Meltintalle's Closet

I've been bitten by the... well, not exactly bookmaking bug because an actual bug implies I have a project in mind, but the desire to dig out the diagrams and whatnot and finally learn about imposition (that's when you take your 1,2,3,4 etc. pages and rearrange them to print in signatures--and can you imagine setting up anything larger than about 8 pages manually?).

• Basic Overview/Refresher course in binding your pages


• Comparisons of different techniques (letterpress, POD, DIY) and a more comprehensive overview of the entire process


• Imposition in In-Design

And that's my handy reference guide, tailored between what I already know and what I need to know next time I try making a book or two.

First, you have to water your plant so that it's happy and productive. Otherwise you have spindly, flat, leaves and you'll wonder just how much work goes into harvesting aloe vera gel! So after the plant has enjoyed a rainy season (because really, the only reason my plant lives at all is because its cactus and doesn't need water regularly...) you can pick off a few of the lower leaves and cut or peel them open to reveal a white goo.

I used a spoon and ended up just scraping the insides out onto the cutting board and then draining it into the container. The first leaf went extra well and I got nice clear gel scooped out. Then I started getting little specks of green from scraping the leaf which gave the whole thing a green tint.

I'd say it took me an hour to go through seven leaves, and I wound up with a quarter cup of watery gel to stick in the fridge. The fragments haven't done it much good, so I probably should have strained it too, and somehow mixed the gel and the not-so-gel together better...

It's supposed to be a good moisturizer. Commercial gel is good for sunburns.

And that, my friends, is what I know about aloe vera. :p

So, in the 'I-have-too-many-projects-anyway-what's-one-more' category:

http://www.modcloth.com/shop/jackets/holland-1945-jacket

I picked up a man's suit coat at the thrift store yesterday and with any luck at all I can modify it to look like that... Of course, it could just be a spectacular fail but it never hurts to try...

And in the 'Huh-that's-super-cool-maybe-someday-I-could-try-that' category:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/nightingale-2

Obviously, the best socks ever and probably more fun than I want to have to make. ;))

Bonus: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gryffindor-pride-socks
Bonus bonus: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hufflepuff-pride-socks because I'd be a Hufflepuff if I were a HP fan...

Triple bonus:http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-architect-of-rivendell

Also, since the first try at knitting the Mary Margaret Beret failed spectacularly (I begin to suspect it cannot be knit in the round, but I'm going to give it another go with a larger needle size) I ripped it out. I haven't started anything for my doll, either.

http://www.salttree.net/2011/08/make-it-chalkboard-paint.html

If I actually had both ingredients... not that I want to make chalkboard paint at the moment, but it's always been interesting...

http://craftyblossom.blogspot.com/2011/02/fabric-labels-tutorial.html
http://makethemwonderblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-to-make-iced-branches.html

Also in the things that could be done category. ;))

This may be my next project:

• http://sockpixie.blogspot.com/2010/02/american-girl-doll-retro-cardi-free.html
• Source of modern outfit ideas

After all, if you finally get your very own AG doll for Christmas, you ought to make her something special... 

The Maps edition!

The Geospatial map of the Roman world

Atlas of True Names

Travel Times in Middle Earth

If America were Middle Earth

Pre-European conquest American

I'm still working on the Mary Margaret beret. The pattern is almost finished, I've got two more rows? Depending on how I count? Then a few rounds of eyelet, and then some mindless knitting, then then decreases. But so far, despite stitch markers I keep having to rip out three or four rows of for one of the ten repeats because the 14 stitches have either multiplied or decreased while I was not paying attention. XD

In other news, this is taking almost as long as a baby afghan. I've bought the yarn for that sweater pattern I keep nattering on about (beautiful copper stuff!) and I'm being to wonder if I bit off a bit more than I'm willing to chew, since this hat is done on the same size needles and it's making me cross-eyed.

Not that that's stopped me from falling in love with another, similarly patterned sweater... http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/agatha-6

Another question is, would I wear a belt like this?

Finally, how fantastic are these book wrappers?!!! 

