A beautiful spine...

I think what attracts me most to book binding is the lovely stitches on the spine of the books we make. If you were ever to do this you too would appreciate a lovely spine. In my efforts to "know everything" I took yet another class in bookbinding. This time with a new instructor. She was ever so cute. The book we did was "coptic" stitching, which is the oldest method of bookbinding apparently. Here is mine.
I'm one of those individuals who needs to critique my work, so I think if I get the energy to do this again, I would use a contrasting colour of thread, so I can see the lovely stitches. I even think I would resort to my old way of calculating my holes in the front/back covers so they would be more uniform. willy nilly is o.k. but I do like to use a ruler sometimes. I did finish the book, which I like. Our little Bizzy B group had moved over to Wise Daughters, great space, wonderful lighting, and very easy going instructor. If you live in the area, give one of their classes a try. You'll like it.

What a fab day...

I didn't post on Sunday, it was far too exciting. I did another bookbinding class. Full metal jacket, yes another one. The other day when I did the photo challege with clocks I suddenly realize the book I planned on journalling in was designated for my thoughts about my son S. Vincent. So I needed a new one.
My sisters and I often have a chuckle at the things my mother use to say, we just hated it when she was right. So I was off to make another one, book that is. I had brought a portion of her old sewing patterns home with no idea what to do with them but, I had a skathingly brilliant idea on Sunday morning and then it just happened.
You simply start with a hunk of suede or leather, and some steel plates from Home Depot. Of course Carolyn does all the prep.







Then after some alchohol ink stamping, and japanese screw punching and eyelet attachment, your spine is ready to add signatures.













I decided to use some scrapbooking paper with communication themes, like telegraphs, letters etc. as well as some of the old sewing pattern envelopes(Only McCalls or Simplicity, my mother hated using Vogue or Butterick patterns) for the covers to each of the eight signatures, thus giving me some chapters to my stories.















I even added beads to the spine and fed the thread back through for a dangley book mark.










It had to have a mauve/lilac spine, I most certainly will know it's my mother's words that I have recorded, it's her favorite color. You can see how little it takes to excite me. I do take pleasure in the little things.

At a loss for words...

I'm still in the tidy mode. This is a little book we did in our bookbinding class quite some time ago. I've designated it's purpose for "at a loss for words" you know when you want to write something and just are stumped. I've even put my polish sentiments in since it's such a hard transition for me, I thought I would write down all those special thing others write to me and plagiarize. So far it's filling quite quickly. It has seven signatures so I've divided it up with 1/3 in Polish, well two signatures, and the remainder in months/seasons, Christmas sentiment, Valentine etc.
You have to admit the spine and stiching are quite attractive, and it's small enough on the book shelf not too be in the way. I've even put some of my stamp sentiments in since I don't always know where they are. oops now you know how organized I am. I may have to make another one to put all those religious cards into, just in case someone needs one. I just attach them with photo corners and then they can be removed. Hey that's not a bad little project for my mom and me on those long days.

Creative day...

I thought I would do something creative today, as I cleaned all week and you know what happens, you find a project and think "Oh I meant to do that". So today I tried a little piece that was designed by the designers of Quietfire. I had a little trouble stamping at the end but. I chose to do my mothers pictures on a 6 x 6 gallery canvas, I enlarge the photos, they were very small and then I went at it. Quite fun. I'll post my table decoration and include them with. I hope to develop this into a "Caught on Canvas" book for each of my siblings and nieces and nephews, with a little something as a treat. Stay tuned for the result.

The Third Sunday of the Month is bookbinding...

The Third Sunday of the Month has just become bookbinding Sunday. And Yesterday was no exception. Carolyn Disher once again patiently instructed us in our "Little Fat Book". I wish I had a digital camera to show you mine. I had decided to keep a gift journal. Since my memory is sometimes not at it's peek, I've decided to write down what I buy for whom. I hate missing a birthday, so this is the way I will have to remember. The little fat book has twelve signatures. One for every month. I can not only record birthdays, but check off what I bought as a gift or if I only send a card, to the celebrant I can check that off. The little fat book can stand on my nightstand so I can check what's happening tomorrow. It also has a woven spine with fibres and coloured ribbon and beads. It's not only decorative and functional but was a fun project for seven very nice ladies. Sometimes you can do a class with just the right kind of participants, you sometimes get to know people and are introduced to some great careers and the discussion goes into many territories. Yesterdays was Coronation Street. Apparently, according to Juliette (one of the participants) not everyone in that British town lives that way. We talked about pets, and health and much more whilst creating. Looking forward to the next time ladies. By then Santa will have brought me a digital camera and I'll post a photo of my creation.

