Book covers at stamps and stencils - and a milestone birthday!

Hello there! How are you? I hope you are good! I am 50 today! Wow! I can't believe it....how did I get to this age???? Lucky I guess!

We have a new challenge starting over at stamps and stencils and the theme is all about altering book covers... its Lula's Theme: Do judge a book by it's cover!  Here's what she has to say about it....

Reading books has been my favourite activity ever since I was a child. I am also addicted to altering ordinary items surrounding us. For this challenge  I'd like you to alter any book cover. Creating altered cover is something anyone can do because your only limitation is your own imagination.  You can use any type of books from children's books or user manuals to art journals. Don't forget to use stamping or stenciling and join us in the fun!

I decided to just take a paperback off my shelf and set about altering it...

I used an indigoblu stencil and opaque stencil paste first of all, directly onto the cover....

Next I added some mint green paint from indigo blu.

Once dry I added some paint and some gilding wax on the raised areas...

Next I added some pixie powders with water to the surface which intially also gave a crackled and distressed look ..... 

Then I added some stamping using stamps from Hobby Art....  

Finally I used glue and seal to add some stamped and fussy cut images - the glue and seal reacted a little with the underneath and some of it lifted off. Lesson learned ...i actually quite like the effect but i have to admit it wasn't what I intended!!!!

I do hope you can join us!

Big hugs

Rachel xx