Wk. 10, Book #10: Altar Book

the second book in this series is inspired by two pieces in William Rhodes's ancestor room, at the bottom of the central altar. something about those buttons and that bush comb triggered my memory.

so i went hunting through my treasure chest of family relics and found an autograph book that belonged to my mother. the first and earliest entry is from my grandmother, dated June 1953. she wrote:

Dear Lucy, 

God sends rain

God sends dew

May his blessing

Fall on you

Your mother, B. E. Johnson

the last entry is a name i don't recognize (probably a school mate), dated June 1955. 

the covers are made of  leathery paper. i added real buttons and stick-on button appliques, inspired by William's two textured pieces shown above, and reinforced the inside covers with a heavier paper stock. the inside cover page says:

"This book becomes

a treasure rare

If but a line

or more you'll spare."

this little treasure also allowed me to FINALLY do something with all these scriptural notes written on little pieces of paper i have found over the years in my mother's Bibles. there are just enough blank pages in the book to store her notes and any other scraps of her handwriting that i may discover in the future.

William, my dear, i am grateful for that conversation we had last month that is the catalyst for this shared experience in honoring our ancestors via our art. you are MAGICAL, indeed.