Deviating From The Traditional Script

Hm, so I was hoping to have pictures (coming soon!) but hubby has decided to make me my very own book press! As soon as he finishes it, I will post some. I'm very excited to have something that works just as well as the presses at work in the lab but that is much cheaper than buying one. It will even have the little hand cranks. Yay!

I've been VERY busy at work with all of my students, so it's been almost a month since my last update. I've been working on a few other projects, which you will hear more on soon. I have continued progressing on the hymnal project for my aunt and I've begun guarding the signatures. I am waiting for a couple of pages that are missing but I might have to look for another copy of the book in a library to photocopy the missing ones. They must've been the most popular songs, worn out from overuse and easily fell out. So far all four copies that I have are missing the same pages. Go figure!

I also started working on a book for a friend (a very large book) that is taking me quite a while to sew. I'm doing my first whipstitich (or oversewing) and I've already snapped one bookbinding needle. It looks pretty neat so far because I chose a black waxed linen thread on white paper, very stark. I'll also have to post pictures of that. I had a grand old time in the Artist and Craftsman store in Squirrel Hill buying supplies. Plus lots of stuff I didn't really need but wanted, like paper. No wait, I always need more art supplies! That's my justification. How can I make more art without it? I was in heaven, to say the least. I was also looking at the blocks for linocuts (I think they are called). I'd like to dabble in those later but since I don't know anyone who does that (or at least I don't think I do), I'll have to find a great instruction book. They might be great for putting images on my books, canvases, etc. I also came across the Yudu machine and it looks amazing! There were some negative reviews of it, plus it's not cheap, but it's still something I would love to have.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and now that I have all the Halloween decorations down (leaving the fall-themed ones up), I have to start thinking about baking. I make pumpkin pies from scratch (yes, that's right, no canned pumpkin) and I start taking orders early so I know how many I'm going to have to bake. I don't charge because they're just for friends and family, but I make enough for whomever wants one. Last year I also tried a recipe for an apple pumpkin pie and it turned out amazing! I think I will have to make that one again, maybe take that to our Thanksgiving dinner instead of the traditional one. I'm also in the mood to explore some other pumpkin recipes since I might have some of the puree left when I'm done with the pies.

I've been in a very good mood lately, perhaps I'm just getting enough sleep. But I had one of those moments while I was driving by myself and thought, I'm happy with my life right now. I have a great family, friends; I enjoy my job; I'm healthy; what more could I want? And I think I must watch too much television because I immediately looked around for the car that was going to T-Bone me abruptly since that's what always happens when the character realizes they are truly happy while driving. Luckily, I'm still here!