At last, the first review for Saving St Teilo's has come in.

Reviews make me nervous but in a good, exciting way. I never really dread seeing them but it is a truth universally acknowledged (in publishing at least) that you can't keep all of the people happy all of the time. So, sooner or later we'll get a stinker. But not this time –

"Gerallt Nash’s book also conveys a spirit rarely found in museum publications – pride and joy, craftsmanship and passion, a genuine sense of adventure and achievement. It makes the reader not just want to see St Teilo’s, but also to wish that they had rolled up their sleeves and lent a hand in its rescue."

To read the rest of the review go to http://www.vidimus.org/booksWebsites.html

We had a fabulous event at St Fagans yesterday. The weather wasn't quite with us - damp and overcast - but luckily lots of people were, and very many of them bought copies of the book!

I didn't catch the whole service as I was flitting around with boxes of books, but what I saw was very moving, and it felt intimate and totally natural.

Then a whole load more people arrived for the actual launch. People crowded into the Church and the two main speakers, Garry Owen and Eurwyn Wiliam, both did excellent jobs. Eurwyn spoke about the project from its beginnings, and as he's been involved with the project since its beginning 25 years ago it was a great overview. But, as always, humorous too! Then Garry Owen brought a lovely personal note, as he's a local boy who remembers the Church when it was still by the river Loughour at Pontarddulais. He really emphasised just how iconic the Church was  - and still is - to the local community.

Finally everyone came over to Oakdale, the Workmen's Instititute, for refreshments and we were flooded with people queuing up to buy the book. It was like when you first arrive at a car boot sale! It was also great for me to finally meet some of the book's contributors, people I've only emailed up til now. I guess everybody was enjoying themselves as by 5.30pm some people didn't seem to want to leave!

The rest of the work for me is now to make sure all the relevant bookshops and retail outlets know about it. And making sure it's on the relevant websites. And sending out review copies... In a way, producing the book is only half the job: now we've got to sell it!

No blogs for a while now - but mostly because we've been working full tilt on the book (also because I've been off for a week...).

So, it's now at the printers, and there's nothing - well, hardly anything - more we can do now. If all is well the books will be in Cardiff this Friday, and we'll all be at St Fagans launching it on Sunday. If the weather is anywhere as good as it has been this last week or so then it'll be a truly lovely afternoon.

As exciting as it is to look forward to seeing the actual book (no matter how many proofs, dummies etc you've seen - the real thing always looks different!) this bit always makes me a bit nervous too. After it arrives, and I spot the inevitable typo that got away, or something I wish we'd changed when we had the chance, or... and after the launch event, I'll be able to reflect on what a pleasure it was to work on and how lovely everybody was to work with. It's a real privilege to have been able to learn so much about the whole project - one of the very best bits of my job is being able to get involved with such a variety of different projects that might otherwise have passed me by. But with this one in particular, I think, the depth of people's knowledge and skills, and their committment, is inspiring.

Anyway, look out for it, available in all good bookshops - soon!

We're getting really stuck in now. We've had a complete set of pages, which is our chance to move or replace any images, or perhaps move pages around. Once we've done that the layout is set in stone and we start proofreading. While we proofread the English, the designer will work on the Welsh pages - that's why it's important that nothing moves around after we've agreed on the layout!

We had some new external shots of the church done, so that we'd have a wider choice to try out for the cover. I think we're pretty close to deciding on the image. And I think the title is decided too:

Saving St Teilo's: bringing a medieval church to life.

I hope it's a strong title, and I like the fact that we get the name 'St Teilo's' right in there at the beginning!

We're also moving ahead with the launch event. It will be in the spring, March or maybe April. It should be a lovely event, it will be lighter then - and warmer!

We had a very positive meeting with the book's designer before Christmas at St Fagans. She's come up with some lovely ideas, it makes a big difference when you've seen something and you then have a set of images and visual themes you can relate to. The design manages to convey a sense of the crafts, skills and techniques behind the whole project, which is something I really want the book to convey.

