Chronodex week 7 - back to full productivity

Last weeks theme is that the family is healthy and back to full steam productivity:

chronodex 2.11.2014

chronodex  2.13.2014

 tried to make a heart chronodex blend into my border designs.

i really never get tired of trying new designs centered around a constant variable.

chronodex 2.14.2014

Hammer crate - awl guide before drilling

There are certain steps that once the process becomes a habit then the quality of work improves.

using an awl before drilling is one of those steps i have embraced:

using an awl before drilling

working on fastening hinges is a perfect example of the value of the this tool.

the awl will make a precisely positioned hole that will guide the drill bit. with out that dedicated hole the drill bit could migrate a bit, offsetting the hole and then getting a cocked hinge. 

there is reward in precise mark making. 

Chronodex week 6 2014 - a

A week.

A week..

there are weeks that deserve a definite article

and weeks that deserve indefinite articles.

Restored vintage hammer on octagonal hickory handle

Just about ready to hand off a restored vintage hammer head that was hung on a octagonal american hickory handle.

the there something about the density of the steel in this head. a bit weightier than others this size.

restored vintage hammer 

the weight does not make it feel top heavy though. 

this striker will excel at a shorter swing that can drive hard.

this will be given to a father for his birthday. a great gift if i may say so myself.

Round 2 of sickness and 106 temperature

What the hell is it with everyone getting sick one week, then one week back to health and then the next week comes another round.

starting monday night the youngest son started coming down with a fever,

then tuesday late afternoon he jumps to 106! 

an immediate trip to the emergency room was in order.

in the end there were no infections or crazy illness, just a super flu bug.

i must say that our Children's hospital was amazing. very friendly and MUCH less stressful than an adult emergency department. there was not the flood of trauma that comes with the "adult" emergency departments. He received excellent attention.

the longer we sat there, about 4 hours, the better we felt about his condition. we were getting test results and x-rays back. this plus fever reducer cut his temp and he was always very bright eyed and clear headed. around this time my mind eased up and then there was one thought that kept passing my mind:

if the phone outlet was a bright yellow, this room counter could of pulled off a real 

2001 Space Odyssey color scheme. i thought about removing some of the yellow medical fixtures behind the hospital bed (and put in the photo), but didn't think that would go over so well. 

they looked pretty fixed to the wall.

hospital phone almost pulling off a 2001 Space Odyssey color scheme.

taking care of the sick ones means that we are certainly doomed

and 

doomed we are: wifey and i are on day day 2 of sick.

Chronodex week 5 2014

As the week continues my mind was preoccupied with how letters lay on the paper.

a sort of calming.

chronodex 1.28.2014

Penmanship practice - guide line sheet for Tomoe River paper

One of my goals this year is to improve the consistency of my penmanship 

and

try a different sort of paper.

i have been use to writing on opaque whites that are pre-lined or gridded. my main appreciation for such white paper is due to the vibrancy of the ink's color and the firmness of the sheet.

it is taking some time but since being introduced to the Tomoe River paper last year, i have been increasingly enjoying its qualities. this paper embodies the phrase "paper thin":  thin to the point of translucency. despite this thinness the paper is very dense and that makes it perfect for the fountain pen. with the right pen and ink (for example a TWSBI 580 with a 1.1mm italic nib and Noodler's Green Ink) the shading of the line is hypnotic.

the one quality of this paper that i am not completely liking is the flexibility of the paper. this is a small tactile disappointment, but one i am willing to work around.

to use this paper for my everyday penmanship practice i first needed to make a simple guideline sheet.

this sheet is to go under the paper and provide some help on keeping the lines straight. not having to worry about drunk lines i can focus on the actual letter making.

on a heaving cotton based paper i made a simple grid.

making a line guide for Tomoe River paper

i used photo corners for a quick paper line up.

i won this box filled with never used B6 nibs for just over $3 (including shipping). 

perfect for some linear knot work on the side. 

making a line quide for Tomoe River paper. Speedball B6 nibs for the flash on the side.
makes my writing faster.

here is the guide with the Tomoe River paper in place. between the photo corners and the paper weight i am able to secure the paper. this security sort of makes up for the paper's lack of firmness. 

The Tomoe River paper in place over the line guide

the lines of the guide are very visible. 

a full view of the Tomoe River paper on the simple line quide