This post is the first in a series of DIY (do-it-yourself) projects that I’d like to feature on the blog. Some will involve books. Some will involve writing. Others will involve art in general. Tonight, I wanted to start off with a very simple and easy-to-make “book” that holds various forms (invitations, christmas cards, short story books). This project takes about 15-20 minutes, if you have all your materials in order.

But before I begin, I must give credit where credit is due. I would not know anything had it not been for my program along with the guidance of a very talented poet and bookmaker, Jenny. She taught me the basics in a literary publications course, and now I’m hooked. You should buy her books (or at least check them out) on her Etsy account.

Let’s get started.

By the end of this workshop, you will have a book that looks like this. If you flip it, you will notice that it literally looks like a book of matches, hence the matchbook name.

The inside will look like this:

Ingredients

The making of your book is like a slow-cooking stew. The more handy your ingredients, the easier it will be to put it all together. Here’s a few items you will need:

• Cardstock – this will serve as the cover of your book. I chose purple. It can be any size. For this project, my measurements were 9 inches long by 3.5 inches wide.
• Lighter, computer paper. As many pages as you’d like.
• Scissors
• String (that will go with your cardstock)
• Holepuncher or Awl
• Needle (not pictured)

When I started classes in bookmaking, I didn’t know what an awl was. It’s basically used to puncture paper. It has a wooden base and a sharp end. (I’ve used mine so much that it bent over).

You will also need a needle, which I forgot to include in the original photo.

Directions

Keep in mind that directions are loose. This is the way I make matchbooks. Other people may do it differently. Again, just like cooking up some stew. Everyone has a method.

Step 1: Make the first crease

Think of this crease like a book of matches. Mine was 1 inch. Yours can be whatever size you’d like. Just make this crease quickly. Don’t think about it too much, or you’ll end up with more than one crease, and it will look funny.

Step 2: The Second Crease

This crease is much more important. Keep that book of matches in bind. The “front cover” of your book will need to be tucked inside the first crease (check the picture below). So you want to make this fold with a little extra room so the door can shut, so to speak. If you need to measure, maybe 1/4 of an inch.

Step 3:

Prepare your inside papers. I cut mine using a paper cutter, but you can use scissors. To be accurate, measure the length of the book and take away 1/4 inch for a gutter from the inside edge.

Then measure the width and take away 1/4 inch off both the top and bottom for more gutter room. REMEMBER: You don’t need to be perfect with this. Most of the time, I just eyeball it. But for purposes of this online tutorial, I figured measurements might help.

Your paper should look something like this below. Basically, all you have to keep in mind is to leave room around the edges, and make sure the paper is flush (underneath the crease – not just to the edge) against the bottom of the creased side of the book.

Step 4: Making Holes

Not all hole punchers are the same. For this project, you probably want smaller holes than bigger ones, just because of the width of your string. If you are using ribbon, or something with more width or weight, you might want bigger holes. If you’re using plain string, go with a smaller hole punch or awl.

I used the top puncher. See the difference?

Punch your holes evenly. I always eyeball this. No need for measuring in my book!

Step 5: Start Sewing

Thread your needle like so, leaving some extra at the end.

You can start from either the outside to the inside of the book or vice versa. Whichever side will hold extra string and could be nice for a bow – so maybe you want that on the front. For this book, I decided to go from the outside in, simple because I didn’t want to tie it up in the front. (If this doesn’t make sense, skip a head and see the final tying of the book).

You then thread the needle through the other hole and out the back again. Repeat this 2-3 times, depending on how much string you want exposed and how well-tied you want the book. Just make sure you end up on the same side, opposite hole of where you started.

In the end, it will look like this:

You will have extra string. Simply cut the rest off.

Then tie it up, and if you want – you can expose the ends loosely, or hide them away.

Loose:

Hidden (tuck the strings within the others)

Your final result will look like this:

I decided to make mine a party invitation. Halfway through, I realized I can’t write in cursive very well.

There you have it! Your book is complete!

Last year, I used this method for my Christmas cards, and they seemed to be a success. Everyone thought they were cute! Maybe you can use this method for your next set of invitations?