We're still looking for exactly the right image for the cover though. We decided, although it might seem a bit unimaginative, to use a picture of the exterior of the Church. For all the amazing images we've got of the interiors, especially of course the wall paintings, I really believe that the audience for this book will be looking for a book with a picture of the church on it - sounds obvious I suppose! The book covers many things including art, archaeology and architecture, but in the end it's primarily about the story of St Teilo's Church. So that's the message the cover will convey. Plus, the building itself is now so recognisable, its shape is almost iconic.

I think one of the features that draw people to the Church is the contrast between the simple, white, almost humble-looking exterior and the riot of colour and images inside.

As soon as I've got images of the sample spreads I'll publish them here - it would be very interesting to know what people think of them!

I'm working on a book about the fantastic St Teilo's Church at St Fagans. Been really looking forward to this one, it's a lovely story and there's a wealth of fab images - unlike usually, when I have to scrabble around for some decent stuff. I thought we'd be much further on than we are mind, I really expected to be up to my ears in proofs by now. I sort of know why we're further behind than I'd planned, just can't quite explain. Or I could, but it still probably wouldn't make much sense. Plus, designers work in different ways, and this one likes to take a lot of time 'up front' working on the design concept, then when that's agreed we crack on with the proofreading fairly quickly. I suppose I'm more comfortable with spending the bulk of the time at the proofreading stage, especially with a fairly text-heavy book like this one. Still, we always manage to end up with a book on time. I should be designing the marketing plan by now, but I'm still getting the images together and finishing the copy - things like indexes, the glossary, that kind of thing. And I haven't written any of the image captions yet, which I decided would be quite long, narrative style, so that we don't have to cram absolutely everything into the main copy.

Having to work within a financial year is odd too - not at all the way publishing works. I could get really quite anxious about this if I let myself. I just have to concentrate on how good the book's going to look, and having a high-profile launch, with a popular speaker, where everybody buys a copy of the book, which will get great reviews...

In our favour is the fact that the Church is already incredibly popular and has had a lot of good press. The whole re-erection project at St Fagans has built up a swell of good will, and the Church has its own loyal following - a sort of fan-base! All that's keeping me going at the moment, but I know things are going to get pretty intense over the next couple of months.

O'r diwedd, dwi'n gallu canolbwyntio am hanner awr ar sgwennu'r blog yma, y blog cyntaf ers dros chwe mis. Y prif reswm fod gen i amser i sgwennu ydi fy mod wedi stopio gweithio dau ddiwrnod yr wythnos yn Oriel 1, felly rwy'n araf bach ddal i fyny gyda'r gwaith curadurol oedd yn dioddef oherwydd y ddau ddwrnod coll yna.

Ers y blog diwethaf, rydym wedi bod yn gweithio ar ardddangosfeydd Saethyddiaeth, Meddygol, Yr Urdd, Pop ac Eidalwyr yng Nghymru.

Dwi hefyd wedi bod yn ceisio cydlynu digwyddiadau Sain Ffagan ar gyfer 2009, pryd mai Cerddoriaeth fydd y thema, a gweithio ar y Ddresel Gymunedol nesaf, pryd bydd Clwb Bocsio Cwm Carn yn dangos eu metel.

Dwi hefyd wedi mynychu sawl cynhadledd, yn Stockholm, Llundain, Birmingham, Bolton a Llandrindod, wedi dysgu llawer, ac wedi rhannu profiadau am faterion casglu cyfoes. Mae drafft o Gynllun Casglu Cyfoes yr amgueddfa wedi ei anfon at fy nghyd-guraduron, a caiff ei drafod mewn cyfarfod ar ddiwedd y mis.

Dwi dal heb dderbynodi gwrthrych eto, sydd ychydig yn rhwystredig. Yn rhannol, da ni dal yn disgwyl canlyniad y cyfarfod uchod, ond dwi'n eithaf hyderus fy mod yn gwybod-ish beth i'w gasglu. Bydd rhaid i fi fod yn amyneddgar - wedi'r cyfan, bydd deunydd cyfoes dal o gwmpas mewn ychydig fisoedd...neu fydd yna?

