Flatbacks and Paper Cases

I am still in Bookbinding and I am LOVING IT. Some people think it sounds lame, but that is only because they don't know how freakin fun it is. At least to me. And every single other person who has ever taken the class. Here are my latest projects:

Flatback Binding

This book has cloth on the spine and paper for the rest of the cover. This is the most common kind of book, and is also my favorite one to make so far. I will probably make a lot more with this style of binding. 

It has handmade paper stuck on endbands. 

Paper Case Binding

This book was the most expensive to make so far. The cover paper was almost $10 for one sheet that is about 24"x? something. It's called St. Armand paper and it's handmade, which is why it's so expensive. Plus the seashell pendants for the front, the leather, the beads, the special thread for the sewn on endband shown in the last picture, plus all the text paper on the inside. It also took the most time to make this book compared to all the other ones. 

The leather wraps from the back cover around the shells in kind of like an 8 pattern to keep the book shut. 

This is a sewn on endband. I'm not happy with the color of it but I bought the thread without having the paper in front of me so I didn't realize how badly it didn't match. Hand sewn endbands are not nearly as common as stuck on endbands and they add value to the book. 

All my books are completely handmade, other than the closures (leather, seashells, beads) used on the paper case book. I am in love with making books and will probably keep making them for a long time. I have started a shop on Etsy and will start selling books when I have made more. I am too attached to the ones I've made so far since they're the first ones I've made. I have a feeling it's going to be really hard for me to let go of books I make, but all artists have to come to terms with letting go of their creations at one point or another. 

You're The Man

This is exactly how I feel right now.

Rev Theory

"Falling Down"

Goddamn, you're the man

Higher than the world around

Goddamn, you're the man

Watch him as he holds you down

Black pants tailored man

All your words are so profound

Black pants superman

With the self-inflicted smile

Stream line so refined

Fell into yourself and drowned

Walk tall, no remorse

I'm about to lose it

Take your money

Take your empty dreams

Break the cycle

Cut the cord that feeds

I'm out here standin' on the

Edge of insanity

So take your money

Take your empty dreams

Cause I'm falling down

Falling down

Cause I'm falling down

Falling down

Goddamn, you're the man

Higher than the world around

Goddamn hypocrite

Acting like you feel concerned

Neck tie, inside's

Darker than the desk you ride

I can't understand

Why you let them do this

Take your money

Take your empty dreams

Break the cycle

Cut the cord that feeds

I'm out here standin' on the

Edge of insanity

So take your money

Take your empty dreams

Cause I'm falling down

Falling down

Cause I'm falling down

Falling down

It's the blow back

It's the premonition

It's the contact

It's the termination

It's the blow back

It's the premonition

It's the contact

Only if you breathe

Only if you breathe

It's the blow back

It's the premonition

It's the contact (Only if you breathe)

It's the termination

It's the blow back

It's the premonition

It's the contact

Take your money

Take your empty dreams

Break the cycle

Cut the cord that feeds

I'm out here standin' on the

Edge of insanity

So take your money

Take your empty dreams

Cause I'm falling down

Falling down

Cause I'm falling down

Falling down

Election Day 2012

This is how I'm going to feel if Obama wins the election:

I had that exact reaction when I found out one of my friends was dating her ex again. And when I got home to find my little sister had gotten hot pocket cheese and muffin crumbs all over the carpet. It's been a Toby-comes-back-from-Costa-Rica kind of day. Go Mitt Romney.

2+2=......5?

It's funny how one little mathematical mistake can change your life. I miscounted the number of classes I have left to take before I graduate. Instead of 9, it's actually 7. Since I'm registering for 3 tonight at midnight, that means after April of 2013, I will only have 4 classes left. I'm freaking out a little bit. 

When you're little, all you think about is the next grade you are going to go into. Then once you're in junior high you think about going into high school. Then in high school you think about going into college. Then once you're in college you think about graduating. What comes next? The real world. Careers. The time where you put everything you've been working towards for the past 20+ years of your life to work. No pressure. 

