Wednesday, March 7, 2012

niche: noun

A recess in a wall, as for holding a statue or urn,  A cranny, hollow, or crevice

First off, I would like to say hello to all the wonderful WOYWW ladies who have stopped by to check in on me! I have truly loved visiting each one of you ( that I make it to ) every week and I am also appreciating the friends I am making along the way!

So first, my peek at my desk, which I had to actually clean off a tad ...it was beginning to over power me and I couldn't find things! So I still have sticky notes up, and drawers that never seem to close...the usual stuff, lol Oh and my AB book which is 61 years old, I know cause there was an inscription on the inside cover of to whom it was given and the date!

Today my desk is all about my Altered Book that I am doing through Elisabeth's Blog called Altered Book Lover. If you look up at the top bar on my blog you can see the tab marked altered book syllabus and can check out how she has laid out the class. She goes slowly and gives detailed explanations and she is wonderful about answering any questions you might have. And if any of you ladies are taking her FREE class, then please let me know in the comment section as I really would love to visit, see your progress and your thoughts as you work your way through the steps!
This week we are on lesson 3:
I was able to skip the first step and went straight to prepping the inside end pages and the creating the start for my book

Then creating the niche....yikes....I wanted a deep wide niche and that meant a lot of cutting but I made it through, quite proud of it actually! lol Although my finger is still red from the pressure of my Fiskars finger tip knife. Of course I didn't have to do it all in one sitting, but I am so enthralled with making this book. It really is consuming me!

If anyone wants to come back tomorrow I will be going more in depth to some of the techniques I used and hopefully a better picture of the niche, I realize that most of you are doing some serious snooping blog hopping and don't want long posts to go through!
Happy WOYWW!

58 comments:

Karen said...

This is stunning! ou can see all your hard work and fine detail that you have put into your pages as they are really amazing, so beautiful :)

Have a great WOYWW and a fab week, Luv Karen xx

CraftygasheadZo said...

I love the idea of altering a book so will go & have a look, looking forward to seeing how yours progresses. Take care, enjoy this WOYWW & I'm off to snoop some more! Wonder how many I'll get round today? Zo xx 60

Katie said...

Your book looks awesome! I love the mermaid, but I can imagine how much my fingers would hurt cutting all those papers!

Happy WOYWW!
Katie #133

dix said...

Cool AB! Don't you just love old books? Can't wait to see what else you create and add to the pages.
dix---

Redanne said...

Wow Sandee, love what you are doing with your book - really like the colours too. Regards, Anne Rx

Mary said...

Your desk looks very busy...that's a good thing. Altered books, that's something on my bucket list. I make lots of mini-albums, but altering a book...haven't done that yet. I'll keep watching you develope yours. Off I go to the tax man....so bye for now from sunny but frozen northern California.

voodoo vixen said...

Good grief woman... you are so far ahead... how did you get your niche cut out so fast? LOL I'm still sourcing the clamps!! ;) Love your sea theme and your niche is so cute!!

Tracy said...

Thanks for popping by my blog! I LOVE the altered book. This is something I'm going to have to make time to try. Warmly, Tracy

Fiona@staring at the sea said...

Wow! That looks beautiful, you've done a great job with it. Hello rom a rather windswept Dorset!
Fiona xx #103

Fuchsia said...

Loving your book Sandee
thanks for passing by
have a great week xx

The Artful Diva said...

I love altering books - I like the cut out in yours a lot!

Lynn Holland said...

Sat on my comfy chair looking at your altered book, it looks really good. I like all your drawers with stuff sticking out, makes me want to rummage through them.
I think I might post some pics of my studio while it is still tidy after it's recent renovations. Tidiness and creativity don't go to well together, so I know it won't last.
Thanks for looking at my desk/chair.
Lynn

JoZart Designs said...

Interesting to watch the progress of your AB. I'll keep an eye on you to see how it goes on but it's lovely so far.
JoZarty x

Nicola said...

Wow, love the altered book, very inspiring. Definitely on my wish list to do :) x

Pat N. said...

Very cool book so far, Sandee. Lookin' good. Can't wait to see more.--Pat N.

scrappymo! said...

Your book is looking great. I wish my grandaughter was a little older...I think in the years to come, this is something that would be fun to make together!

Great job so far!

Peggy said...

I love your book Thanks for stopping by my blog and I too LOVE Pinterest! have a great day!

Fiona@staring at the sea said...

Sorry, I just saw your question about MFT. It stands for My Favourite Things and they make a range of dies called Die-namics.

Jo said...

Hi, the altered book sounds like a fantastic idea - am going to have to fine out more about it! Yours looks fab....definitely worth a red finger!
Happy WOYWW!
Jo x
#95

Barb King said...

Your altered book is coming along well, I'll stop in later this week to see more. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

mamapez5 said...

Well done on that cutting job. I have to say that Altered books are not for me, but I passed on the link to the classes to my sister. I haven't heard how she is getting on yet though. I am glad you are enjoying doing yours. Kate x

Anonymous said...

Happy WOYWW! I love your cute book! Thanks for a peek at your desk!

Hettie said...

Lovely book so far Sandee - waving from the hills of Wales!
I have signed up with Elisabeth but when I looked on Sunday the post wasn't up yet. Will have to go back and look now!

ikki said...

HI, looks likes you're had a busy and enjoyable time. I've not visited your beautiful hills, but I certainly would like to! Thanks for dropping by the Cupboard and for your encouraging comments, much appreciated. Enjoy the rest of your week. ikki

Tammy said...

Oh, looks like an awesome project. I'm off to check out that site. Thanks for the link. Have a great Wednesday! Tammy #118

Gwen said...