Comics I quite like:

• Digger
• A Girl & Her Shadow
• Harfang
• Knite
• Book of Three

...and because it doesn't feel quite right to have only two three (I keep adding more...) links, a meme as well: Rules

1. Put your music player on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button for your answer
3. You must write that song name down, no matter how silly it sounds.

IF SOMEONE ASKS "IS THIS OKAY?" YOU SAY: "Leit af Lifi" by Sigur Ros -- and nobody would know what I meant, even me :p HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? "American Collection Theme" by Yo Yo Ma WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL? "Eragon" by Patrick Doyle -- excuse me while I go die of embarrassment... I did write a derivative work based on this piece, but... HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY? "Only Time" by Enya as performed by Robin Berry WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE? "Laetatus sum, gradual in mode 7 (Liber Usualis No. 560, GR 139)" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos -- which would be Latin for 'to be rejoicing' (if my translation is accurate); which is, if you stretch the point, praising God WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? "The Leprechan's Jig" by Robin Berry WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU? "If I Loved You" by Charlotte Church -- uh-huh... WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU? "Memoirs of a Geisha: As the Water" by John Williams WHAT DO YOU OFTEN THINK ABOUT? "No One Cared: Opening Credits" by Louisa Sharp WHAT IS 2+2? "Linda Cholita" by Viento Andino WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND? "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: The Door in the Air" by Harry Gregson-Williams WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE? "Phillipians 3:12-21" as read by my Mom WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY? "Queen of Attolia: Chapter 10" as read by myself -- "How inconspicuous I will be when next I am in Attolia dressed in Eddisan formalwear with gold frogs down the front" WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? "Boadicea" by Enya WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE? "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: The Duel" by Harry Gregson-Williams WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING? "First Snow" by Various Artists -- It's a piano piece, and I can't find any more info about it; but it'll be a slow dance, I guess :) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL? "Media vita in morte sumus, responsory in mode 4" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR? "Unshakeable Kingdom" by Chiz Ryder WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET? "Nutcracker Suite Overture" by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS? "Occuli omnium, gradual in mode 7" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos WHAT IS YOUR NICKNAME? "To Go Beyond, Pt. 1" by Enya -- Some of these answers are positively unhelpful... and with several multiples from different albums it's like the randomizer isn't going very deep at all HOW WILL YOU NAME THIS POST? "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: The Raid on the Castle" by Harry Gregson-Williams

They say you learn something new every day. Well, this is certainly one of the most interesting things I've come across recently. 

It started with a fan version of an incomplete song. 

Perilous Gard: the song

Which was neat, but then the music for it was written in ABC notation and, forgive me for the verbal flailing, but that's so cool! Why haven't I heard about this before?!

Finally, here's a converter to take the text to the traditional sheet format. :D

Hairstyles I want to Try

http://blog.caseybrowndesigns.com/2011/05/this-n-that/

http://saralynnpaige.com/blog/style/simple-gibson-tuck/

http://freelancersfashion.blogspot.com/2011/02/hairdos-7-eternal-roll.html

http://ticktockvintage.blogspot.com/2012/01/french-braided-crown-tutorial.html

http://pinterest.com/pin/183592122280709460/

http://historicalhair.blogspot.com/2011/11/margaret-hales-everyday-hair.html

Admittedly, I have tried the first one already, and it turned out gorgeous--but it would have been better if I could have found the bobby pins instead of the hairpins.

Food I want to eat

http://www.katyelliott.com/blog/2009/10/recipe-homemade-apple-cider-donuts.html

http://thedreamstress.com/2011/04/recipe-gluten-free-plum-cake/

http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/08/peach-cobbler-for-one-or-two-if-youre-nice/

http://booksandmud.blogspot.com/2010/05/all-that-rhubarb.html

http://chocolateandcarrots.com/2011/02/secret-ingredient-chocolate-peanut-butter-cake

http://labricoleuse.livejournal.com/180768.html - cinnamon bacon double chocolate cookies

http://www.somethingswanky.com/peppermint-crumble-bars/#sthash.yRwdljJ9.dpbs

http://www.acouplecooks.com/2013/07/strawberry-basil-yogurt-popsicles/

Ah, desserts.