Altered Composition Notebook

While I was in school which has been my entire life, I came to love composition notebooks. I use them for everything. I have one that I use to record all of my intended home improvements. I use them for lists. I use them for scribbling. I love them.

Recently, I wanted to make something for a friend, Mary, that is undergoing extensive medical treatments. She is someone who loves to write. I thought she might enjoy these composition notebooks as much as I do. So I altered one for her using encouraging pictures and words. I have not given it to her yet but I hope she likes it. I think she will find it useful.

Back Cover of Notebook

Cover of Notebook



Inside Back Cover



Inside Cover

Just the Two of Us

Once upon a time, I started a book called "The Story of My Life". I have not given up on it. I have just been musing. Anyway, this part has been made awhile but my camera was lost again. I keep losing it. The constant loss of my camera may merit a couple of pages dedicated to its own topic in the story of my life. I have some stained glass mosaics to show too but not today.

Please enjoy grades 7 and 8 of my life. These two years were very happy for me. They were most possibly the happiest two years of my entire school life. Mom and I were on our own by this time just the two of us. My sisters claim that I am my mother's favorite child. We do have a very special relationship because we know each other so well. But knowing my mom as I do, I know she does not have a favorite child. It is simply easier for her to talk to me largely because we have been so close since this time in my life...grades 7 & 8.

Round Robin Finale!

My last Round Robin book addition is complete...Cozy Cottage! Tammy, I hope you like my addition to your book. Tammy wanted us to make pages depicting our ideas of a cozy cottage. All of my ideas of cozy are here...you have your cat, you have your chocolate chip cookies, you have your cup of coffee, you have your comfy chair, you have your book to read, you even have a star shining through the window. Now I ask you, how much cozier could it be?

Take Me Back to school

This is the page I did for Lisa's Round Robin book called "Take Me Back". She wanted us to depict a time and place we would like to visit again. Oddly enough, I chose school. I am not sure why. I am still going to school. Even now I am torn as to whether I want to go to Summer school or take a semester off. I am very, very tired. And of course now, I am very, very sick and tired. Right now, I am leaning to not going in the Summer but we will see. I do not have to decide today. I will save that for tomorrow. ;)Anyway, more about the page I did...there is lots of pink because that is Lisa's favorite color. I put lots of books in because well, we know Lisa loves books! I put a rabbit in because Lisa collects rabbits. I tried to put some of everything she likes in her book for her. I even added a personal letter in there for her. I hope she likes it!

Jacob's Ladder

I love reading about the dream of Jacob's Ladder because I find dreams to be personally meaningful. The ladder linking Heaven to Earth...talk about advanced foreshadowing used in story telling. This is the perfect example of it. I hope you enjoy my rendition of Jacob's Ladder. More and more, I am finding my own style as I work on my two altered books.

Here Comes the Sun

Since I am a neophyte when it comes to altered books, I am discovering aspects about myself coming out in my pages. It seems almost every one of my pages is titled after a song. That is not surprising as I often find myself lost in one of those trains of thought where one thing leads to the next, you know the kind I am talking about. For example, just yesterday I was trying to pin-point the aspect about Autumn that casts a sadness about it when the words occurred to me "Because the sky is blue, it makes me cry" from the Beatles, "Because". That is just me. Words stick and when they are with music, they stick even better. Having said all of that just to say this, I hope you enjoy "Here Comes the Sun".

A Day In the Life of a Well Loved Kitten

Self explanatory.

How Wonderful Life Is...

Can you recall the happiest day of your life? I can. I can tell you exactly when it was and where it was and who I was with. It was like the stars aligned and everything I had ever done in my life lead to that day. I could not put a foot wrong wrong that day. I had the Midas touch. While you are living it, it is fab! In retrospect, it makes for a wonderful memory tinged with sadness. It is in the past afterall. Well, there is always hope for another future "complete perfect alignment of the stars". And it will happen again...just hope I will not have to wait another large track of years more for it. The clock is ticking and time is drawing shorter. When it will happen is left up to Divinity. However, I do know this about those moments that are perfect or approach perfection...they never happen twice in exactly the same way. That moment will never be in Vegas again. Next time, it will be in London or New York or maybe here at home but never again in Vegas. That is not to say that Vegas will not be fun and wonderful again for me. It has been already.

I tried to capture the happiness of my perfect day in this piece but no way. It cannot be done. I just cannot even begin. There is not enough real estate on these two pages to fit it the fullness of my happiness. Therefore, I just had to try for a couple of concepts instead; the simple beauty of the stark desert and the over-the-top bling of it all. The title of this piece is "How Wonderful Life Is" which is a lyric to a song..."Your Song"...my song. Yes, it was truly a beautiful day.

The Comforter

I am learning my way around an altered book. My skill level is still quite elementary. In these early days, I am trying different techniques to see what I like and what I do not like, what I might be good at and what I obviously have no knack for. I made several, shall we say, poor choices with the design of this layout. However, a certainty is that there is no question about the awesomeness of the verse itself. Nothing can detract from John 14:16. The Comforter is with us. I am looking forward to finding the Comforter today. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ~John 14:17

My Two Loves

Let's see...how long did it take until they made their debut? Nigel and Oliver that is. Claude is really in a class of his own, therefore, merits his own pages.

A Dreamer Lives Forever

The year is winding down. Butterflies are migrating. The days are growing shorter. Nostalgia is in the air. But a dreamer lives forever.

PS. See Nigel in there? He loves to watch the butterflies.

I'm Building A Bird

Okay, this altered book hobby is very addictive and fun. This is my first entry in 'Other Book'. Oddly enough, the first entry is not about a cat but a bird. I would love to take credit for "I'm Building a Bird" but it is not an original idea but rather the title of a song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. In true Taupin form, the lyrics demand attention. Sometimes Bernie writes in a collocational way to emphasize the beautiful way words fit together without any meaning almost creating a type of music in and of themselves. However, I do think there is substantial meaning to this lyric. Elton does not sing this song but when I do hear it done by someone else, I always stop to think about the words. I think it is about making something nice out of something unfortunate. At least, that is what I would do if I was building a bird.

Altered Book-Epistle of Joy

This is my first attempt at an altered book. I have to find at least two reasons to do something due to limited time. I can memorize bible verses and make something nice to remember them with all at the same time. I am going to designate this book for biblical entries only. I have another book that I am going to designate for other type entries...prolly be some cat stuff there. ;)