the pages before the fist page

I always want my altered books to perform like a regular published book.  Every time I prep a book, I keep the front pages.  I keep the title page, the publisher's page and everything including the table of contents.  In this case, it appears that I skipped a page in order for my first entry into the book to be an "open spread" or two facing pages.  In my swapping and wandering about, I "find" items and images that speak to me.  They don't lend themselves to being added to a page in the "story", but they are significant enough to save and be displayed in the beginning pages.  I also use the actual table of contents to list the titles of my own pages.  I will cross out words and titles or if the title works with the page I make, I will incorporate it into the list.  I cut out typed titles that I create on a word doc.  I will also create small pieces of art to fit onto pages that just need a little something to get you to the next page.  In this case, I altered a Jack of hearts to be a merman.  The blue mermaid is a potato print. (yes, I cut a large potato in half and carved a mermaid.  It was part of a quest I had to do for Questscouts.com).  I find mermaids everywhere!!!