Na'i drio sgwennu hwn yn fwy rheolaidd, ond, byddwch yn gwybod, os na welwch chi ddim, fydda i mor brysur yn casglu, fydd dim amser gen i. Hwyl wan.

Daeth cwestiwn lot neisiach gan Sabrina Rochemont yn gofyn sut allai fy helpu. Wel, os oes gan rywun farn ar sut mae casglu'r 'Cyfoes', buaswn yn falch iawn cael clywed gennych. A ddylai amgueddfeydd gasglu pob teclyn electroneg dan haul, neu dim ond y rhai sydd a stori ddiddorol? Er enghraifft, rhoddodd rhywun ZX Spectrum, yn ei focs, bron fel newydd i mi y diwrnod o'r blaen. Mae hyn yn anarferol iawn, gan fod llawer o wrthrychau'n cael eu gwerthu ar e-bay y dyddiau yma. Ond oes cysylltiad â Chymru? Oes. Oes stori ddiddorol? Oes. Ydyn ni'n debygol o'i arddangos? Ydyn. Ac yn y blaen - mae'n rhaid cyfiawnhau casglu ar sawl lefel wahanol, yn bennaf oherwydd diffyg lle.

Agwedd arall o'r swydd yw delio â chymunedau - mae holl ethos amgueddfeydd yn nnewid - dim adeilad i arddangos trysorau a ddygwyd ydyn nhw bellach, ond canolfannau addysg a hwyl i'r gymdeithas ehangach. Ond wrth gydweithio, oes peryg bod yn nawddoglyd neu docenistic?

Reit, i orffen, dyma, yn fras, beth ydw i wedi bod yn ei wneud dros y mis diwethaf: wedi cael cyfarfodydd blaenorol i drefnu'r Arddangosfa Bop yn 2009; bues mewn cyfarfod yn y Trallwng i geisio ffurfio polisi Casglu Cyfoes ar gyfer holl amgueddfeydd Cymru; mynychais fy ail weithdy Straeon Digidol er mwyn dysgu mwy am sut i weithio gyda chymunedau; casglais y gwrthrychau ar gyfer yr ail Ddresel Gymunedol o Johnstown, ger Wrecsam (mae gwybodaeth am y ddresel gyntaf ar 'Rhagor' ar y wefan yma); ymwelais a dau amgueddfa'n Abertawe; a cychwynais fy nghwrs MA Astudiaethau Amgueddfeydd.

Whiw! Erbyn i fi sgrifennu mis nesaf, byddaf wedi bod yn Sweden ar gyfer cynhadledd SAMDOK, sef y grŵp casglu cyfoes mwya blaenllaw yn y byd. Wela i chi wap.

Waw! Mae rhywun yn darllen! Dwi'm yn siwr sut mae hynny'n gwneud i mi deimlo, ond diolch beth bynnag.

Fe geisia'i ateb eich cwestiynau - Nic yn gyntaf. Y cyfan alla i wneud yw pasio'r neges ymlaen at ein adran TG mae'n ddrwg genni. Er fy mod yn Guradur Bywyd Cyfoes, mae fy neall o systemau cyfrifiadurol yn elfennol iawn. Licio enwau'r gwahanol sgriptiau gyda llaw - tybed yw hi'n bosibl gwneud cerdd ohonynt?

Rhodri - ia, yn Sain Ffagan ydw i, ond ddim yn siwr at beth wyt ti'n gyfeirio gyda'r poster Pictiwrs. Digwyddiad oedd hwn? Bu gweithgaredd yma dro yn ol i gofnodi canmlwyddiant ffilm lle dangoswyd hen ffilmiau o'r archif yn Institiwt y Gweithwyr, Oakdale, ond dyna'r unig gysylltiad alla i feddwl amdano.

