alteration adventure

Last week, I found a new challenge blog - LESSology - I thought it would be fun to try some things besides cards, so I thought about altering a book for Challenge #1.

Last month when I was shopping at Goodwill for craft supplies with AJ and her sisters, I came across a matched pair of dark green leather bound books for a quarter each that I bought specifically for a future, as-yet-undecided craft project.  They look pretty decorative sitting on top of the glass-front bookcase where I keep my sets of books and cool-looking vintage books.  I couldn't alter them for this project.  Chances are I won't ever alter them, because they're books, and they're leather bound, and they look cool, but it could happen.

Earlier this week I went to Goodwill to look for a child's book, preferably a board book, to alter.  The only one I found was cute and bright and cheerful and may help some disadvantaged young person who can only afford twenty-five cent books to learn to love books and reading.  I couldn't alter that book for this project.  I went to the Dollar Store and found a board book with too many words to appeal to a young child and illustrations that didn't look they would appeal to an older child, so I thought I could alter that book for this project.

But, I couldn't think of anything even slightly original to do with it - my only idea was to treat it like a scrapbook and put photos in it.  So, I wondered, why don't I just use a photo album?  I remembered that I had one at home, and I didn't like the cover much, but it's perfect for wallet-size photos of the world's cutest grandson.  I almost never make projects for myself, but this one will be in my purse and pulled out as often as I can find anyone to listen to my bragging:

 I used some retired Stampin' Up! designer series paper and cut a label using the Matchbox BigzXL die with my Big Shot.  The label is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and the bow was one of those hanger ribbons from inside a pair of slacks.  Does anyone really use those hanger ribbons?  I just use hangers that have clips, and the ribbons tickle me or irritate my skin or flop outside and look stupid, so I cut them out and throw them in my stash.  This is what that album looked like before - just not something that suits my taste: