Gifts and Strengths

extracted from parentingbydesign.com

1 Corinthians 12:7, 18-19: But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good...  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be?

God designed each of us for a particular purpose and He specifically gifted us to perform that purpose "for the common good". Yet we often want to choose our own design for our children and ourselves. Unfortunately that choice typically includes qualities and characteristics that are honored and esteemed by the world's system. That's not the way God works. God is the architect, and He knows how the pieces fit together.

Don't you think it would be more rewarding to submit to God's design and walk in His will than to struggle to be something you were not designed to be? "All are not apostles, are they?" (1 Cor 12:29).

Try a spiritual gifts inventory with your family. Then work together on ways to use those gifts "for the common good."

Going green

I like this linen fabric from Korea. Cheery detailed prints of circus animals in a row interlaced with pseudo-patchwork pieces in shades of green. I've not made a boxy pencil case for a while 'cos I'm picky about having concealed sewn edges and the method I'm using is tricky....but still, it was ok since I liked the print so much :-)

Even the interior is green, with polka dots :-) Super roomy to fit lots of stationery. What's with kids and large pencil cases these days? Aren't the books already so heavy?

Have a blessed evening!

Adding walnuts

Have you baked before? I've baked using premixes as well as measuring ingredients from scratch. Premixes are very convenient since the other stuff that you need to add are readily available as compared to, eg. blueberries. Water, oil and eggs for brownies. I like to add walnuts for a crunchy brownie but both DS and DD don't like. Can you imagine a tray of brownies, baked with one half having walnuts and the other without?
Made this book for myself to record the recipes of dishes I've cooked. Meant for DS and DD. While they can cook a meal if the raw stuff is prepared for them, they improvise when unsupervised. LOL!

My sis called me a karang guni when I started collecting boxes. I snagged this box from my niece one evening when she started baking brownies. See the food stain at the top right hand corner? LOL!

900gsm greyboard reinforced Fudge Brownies box. 9 signatures with variant number of folios giving lots and lots of pages. Bound using longstitch so I can keep the side of the brownie box intact.
What are you recording for your kids?
Have a blessed day!

Darkest before dawn

I'll be away these few days... be back soon!

Randomness

I'm wondering, if I Like my pic in this giveaway, do I get a chance to win this even if it's mine? Odd, right? The thing is, the randomness in the giveaway draws is done by http://www.random.org/. It's a really useful website that can randomnize (is there such a word?) lists or numbers and such.
What I do for each draw is build the list hours before the draw, taking from emails or facebook or from this blog, and build that list. I usually remove myself, DS and DD unless they specifically request to be in. With the list in the random.org site, I then click it a few times to see if it works. The nearest click to the agreed time will be the final one :-)
Anyway, on with the draw....this is a handbound A6 notebook. Fabric covered, hardcover, coptic-bound. Single needle over 7 holes. Some day I'll try the 4 needle method. Four signatures of paper from sustainable forests with coordinating fly leaves.
As usual, leave a comment here or Like the pic on facebook and wait till 30 July for the noon draw.
Have a blessed day!

Taking notes

I used to enjoy taking notes during lessons, writing in longhand with felt-tipped pens in various colours to highlight the different points. I doodled when I was distracted, or wrote almost verbatim when I wasn't. It was really fun then to fill up pages and pages of fullscap with notes. At that time, I drew more joy in having a stack of neatly written and colourful notes than having a complete set of notes for their contents. Of course, it helped during revision that I could read what I wrote.
If you're a student, I strongly encourage you to take notes. It helps with rentention of what the teacher has said and keeps you focused on the topic. You can even practice your handwriting, whether the speed or the neatness. You'll even get new friends who'll want to borrow your notes.

I've been busy the past week with these notebooks. All hardcover coptic bound notebooks with a mixture of white and coloured pages. You can't see it from this pic, but I like the book on top in bottom right pic. This group has pictures of patiserrie cakes that are so pretty, like a menu. Printed paper is from Tang's Art, if you're wondering.
Have a blessed day!

More promises

Remember these?
These are the last 2 from the fundraising for Japan Earthquake that happened on 11 March 2011. It's been a while, I know. I wonder how Japan is doing after 4 months?

The thing about these verses that I applique onto pouches or covers were printed overseas. What I did was collate the verses I wanted, choose the font, arrange the layout onto a jpg file and they would repeatedly print this on the fabric of my choice. The ones here were reinforced with iron-on interfacing. If I do get repeat prints, I'd probably choose a thicker material than quilting cotton. That said, since these are printed, they will withstand washing. It's not an iron-on so you can't scrape off the ink. I'm thinking, it's just like another polka dot :-)
Be blessed by these verses!
Have a happy weekend.
ps: as with any of my items that have the interfacing for added puffiness, please iron on low heat.

His Word is true

Cherish His promises to you as you jot your spiritual journey in this book. Adorned with biblical promises, it will remind you that, indeed, His faithfulness endures forever!

Single needle coptic stitch over 7 holes with 5 signatures of 7 folios each. Total 140 pages from sustainable forests.

Have a blessed day!

Being objective

DS has certain views that I don't quite agree with. The print of this cover is one of them. DS thinks it's the nicest one I have but I beg to differ. Perhaps it's a guy thing?
Since this is the first print that he likes out of the 7 I currently have, I decided to make him a hardcover notebook. Meant for him to take notes during class but he said he'll use fullscap. Don't want to spoil it, he said.
A note about this, one major factor in this bookmaking thing is not about killing trees. It's about appreciating what we already have. I've seen too many notebooks slightly used and discarded. I hope that with each book I make, the owner will use it from cover to cover.

Hardcover handbound A6 notebook with plain pages made from sustainable forests. Single needle coptic binding exposed on the spine using thread that matches the fly leaves and cover. DS' choice of starfish print on the cover. Five signatures with 7 folios giving total of 140 pages.
Have a blessed day!
ps: do you like Lego? We do. That's why there's so much Lego everywhere at home....LOL!

Sticky fingers

It's a hot afternoon and I'm tired after measuring, cutting and sticking the covers below. Some of them have the fly leaves already but I think I'll take a break. Maybe I'll go sew :-)

And it all comes together

I like sewing and I like bookbinding so what does that lead to? A fabric covered handbound notebook :-)

Korean import oxford cotton on the 900g cover and 80gsm paper inside. White unlined pages are from sustainable forests. Five signatures with seven folios sewn with single needle coptic stitch over 7 holes with coloured thread that matches the fly leaves.
Have a blessed day!

The No. 1 fan

The howling wind woke me up with a start this morning and I quickly scrambled out to close the windows lest the papers will fly everywhere. As I lay down to try to sleep again, this impression came to me.
DD is my #1 fan. She eagerly waits for me to create something, watching and sometimes learning and participating. Sometimes, she makes her own from what she has learnt and sometimes she waits for me to give it to her. She even spreads what I do to her friends that they come and participate in the giveaway or become fans too.
The thing is, are you God's #1 fan? Do you admire his works and learn his lessons? Do you spread his love?

Have a blessed day!

Learning to Say "No"

Extracted from parentingbydesign.com

Ex 18:17-18: Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone" (NIV).

Moses was going to work every day as the sole judge over all the tribes of Israel. The number of people demanding his time was so great he worked from dawn until dusk without making a dent in the workload. His father-in-law, Jethro, saw this and immediately recognized a man who could not say "no" to requests for his time. He suggested Moses focus on only two things - representing the people before God, and handling the most difficult of the disputes. The rest of the work could be delegated to capable men he appointed. Moses listened, delegated, and found himself doing far more than he had ever done before, but in much less time. If this advice worked for Moses, will it not also work for us?

Appropriate boundaries are important for everyone in the family. As the parent, you have the responsibility to set limits for your children and for yourself.

On a roll

DD and I have been busy over the past week making these. We split the 'work' and she likes the sewing part the most while I like sticking the Handmade sticker the most. LOL! We both enjoy attaching the bands which give the books a bit of colour before the new owner decorates them. These are dual purpose bands in that you slide them off, punch a hole and attach yarn and voila! You get a bookmark for your book.
Suggestions what you could do with your book

• draw on the cover - this is acid-free cardstock so I suppose it can take all sorts of ink and won't bleed through.
• stick a pic / photo - I used to cut out nice pics from old magazines before discarding them. DD even passed me the paper lining the Lock & Lock container 'cos it has a very nice pic of capsicums. Stick a photo if you can find any nice pics.
• collage it scrapbook style

I've started selling these but most have not been bought (yet!). Well, they almost were but that's another story for another time. LOL! *wink*
Have a blessed day!

Obi sashes

Back to the bookbinding bug again :-)
I've been on a spree and made a number of This is me! notebooks. These are really fun to make that you should try them at home too. Make them for friends or family or for giving away. Best of all, make it for yourself, pop it into your bag and journal on the go.

Propped up using DS' bookends and not arranged by colour. Those with obi sashes (or at least that's what it reminds me of) will be going out the door soon :-)
Can you see that in the bottom right pic there are empty shells waiting to be filled? Or that there are some with colour pages rather than white?
I've started using the linen thread that I have . It's super sturdy and anything book bound with it will stay bound for a long long time. It's so strong and thick that it's hard to pull thru the small holes I make :-( Compared to flipping the reversible tote proper way out, this is easier though.
Have a happy weekend!

This is me!