Hefyd, doedddwn i heb gysylltu â'r Blogiadur gan fy mod eisiau cael ychydig o stem o'r tu ol i mi cyn hysbysebu i'r Genedl, ond erbyn hyn dwi'n teimlo'n ddigon hyderus i gael fy nghynnwys. Fe geisia i gofrestru dros yr wythnosau nesaf.

Parhewch i gysylltu, ac os oes unrhyw syniadau gennych ynglyn â a chasglu cyfoes, neu sut i wella'r blog, bydda i'n falch iawn cael clywed gennych.

Ac yn ôl â ni i sôn am fy ngwaith. Ers y tro diwethaf, rydym wedi bod yn dioddef o broblemau technegol yn Oriel 1. Dyw'r system cyfrifiadurol ddim yn dod ymlaen pan ddylai, mae lluniau wedi diflannu oddi ar rhai o'r sgriniau cyffwrdd, a mae rhai o'r pwyntiau gwrando yn anibynnadwy. Wn i'm beth yw'r term technegol am 'Gremlins', ond mae'r anifeiliaid bach gwyrdd wedi bod yn cnoi drwy'r gwifrau o ddifrif yn ddiweddar.

Mae dau arddangosfa arall ar y gweill erbyn 2009/2010, sef arddangosfa Eidalwyr sy'n byw yng Nghymru, ac arddangosfa British Sign Language. Mae'r ail un yn ddiddorol ofnadwy achos mae'r 'gymuned' BSL am wneud cymhariaethau gyda'r iaith Gymraeg. Hynny ydi, mae nhw am dynnu sylw at y ffaith mai iaith leiafrifol sydd ddim yn cael y parch y mae'n haeddu yw BSL, yr un peth a'r Gymraeg. Mae ganddynt enghreifftiau o blant yn gorfod eistedd ar eu dwylo i'w stopio rhag arwyddo, sydd ag adlais o'r Welsh Not. Edrych ymlaen i weithio ar y prosiect yma.

Bu penwythnos Hindwaidd (cerddoriaeth, bwyd, hanes, diwylliant) yn llwyddiant ysgubol yn ddiweddar, a byddwn yn mynd i ail agoriad swyddogol y deml Hindwaidd yn Grangetown dydd Sadwrn 22 Medi. Croeso i bawb!

Heblaw hyn i gyd, rwy'n parhau i weithio gyda cymuned o Johnstown drwy eu helpu i gasglu ar gyfer ein Dresel Gymunedol. Bydd y gwrthrychau yma ar ddangos cyn y Dolig gobeithio, ac ar y we yn fuan wedyn.

Yn olaf, bydd arddangosfa o waith yr artist byd-enwog Mary Lloyd Jones yn agor yn swyddogol ar Hydref y 4ydd.

Cofiwch gadw mewn cysylltiad!

Prosiect arall yw cryfhau'r gornel Ieuenctid yn Oriel 1. Bydd y sgrin sy'n dangos lluniau llonydd o Maes Bs y gorffennol cyn bo hir yn dangos fideo bywiog o ddigwyddiadau 2007. Bydd arwydd cliriach a mwy o wrthrychau e.e. records yng nghesyn gitar Meic Stevens hefyd.

Gyda'r Rhith Amgueddfa'n lansio diwedd mis Awst, mae prosictau ar y gweill ar gyfer hwnnw, sef cofnodi cynnwys y Ddresel Gymunedol bresennol, a chynnwys cyfweliadau gyda pobl ifanc o Faes B wythnos yr Eisteddfod.

Rwy hefyd yn gysylltiedig â phrosiect cyffrous sydd am ail-adeiladu un o dai'r Pentref Celtaidd gyda waliau pridd, cynllun chwyldroadol all droi theoriau archaeolegol wyneb i waered!

Heblaw am hyn i gyd, byddaf yn ymweld ag Amgueddfa Casnewydd dydd Iau i drafod eu harddangosfa bop hwy, ac rwy wedi bod ar deledu a radio Cymraeg i hyrwyddo'r Oriel newydd a fy swydd newydd. Mae pethau'n dechrau poethi!