Midsummer night...

I'm missing gardens and dewy grass, and the seeming solitude of nature.

Wishing I were surrounded by fireflies and whispering birches, rather than the hum of florescent lights.

I would even brave the mosquitos and black flies, if I could climb up the oak into our tree house and watch the waning moon.

The "Thud, thud, thud" of the annoying rap star base from the apartment below, and the sticky night peppered from orange industrial lights fill my sheets.

I can't sleep.

Give me a hammock! Give me a winding stream...and peepers singing in the blackness.

I'll curl up in my bower, feel the long grasses tickle my back.

Squint your eyes and you may see Oberon and his band of menehune walk past.

BUT NO! I am stuck on the third floor of a concrete block. No breeze...no stream...no midsummer mischief for me...


Goodnight Puck.

TAKE THAT!

I totally aced my midterm for Medieval Literature. (only missed one question!)

I hope I can annihilate the PRAXIS exam tomorrow morning with equal results.

Book Blog for Lizzy

WHAT YOU NEED:
Regular printer paper ( or if you're being brave, watercolor paper, or any other type that makes your fingertips sing!)
Floss (unused is best...blechh!)
Needle
I have a "Bone Folder" in my picture, but not to worry--you don't REALLY need it. You can use your thumbnail to make a nice crisp crease.
Happy paper for the cover. This could be thick, cardstock quality, or floppy leather, or, the morning's newspaper. It's up to you!


Folding is pretty simple, just make sure that everything is lined up, for everything to work best.


This part of the folded paper is called the "Mountain"---ohh those creative book binders!


And this is called the "Valley"


Folded piece of paper= Folio
Folded pieces of paper tucked inside eachother= signatures

Usually 6 folios make up 1 signature. OK! Enough with the numbers--time for FUN!



***This is the tricky part***
THREADING THE NEEDLE

Actually--threading needles isn't the tricky part---it's the snazzy bookbinding thing we do next!
DUM DUM DUUUUUH!!!



You'll want to take the smaller section of floss (the part you just put through the needles eye), ON TO the needle.
This helps you not have to hold all the pieces of string together when you're sewing.
It does take some practice....but it's really nice when it's done!






*** Tricky part over!***

PUTTING IT TOGETHER



Pamphlet Stitch book with 5 holes

Here's a link for AMAZING clear instructions for three holes--might be a better plan!
http://www.booklyn.org/education/ispamphlet.pdf



You just poke the holes with your needle, no need to do ahead of time.

Just make sure you go from the inside (VALLEY!) to the top ( Mountain)--and DON'T prick yourself. OUCH!

Don't sew yet, just make the holes.



Measure out the paper that you want. make sure there's enough to be the front and back cover ( and if you'd like, leave a lot extra so you can sorta wrap it around the front!)



OK! Now we're ready to sew!

http://www.booklyn.org/education/ispamphlet.pdf
--all my pictures look complicated--use this instead!

Through the middle hole from the top this time! MOUNTAIN to the VALLEY.



Don't pull it all the way through--leave enough to tie at the end of the sewing--


and then trim!



YOU'VE MADE A BOOK!


PART II tomorrow....

Student Teaching Placement

SOUTH SALT LAKE!

.....i'mma have to get me a sweater vest now.