Sunday-1:15pm

Karma disappeared for a long time yesterday.  I found her snoozing on the one black box I laid on the bedroom floor (because I knew I didn't need pastel paper).

It's no wonder they are a bit smooshed.

My glass double-walled tea...well, whatever it is...arrived yesterday.  Shall we say I was not impressed. 

The supposed tea strainer is nothing but this little metal basket.  The tiny pieces of metal sticking out from the sides is the only thing catching it...

...on this lower glass rim of sorts.  

It tips all over the place.  I tried adjusting the tiny metal feet, but if I monkey with them too much they are just going to snap right off.  

I haven't tried brewing tea in here yet, but it looks quite difficult to find a way to NOT end up with tea leaves in your tea...see?

Which I thought was the whole point in having a strainer--lol!

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So, okay...if you were just going to use it to drink tea and keep it warm--the plastic cover...

...has no drinking spout of any kind...and the walls, as you can see above, are really thick to drink from.

Okay--you can quit laughing.  I probably should have read much closer.  (I thought I did, but am too annoyed to go back and read again right now.)  Just because something looks like a travel cup, shows up with the other thermal travel cups, does not mean it is a travel cup.  No wonder I don't remember there being more pictures than basically what you see on the front of that box.  Oh well.  I can use it as a thermal glass with a fat rim and see if it keeps the tea warm for a little while longer than a regular cup.  Doubtful.  And taking that cover off and on every time you want a sip--way too much bother.

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Meanwhile.

My journal project has been growing and multiplying!  

Now that cracks me up!

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Okay...I get this idea to make a huge journal and dive in, right?  Then I start thinking about how much thread I would have to use and how many knots I would have to make adding on more thread (not having felt confident with my waxed thread knots in the past)...and then--how am I going to make holes in this thick davy board in the first place??  

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I know I have heard of coptic stitch being done with more than one needle...so I spent all day yesterday searching through my few simple bookbinding books (useless), googling, and watching youtube videos.  Found one video on multiple needles with coptic stitch but it had no audio, jumped about, and my brain just couldn't comprehend or fully see how he was using all those needles (five?)--useless.

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I did see people using drills to make holes, though--duh!!  I emailed Leah (our tool girl) to see if she could bring over her drill with a 1/8 inch bit tomorrow.  (They are planning to bring me with shopping at Target tomorrow night if I am good to travel--didn't make it to the license bureau again on Friday--we'll try again this coming week.)  Leah said she thought the drill would work fine on the davy board--whoohoo!  One problem solved.

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But if I have a drill coming over (hope she doesn't forget)...then I should get a few more covers ready to drill while we're at it, right?

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For my birthday I ordered from Dick Blick: a gelli plate (that's on backorder till mid April), some more student grade 90# watercolor paper (two brands), a set of mixed media boards, and a couple canvas boards. 

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I planned to make some smaller journals with the WC paper.  The Dick Blick WC paper comes 15" X 22" inches--so 7 1/2" X 11" size.  The Bienfang comes 18" X 24"--so 9" X 12" size.  Since a drill is actually going to be here....well, then how can I NOT cut some more cover boards, right?

So, I have been cutting away today.  Taking it slower...not pressing as hard...more blades passes...and a lot more breaks.  (Cutting the davy board was the hardest on my bum arm and my back last Thursday.)

Easiest to make four covers from each sheet of davy board.  Here's the larger ones for the Bienfang paper.  Added 1/2 inch both ways--so 9 1/2" X 12 1/2".  All set for two of those!

Now I'm working on the smaller Dick Blick paper size--8" X 11 1/2"--and I'll have covers for two of those also.

I did see a picture on google images of a coptic bound journal with four sections on each end.  Now I can't find it, but it was similar to this--except imagine four rows on each end with a big gap in the center.

I figured maybe I could figure out a way to do that with two needles?

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Or I saw books like these...

...that I thought could maybe be done with three needles going at once?  Was wondering if clamps would help hold the thread in place when you went from one needle to another working your way up?  Regardless, any of these could be done with one needle if my multiple needle idea doesn't pan out.  You'd just have longer threads strung between the kettle stitching inside the book.  No problem.  

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I'm only concerned about the binding for the really big journal, anyways.  The smaller ones could be done the common evenly spaced way.

Or maybe I should even try one of those other patterns on a smaller journal, too.  What the heck, eh?  They won't take as much thread or be quite as unwieldy to manipulate.  Try something new, right?  Regardless, I have to decide before tomorrow night so they are marked and ready for drilling.  ;)

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That's what is happening over here this weekend.  I am off to cut some more davy board.  :)

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"Nothing is a waste of time if you use your experience wisely."

Auguste Rodin