I had been keeping this generic black pleather journal around for quite some time but I always knew it was missing something. That something was apparently me getting the idea to alter it, originally inspired by various “Steampunk” journals I had seen. The most I had ever written in it was my name for “This book belongs to:” and a couple of thoughts on the first two pages. That was it!! Now I am going to make it something more. Over the past year I have taken a major turn toward traditional healing a.k.a. herbal healing. I got tired of seeing “if you or a loved on took this medicine and is now dead or permanently messed up you may be entitled to compensation.” Money isn’t going to return quality of life. Anyhow, being someone who is required to have some sort of medication on a daily basis I went back to nature, and this is going to be my “recipe” book.

 This is the new front cover. Some fabric flowers that I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink on … they used to be much brighter colors! A couple of resin black roses, some Tim Holtz gears, a few brads … Also, I did make that leather Triquetra on my own! I cut the slits on the background leather and wove the other strips of leather through. I am currently adding some silk ribbon embroidery to the cover as well. And yes, I am covering the pleather with leather … well suede.

 Inside the front cover with my “This book belongs to:” window in the fabric. I had to add this fabric because after all the treatment to the pages and spine I wanted to give a clean finish.

 This is at the very center of the book. Just some rub-ons for the flowers, some self-stick butterfly boarder, and some tissue tape.

 Blank pages. It was a long process of spraying and drying. And to help with the drying and aging I utilized my oven … and melted the glue in the spine … but I like it better this way, it’s more aged.