from a project I was working on. Some of you guessed an Alice theme, and it is, but maybe not exactly like you suspected.
So I have finally finished it. Hurrah-hurrah.
So let me share a bit with you today.

So this is a story by me that was inspired by the famous story Alice in Wonderland but not in any order or any particular way. It is not actually the story Lewis Carroll wrote with just my art. 
I used a fold out journal I had to make it.

So here's front cover. The story is called Alice in Christmasland. I added bits of song tissue paper to a blue painted background. The letters are hand drawn, painted and made a bit sparkly.
 On the left is the inside of the cover and on the right is the start of a 2 page spread. 

You can read the intro better here. (Sorry, I seem to never be home when it is light out with these short hours of daylight and long days of work and with the way this book folds it was hard to get good photos.)
So let the story begin:

In these modern days
there was a girl named Alice.

And she was precocious 
to say the least.

So when Christmas rolled around
Alice had a thought.
How did Santa fit down the chimney
with a bag full of gifts?
He was such a large man and
there were always so many gifts under her family's tree.

Curiouser and curiouser.

So one cold but calm night
she climbed up on the roof and
Took a peek down the chimney.

That is how it all began.


 I really love how the top of my house came out. I sketched the building and painted the roof brown. Then I stamped the design on tissue paper and added it. I love how some of the tissue looks like light snow on the shingles. The chimney is hand drawn and colored. The windows themselves are part of a die cut and then I decorated the inside of the house views. I also added some paint for snow, drew and fussy cut my ladder, and added some little glistening snowflakes which are actually those fake gemstones. 

And for Alice on the roof I used a punch out from Studio Light, art by Marlene. I kind of wish I had made my own person, but that still intimidates me a bit. I did create the hat for her head however.

 I have to say how much fun I had making this book, and I will probably say that again before I am done showing you. 
And there will be more to come another day. It would be a really long post if I showed it all in one day.
I am linking up to Yvonne's fun words and numbers challenge at Art Journal Journey
Hope you are having a fantastic start to your weekend!








15 comments:

Anne (cornucopia) said...

What a fun and great idea. I love that roof and ladder. And your lovely lady face is wonderful. My forecast is tracking yours. We got a lot of rain, and now all of my little bit of snow is gone too. And Monday / Tuesday there is a snow forecast. Ugh.

CJ Kennedy said...

Such a delightful project. Can't wait to see more. I am hoping the snow event Tuesday fizzles. Enjoy the weekend and stay dry

Divers and Sundry said...

Delightful! What a wonderful story and illustrations. I love that snowy roof with more snow falling, and the ladder. The house looks so cozy with us able to look in and see the decorations. I'm excited to hear and see the rest of the story.

Valerie-Jael said...

What a wonderful project, wow, absolutely fantastic. This is a real treasure, well done. Very wet and stormy this afternoon, I nearly got blown off my feet and my umbrella was torn out of my hands and blown away. Have a lovely weekend, hugs, Valerie

kathyinozarks said...

This is fabulous!

Meggymay said...

Wow, this is going to be an amazing book Erika. The first pages you have shared are fantastic, you have so many interesting things to look at and reading your story so far, I am in anticipation of the next chapter in Alice's story, what adventures are going to happen to her. My own imagination is working now.
Can I tempt you to add this to AJJ, it is perfect for the theme.
Yvonne xx

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

OMGosh, Erika, you are still such a tease. You left me (and Alice) hanging in the chimney. I can't wait for more of this tale. It sounds so intriguing already. GREAT job, too.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

What a fun and creative book you created, Erika.

Iris Flavia said...

Oh, wow, your banner is awesome! It reminds me of my own childhood!
And Alice... was the last movie my Brother and me saw with our Mum before cancer won.
She would´ve loved your arty interpretation!
She had to make it through that time just so I have no excuse for me to not celebrate (she passed on a 29th in December).
Thank you so much, you made me think of our last holiday together, just my Brother, Mum and me. It was wonderful, if we all knew it was a last time... We laughed and had fun even, and Alice!

craftytrog said...

This is such a fun idea and your artwork is wonderful Erika! I can't wait to see more.
Blessings,
Alison xx

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, how amazing to write and illustrate your own story! I love the pages you created and can't wait to find out more about Alice and her Christmas adventures, what fun 😁. The roof top and windows turned out beautifully, I'm loving all the snow on the roof and those pretty festive curtains! Please share more of your story sooooooon, pleeeeeeease ...lol 😉. Wishing you a very happy weekend! Hugs, Jo x

Lowcarb team member said...

Oh WOW! This is so good … certainly brightened up what has been a rather wet weekend in my part of the UK.

All the best Jan

Jeanie said...

This is so clever! I'm really impressed, Erika. And yes, you SHOULD be pleased with the topof that building. Very nice!

Neet said...

What a fabulous idea, and one of my favourite story characters. I love anything Alice related and this has captured me every which way.
Love the drawings you have done, the chimney and ladder are super and stand oaut so much against that lovely background.
Well done Erika, can't wait to carry on reading.
Hugs, Neet xx

Eileen Bergen said...

Oh this is charming, Erika! What a fun idea for a journal. I love the start. It sounds like a cliffhanger. What will happen next? Eileen xx