Well the weekend ended as well as it began. Jane Wynn's class was indeed worth the drive from Baltimore. While I didn't finish my projects, I almost did and I certainly fired everything up. It was a great weekend workshop, but then of course I would not have expected anything less from Carmi. Check out Martha's blog to see what kind of stuff we did. I lost the use of a digital camera when Daniel moved out, so I couldn't take any pictures(must do something about that). Any way check out Martha's blog and you'll see. My bezel have some dried roses from my mother's garden. I'll need a few more pipes to finish the garden.

Traditions

Traditionally, Thursdays were my creative outlet. Why should today be any different? When I was newly wed, my husband always started his shift on Thursdays, and then they had these gettogethers, which didn't include wives. Always hated those gettogethers. So, my friend Karen, who did the work schedule, and I worked Thursday evenings. In the morning she and I would take some artsy course, have lunch at her apartment, which I thought was so cool, since only cool people lived in high rise apartments, and head off to work. It was usually a wicked salmon sandwich. Imagine remembering it, I can almost taste it. She made the best salmon sandwich. Then she got married. Life changed. Then we had babies together. Funny, I can't remember when I've seen her last. Well then I joined the painting ladies at Leslie's. Love those babes. Leslie makes a mean egg salad sandwich, and great tea. Leslie and I have expanded our horizons and not restricted ourselves to creative Thursdays, we do it anytime and pretty much anywhere. Well today is is Thursday, and the most creative thing I've done is make a wicked kapusta soup, and parsnip and sweet potatoe, and leek and mushroom. I do have a craving for celeric and pear, it being pear season and all. I can't believe Leslie has not made it. It was a recipe in our LCBO magazine. Well tomorrow is another day, and I'll have to do something creative to make up for my not producing something today.

Please don't shut your pie hole.

Most of you know that I've been compiling a favorite's cookbook and hand binding it. Not sure why? I've had to put my romance novel on hold for a short time, just not feeling very romantic these days. On Wednesday evenings I watch a show called Pushing up Daisies. It is centralized in a Pie Shop. Well that is a good thing. I've been toying with the idea of baking a pie, someday soon. I was telling Sasha, my viewing partner, that I haven't baked a pie since he was born, actually since I went into labour while taking out a peach and apricot pie out of the oven. My goofy husband startled me and I dropped that delicious pie and went to the hospital. I can tell you that all I thought about was having a slice of it when I got home. Alas, there was none left. And since I decided I was no longer eating for two I stopped baking pies. Well, as I come to that part in my cookbook, I think of what pies would I like to include in this chapter. Lemon, peach & apricot are a for sure. My sister Donna makes pumpkin and apple at this time of year, but I'm not a pumpkin kind of cook. So I'll have to do some serious contemplating on this since I limit myself to just 3 favorites. (My book is getting too thick to stitch together).
What are your favorites? Don't count the calories or the cholesterol contribution in these recipes. I feel a song coming on... photo of ghost over pie, a painting I did for my cookbook.

Cancel my class will you.

Today I was to take a class with Carolyn Disher. Carolyn is the lady that instructs us in bookbinding. I'm so hooked. I've now done several different designs and incorporated these into my collection of recipes. Unfortunately the class was canceled. I guess July is not a month people want to make a small woven book. I thought o.k. that's another recipe book on the shelf. So I guess I will have to iron. For our 25th Wedding Anniversary, my sisters bought me a wonderful iron. I've been ironing uniform shirts for 25 years before, of course my husband retired. No shirts to iron you think. No such luck. Now I iron more than uniforms, with three men in the house, and everyone wanting to wear 100% cotton, I have more ironing than I would like. So instead of having a creative moment I'll do my duty and iron. Or maybe I'll do an inservice and teach them to iron their own shirts. But then they would need to learn to use a hanger, wouldn't that be an achievement.

Perhaps I'll get distracted.