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at onalobsterplacemat AT gmail DOT com. This is my first time writing out a DIY project, so if anything isn’t clear – let me know!

Lunchtime blogging is going to be quick and dirty today, as I have a lot of stories to get out the door before I head off to Indiana tomorrow night.

Today’s lunch was the kind of lunch I was ready to eat right after breakfast. I was envisioning this Samosa burrito + crunchy salad around 10:30 a.m. I know The Fitnessista would be proud of me starting off Indian Wednesday on the right foot

I get kind of lazy at night and feel like I don’t have time to chop ingredients for a salad, but these were all at my fingertips and probably took five minutes max. That was well worth the effort indeed.

I could eat an Amy’s burrito every single day for the rest of my life. Dang you, Kelly, for introducing me to burritos. But also, bless you for it.

A very fulfilling and chew-satisfying meal.

On Bumper Stickers 

Growing up, I remember my father being really “anti-bumper sticker.” He didn’t like the permanency of them, how they would leave sticky goo all over the car. It’d bring down the sale value of the car, he’d say.

Maybe it’s cause we never displayed them growing up, but I couldn’t wait to add some bumper stickers to my new car. Since I bought Esther last year, I’ve filled the back bumper of my car with stickers that mean something to me.

Do you have any bumper stickers?

Over the past month, I have discovered a few things about my morning toast. For starters, there are little ways to tell a story with it. Oatmeal seems much more in line with that sort of thing. Trust me, I miss my morning oatmeal stories. Truth be told, it’s not that I’m not feeling creative these days. I’ve had ideas in my head, things I’ve wanted to do. What it’s all about is TIME.

I have a lot of trouble waking up in the morning. I try going to bed early, and I can’t sleep. I get in bed around 10:30 p.m., and no matter what I do, I can rarely fall asleep before 1 a.m. I guess the mind is working overtime.

Basically, I was on a schedule. And then I got off the schedule. And I’m slowly but surely trying to get back on a schedule so I can enjoy my morning oats (and eat at a table for once.)

Here’s the truth about my morning toast. When first made, it looks something like this:

Then for travel and commuting purposes, I make it look like this:

Then I wrap it up and throw it in my bag:

Eventually it finds its way onto the passenger seat of my car with all my other junk.

Now I really don’t advocate eating in the car. In fact, it always makes me feel like one of those DC people. The people who have no time to sit down at a table, let alone prepare a good meal. But lately, this is what’s been happening.

Have you ever had trouble waking up? How did it affect your morning routine?

That’s right. That’s what tonight was all about. ME.

It started with a very sweaty run at the gym after work, where I put in four miles on the treadmill. The legs felt great, my breathing was fine – but my stomach was another story. Major heartburn, dang. But I made the most of it. I’m finally feeling more in tune with my runner self.

After the gym, I took a quick shower and decided to go shopping. It’s been a while, so I picked up a few things for fall.

• Greenish colored shirt
• Black shirt
• Beautiful scarf
• Two pairs of tights – black and gray

While I was shooting these pictures, a little furry friend wanted to be included.

Hello, Scone. Yes, those are tights.

He is such a curious fella.

After shopping, I decided to pick myself up a treat and ordered a salad at Panera. It’s been much too long.

Delicious.

Gosh, I feel like an old woman. It’s not even 9 p.m., and I’m totally ready for bed. Too bad I have much more homework to do tonight.

Ah, the life of a part-time graduate student.

What do you do on nights that are all about you?

You know how people say that soup comforts the soul? How on a cold day, it warms up the numbest parts of you?

Well, I say that making soup comforts me. And whether it is cold or hot outside, it is watching the pot boil that makes me feel warm all over.

On Saturday afternoon, I made Bean and Barley Soup – not only to stock my freezer for lunches and dinners but also to fulfill my need to make something from scratch. It was a beautiful afternoon.

I printed the recipe, set it on the counter (glancing occasionally) and never checked how long parts of it were going to take. Give yourself two hours people cause that’s what you need. 

Chopping vegetables always takes me forever. I don’t have basic knife skills. Maybe I should listen to Lemmonex and take a class in DC, no?

