forget about it!

I was looking at Isaiah 54:4 today:

"Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. "

The phrase in blue stood out to me. We all have these memories which, when we touch on them, make us flinch. Stupid things said and done ... sinful (or just dumb) choices made ... being at the wrong place at the wrong time, and seeing what you wish you hadn't ...

When I first read the above verse, I automatically had the thought, "praise the Lord, He chooses not to remember that stuff. And He doesn't cause us to be disgraced ... cause others to remember it."

But it's more than that. He says I will forget the shame of my youth.

He's going to allow it to fade, to the degree those memories won't fling themselves in my path.

I'm thankful for that. There are SO many things it's just so nice to forget!

these defects lend an air of authenticity

I was just reading the label on a pizza tray (thanks Dad!).

I always look for a particular line on labels ... the "this thing is gonna get battered when you use it so don't complain about it" phrase.

This one was a new wording to me ...
Slight scratches caused by the cutting action of knives and forks are normal, and lend your piece an air of authenticity.

Let's put aside for a second how a pizza pan could not be "authentic" ... I don't know either.

Instead, let's think about the Velveteen Rabbit idea ... that slight scratches, imperfections, dents, flaws ... lend an air of authenticity.

On garments, they tell you that irregularities in the fabric are normal, and part of the overall "look."

Hand stitched quilts are beautiful, and stand out because of slight unevenness-es in the stitching.

God chooses imperfect people, and does wonderful things with them.

This week, I was reading Streams in the Dessert and the following quote jumped out at me:

Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth's saddest failure up to heaven's glory. - J.R. Miller

As we sit here, the day between Good Friday and Easter ... isn't it a glorious thing to think about the One, who went willingly to the cross, to pay our debt? And then, rose again, in proof that payment had been accepted, and we would, one day, be raised?

Since this one turning point in history, God has, for 2,000 years, been gathering His church together ... His little collection of battered, ragged, and moth-eaten people. changing them. USING them. He's not like us. He doesn't go for the pristine, and perfect. When He starts a project, He looks to use the workers, and ingredients, that have fallen to the bottom of the barrel ... so when the work is done, the glory goes to Him.

To repeat a message that never tires those who have heard it most often ... have you accepted what He offers? He's calling the wretches, the sinful, and the failed ... and He offers forgiveness, new life, and hope. Have you taken Him up on it?

my nephew, the antidepressant

How can you NOT smile at this little fellow? :)

so ... I'm told my blog is boring ...

One of my faithful readers (out of a grand total of five), and also a family member, has declared my blog "boring."

This is the problem with obsession. I'm fascinated by bookbinding right now. Whenever anyone asks me in real life, "so how are you doing?" the question is bound to be answered (snicker ... "bound" ... snicker) sorry ... is bound to be answered with some account of whatever tome is currently in pieces on my workbench.

You know how a friend, with whom you ordinarily enjoy spending time, becomes the world's most tedious person when in the throes of infatuation? Their whole world revolves around potential-boyfriend-to-be, and you've heard enough about him to be able to write his unauthorized biography? Yeah ... that's me and bookbinding right now. :)

So ... if you want a non-bookbinding topic, you'll have to suggest it yourself. Ask a question, and I'll answer it. Though it better be VERY far afield from books, or you KNOW where I'll take it.

So ... about that calf-skin bound copy of William Cowper I'm working on right now. I started sewing last night, and I can't WAIT to get home from work to spend more time with it! :)

Next Project

A family at church brought in this Bible to be worked on. It's a big one! Maybe 10 pounds? Heavy enough that you don't sling it around lightly!
Fortunatley the leather is in good shape. The front and back hinges need to be re-done, and the outside signatures re-sewn.
I have the cover off, and am hoping to re-sew the signatures this weekend, and start repairing the cover.

Because it's so big, and so nice, I'm finding the idea of putting a needle into it very intimidating! The text block is sitting on my sewing frame right now ... and I go over and look at it periodically. But at some point, I am going to HAVE to poke some holes and start sewing!

Maybe tomorrow ...

On the other hand, I AM getting some housework done, as I'm avoiding the scary Bible. Normally it works the opposite way ... the books get done, and the house gets ignored!

Dave's Bible, part 2

This is what I started with - putting the detatched pages in a sealed container to try & get some moisture in them.

And a picture of the biggest flaw - it doesn't open as freely as I wish it would.

Dave's Bible Done

Another learning experience ... There are a few things I'm not pleased with, but I see progress.

