Workday Wednesday

It is definitely looking and feeling like November these days. I was really enjoying the weather up until a few days ago. Now I feel like staying inside and hibernating.

I have added a book to my shelf of handmade books. It has a vinyl cover and flecked endpapers. It has five signatures with five folios in each for a total of 100 pages. It is approximately 8 inches tall and 5.5 inches wide. I seem to be stuck at this size. I really like my journals to be a bit smaller than that. I think my ideal size is about 6" tall and 4" wide. I'm going to try something more that size for my next one.

Here is what it looks like from the outside:

The color is actually more cinnamon than this and I love the design.

The endpapers are a lightweight butterscotch color with little flecks of gray/brown. I don't think you can see the flecks much in this picture:

The journal lays flat and is sewn together with what I call a weave stitch. I don't know what it is really called, but I found it on Michael Shannon's website. You can see the instructions here. The really nice thing about the stitch is that it holds together really well and the book still opens flat.

There are some minor mistakes in this journal. The inside front cover shows a bit at the top of the front endpapers and the bottom and right edge of the inside back cover show a bit at the back endpaper. The notebook doesn't feel skewed despite that and it is not a spoiler. I really am pretty happy with how this one turned out.

I've promised myself I am going to try a very loose wet in wet watercolor today. I am also in the middle of a novel called "What is Left the Daughter" by Howard Norman, a pretty interesting read so far. And, of course, I'd like to make another little journal.

We are celebrating Thanksgiving on Friday this year to better accommodate family. The turkey is in the refrigerator thawing, the squash has been selected, the potatoes purchased, the cornbread stuffing planned. Now we just have to decide whether or not we are making the green bean casserole with mushroom soup and onions on top that the hubster and daughter like so much. The pies will be made tomorrow. I think I just may be making some banana oatmeal muffins tomorrow (there are some ripening bananas on the side table in the kitchen). Sounds kind of like a cooking party!!

But before I get started on today's plans, I need a second cup of coffee and I hear the treadmill calling.

I hope you are planning for a wonderful Thanksgiving and have loved ones nearby with which to share it.

xoxo