Some people may fear this soup because of the two cups of onions that goes into it. But balancing that is one 1/2 cup carrots and 1/2 cup celery. Besides, you can barely taste the onions.

You cook those three ingredients for a very short time.

Then you add basil and parsley in really large quantities and sauté some more. The smell is pretty intense. If you are in a small apartment, the entire place will be filled with this. It’s a good smell – don’t worry.    

Then comes my favorite part of any meal. Beans. This time, in pinto variety. The recipe calls for dried beans, but I already had a can in the pantry. It all worked out fine.

Washed, then I got the vegetable broth and NINE CUPS OF WATER ready. I think that’s way too much water, but who am I to say

Everything all in the pot, with three bay leaves. Simmer for about an hour.

Get it boiling again. Then I had to do some fancy tricks with beans, water and the blender, then I had to simmer again for 30 minutes.

This is the part where my heart swooned, and I realized that I did this:

And by doing that, I made this:

And it did not come from a can. And I ate it for lunch.

Does cooking bring you comfort?

Andrea recently posted her blog philosophy on photos. The post is really well-written, and there were several lines that struck a chord with me. One especially was when she wrote — “In the background there are little slices of life going on.”

As a food blogger, this is what I think blogging is all about. Sure, it’s mostly about the good food we’re eating and how we’re staying healthy. But more than that – blogging is a way to document our everyday.

This morning, while photographing my recent usual toast, I decided to apply Andrea’s theory to my picture taking. What slices of life are happening in the background of my breakfast?

Above you can see a few things if you look closely:

• An oven mit hanging on the drawer in the kitchen
• Wine glasses ready to be filled on the stand
• Scone, patiently waiting by the door to be let out so he can see his lover (a morning routine at this point)
• Bright light

Let’s try another one:

In this one, there is a common theme of music – guitars, a microphone string and an organ.

And one more:

You can’t see as much in this picture, but there are a few things:

• Green bowl as table center piece
• A wrapper that was once filled with block shots
• Books
• Tissues

Normal shot:

And here’s a normal shot I’d take. The colors from the strawberry jam seem to pop, but there’s little life going on here. What you can mostly tell is that I like a variety of placemats.

What slices of life are happening in your photos?

Be sure to check out Andrea’s post. It’s one of my favorites ever in blogland!  

So a weird thing happened to me while I was at the gym today. I was running on the treadmill (or rather, trying to run) but the incline wouldn’t decline. I kept hitting the buttons, getting off and on to check, repeat, repeat. That’s when the girl next to me stopped her treadmill and the conversation went something like this:

Girl: This is going to sound really weird, but I think I know you.

Me: There’s no way this girl knows me.

Girl: Do you blog?

Me: (surprised) Yeah, I do.

Girl: Is the word lobster in the title?

Me: Yeah, On a Lobster Placemat.

Girl: I’ve read it before. I knew I recognized you!

Hello out there, Natasha (I think that was your name – we only talked for a few minutes!), if you’re reading it was nice to meet you!

Never in a million years did I think a reader would be at my work gym. She was a student at the university where I work. Small world! This is actually my first “blog siting” in the real world. How cool

I didn’t end up running next to Natasha because the treadmill was busted, so instead I went to another level and put in a quick two miles. Nothing more, nothing less. Very little time today. This wasn’t part of my training plan, but after having two bad runs in a row and sitting all day, I just wanted to move.

When I got home, we had some fish for dinner, courtesy of Bill’s parents who sent us some Omaha Steaks a while back.

Nothing like some stuffed sole to quickly throw in the oven after a long day. They are individually wrapped, so it’s super easy.

Just put on a pan, bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes and voila.

Sole is a very buttery fish, so it doesn’t get dry in the oven. I hate to use the word “succulent” because I see that all the time in descriptions, but it has its place here – this fish is definitely succulent. I gobbled up the piece pretty quickly I served it with a side of fresh broccoli from the co-op.

After dinner, I watched an episode of Glee (my new obsession) and watched  Scone climb the mountain of blankets in order to get to his favorite thing:

Sorry, gato. No plant for you. Why do you think it’s so high up in the first place?