This one was the most dilapidated that I've worked on so far. It has an adhesive-bound text block, and the last 1/4 inch or so of the pages were all ripped out and completely separated from one another. So getting them all back in place was a bit of a challenge.

The cover doesn't open as freely as I'd like, and that seems to be an on-going problem I need to address.

Still like doing it ... still learning!

Next Project - Danielle's Bible

A college student from church asked me to work on her Bible, and it's the next one in line.

Here's how it stands now. I've smoothed out the wrinkled pages with a bone folder, and it's in the nipping press now, hopefully getting them to stay smooth.

The text block is intact, but the cover is loose on the front.

She choose some fabric (the pretty big dots pictured at the end of this post) for the cover. So I'll be attaching double-sided interfacing to the fabric, and then paper to the interfacing, and using that to re-do the cover. Need to do a bit of research on how to get the cover corners nice and flat before re-covering it.

Fun!!!!

(To those family & friends who are bored with all the book-binding posts ... yeah ... sorry about that. It's kind of an obsession these days. Ignore me without guilt!) :)

Dave's Bible - so far

Current status of the Bible originally pictured here:

The linen is drying on the boards. Next step is to trim the cloth & leather, fill in the inside of the cover, and attach end papers. Then done! He's been very patient, and I hope to have it to him on Sunday!

Leather-wrapped tool handles

I've been wanting to wrap the handles of my tools with leather. I found a product online that worked really well for this, and I wanted to give them a plug!

What I ordered was the original version of these leather bicycle-handle wraps. Don't let the price deter you. The charge he's quoting is for enough leather to cover bicycle handlebars. He will sell smaller pieces for WAY less.

If anyone out there is interested in trying it. I did some instructions, and took pictures.

1. Beginning at the bottom, wrap tool handle with product such that the leather wraps overlap the pared (suede-free) edges, and a small triangle is created just below where you want the wrap to start.

2. Mark inside of leather at the level where you want the wrap to stop.

3. Lay leather flat, and cut at 45 degree angles as follows: the top angle having its highest point where you made your mark in the previous step. The bottom angle such that it is parallel with the top. (see photo).

4. Pare down suede at top and bottom of strip, creating a bevel. This wouldn't be absolutely necessary, but it does create a nicer finish.

5. Paint with PVA (It may be possible to use regular Elmers, but I used PVA since I had it).

6. Wrap handle as you did previously. The 45 degree angle you cut will make a straight line at the handle bottom, and then it will naturally wrap from there on. I pulled a bit to keep it taut. It might stretch a bit, so you may have to re-trim the top.

7. Smooth the leather, and let dry overnight.

The tools that I wrapped (except for the one on the far left, which I chose not to.)

Strip which I cut to wrap the scalpel handle.

Bevels at the top and bottom of strip.

Scalpel handle immediately after wrapping.

All the tools wrapped.

when confronted with a snowbound vehicle

I posit that a great deal can be known about a person based upon his/her reaction to a vehicle buried in snow.

Discuss.

LOOK what I can do!

The adorable nephew has just discovered that he can stand up.

The look on his face just makes me grin!

Thoughts on Boredom ...

In the last year or so, I've thought a good deal about the distinction between the basic introvert and extrovert personality.

Growing up, I tried to turn myself into an extrovert, because that's what I thought the Christian was supposed to be - outgoing, vivacious, always going going going and doing doing doing.

Later, I realized that I found that life exhausting. I've heard someone say that the distinction between the introvert and extrovert personalities weren't how outgoing someone was, but rather where they found that spending time alone, or time with others, stoked their energy level or depleted their energy level.

I've definitely found that I'm renewed when I'm alone. While I enjoy times of community, it's always like a glass of cool water when I come through my solitary front door, and hear the latch click shut behind me.

I was thinking this morning about how that relates to "boredom." I was telling someone the other day that I honestly can't remember the last time I was "bored." But then I wondered this morning if that's not true.

People normally think of boredom as something that happens when one's alone, with nothing to do. But I wonder if what the introvert experiences as boredom is exactly the opposite. Perhaps for the introvert, boredom is that antsy, restless feeling that comes when you're ready to seek out solitude.

An extrovert's boredom happens when he or she has had too much of what doesn't come naturally, and wants to get out into the world. Perhaps an introvert's boredom happens, also, when he or she is ready to seek the place where they are at rest.

So while my extrovert sister-in-law may be bored after too many days at home without anything fun to do. Maybe my boredom is when I've spent 3 hours at the happy-fun-party, and feel myself eager to hide in the ladies' room for a while for a little quiet!

Interested in opinions, if anyone else finds the subject interesting!!!