Art Fun and the Australian Open

I wish my friend Nancy lived even closer than she does. We had a great time yesterday and we got a couple of books out of it. The leather journals we made turned out really nicely. We each had 4 signatures and sewed them into the leather using an X pattern stitch. I then wrapped the leather around to the front and cut it asymmetrically. I haven't decided just how I am going to attach it yet.

I really like this size - it is about 3 1/2" x 4 " and will fit in my pocketbook nicely. I made mine with medium weight smooth sketch paper. Nancy made hers with a variety of papers in a variety of colors. 

After we finished the leather ones, we tried the two needle coptic stitch. Since we both had four stations on the spine, we used 4 needles. I was surprised at how easy it was to maneuver the four curved needles, but I didn't teach this very well. I began the linking stitch with the 3rd signature and should have started with the 2nd so there is a sort of half pattern stitch between the cover and the second signature. 

Nancy's book is really nice for a first try with a beginner for a teacher. She used a really cool cover from an old book and some very old paper for the cover paper. My book had a fatal accident as I was attaching the back cover. One of the holes I'd punched in it tore through. I will have to remember to place my holes a bit further from the edge next time. 

Here are some of the "light bulbs" that I had yesterday at Nancy's:

A rotary cutter works really not only to cut paper but for leather as well

A Japanese punch is much better for getting holes in the cover board than an awl

Green tea with lemon and honey is a great go-with for book binding

Two heads are better than one

Book binding (or any activity for that matter) is more than twice as much fun when done with a friend

Last evening I got sucked into watching the Wozniaki/Schiavone quarterfinal match and wound up staying up until 2 am again. This has got to stop. I didn't arise until 9:45 this morning and then only because the phone was ringing. 

I am hoping to try my hand at two-needle coptic again this week - maybe even today so I can say that I know how to do it and so that I can be a better teacher next time. You really find out what you know (or don't know) when you try to teach it.

Before the week is out I have to:

take books back to the library

get my taxes in order for my tax lady

type up an Algebra final exam review

tutor an Algebra student (later today)

get a physical (I have the appointment already)

get a haircut (ditto)

get a package to my Mom in the mail

spend time with my kids and their kids

walk the treadmill, walk the treadmill, walk the treadmill

There are only four more days in this week so I'd better get more efficient than I've been for the past three days. 

First, breakfast, then the treadmill........

xoxo