OOhhhh...fabulous to be doing an alteration...way to go!
Thanks for your advice, I was planning something similar and have now added another layer...
xxx

fairy thoughts said...

great desk I am doing the class too, I haven;t started lesson 3 . . . except the reading part.
your niche look great
janet #59

Yogi said...

looks like a wonderful project. I've never gotten around to cutting into a book yet, but I just might give it a go in the near future. Yours is lovely
Have a great day

Polly Polkadot said...

That looks really satisfying - or at least I would be really proud if I had made that. I hope you are!

Bridget Larsen said...

I know the feeling of a dirty desk. That niche looks really hard to cut out with a scalpel but you did a great job
Bridget #57

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I'm impressed with your niche! That must have a taken a huge amount of work. I've made two AB and would loved to have made a niche, but all that gluing and cutting! oh no! I need to clean off my desk too, or maybe just set it on fire.

Angie said...

I applaud you bravery! I've never been able to bring myself to alter a book. I just can't cut into, tear out or otherwise mutilate a book I look at it and well something just aches at the thought. I've so loved the ones that I've seen and this one is priceless!! Nicely done...

Anne-marie said...

Hi Sandee, your project is ab with lots of details
Anne-marie no 17

505whimsygirl said...

Hi Sandee,

This looks great! I've seen a few other posts where they've cut out the niche but that's as far as they've gotten. I can't wait to see how this project progresses!

Hugs,
Kay
#30

May said...

Sandy you little speedy, I'm still tearing my pages out of me book! I must say yours looks Fabulous the niche is amazing, Have a great week, Hugs May x x x x x

Deb's Pen Pot said...

Thanks for popping by my Pen Pot - I love the idea of the ideas swirling around my scriptorium and heading back into my brain; brilliant! Your altered book looks fab - my favourite Disney is The Little Mermaid and so I just love the aquatic theme. You're so brave to hack a book to pieces (gulp) to get to an amazing art project - I just don't think I could do it...(a writer wuss, I know!). Take care, Deb Pen Pot x

peggy aplSEEDS said...

wow, you are fast! i haven't even cut out the niche! it's looking lovely!!! happy WOYWW!

Craftymoose Crafts said...

I'm taking Elizabeth's class also, although I have not linked my photos yet. Going out to get some gel medium tomorrow for the niche though!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I'm SUPER impressed with your niche and how much you have done on your AB. It sounds like you were able to follow the instructions, or maybe you didn't need them. I'm off to check out your next post, talking about the techniques and how you made the niche. Have a great WOYWW and a wonderful week.

Kalea Wavedancer said...

AGH!! LOVE IT!!!!

Carin Winkelman said...

Your altered book is turning out beautifully. I love the theme of it too!

lisa said...

Sometimes you just have to take time out of precious crafting time to tidy up don't you!!
Your AB is coming along nicely. How lovely to give a book of such age a new lease of life.
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, I know it's awful letting life get in the way of WOYWW, I try not too.
I'm sending you a happy wave from Yorkshire today, hope it reaches you.
Hugs Lisax #99

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

What a lot of hard work and such beautiful results. I think this is one craft I must leave alone. We are trying to reduce the vast number of books in our house. As they become available, we are replacing favourites with the electronic version on the Kindle to save space and to allow us to take a big library on holiday. Thank you for your visit this week. We used to have quite a productive greenhouse, but in the end the wood crumbled and the glass got broken so it came down. We had the chance last year of a show greenhouse at rock bottom prices so we grabbed it and this year is its first trial. Can't wait for the first tomatoes. Have a good week. xx Maggie #8

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Sandee , thanks so much for popping over, and for sharing. Love the great details in the post above how you made all this so much for being patient hah if you love liquid glue you are patient! Happy WOYWW! Shaz in Oz. x #32

famfa said...

Very clever. Lovely work.

Spyder said...

Love it! I just love books, that look like books that are not books, which hide secrets!Have a great crafty week. Happy WOYWW!
((Lyn)) #26

Katie said...

That is too cute! I was considering a mermaid themed book. :)

Jacqui Chimes said...

Thank you for visiting my desk - I love the way yours looks

Ann B said...

I'm in class with you (as you know having already visited my blog) but you are streets ahead of me as I haven't plucked up courage to start on my niche yet. I love what you have done so far and the niche is worth all the hand-ache it must have given you cutting it out. Will check back to see how you progress

Debs Willis said...

This looks great! not tried it myself, but one day........probably about 273 on my 'like to try' list !

happy woyww, and thanks for your kind words


debs #104

Anne said...

Hi there love the altered book - never tried that. Cutting that niche out must have been hard. Look forward to seeing more of the project. Thanks for visiting me. Anne x

RosA said...

Wow, you've certainly made a great start to your book! (I've never got the hang of that Fiskar's finger tip knife. Suppose I should try and use it more.) Anything to do with dreaming of the sea is good for me!

debby4000 said...

Fabulous creations and I do believe your work space is getting smaller.
luv
Debby

Unknown said...

What a pretty project! I just love all the details in your altered book.
hugs,
Ellen

Linda said...

Such a pretty book, I love the theme and the mermaid. Linda #174

Mari K. said...

What a great altered book! I finally got around to visiting you, not much time for snooping with the 4 littles running around! Have a great week! -Mari K #130

fairy thoughts said...

great work, love the sea theme it is so colourful. I am a bit behind but loving the ideas.
janet

Sherry said...

Your end page decoration is AMAZING!!!!!! You did such a brill job, I feel quite ashamed of mine now - lol. Not to worry though as it's all a learning and improving process (if only I had the same theme as you, I could have done a straight copy - lol (only joking of course).

I like how you extended the hearts over to the niche page too - a lovely touch x