First of all what is an altered book? By definition it is simply a hardbound book that has been collaged, or embellished with patterned papers and decorative accents. Now what do you do with it? It is an artistic expression for telling a story, relaying a theme or recording memories. You choose whether you would like to add photographs or not. There are no rules and he sky is the limit.
To get started I got a book called "How To Make Altered Books If You Think You Can’t" by Hot Off The Press. I read it from cover to cover several times and tried to absorb as much as possible before diving into this art form. First you’ll need a hardbound book. They are easily found at library sales, yard sales and used bookstores. You may already have a book on the shelf at home that has an interesting title or inspiring chapter titles. I chose to use an Alter-able Book from Hot Off The Press. It is a new hardbound book that was destined for the recycle bin.
With current events I chose to do a patriotic themed album. Being a military wife I’ve collected all things patriotic for quite some time now. I was a little hesitant at starting my first page so I chose to decorate the outside of the book. I took a simple approach by painting the front and back with acrylic paint then attaching an old ribbon belt and adding a stamped tag. 
Starting the first page. Most altered books group pages together for strength and stability. You will need to determine what type of adhesive to use depending on how many pages you’ll be attaching at a time. I tried quite a few different ones in my book and my favorites were double stick tape, photo tabs and glue stick. You can also hold pages together with brads, eyelets and fibers. 
Niches are a very popular technique in altered books. They are a fun little recessed compartment that is cut out of a group of pages to make a great place for those lumpy embellishments, trinkets and treasures. Making a niche looks complicated but it’s easy. Determine what shape you want and the depth you’ll need. Glue your pages together. Draw the shape of your niche where you want it on the page then cut it out using an X-acto knife. You can decorate the edge, leave it plain, back it with patterned paper or cover it with vellum.
Many altered book artists use words or titles in the book for inspiration. If your book doesn’t contain any text related to your topic don’t worry. You can cover the text up with paint, patterned papers, dragging a stamp pad over the paper or just let the text show through. If you are going to use paint I suggest using a foam paint brush and applying thin coats so the pages don’t get too wet and warp. Place a scrap piece of paper underneath to catch any excess.
 |
 |
Now that I have finished my first altered book I have two more in the works. To answer the question, "What do I do with it?" is simple. It sits on a bookshelf with the rest of my beloved albums and military items. I am proud of it and it definitely sparks conversation. I hope that this article has inspired you to create your own altered book. Remember anything goes! Happy Scrappin’ *Ü*
 |
 |