I can't think about that right now cause it's making me crazy lol. Too much at one time. All I'm gonna focus on is the heinous midterm I have on Friday. Wish me luck :)

Stuff in the Works

Today, I waited in line with a bunch of old people for about an hour to vote for the future president of the United States :) I felt all grown up. I got the "I Voted" sticker and everything. Best part was a really cute old guy telling me I didn't look old enough to vote lol. Glad I don't look like an old maid yet. 

Also today, I got the glasses for my Dwight costume for Halloween :) 

They are amazingly perfect. Only problem is, I can't get the lenses to pop out. I bought reading glasses from Walgreens, so they're prescription, and I need to get them out. If anyone knows how to pop them out without breaking the frame let me know :) The rest of my costume should be coming in the mail tomorrow or the next day so I'm stoked. 

Since I really want to go to Ireland, I was looking on Groupon to see if they had any good deals. I found an AMAZING deal for a six-night trip for $999, which includes hotels, rental car, and air fare. I couldn't believe it. I don't have the money for it now, but maybe they'll have another deal like that when I can go :) It would be awesome. 

My roommate is hysterically laughing and screeching in the next room, and has been for the past 3 hours straight. I think I should be worried. That's all :) 

Luck O' The Irish

Not many people know that the popular saying, "luck o' the Irish" is an ironic phrase. Since I'm part Irish, that's probably where my sarcasm comes from. "Luck o' the Irish" means bad luck, not good. It comes from history where bad luck kept falling on the Irish people. I have really bad luck with Utah men. I only realized today that every time I see a really, really attractive man on tv or in movies and I look him up, it turns out he's Irish! It's happened enough times to make me realize it's probably not a coincidence. My Irish heritage is probably where this uncontrollable attraction to Irish men comes from. Here are some of their beautiful faces. 

Exhibit A:

Alex O'Loughlin

He was born in Australia, but the name "O'Loughlin" comes from Ireland, so he is of Irish descent. (The Australian doesn't hurt either, they're super attractive too.) 

 He has dark hair and beautiful eyes, plus a gorgeous smile. What more could a girl want?

Exhibit B: 

Colin O'Donoghue

Born and raised in Ireland :) Pictured on the left as playing Captain Hook on the tv show Once Upon a Time. 

Beautiful eyes, beautiful hair, beautiful face. 

Probably a beautiful personality too lol.

Then there are the more well known ones like:

Colin Farrell

Also born and raised in Ireland.  

 I wouldn't mind if my future husband looked like this :) 

And the older ones like

                      Pierce Brosnan

and

                                                                 Liam Neeson

Apparently Ireland just produces a lot of really attractive men. So I have come to a conclusion. After I graduate, which is sooner than I thought it was going to be, I am going to go to Ireland. I have wanted to go for years, so I'm gonna go. I will go and photograph the beautiful landscape and experience the awesome culture and admire the locals lol. Sounds like a pretty good graduation present to myself. And who knows, maybe I'll find a handsome Irish man to marry in a castle :) Only time will tell. 

Foxes and Fleece

If I could make it Fall all year round, I probably would. I love it for so many reasons. Jackets, pretty leaves, hot chocolate, perfect temperatures, delicious smells, bonfires, pumpkin flavored things, the list goes on and on. One of these things causes a huge problem for me. That would be the jackets. I am a little obsessed. With some girls, it's shoes or purses. With me it's jackets. I LOVE THEM. Especially from PacSun. I want almost every single one they have and it takes every shred of self control I have to not load up my credit card with jacket purchases. Today I failed. I figured, I get paid on Monday, and if I just buy one now I will be satisfied so I at least have one new one. But guess what. They were having a BOGO sale. OF COURSE. They know how to suck you in. So I got two. I will not buy another jacket for the next........two months. I don't think I can realistically commit to anything longer than that. But we will see :) Here's what I got:

I love Fox. I think half my shirts and jackets are from them. I should just go work for them and try to get free stuff. Haha cause that's realistic. Anyways, my name is Jennie and I'm a jacket-aholic. I'll see you at the meetings lol.