Maggie's Message...

It's a convoluted story to how I came to alter this book - I'll explain more in a future post but I bought this book about a year ago and never had the courage to alter it... But today I was feeling brave and decided to bring along my Studio 490 stamps as Dutch Courage! 

This is Maggie's Message - the book plate says it was awarded to 'Dora' in 1911...

With my craft knife I scored a frame about 3cm from the edges and then proceeded to rip the centre of the pages out (I scored a cross in the centre of each page so it was easy to do) I allowed the pages to build up naturally at the edges to create texture. 

I left the last page uncut as it was adverts for other books and I rather liked it and I covered it in a layer of Tumbled Glass Distress Stain. The inner pages were treated to a little Vintage Photo Distress Ink and the top page was stamped with a script stamp in Sepia Archival Ink and then covered in Peeled Paint Distress Ink. I added a couple of stamps in Jet Black Archival Ink to the frame.

The bottle was stamped on heat resistant acetate with Jet Black Archival Ink. The label, and bottle top were stamped on a spare book page and inked with Antique Linen Distress Stain and Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. I added a little Glossy Accents on the star and I tucked the bottle into the back of the book. 

The stem and leaves were inked with Peeled Paint Distress Ink and tucked behind the bottle (with a spot of Glossy Accents to keep them in place!) The flower was inked with Milled Lavender and Victorian Velvet Distress Stains and I added a washer and brad for the centre. The banner was die cut and inked as the bottle with a sentiment. 

This was my first, but definitely not last, altered book - but as it was my first I would love to know what you think! I thought I would offer it for scrutiny in this week's Simon Says Stamp and Show as the theme is Anything Goes!