Altered Books Workshop

February 15, 2004
Think of the hundreds of books and magazines (especially " National Geographic") donated to worthy causes--even libraries--that are simply not worth keeping or cataloging for myriad reasons. All the better, then, to recycle those paper treasures into a work of art or, at least, of craft. California rebookmaker Brazelton applies collage and decorating techniques used in such nouveau arts as journaling and scrapbooking to transform unappreciated hard covers into display pieces. Included are the usual tools and materials, from painting to rubber-stamping, along with instructions for methods like stitching, glazing, and image transfers. What's unusual? Her process for book selection, the bountiful examples of her own works, and extraordinarily useful tips like "let each separate layer of glaze dry before adding another" and "use a large hole punch to cut a small window." Unfortunately, nowhere does she indicate the length of time needed to create one book of art; chances are the novice will need more than a day of production.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)