Blue Flower Notebook Set

Yesterday we celebrated the 21st birthday of one of my best friends from college. I’ve been trying to handmake as many gifts as possible since I’m a bit low on funds at the moment (thanks, grad school application fees!), so even though i found out about the celebration late-ish, I still made an effort to put something nice together. This notebook set was put together using materials I had around my dorm room — pages from a half-filled sketchbook that a delegate abandoned at this year’s SMUNC conference, embroidery thread for binding, and a blue tissue box from my “things to be recycled into crafts one day stash.” I’ve been saving pretty cardboard boxes to make notebook sets since last year, when I first got the idea and made a few sets for Christmas presents, but I’ve been so busy since then that I just haven’t gotten around to doing any until now. This time I used an improved binding technique (last year’s books were saddle-stitched and then the binding was taped over — this was problematic because it meant the notebooks didn’t stay closed too well). This time I actually went and learned a more complicated technique from this tutorial. It’s kind of a fun technique (though an awl would’ve been very helpful; I wish I hadn’t left all my jewelry supplies at home but I am trying to reduce the number of things I will have to transport home in June so I left all non-necessities behind after break). I was very proud of the results.
Anyway, here go the pictures…

The full set (the recipient’s name appears curving along the border of the circle with the colored-pencil-and-ink flower, but I’ve blurred it out for privacy purposes)

Close-ups of the art on the circular emblems that appear on each piece (LH: notebook; RH: bookmark)

This shot shows the binding a bit better:

Wrapped up into a set.

Gift-wrapped (I was so proud of myself; I even made the gift tag match!)

– s.

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Forest Child Birthday Card

It was someone’s birthday yesterday, and, being the eternally-late person that I am, I only went to the store today to buy her a card — it wasn’t until I got there that I remembered why I stopped buying greeting cards two years ago. Cards cost something like an average of $3!!! It’s so much cheaper, and plenty more fun, to make my own.

So I came home and got out my micron pen and prismacolors (I had time to do this, btw, because I actually TURNED IN MY LAST GRAD SCHOOL APP TODAY. (Yayyyy!!!)

Here is what resulted from my creative frenzy…

Front:

Inside :

The very best part, however, is the following:

When you put it in the envelope, he appears to be peeking out!! (You have to put him in sideways to fit properly, but the envelope still reveals one curious eye and part of a pudgy nose).

I’ve outrun my store of creativity for the day. And don’t want to write my 1 page response paper that’s due tomorrow. So it’s to bed now, and up early tomorrow morning.

– s.

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