(no subject)
in the time since my last posting here i have done a great many things. my birthday has come and gone, i've finished books fifty seven and fifty eight and i've found some fun pen obsessed people to read and listen to online. namely mary collins who blogs here and brad dowdy who blogs here and podcasts with myke hurley here. which has greatly fueled my desire for new pens. its been a lot of fun to hear brad start his podcast as a non fountain pen user and quickly become an avid fountain pen lover. i was once like that. i always loved pens and would find new and interesting gel, ball, rollerball and felt pens at the store even after my first fountain pen experience. but now, unless it is an exceptional pen i'd much prefer to use my fountain pen over any other pen.
and that's what lead to me to making these books. i would buy a molskine or journal from the local bookstore only to be disappointed that it wasn't fountain pen friendly at all. so, i started making my own and now i'm fifty eight books into this experiment turned hobby and loving it.
book fifty seven started with an idea of a gift to a co-worker who is very sick. shortly after getting it done i was suddenly overcome with the thought that it is really very presumptuous of me to give her this book that i had envisioned she would use to write thoughts and stories to pass on to her loved ones. because that is something that i would do. and so i wrestled with the idea of actually giving to the book to her until tami helped me with the idea of how to word the card. shortly after i handed the book over, but still haven't heard anything since then. i hope it was received well.
shortly after that book was completed i started the next one. this one i used faux leather and wanted to experiment with two new items. the first would be a pocket made of patterned paper or some paper completely different than the fly sheets, no photos of that at this time. the next was to actually tear my own paper with my new tear bar from hollanders. initially i thought this might be more work than worth, or the juice isn't worth the squeeze. but it was very easy once i found a pattern and didn't extend the work time much at all. the best part about this is i am now open to many other types of paper, some at better prices and any size and quality. the other nice thing about this paper is the paper is considerably thinner than the stock paper i was purchasing before and so it helps make the book thinner. this is one of my better done books in that there isn't a lot at this point that i would change or want to correct.
i also found in the making of book fifty eight that i prefer hand tools over more mechanical tools. for instance as i was setting the eyelets i used my hammer and manual set rather than the crop-a-dial II and found that i much preferred the result of a good old hammer and set than the press set.
i haven't started fifty nine yet, but i hope to sometime this week or at the latest next. and i might be commissioned to make a wedding guest book which should be an interesting adventure.
and that's what lead to me to making these books. i would buy a molskine or journal from the local bookstore only to be disappointed that it wasn't fountain pen friendly at all. so, i started making my own and now i'm fifty eight books into this experiment turned hobby and loving it.
book fifty seven started with an idea of a gift to a co-worker who is very sick. shortly after getting it done i was suddenly overcome with the thought that it is really very presumptuous of me to give her this book that i had envisioned she would use to write thoughts and stories to pass on to her loved ones. because that is something that i would do. and so i wrestled with the idea of actually giving to the book to her until tami helped me with the idea of how to word the card. shortly after i handed the book over, but still haven't heard anything since then. i hope it was received well.
shortly after that book was completed i started the next one. this one i used faux leather and wanted to experiment with two new items. the first would be a pocket made of patterned paper or some paper completely different than the fly sheets, no photos of that at this time. the next was to actually tear my own paper with my new tear bar from hollanders. initially i thought this might be more work than worth, or the juice isn't worth the squeeze. but it was very easy once i found a pattern and didn't extend the work time much at all. the best part about this is i am now open to many other types of paper, some at better prices and any size and quality. the other nice thing about this paper is the paper is considerably thinner than the stock paper i was purchasing before and so it helps make the book thinner. this is one of my better done books in that there isn't a lot at this point that i would change or want to correct.
i also found in the making of book fifty eight that i prefer hand tools over more mechanical tools. for instance as i was setting the eyelets i used my hammer and manual set rather than the crop-a-dial II and found that i much preferred the result of a good old hammer and set than the press set.
i haven't started fifty nine yet, but i hope to sometime this week or at the latest next. and i might be commissioned to make a wedding guest book which should be an interesting adventure.