Respooling...

.. is fun when you tell the hubby "I'm going in the closet. Whatever you do DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR!" This is what happens when you refuse to buy yourself a changing bag! But, in preparation for the trip I need all the empty 620 spools I can get. That meant getting an exposed roll of Ektar off a spool and putting it back on the original 120 spool. And I did it! Whew! I brought the five rolls I plan to bring to London and my 5 620 spools to do here at work with one of their changing bags. I also brought my paper and film to develop to keep a certain wonderful student company in our haunted darkroom! ;)

I also plan to try to get something... anything out of all the Ortho film we have. I have tried in the past, but I think I found a better how-to. And I will follow sister's advice and do the exposure and developing with no safelight.

I also found a box of 4"x5" sheet film! All this time I thought it was a box of bulk 120 - if they exist - and figured I would crack that open when the individual rolls ran out - there are rolls that expired before the kids were born! Well, lo and behold, I open it in the changing bag and it is sheet film!!! Woo hoo! Now I don't feel so bad having to cut it from the budget. Granted, this box expired in 1981 - great year! - but what the heck. At least it's not colour film - total deterioration. And I have been having kids print on waaaay expired Kodabromide and with these budget issues, you gotta do what you gotta do. I've been working with expired stuff since I took over this program...

Now I just need more donations. A lovely from period one donated a hair dryer. I can get sheet glass from my parents' basement - that's a whole other story - and now I need:

• varnish
• dark pray paint
• clear acrylic gloss medium
• acetate - had some donated from sis but need more
• plexiglas
• polymer clay - any brand
• art papers
• old oil paints
• dark pastels - oil and soft
• photo bleaching solution
• any film cameras

If camera or darkroom equipment is donated, I can type up a receipt for tax purposes. The man can't keep us down!!!