Month: March 2008

Art, Bookarts

Instant Review: Four Needle Coptic Binding

Shelly

I needed a new journal, so I thought I’d try doing a four-needle Coptic binding. I’m not sure that was a good idea. I used hemp twine, which might have been my first mistake. The stitching pattern isn’t very clear, and the knotting is kind of out of control where the back cover is attached. It was also a pain in the ass to keep track of four needles. Aaack! And time consuming, too. It took about twice as long as doing a single-needle Coptic binding. I guess that’s to be expected, but I am short on patience, so it’s no wonder I was frustrated.

The worst part, though, is that I could not get the spine edge of the first signature even with the spine edge of the front cover. I tried and tried and tried, and even loosened and re-tightened the stitches holding the front cover to the first signature. No dice. It keeps playing peekaboo behind the second signature.

Something else that bugs me is that the back cover wants to drop down from the front, basically fanning the book out vertically. Weird.

So, what I’m planning on doing is covering everything with a piece of burlap (from a basmati rice bag), including the spine. I’m going to attach the burlap to the cover with Heat-n-Bond. Then, I’m going to wind hemp twine between each of the signatures and over the outside of the spine. That should stop the fanning problem as well as hide the ugly spine and the peekaboo signature.

That may sound confusing. I’ll take photos when I’m done. Not that that’s guaranteed to clarify anything.

Crankypantsing

Assholes are Cheap Today

Shelly

When I got to work this ayem, the elevator I usually take was being held on another floor by the custodians. Grrr. So I walked across the building to the freight elevator. Someone from another unit, but who works in my department, was coming in the dock door as I was walking down the hallway, toward her. She got to the freight elevator, and I got there just a minute after she did. Just as the door was closing.

WTF?! She saw me. I know she knows who I am, and that I was getting on the elevator, too. There’s absolutely no other reason why anyone would be in that hallway at that time of day. So why couldn’t she hold the door for me? What the hell is wrong with her?

What a lovely way to start the week, no?

Cemeteries, Photography

Moss

Shelly

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Moss on Grave Marker, Covenanter Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana

These were taken with a Lensbaby macro filter (+4 and +10 lenses stacked), manually held in front of my camera lens. They’re supposed to be attached to the front of a Lensbaby selective focus lens, but I still haven’t gotten one. (I ordered it, received the wrong one, sent it back for an exchange, and was given a refund instead. WTF?! At least they did give me my money back, and very promptly, too, but still, that’s not what I asked them to do. NOTE: I ordered it via a reseller, so this is not a negative comment on Lensbaby’s customer service, which I understand is quite good.)

Anyway, it occurs to me that this might have other fun applications. I’m going to test it on my silly little Vivitar toy digital.

Photography

Shed

Shelly

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Shed

I went on a photo expedition with D and Ms. Lea to a little cemetery that’s near my house. It wasn’t as warm as the weather guy promised, but it was overcast, which is nice for picture taking.

Covenanter Cemetery was established in the 1820s by the Reformed Presbyterians (or Covenanters, which is where the cemetery gets its name). It’s only about 2/3 full and is still in use. And when I said little, I meant it–it’s about the size of a couple of average home lots.

All that said, I’m not even going to share any actual graveyard photos. Nope. Today’s photo is from the home next door to the cemetery. As I was taking photos of the dry stone wall, I noticed that there was a big heap of trash piled against the other side of it. And behind the trash, there was a rusty shed surrounded by automotive parts and what looks like an old sink. Classy!

Cemeteries, Photography

Covenanter Cemetery

Shelly

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Covenanter Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana

I said it was small? This is the older half. The newer half is the same size, and I’d guess it’s only about 1/3 full.

There’s an even littler cemetery on campus (Dunn Cemetery–there’s a link to some photos at the top left corner of that page). I plan on taking photos of it over spring break. It’s adorable, with just a few graves, a chapel, and, again, a dry stone wall surrounding everything.

Cemeteries, Ladybusiness, Photography

Isabella, Wife of George

Shelly

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Grave Marker
Covenanter Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana

Isabella, Wife of Geo. Hartin.
Died Dec. 28, 1869 Aged 81 ys. 6 ms. 6 ds.

I hate that so many women’s identities are completely subsumed by their husbands. Isabella had a name and a life of her own. I try to figure out what these women’s maiden names were, when possible. In this case the only reference I can find for Isabella at Ancestry.com is a link to the Findagrave record I created. (Someone else has helpfully created a Findagrave record for an Isabella Martin, but I think it’s clear from the angle of my photo that the first letter is an H, not an M.)

Cemeteries, Photography

Hosea 13:14 & Psalm 23

Shelly

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Grave Marker Inscribed with Text from Hosea 13:14 and Psalm 23
Covenanter Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana

I will ransom them from the power
of the grave; I will redeem them
from death; O death I will be thy
plagues; O grave I will be thy
destruction. Hos. 13 & 14

Yea though I walk Death’s dark vale
Yet is it I fear no evil
for thou art with me and thy rod
and staff me comfort

Cemeteries, Photography

F

Shelly

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Covenanter Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana

This is presumably a fragment from one of the headstones. It was just lying in the grass. I don’t think it’s a section marker, because this is a really tiny cemetery.

I think this might be my favorite photo from yesterday’s set. It reminds me of The Silver Chair, when Jill, Eustace, and Puddleglum stumble into the words “UNDER ME.” I started to crop it square, but decided that I preferred it like this. I also think that it looks better viewed at full size.

Cemeteries, Photography

Column

Shelly

IMG_0495
Grave Marker
Covenanter Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana

This is similar to the last one. One thing worth mentioning is that the sky was a nice, solid grey color. I don’t think I would have liked this photo if the sky had been blue. That’s partly because the sunlight would have washed out the color in the stone, but also because the mid-day sky directly overhead is usually an anemic sort of blue.