Happy Mother's Day...

to all moms out there.  So much is learned by their example.  They're truthful when we don't need it, because it makes us stronger.  They teach us traditions that we pass to our own children.  They teach us to search for beauty in all that we have, even if it may not be a lot.  They teach us what family means and the patience it takes to keep us all together, even when we're mad at each other.  They forgive and they forget.  They punish, but love us despite the wrongs that we do.  They are there even when we don't want them to be.  They step back and let us have our glory, even though, they are as deserving for it for we wouldn't have it if they weren't there to support us.  They set an example for us to be as we are raising our own children.  And, last of all, they continue to love us through our own children.  What they may have failed to do with us, they make up for with our kids.  I love my mom; she has always been the wind beneath my wings.

Dorothy of Oz...

Yes, another coptic stitch bound journal...I know.  I love binding books in this manner.  They're more time-consuming than using the binding machine, but I really enjoy the process.  This journal I gifted to a co-worker, because I know she loves reading as I do, and anyone who's taught Reading has enjoyed the Oz books.  She plans to use it as an art journal.  The more I stitch these books, the better I bind.  That is my hope...

Another coptic stitch journal...

I really like the look of a book bound with this type of stitching.  I guess until I've done about fifty of these books will I feel happy with the stitching.  But I'm happy with this one, enough.  I love the look of kraft paper.  [I can't stop making these little books/journals.]

Altered book...

done with the help of THIS tutorial.  It's a 6 part series tutorial.  I've now done three with discarded books found at local flea markets.  It's a very simple way to bind paper, and I like the look of the book as a cover.

Fairy art journal...

done with coptic stitch binding.  

Coptic Stitch Journal...

One more attempt at this type of binding.  Several mistakes were made with this journal, but I like how it turned out in the end.  The cover is faux leather fabric and the lining is decorative wrapping paper.  The signatures are watercolor paper.  I like how this binding looks, but I always have trouble with the covers being too loose.  I followed SeaLemonDIY for the coptic stitch tutorial.  She has several ways to bind books.  I figure practice MAY lead to perfection.

Happy Anniversary...

Love

true strong

happily lively hopefully

best friends likely kissing

in our hearts

growing together

Marriage