I’ve been muy productive in preparation for my trip to – you guessed it – Indiana! I cleaned the kitchen (quite thoroughly, I might add), I’m doing laundry as we speak and I’m getting a headstart on my homework for next week. Not gonna lie though, I think I’m gonna put on Episode 4 of Glee.

Looks like someone’s hooked.

A few questions:

Would anyone be up for guest blogging while I’m in Indiana? I would need to the post by – eeek- Thursday. I know that’s cutting it close, so no worries! Please send to onalobsterplacemat AT gmail DOT com. All entries of any sort are welcome!

Does anyone know of any running trails in Bloomington, Indiana? Preferably something flat. I have to run 6 miles on Sunday.

Every time I make a new salad, I always end up calling it “the best salad ever.” The problem with that statement is that I keep making salads that I enjoy even more. So at this point, do you guys even trust me anymore? What is “the best?”

Ok, 100%, fully believe that this one may be the best:

Parmesan Couscous Salad with Chickpeas, Carrots and Celery

Here are a few reasons why it’s awesome:

• Takes 15 minutes to make
• Tastes even better the next day
• Huge (HUGE!) crunch factor
• Pretty!

I made this up on the fly using some ingredients I had on hand. Here’s what you’re going to need:

• Two celery stalks
• Two peeled carrots
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 cup cooked couscous
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• garlic powder (to taste)
• capers (1 teaspoon)
• parsley (to taste)
• olive oil (4 teaspoons)
• lemon juice (to taste)

1. Before you start with the vegetables, be sure to cook your couscous and let it set for a while. Then, chop the carrots and celery to your liking. Wash the beans. Combine in a bowl.

2. Mix the olive oil, spices and parmesan cheese.

3. Now mix your couscous with your vegetable bowl. Then top with your “dressing” and mix until everything is covered.

Serve with crackers or on its own. I promise you – one of the best salads you’ll ever taste!

This salad especially has a crunch factor, so get ready to start chewing.. and chewing… and chewing.

Do you see the special letters in my toast? It’s a message of the future.

Still don’t see it? Maybe we should try another angle.

Ok, so there’s a word there. “IN.” What’s “in” these days? What does that stand for?

I will give you one hint.

• It is one word.

I will give you another hint.

• It is a place.

And another hint.

• I am going there on Friday to visit Kelly.

As you can see, the trip is four days away, and I’m already counting down. In fact, I started counting down last week at some point.

Are you counting down any trips in your future?

Today was all about one guy and one guy only:

BRIAN!

Today we celebrated Brian’s birthday by going to the DC United vs. San Jose soccer game. It was one of those “tricky eating” kind of days, and although I feel a little bloated from the salt and grease, I know that Monday is another day.

I tried wearing my Healthy Living T-shirt to remind me of good choices (notice the beer in hand):

Then I quickly changed into some more appropriate gear for the game. AND got my game face ON.

We had a nice little tailgate party going before the game. It’s so nice that Amy and Brian have a big ole truck – makes for a very authentic tailgate, you know?

We snacked on loads of chips, crackers, cookies and beer before the game. My belly is stuffed.

And of course, we had to toast Brian with mini cupcakes for his big day (which is actually Friday, but he’ll be away then).

Don’t you love Bill and I’s matching jerseys? I do.

The game was meh, but I was mostly there for the friends + french fries DC United ending up losing (sad), but they hung in for a while.

Marie and Pat were there too! So good to see them again.

I especially like this photo of Andy double fisting fries during the game.

Oh, and I should also note that I ate much of this. Not so healthy, meh.

During the game, some brotherly love was displayed in a series of photos:

“Why hello. So nice to see you.”

“Let us pose for a picture, my good friend.”

“Enough pictures! Karate chop!”

After the game, we hung by the tailgating spot for a little bit, and all of my dreams were fulfilled by one and one thing only:

Thank you, Andy, for purchasing this delectable treat for us to share.

I especially like this one for how comfortable Amy looks in the background:

Ok, gotta get some homework done.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN AND ENJOY YOUR TRIP ABROAD!