I've decided to call these the This is me! notebooks. Each This is me! notebook has a cardstock cover that I bought in bulk at a sale and that's why there are limited colours. and that's why I can offer them at a very special price :-) Inside pages are from sustainable forests and everything's sewn together with saddle stitch using colour-coordinated thread so that the book can open flat.
The cover has been deliberately left blank so that you can decorate it anyway you like. Stick a picture cut out from a magazine, a photo, scrapbook it or just use a felt tip pen to doodle till you're happy with the result. The flap at the back can either be used as a page marker or be slit off. I prefer to stick double-side tape so that it becomes a pocket but since the book will be yours, it'll be up to you to show your This is me! profile :-)

Have a blessed day!
ps: DD says I should sell my readymade items 'cos they're accumulating. These are the items that I make on the sidelines in between orders or whenever my hand itches to sew or bind. Stay tuned :-)

Tutorial: ‎7-hole saddle stitched notebook with tie inside

1. cut pages and cover to desired size
2. poke 7 holes (doesn't need to be uniform distance apart)
3. thread needle as follows: in/out d, out/in c, in/out b, out/in a, in/out b, out/in c, IN/OUT e, out/in f, in/out g, out/in f, in/out e, out/in d where in/out means from inside to out
4. tie and trim .... and you're done :-)

Seeing the light of day

I put this pic up earlier on facebook asking if anyone recognised it. It's a pic of 4 panels meant for fully-lined pockets for 2 A4 totes. I used to make pockets unlined, as in fold down the top and sew it neat but I've come to prefer fully-lined pockets. The finish is much nicer and I think they are sturdier than their unlined cousins. Time to bring them out into the open than leave them inside?

Anyway, on to the A4 totes:

Two A4 portrait totes. Fully lined and interfaced with those panels above sewn as pockets. I didn't count how many there were, at least 8 big and small ones? Long cotton webbing for carrying over the shoulder. Made from Japanese cotton/linen blend and Korean cotton. Lining is calico.

Have a blessed day!

Should I?

Was contemplating taking pre-orders for certain ocassions like Teacher's Day and Christmas. That way I can pace myself out and not rush for orders as the dates draw near. I'm wondering whether this one is for Teacher's Day. I didn't ask. She must know that I take sooooo long to fulfil orders that she requested them earlier. Well, even if it's not and it's for jiemei, I understand that too :-)

These reversible totes must be made from medium or heavier weight fabrics to be able to hold it's structure and not flop here and there. Some can stand on their own if you prop it in a certain way. However, it gets really tough flipping right side out when the fabrics are thicker :-( Tiring.

Made these from Japanese and Korean imported cotton, linen and cotton/linen blends.

Which one do you like?

Have a blessed day!

Bitten by the bookbinding bug

I bought a huge stack of cardstock recently 'cos it was on sale. I think there are more than 30 shades of green, blue, purples and browns with textures that are acid-free and meant for scrapbooking. I'm not into scrapbooking (as yet) so I was wondering what to with these cards till I came up with this.

Single signature saddle-stitched onto half a cardstock using coordinating thread. The white papers are from sustainable forests but I'm not sure about the green.
DD sewed the 2 darker ones together. She likes to come watch me bind and sometimes folds the papers. I don't let her handle the penknife though 'cos I keep it really sharp to be able to cut straight edges.
Have a blessed day!
ps: Yup, I did say I would go sew and I was yesterday...more pics on sewn stuff soon :-)

For burning!

That's what I saw on the box of the 132 column paper in office one day. I asked around and no one wanted and .... carted it home! Fast forward few years later, that box is now down to half but still a good 3 to 4 inches stacked height. And look what it's become!

Hardcover handbound notebook (13cm x 14.5cm) using the printer paper. Total of 6 signatures with at least 10 folios giving more than 250 pages. Honey lemon fly leaves and bound with exposed single-needle 7-hole coptic stitch on the spine. Not for sale 'cos it's a birthday gift :-)
Have a blessed day!

Imi

I saw something like this at one of the shops along Orchard Road and didn't like the price tag. Yup, granted that what I made isn't of the same quality but it was sure a lot of fun making it :-)
Handbound notebook doubling as a card holder. Just tuck the pages into the spine.

Have a blessed weekend!

Everybody look to your left, everybody look to your right

I have dual updates, here on the blog and on facebook. They are different types of updates as in I type more text here while there are more pics on facebook. Recently, Blogger's been giving me some problems in that I can't update so the facebook entry is more updated that Blogger though I try to be consistent.
Anyway, two pics of handbound notebooks again.
This is my first handbound hardcover journal. Many places for improvement but I'm happy with the overall result. Made from 900g grey board which I cut to size and covered with patterned paper. Added lime green fly leaves for a brighter look. 5 signatures of 10 folios for a total of 200 pages cut out from 132 column printer paper. This stack of paper I 'rescued' from a pile that was doomed to be burnt. Left the perforated edges as a reminder to go green and reduce, reuse, recycle.

More updates on sewing next week! Have a blessed weekend :-)