My book is purchased by McCabe Library at Swarthmore Collage

Life is short, suddenly it's over. Try to be present every day. 

I am so pleased to tell you my book, In Which Our Main Character Has a Revelation of Wonderment, has been purchased by the McCabe Library. I'm sure every artist is delighted when their work goes somewhere where it will be appreciated. I am no different. The book was purchased out of the Philadelphia Center for the Book exhibit, Looking Out/Looking In.

As part of the PCBA exhibit, Looking Out/Looking In, they now have a walk through video on YouTube. You can see it here. In the video you can see the library setting, and of course the books. It looks like a very nice space and a wonderful show.

There is also an online exhibit here, that has all the work in the show. It was a hybrid show, most of the work was exhibited in the library, because of size limitations a few pieces are online only.

Spectacles for Viewing Christmas on Mars free download - make your own pair

On my web site I have a pdf pattern you can download and make a pair of these spectacles. There is also a slip case and a plain pair you could use as a pattern to decorate your own. These have been around ten years. I think it's time for a new pair. 

The holidays are almost here. However you celebrate, I hope you have some time with people you love. This can be a hard time of the year. I am missing people who can't be here. If you are missing people and feel alone, when everyone is so jolly, you are not alone. I think under the jolliness, many people are feeling sad. I have no smart advice for you, but I hope you can find some time to enjoy the holidays and reasons to be glad to be alive. 

A finished book

Where are they now? by Judith Hoffman, drum leaf accordion, Arches cover paper, collage, paint, ink. About 3 x 4 inches.

It's the same old story - I had a dozen pages left from a book I made years ago. I wanted to use them, and started playing with some mark making and collage. The dozen collaged pages seemed to divide into two themes, so two books. But I needed to make more pages so I could finish each book. I ended up making about 30 more pages. Both books are experiments with family photos. The photos are scanned and printed on an Epson SC-P700 printer, so it's supposed to be good ink.

Where are they now? First half of drum leaf accordion fold book.

Here is the first book - Where are they now? The other book is finished, but I have no photos to show you. I had to put my photo set up away last week to have some work done in the basement. They didn't show up, now they are coming next week. It's an odd coincidence that the title of this book fits the current problem with scheduling workers. Note: all photos will enlarge.

Where are they now? Second half of drum leaf accordion fold book by Judith Hoffman

I am hugely enjoying the drum leaf accordion construction. I learned it from Andrew Huot earlier this year in an online class from Book Paper Thread called Books for Photographers and Printmakers. He is also teaching at FOBA this summer.

I will include some knitting news here - read on if you are so inclined. I needed some fingerless gloves for my cold hands. Looking through my yarn I found some almost finished ones I started years ago using yarn I spun myself. It's a thrill to spin yarn and then make something. As I finished knitting the gloves I got the urge to spin again. So another project has begun.

Finished fingerless mitts. Unknown fleece, sort of sock weight, chain plyed.

I never was that good at spinning, what I used to know has come back to me. Also all that I don't know. There are some good classes at Craftsy.

Mistakes and all here are some singles, the fleece is End of Innocence from Into the Whirled. It's lovely fleece.

See those tails sticking out of the singles on the left? Those are all mistakes. They may straighten out when I ply. Still it is relaxing most of the time. And I am delighted to be making yarn.

I hope you are doing well, keeping safe, and getting your booster. These are difficult times, it's good to find things to occupy your mind, other than the news. Thanks for reading and take care. 

Jude