Scrolls

While working on my 'real' book i.e. hardbound, I'm planning my next 'book.' In quotes because I think it is going to be a scroll. My original design is an elaborate scroll on a box with drawer inside of which will be a bound copy of the book that is aluded to in the scroll. This is complicated and will require some woodworking, metal working, and printing expertise. So, instead of plunging headfirst into a disaster, I'm going to make a simple (?) scroll about 100 cm long. Not a hanging scroll like you might see on the walls in Chinese restaurants or museums but the Roman Legionnaire Proclaiming All This Land Is Caesar's type of scroll with two rods on each end. In looking up ideas on the web I found two phrases that I really like. In Chinese hanging scrolls the top rod is called the rod of heaven and the bottom rod is called the rod of earth. Heaven above, earth below. Imagine that. 

My heaven and earth will be a simple and cheap dowel with a groove cut into it for the backing paper. Upon the backing paper, which at this point I believe will be a darker shade of blue or gray, will be some off-white calligraphy paper. Upon this calligraphy paper will be some profound words; mostly likely the birthdays of people I love. If this first scroll is successful, I will march on to a better grade of wood for heaven and earth and add a stand. If that is beautiful enough, I will extend my reach into my first design. So many ifs, so few heavens and earths.