Altered state!

I just felt like a challenge and I've been watching my friend BJ make her Altered Book, following instructions found here
Of course I would choose to start on a Sunday with no chance of finding a suitable book wouldn't I?    Except I used to work in a library,  and just happened to have some books that were suitable,  just a question of which to use.  Since the other was a gardening book and therefore useful I opted to use the Irish Names index.

So it was on to lesson 1 and 2, maybe 3...!  First lesson was choose the book, so that box was ticked. Next was to choose  theme,  prep it and make a niche...   Well the book was about Ireland,  so that had to figure somewhere,  I did think about focusing on my spirituality and to use my Celtic Cross to go in the niche,  but the Cross was a bit too bulky - so my other love is nature, and birds of prey, in particular owls!

So here is the book,  and I started to prep it, removing pages,  and dividing a section off for the niche at the back.   I chose Elizabeth's second method for prepping the book,  it seemed easier to me,  plus BJ's blog came in handy! 

So once this was done, next was gluing the last 50 pages together... easy huh?  Well yes, it would have been a doddle had I been able to find my photo glue, there are two tubes laying around here somewhere.  So it was pinflair to the rescue, that did the job very nicely.

Now I could let that dry whilst focusing on my theme.   I'd need an Owl,  and one was staring right at me!   I'd bought a garden ornament that was an Owl, with lots of bits and bobs on it,  leaves, ribbons,  nuts...   He'd do very nicely.  Sadly I had to take him apart :(    But I have a use for the small bundle of sticks, and everything else could be used in the book at some stage, if not now.   So now I needed to cut a niche.  A cuttlebug folder came in handy,  it was the right size to hold the owl, so I used that as the template, and then cut out the niche.

I rummaged around for some green paper,  decided to use the ribbon as well,  plus the left over leaves,  then I remembered BJ had sent me a whole pack of die cuts, meant for tags...  but they were just perfect for this, so on they went.   Just wanted the top and bottom tidied up a bit so added a grey and black edge.   And here he is,  Ollie the Owl! 

Still got a lot more to do,  but I feel I'm on my way.  I have lots of stuff for the various pages.    It will be nice to have a project on the go as well,  been feeling a  bit lost since I finished my Alternate Altered book.  

Will do a bit more tomorrow.