Altered Book = Handmade Journal - Part 2

Completed cover for my altered book

I did a post on on this altered book a few weeks back but I didn't have the cover completed.   Finally got some time to do that today.

I work on the floor a lot.  I had a number of things I thought about using and didn't.

Here's what I learned doing this one today.   Lay out what you think you want to use and place it on the cover where you think you want it before you started sewing or gluing anything.  Take a picture when you finally get it the way you want it.   That way you can do things in the correct order because it's layered.  I forgot the order and did one layer too soon and it changed my final lay-out.   

After my cover was all sewn....I already had the book covered in burlap and just needed to sew the wrap of black material with the laces and fabric flowers etc... I attached it using pvc glue to the burlap.

I use these clips a lot to hold things together while glue sets and dries.  

I was happy with the finished journal.

This is another one I had shown in the last post about handmade journals.   I had the cover made but not put on the chip board yet.   I am using this as my budget book and needed it to be expandable.  I have pocket in it for bank statements, bills, I made checkbook registers the size of the book and as well as ledger pages.  The medallion on the cover has the serenity prayer on it.... fits with budgeting many months.

 After doing a book put together with rings and an altered book I prefer the altered book in the end.  Altered books are certainly more work but I like the finished product enough to do it that way again. 

I am going to start on the family album next as an altered book.  I am so excited to do that one with the amazing fabric and stones!

Elizabeth  

Edited 9/4/12  -

I'm including a picture of the original book as I've gotten a number of questions about it.   It was covered in burlap first and then the inner book was redone with new paper, pictures and embellishments that were meaningful to me.  The last step was the cover.

  

Eggplant Parmigiano

                       

Eggplant Parmigiano

2 medium to large eggplants

8 eggs

1 - 1 1/2 cups of milk

3 cups bread crumbs

 oil to fry eggplant in

6 cups marinara / spaghetti sauce

3 cups mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese

salt to taste

Put 2 eggs and some milk in shallow dish and wisk as you would for scrambled eggs

put a cup of crumbs in another

use remaining eggs 2 at a time, milk and crumbs to replenish each plate as you use up what is in them

dip eggplant in egg mix and then dredge in crumbs

repeat with the same piece of eggplant to get 2 coats of crumbs on each piece

heat oil 

fry each piece of eggplant, turning when browned until soft

place on paper towels as you take them out of fry pan

When all pieces are browned

Preheat oven to 350 

Assemble in a 13" x 9" casserole pan

pour or spoon enough sauce into bottom  of pan to cover it

add layer of eggplant on top of sauce

add another layer of sauce

add layer of grated mozzarella cheese on top of sauce

repeat layer of eggplant using all of it up

if you have pieces on top of pieces that's fine

Repeat layer of sauce and top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese

Put in oven and cook until cheese has bubbled and browned some - about 40 min.

Enjoy!

Ivy Corner Garden Center

This is Homer.  Homer is the official greeter for the Ivy Corner Garden Center.  

Saturday I visited the garden Center just to see what was new.   I always love visiting here.  You never know what new treasure you may find here.  Its one of those eclectic places that doesn't really fit any typical description.  Maybe a bit bohemian feeling.  It's situated on a corner and the building is attached to the Ivy Post Office in small town fashion.   On the roof the chimney has an extra large quarter moon and some stars made of wire and strung with lights to give a silhouette of twinkle lights at night.  

There is never a shortage of things to look at inside.  Although they carry some standard garden products and tools much of what they carry is local made and interesting because its not what you find everywhere else.    

The whole inside is broken up into rooms of various merchandise.    Outdoors in the back is where the shrub and tree inventory is along with miscellaneous pots, fountains and other garden ornaments.  It was pretty much pouring outside when we were there so I didn't take any pictures outside fearing my camera wouldn't like getting that wet.

I left empty handed save the few pictures I took but it was fun walking through none the less.   I love these sort of places that are unique and treasures unto themselves.

Elizabeth

It's Raining!

 

We are having a wonderfully rainy day today.  I love days that are just a steady rain all day.  No       lightening or thunder or pelting rain that just washes away topsoil and is over too fast for it to really sink deep into the soil where it's so desperately needed.  Just slow steady rain.  I love them not just because of the obvious need for rain but also for the opportunity to spend a day playing catch-up inside.  I always have the urge to make soup on days like this.   Rainy days are comforting days for me.   

Later,  I am planning a trip to the local garden center followed by an evening of cooking and working on journals.  I will take my umbrella and know even for a Sat. I will have the place pretty much to myself because most people won't come on a rainy day.

Elizabeth

Ps

As you may or may not have noticed, I have missed the last 2 frugal Fridays posts.  I seem to have developed a mental block about this so am scrapping it in favor of just posting something frugal when it hits me.  I have never been good at boxing myself into something like that but felt the need to try one more time and hence, prove to myself I am still not good at it. 

On The Homesteading Bookshelf

Some of my favorite Homesteading Books

Last night after my T-post adventure yesterday I went to look up something about fencing for animals and realized how many books on homesteading I had that I hadn't looked at in what seems like forever. I took a couple to read in bed last night...at least thumb through before I drifted off.    I had forgotten about some of them and was pleasantly reminded of how much information I had at my fingertips.   

I've got tons of gardening books because of my career in horticulture but these are homesteading, animal and cheesemaking books.

Of the books above my favorite for inspiration is the Paul Heiney "Country Life".

Sheep, Goats, Cattle and Pigs by Carol Ekarius is great for learning breeds of farm animals.  

Homemade is a favorite for simple things to build around the homestead but if your already handy building it may be too simple.  It was perfect for me when I was starting out.  I have a How to raise Goats that isn't in that stack but it's great too.  It's like the How to Raise Poultry and How to Raise Pigs that are in the stack and by the same publisher.   It also had some good pictures of thing I wanted to build in it.  The Chicken Health Handbook was a help with sick or injured chickens on occasion.  How to Build Animal Housing and Chicken Coops were both fun to look at and maybe someday....

The Goats Produce Too! is one of my favorite beginner cheesemaking books.  I started out with the book by Rikki Carroll but found this to be more beginner friendly.

I pulled some of my old Mother Earth News, Hobby Farms and Hobby Farm Home magazines out too along with the random copies of Backyard Poultry, Dairy Goat Journals, Grit and Mary Janes Farm.

Magazines are always a source of inspiration to me.  Being a visual type the pictures give me so many idea's of things I want to do or could do around here.     The lot will stay in a pile by my chair to thumb through for the next few months whenever I have time.  I frequent our library regularly too and am able to check out many there as well.  

So what's on your homesteading library shelf.  I would love to hear about your favorite books so please share.

Elizabeth