The wizard is not crafty, so he bought the bulk of his xmas gifts at our local indepedent bookstore; and evidently he got so many they decided he ought to have one more, a biography of Augustine. I wrestled briefly with keeping it before deciding that a relative, who has been studying Christian history, theology and the like for a number of years (she's the one who introduced me to Karen Armstrong's very interesting Battle for God) might appreciate it more—and, since it was an advance copy, I figured she wouldn't have it already, always a big concern.

One of the few pix I managed before it got too dreary to get by with natural light only.

Since they'd already wrapped it, the hardest part was already done. I had some more old printed ribbon that I thought had a surprisingly similar feel (if slightly more traditional) than the curliQed xmas trees on the paper; with that, a little metallic curling ribbon, a few gold mylar shreds, and a patented Page's luscious gold focal point (note the lovely, loosely woven ultra-wide wire-edged gold ribbon) it was done. If only it was always this easy (it wouldn't properly challanging and fun, right?)

file created 26dec05; intro added 3jan07

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.