I was approached to create a very special project several weeks ago to celebrate some dear friends nuptials. I’ve known Timothy since we were both children and we’ve kept in touch over the years though we’ve run in different circles for a while now. 

His fiancé (now wife!) Sandra wanted me to create a journal for them to chronicle their first year of marriage—to be filled with secret love notes, photos, and the chronicles of all their adventures together. To say I was excited to work on such a sentimental gift was an understatement.   

Together, Sandra and I looked for the perfect cover (the color green was a major requirement 😉) and I found one that had a beautiful moon-like pattern on the cover entitled, “Dreams in Homespun” full of poems—so dreamy!

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with Tim and Sandra, then you know that their romance is out of a vintage novel. They are also some of the kindest, most gentle, sunniest people I know. I wanted this journal to emulate their sunny disposition and also emulate my blessing towards their first year of marriage; full of joy, continued romance, and hope. I used a bright yellow floral paper that I incorporated into the siding and accented with golden yellow eyelets and Irish waxed linen thread. 

While I gave them plenty of drawing paper and watercolor paper, I also enjoyed hand painting some pages that I accented with gold outlining and included some paper flags for short notes and quotes.

i thought it was especially important this journal had a leather closure due to both the thickness of the journal (all that watercolor paper adds up!) and that I anticipate them holding onto love notes, dried leaves and flowers, and the occasional ticket stub. I included a pocket for those needs as well, but sometimes it’s a fun surprise to find a pressed flower from your first married date between some unexpected pages. 😉 

As a sentimental nod to the past life of this book, I sewed back in a poem from the original book entitled, "The House," so it's the first thing that is seen when this journal is opened. It seemed fitting since Tim and Sandy are about to embark on their newly bonded life together--building their own family and home.

One of the last things I do as part of the finishing process is to add a label to the back cover (which is basically the equivalent of me signing my work) as well as an ‘Ink Card’ that details the vintage book that was used with any extra notes that I thought were important. 

This journal was a surprise that Sandra presented to Tim on their wedding day and was such an honor for me to work on! 

Until next time, 

Abigail