Wow, Thats a Lot of Poo

I have spent the morning shoveling horse poo and have only removed a small portion of what I had hoped to get rid of. Oh well back to free cycle we go !

Sad Little Box

Today I made a box, a sad little box no bigger than my palm.
It holds the dearest little thing that I have ever lost.
I know not what name to put upon the lid, for life it never got
But close to my heart this tiny spark will stay
Long after the earth have rotted it away

Bone Carving continued

I have finished the bone folder and had a chance to use it, it works quite well and will serve my purpose until I can get the antler one finished.

So carrying on from where I left off. Once the bone was dry I decided on the shape which is pretty basic gently curved at one end and more pointed at the other. I used a horse rasp (a rasp used on horses feet) as I didn't have any other rasps, to make the basic shape. The rasp removes greater amounts of martial quickly. once I had the basic shape down I refined it with a medium file and then finished it off with a medium - fine sand paper. I didn't take many photos whilst I worked ( to busy shaping the bone) But here are photos of the finished product.

The bone folder from the topside. This was originally the outside of the bone.

the under side of the bone folder. It is easy to see the curve of the sides of the bone.

Some idea of how big the folder is.

Bone Carving

I have finally started to make my self a bone folder out of a piece of bone I collected off Grandmas farm.

So far I have cut the ends off the bone and sawed it in half length ways. This has rooted the blade of the hack saw either that or attempting to cut the antler which I also hope to make a folder out of also. The bone has now been cleaned in a solution of bleach, warm water and washing powder left for 20 min or so and scrubbed with a tooth brush. The bone pieces are currently sitting in the sun drying.

Bone pieces after cutting, the large will be a bone folder the smaller I may turn into needles.

The bone pieces and the antler

Book Binding - what keeps me awake at night

As odd as it sounds I spent a restless night last night thinking about book binding. The books I have to fix, what I need to get to get them fixed. What books I would like to make, the list is very long............

Horse Poo has a Home

Yay I finally have people wanting to take the horse poo away its excelent!!

Now to fill more bags

Yuck

Arghhh after 4 days of illness I am finally out of bed and have manged to stomach some yogurt which is great. Concentration is still on the blink and reading is kinda difficult. I think it could be just adjusting to being upright again. Poor O has had to take the week off course to look after A for me, which I feel horrible about.  

Recent Book Creation

Having recently joined the ABC (association of book crafts) I have been reinvigorated to bookbinding. Time to myself is some thing of a precious commodity when chasing after small trouble and living with big trouble (my husband and son). I don't get much time to enjoy the crafts I pursue, like bookbinding. Anyway the ABC are having an exhibition in Auckland and requesting books made by their members for display. As a result I decided to knock something together and here is the result.

    The book measures 11cm x 15cm. The knot work patten on the closure I burned into the leather with a poker machine or wood burning tool. The leather colour according to what was written on the skin is Autumn leaves.

The spine is sewn with green embroidery thread in a cris-cross patten. The pages are sewn straight to the leather, no spine lining was used

The pages I did some time ago as an experiment and put them aside to be used when a book came up that they would be right for. They are cream paper, tea stained and hand ripped at the edges to create a deckle edge. the front and back sections have the first/last page pasted to the leather covering to create endpapers. I strengthened these sections with an extra slip of paper round the back of the section before sewing.

The cover is limp and has a front flap that is tied down when closed with a leather strip and the a fore mentioned tag.

All and all fairly pleased with the result, it took about two days to put together ( a couple hours each day)

Green Fingers, maybe I have them

Wow the seeds in the seed trays are actually sprouting!!! I planted a Fancy lettuce mix (the leaves are different colours), rocket ( O. likes it), endive (I have no idea what this stuff is except O. bought it when he bought seeds and the packet says it goes well in salad, we shall see.....) and Spinach (mmm yummy spinach and feta packages).

I planted them in an egg tray Monday 5th Sept. and now they have sprouted yay!!

 Sadly the peas and carrots planted on the same day but into the garden don't appear to be doing anything :(

Mothers

I was sent this via email and had to share it !

JUST A MOTHER? 

A woman, renewing her driver's licence , 
was asked by the woman at Registry to state her occupation. 

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.   

'What I mean is, ' explained the woman at Registry,   
'do you have a job or are you just a ......?' 

'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman.. 

'I'm a Mother.' 

'We don't list 'Mother' as an occupation,

'housewife' covers it,' 
Said the recorder emphatically. 

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself

in the same situation.   
The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, 
efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, 
'Official Interrogator' or 'City Registrar.' 

'What is your occupation?' she probed. 

What made me say it?  I do not know.   
The words simply popped out   
'I'm a Research Associate in the field of 
Child Development and Human Relations.'  

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and 
looked up as though she had not heard right.   

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.. 
Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, 
in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.  

'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest,
'just what you do in your field?' 

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, 
I heard myself reply, 
'I have a continuing program of research, 
(what mother doesn't) 
In the laboratory and in the field, 
(normally I would have said indoors and out).   
I'm working for my Masters, (the whole family) 
and already have four credits (all daughters).  
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, 
(any mother care to disagree?) 
and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).   
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers

and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.' 

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she 
completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, 
I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.  
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, 
(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, 
testing out a new vocal pattern..   
I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!  
And I had gone on the official records as someone more

distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mother.' 

   Motherhood!   

What a glorious career!   
Especially when there's a title on the door. 

Does this make grandmothers 
'Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations' 
And great grandmothers 
'Executive Senior Research Associates?'   
I think so!!!    
I also think it makes Aunts '

Associate Research Assistants.'