Christmastime is here!

My thought process for this blog entry was just completely interrupted by a delicious looking cheesecake being talked about right now by the Food Network. Le yum.

Anyway. lol as usual things have been pretty busy for me! I have been working a lot at Barnes and Noble, and trying to finish up all of my projects for all of my classes. Although I have enjoyed my classes and would never ever take back my experiences in Champaign, I must admit that at this point I really just can't wait for this semester/December to be over so I can move to my new apartment!

Today my almost-roommate and I decorated her/our apartment for Christmas, and it was so much fun! I really love the winter/Christmas season. The weather is cold so you can wear these:



and drink this:



while sitting near one of these (if you're lucky!):



I had an awesome time the day before Thanksgiving putting up the Christmas tree in my mom's apartment. I can't wait for it to be closer to Christmas so that I can drive around and look at everyone's Christmas lights/decorations! Am I the only one that does that? Is that creepy? Whatever, I enjoy it, it's something my family did growing up and I think it's really fun! I also can't wait to watch all of my favorite Christmas movies! Here are some of my favorites:









But, dear readers, I will leave you with this, my favorite Christmas movie of all:



That's all for today! What are some of your favorite things about winter/Christmastime? :)

Working...

Project number 1 of 4:



This is for my Preservation class, as part of a presentation on the preservation of cartographic materials (aka maps). I took this last night before I finished it, and since then have added some "tips" to it as well.

I also took a break from working last night to buy this:



All I have to say so far is this: if I could listen to the prelude on repeat all day every day, I would. The rest of the CD was amazing also, though, so I wouldn't want to do that!! Josh Groban wrote or co-wrote nearly every song on the album and plays piano for almost all of them too, and I'm pretty sure it's my favorite album of his to date. I DEFINITELY have to see him on tour, because if the album is any indication, it's gonna be off the chain!!! ....well, as off the chain as Josh Groban gets, which is pretty civilized. We'll put it this way: at every concert of his that I've been to, I've been within spitting distance of someone who is carting around an oxygen tank...lol.

My "Medieval" Book

I have been working hard lately on my final project for my History of the Book class. I decided to attempt to replicate a medieval book structure. I can't decide how I feel about it yet. First, it was much harder than I expected it to be. Second, I'm having trouble finding the materials I need, particularly some appropriately sized wooden boards for the covers. Third, I think I screwed up the kettle stitches at the top and bottom of the spine. So I may actually be speaking to my professor today and changing my project...we'll see. I can't decide! But here are some pictures of my work in progress. Book-minded friends, let me know what you think, because I don't know if it's of good enough quality to hand in!

My makeshift sewing frame/sewing process:




The semi-finished textblock:

Get Psyched!

We are now a mere eleven days away from the release of one of the year's most anticipated movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1)!!! I must admit, I am both peeved to have to wait for part 2 and excited that it gives me something else to look forward to since one of my favorite film franchises is coming to an end. Just look at this poster:



If that doesn't make you psyched, I don't know what will! So mysterious....so ominous....I CAN'T WAIT! Although I must say, I am a little bit disappointed that I can't go with some of my friends :( I will probably end up having to go alone at midnight. That's okay, though, I saw "The Dark Knight" by myself and ended up sitting next to a guy who was an extra in the movie, so that was kind of cool. I'm also a little disappointed that I won't be able to dress up. Normally I dress as this cool cat:



However, my costumes are at my mom's place 3 hours from here, and I won't be going back home before the 19th, so I can't get them. I suppose I could ask her to mail them, but it's not THAT worth it to me, lol. I also can't find this:



In addition to being an awesome costume, it's also just a really warm scarf, and I'd like it back before winter...it gets cold here!

Despite my lack of costume, I am still SO EXCITED for this movie!!!! I acknowledge that this post has fully revealed my level of dorkiness, but I just don't care, lol I am a dork and I don't care who knows it. I love the Harry Potter series, and I am so excited!!!

Fin.

lol :)

Pretty Books

Here are some pictures of pretty books and things that I have studied in my History of the Book class :)

The November page of the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (Very Rich Hours of the Duke de Berry)

(source: http://www.streetprophets.com/story/2009/11/16/164554/02)

My favorite part about this book is the nifty astrological calendar drawings on the top of each page. Books of hours were what we would call devotional books today; they were used to guide people in their daily/monthly/yearly prayers and listed all the major holidays, saints' days, and so forth.

Manicule from Cicero, Manuscript: Cicero, De Officiis, 1465.

edit: the image was too large to fit, so take a look here!: http://eprints.utas.edu.au/8522/

I think manicules are so nifty! A "manicule" is one name (there is technically no official term, but manicule is the most accepted) for the various types of pointing hands you see marking important passages in books. They can be either drawn (like this one) or printed. I think they're fun and also sort of creepy! Here's another:

(source: http://www.revue-textimage.com/01_en_marge/barre2.htm)

and another:

(source: http://manchesterdante.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/the-hand-of-god/)

We also looked at John Bulwer's Anthropometamorphosis (1653). Here are some images:

(source: http://ouhos.org/2010/06/16/john-bulwer-anthropometamorphosis/)

(source: http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/webexhibits/bookusebooktheory/howtobesomebody.html)

So there are a few fun images of books we have studied! I think they are nifty :)

Projects!

Lately it seems as though my life has been overtaken with projects! I have had a project due for almost every class nearly every class for the past 3 weeks! I also started working at Barnes and Noble, and I don't know if I have mentioned this here before or not, but I now get paid to work at the Conservation Lab. So things have been pretty busy around here!

But, the project(s) I am most excited to start are my Christmas presents! I bought lots of paper, both for decorating and for printing (don't get too excited, I'm just printing from my computer lol). So most people on my Christmas gift list are getting homemade books this year! I am just waiting for a few supplies to come in the mail and then I can get started. They will be either awesome or horrible, depending on what happens....so I pre-apologize if they are horrible, hahaha!! But it's the thought that counts, and I think they will end up being pretty great if I do say so myself! :) And while writing this I just remembered that I need to order MORE supplies....so if you are reading this, imagine me hard at work, and hopefully soon I will have time to write some more blog entries that don't just consist of "gee I've been busy lately," lol!