It’s home……………….

 

My much traveled altered book returned home this week and I’m delighted and excited!

For those of you who are new to this blog, earlier this spring I signed up to become part of an altered book round robin.  That entails, six women selecting a hard cover book, gluing pages together and adding art that reflects the their theme to the pages and cover.  Then on a monthly basis we mailed the books to each other, each person contributing her art and then mailing it on to the next person.

I figure my book has traveled approximately 8000 miles since last May 15, the day I mailed it off to Amy.  Amy, by the way, was the organizer/mother hen/worrier/enforcer of this project and she did it all very well.

So here we go…..this is my cover.  It is a book cover glued onto a book cover to which I added a clock face, tin type of child, watch face, plastic mesh, a vintage key and some great metal fringe topped off with a velvet ribbon.

 

Opening pages were done by me with a library card showing the title/theme of my book “Letters and Numbers”.  I wrote on this card when it left my house and asked each person to date when they received it and mailed it…..fun way to preserve the book’s travels.  The other side of the page is a library card pocket full of tags signed by each participating artist.

Then I left a few pages open to preserve the original book and display the publish date of 1919. Next…..another page I did with a subtle “six”!

Another page by me, I promise the other’s are coming up…..

See…..here is Amy’s, who my book traveled to Louisiana to visit, cute page!  I had forgotten that “7 ate 9”….PERFECT for my letters and numbers theme.  Thanks, Amy for all you did.

Next, is a very touching page by Dekida in New York.  Art should evoke emotion and Dekida’s art truly touches the heart. 

  

Next is a much more joyful piece, also, by Dekida.  Thanks to you, Dekida!

This next beauty was done by Connie, who lives in the state of Washington! I’ve learned a bit about book selection, this one may have been a little too old and how to remove pages, those two things are what have contributed to this page looking like it is coming loose.  I may reinforce it with tape but it should be fine, if it is handled carefully, just doesn’t look as good as I’d like.

This in Connie’s second page……

Are you getting some idea of how talented these women are?  I love Connie’s style and her beautiful use of color and collage. She is so talented.  Thank you so much, Connie.

  The next pages are from Corinne in Southern Oregon!  Corinne has a wonderful way with fabric and stitching….love these colors!

For this layout, Corrine, used a clear overly with watch faces and cleverly stamped and stenciled the facing page.  So wonderfully imaginative and creative, thank you Corrine.

Next is another page of mine……

I used some die cuts, stamping, paper and cut outs.

Mine, too……using one of my favorite (and often used) photos of my mother!

The pages on the right are a section of the book I am preserving to show some of the original books content!

Phrenology Illustrated is a clear overlay that states it is “where numbers live”!  This is my page, too.

The next incredible page is by Laura, who also live in Washington.

 

Unfortunately, the camera does not do this page justice….it is so full of texture and beautifully designed.  Laura used glass tiles to form the letter “T” and on the right, a sandpaper disk is stamped and centered with disks of paper.  Laura gave birth to a little girl in the middle of this round robin…..TIME and the lack of it were on her mind and she expressed it so well here.  Thank you for this wonderful piece, Laura.

This layout is mine, too. 

As I write this blog and really study each of these wonderful works I can hardly believe it is my good fortune to own this book.  I will treasure it forever, thanks ladies!