Welcome to Blessing Hill!
"I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing."
Ezekial 34:26
~Quotes~
Come along inside...we will see if tea and buns can make the world a better place. ~The Wind in the Willows
All the great things are simple. ~Winston Churchill
A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder
Lord, help me to hold on to your promises and let you make the garden of my heart into Your masterpiece. ~Audrey Jeanne Roberts
~Spiritual Blessings~
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. ~Psalm 4:8
Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young - a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you. ~Psalm 84:3-5
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. Ecc. 9:10
~Write E-book on Making Altered Books
~Make more wreaths using vintage items and figure a way to market them
~Organize photos
~Finish Scrapbook of our RV trip to 48 states
~Make at least 50 Christmas angels to sell next Christmas
~Make Yo Yo garlands for to sell
~Lose 21 Pounds
Jun. 27, 2008 - Show N Tell Friday - Altered Book
To visit more Show N Tell Friday posts, please head on over to Canadagirl's blog!
I wanted to share an Altered Book project I had been working on. An Altered Book is a hardback book that has been altered by adding collage, scrapbook papers, stickers, paint, paint accents, three-dimensional items, photographs, memorabilia, drawers and niches for treasures. Usually it's based on a theme or event, but can be anything that you want it to be. No rules! Just whatever suits your fancy. I had so much fun working on the project, that I was a little sad when it was over. I'm already getting ready to start my next one!
This is the cover of a book I made for a friend with the theme of "God's Gifts to us". I just used an old hardback book that still had a good spine and painted the covers and added my embellishments.
This is the inside front cover. I added a little note inside the pocket that I had made, added scrapbook paper and stickers.
Here is a page with a painted background, the windows open...
To reveal a saying.
I made several niches on this page - one with the ladybug in it, one with the lavender and one with the bottle of sand.
Close-up of the niche of shells and bottle of sand.
The niche where I placed the lavender.
Since this book was for a friend, I made it very personal with things I knew she enjoyed and that we enjoyed together.
Here I added some lace and a teacup in a tiny niche.
I copied the back of a very old postcard and included it.
Here's the book looking down at the pages, notice the small drawer - it actually works. This book is not meant to lie flat, but be filled with fun and memories making it a little pudgy.
I put a key in the drawer with a little saying (not shown).
Hope you have enjoyed one my latest projects. This was one of my favorite projects to do, it was so much fun! I'm thinking of writing an E-book with step by step instructions on how to do a project like this. What do you think?
Are you kidding me? You should definitely do an e-book! I am craft-impaired, but I so enjoyed looking at all your additions. And the little key in the hidden drawer? I can see kids loving to have something like that! What a caring and creative friend you are!
I love this book and the idea! I used to scrapbook and now love to lapbook. I recently made my mom a tag book for mother's day and loved it (I had to make myself one) I really love this idea with an old book (b/c I also love old books) It could be a book of encouragement. Wow! I love it! Maybe I can make a few for Christmas presents if I start pulling the things I'd like to use now. (I already have a lot of projects in the works!)
Thanks so much for sharing. I have a better understanding of what altered books are now!
Have a great summer!
SchoolinRhome
I'm sitting here feeling a little stunned. What an idea. I'm an analyst by nature....please forgive me. Did you glue huge sections of pages together to make the niches for the flowers, etc? Did you make a niche for the bottle of sand to close into? What kind of paint did you use on the pages for the background? What a precious gift to receive. (I'd have to choose some useless book that I didn't want anyone else to read anymore...! ha )
bethanyrae
That was the most beautiful and amazing "book journey" I've been on in a while. So....there's nothing really left of the original book, right? You use it as the foundation to create your own Altered Book?
And YES. But you need to include step-by-step pictures that go with the instructions for us creatively-challenged folks. The Old Schoolhouse Store is always looking for e-books. Heidi (Reviews by Heidi here on HSB) is the e-book reviewer and "decider" on e-books. She'd probably go nuts seeing this!
We've been getting a lot of thunderstorms in the afternoon. This has been very good for our drought parched mountains. Plus I just love to watch a good ole thunderstorm!
