altered book!! other thoughts

"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts,
there can be no more hurt, only more love." {mother teresa}
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"One can give without loving, but one cannot love
without giving"(Amy Carmichael)
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"Amber and Juliette" book 11 x 4. PID images. Hope you like it.
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A box from a swap at Vintage Bliss group made by Linda Arrow. what a beautiful little shoe and box! Also the boxes I made for my little swap shoes. Thanks for looking!!!
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A paper sculpture made by a Kris Bolton(unbelievable) here it is:

Altered compact swap!

This is a challenge from PID group for an altered compact.The butterfly is the back.

My Front Porch!

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There was a time, not long ago, when the front porch represented something more that an architectural feature of a home. It was a symbol of community . All too often the "front porch" of modern neighborhoods has been replaced by automatic garage door openers, timed sprinklers, and other conveniences that allow us to live in a place without ever having the opportunity to engage our neighbors in light, neighborly conversation - let alone know enough about each other to walk through the trials of life together. The "front porch" has been very important to me, sitting on the porch swing and enjoying that quick summer shower that came in an instant and left just as fast, Visiting with friends and family , the children playing nearby and sharing a glass of cold lemonade or sweet tea . there was always a breeze on the porches of my life, there was always fragrant smells from the flowers and rose bushes that were close by. The children had their toys and coloring pages on the floor of the porch. They made tents and sang songs and did tricks--"Watch me!" "Watch me!" The summers of my life were lived on the porches of my life.

February is long but....

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and
for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home."
- Edith Sitwell

Home in the winter is a special place, warm and comfortable, the smell of winter food cooking, the fire, the books on the shelf waiting for you. The squares of fabric lying on your sewing table, another quilt to be made, so much time to think about the things you love to do. I look forward to spring ,but Winter is more about yourself than the rest of the year.
Edith Sitwell says it perfectly.

Some pictures I love! Jane Austin quotes!

I love everything about France, their culture, way of life, artists and things from the present and the past, I added these pictures because they are beautiful and speak to the beauty of the time. Betty M.

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She felt the loss of Willoughby's character yet more heavily than she had felt the loss of his heart . . . Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility
Elinor was to be the comforter of others in her own distresses . . . Jane Austen *Sense and Sensibility
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"I am afraid," replied Elinor, "that the pleasantness of an employment does not always evince its propriety." Jane Austen Sense * and Sensibility
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" . . . and yet there is something so amiable in the prejudices of a young mind, that one is sorry to see them give way to the reception of more general opinions." Jane Austen* Sense and Sensibility
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They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow, seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it, and resolved against ever admitting consolation in future. Jane Austen *Sense and Sensibility
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It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;-- it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others. Jane Austin

Are you a scrapbooker???

Here is a site you won't want to miss-70 scrapbook layouts , hand drawn and colored. Every imaginable topic for your scrapbook pages. Take a look!!!

Vicki H.

Postcards for swap!!!

My postcards for the PID postcard swap. There are 7 and the other side is a postcard. These can be mailed. Here is the back side.

altered book--An excerpt from "The Children's Hour"

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"The Children's hour"
Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
That is known as the Children's Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
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The New Book is "The little girls of France. 12 pages- 4 x 6. fabric cover, front and back.Available on ebay right now for the next 4 days-rainbow869

Etsy cottage style member

Sweet little baby shoes--New French flourish piece!

Some little 3" baby shoes for a swap challenge . Aren't they too cute???? Have to put ribbon hangers on them.
A piece- 6 x 8 "The French Girls of Paris" gold embossed flourishes on a beautiful napkin. I call her Camille. Sweet little innocent?

Book sculptures and Book binding*****

*If you are interested in either of these subjects , on the right of my blog under book sculptures are links to most(if not all) of the sites for that work of art. It is amazing what people can do with scissors and scalpels.
* Also a site called Book arts-lots of links to make and bind every type of book you would want to make. These directions are very clear and have drawings and some even have videos to take you thru the process of making any type of book you choose, whether it be a journal to put in your pocket or purse to a hard cover book to save for posterity. take a look, I will be taking pictures of some books that I made soon.

Hearts and polka dots challenge!- Inchie charm swap

A 5 x 7 piece for a PID challenge-hearts and polka dots"Key to My Heart" Got to work on a deco page now. 25 below chill today but the sun is out.
the inchie charms were done yesterday and made the picture larger today. They were fun to make ,now that I know how to do it I will do more today.
***** A brief instruction on the making of the charms--cut i inch squares of cardboard-2 for each charms,not to thick, paint both with gesso and stamp one with designs of your choice(small) draw a frame on the other piece and cut out the center to frame your image. decide on the image and glue it center. I covered the frame piece with elmers glue dipped in silver embossing and heated it with a heat gun , kind of lumpy makes it look like solder-put jumprings in between the layers ,glue and add your beads or embellishments, pearls or whatever. I put a coat of liquid laminate on the whole thing and covered the back with music paper. Hope this helps, next time I will punch the holes and do the jump rings that way.

altered book--Valentine

Just finished this Valentine book -4 x 6 ,12 pages fabric covered. lots of images and tags, beads and charms,ribbon and lace.