~July 4~
A beautiful day! We went on a walk this morning and saw a Pileated Woodpecker dancing from tree to tree in the woods - how beautiful is his bright red plume. We also saw a small Ring Necked snake on the trail - I thought he was dead at first, but then he started moving towards the grass. Unfortunately we also saw a dead rabbit along the trail. He looked like he just died, and there were no signs of being wounded, just old-age I guess, but still sad. Of course there were the usual squirrels, rabbits and birds flitting and singing from tree to tree. We had a good thunderstorm in the afternoon which was very much needed, then it cleared off for the evening fireworks.
~July 2~
The weather has been mild and beautiful. We've had a couple of thunderstorms in the afternoon, but unfortunately we need a lot more rain. I absolutely love throwing open the windows and letting the fresh air in and listening to the chorus of songbirds.
~June 22~
Today we saw a deer in the woods. She stopped for a long time to look at us, as we were looking at her. She was so beautiful! Rhododendrens are now blooming in the mountains.
~June 21~
Saw our first lightning bugs last night. Now I know summer is really here!
~June 20~
Today is the earliest summer soltice in 112 years! We've had a beautiful summer-like week here. It's been almost perfect weather - not to hot, a beautiful breeze and clear blue skies. Although we need more rain, I was thankful that my daughter had a beautiful weather week at camp. I am starting to see the blueberries budding on the bushes - can't wait! Our dog is finding great pleasure in chasing all the butterflies - and I'm sure they are having fun teasing him. Lots of gorgeous yellow Goldfinches flying around where we live as well as the ever impressive Cardinals. I'm sure enjoying the laid-back feel of summer.
~June 11~
It's finally cooler today! We've had 5 straight days of record breaking heat. It's only supposed to get in the mid 80's today. Had a nice thunderstorm and rain shower yesterday. Much needed as we are in quite the drought right now. Seeing lots of rabbits on our walk today and one beautiful Cardinal. They have to be one of the prettiest birds around.
~March 15~
Windy, rain and thunderstorms!
~March 9~
A beautiful sunshiny day! Saw our first wild daffodils today! Love them! You know spring's on the way when you start to see them blooming.
~March 8~
Started out pretty warm, progessively got colder till we had snow flurries!
~March 7~
Rain again today! We so need it, so no complaints.
~March 6~
Starting to see little buds on the trees.
~March 5~
Rained almost the whole day! We really needed the rain. Despite all the water, the birds were having a grand ole time flying around and chirping away. What joy the sound of birds are, heralding in the soon-to-be springtime.
~Calendar & Such~
~Military Honors~
Those Who Gave Their Life
June 11, 2008
*Perales Jr., Javier - Lance Corp., Marine
*Watters, Kelly E. C. - Lance Corp., Marine
*Kanakaole, Eugene D.M. - Private, Army
June 12, 2008
*Aragon, John D. - Sergeant, Army
June 16, 2008
*Cox, Jason - Prvt. 1st Class, Army
June 20, 2008
*Tran, Du Hai - Staff Srgt., Army
June 23, 2008
*Thomas, Bryan M. - Prvt. 1st Class, Army
*Dalessio, Gregory T. - Captain, Army
June 24, 2008
*Kelley, Dwayne M. - Major, Army
*Hammett, Robert C. - Chief Warrant Officer, Army
June 25, 2008
*Yohn, James M. - Prvt. 1st Class, Army
*Taylor, Joel A. - Specialist, Army
*Dominguez, Alejandro A. - Sergeant, Army
*Plocica, Joshua L. - Specialist, Army
June 26, 2008
*Galeal, Max A. - Lt. Colonel, Marine
*Dykeman, Phillip J. - Captain, Marine
*Preudhomme, Marcus W. - Corporal, Marine
July 5, 2008
*Woodham, Anthony Lynn - Srgt. 1st Class, Army Natl Guard
July 8, 2008
*McMillan III, William L. - Specialist, Army
July 9, 2008
*Chevalier, Steven J. - Srgt. 1st Clast, Army
*Fouty, Byron J. - Private, Army
*Jimenez, Alex R. - Sergant, Army
