It's Thursday and once again the conversation in my head picks up where it left off probably last Thursday.... gosh its Thursday again, where did this week go, why does time feel like it's flying by?, hmmm another week of not getting everything crossed off my work TO DO list......
I have come to accept that this is life right now. It's the season I am living.
It is what it is.
I am reminded of time flying by as the following party favour idea was created earlier this year in late March - so that they were ready for my Birthday get together on Sunday 6 April.
I had planned a beautiful afternoon of a Wine Tasting Tour at a local Winery, followed by eats and drinks with a bunch of near and dear women. Here is where I admit how uncomfortable it was when I initially invited everyone, normally I organise get togethers and birthday type celebrations for others... never for myself. I decided it would be worth the uncomfortableness (best description I could think of) I was feeling. Some couldn't make it but it would go ahead ... of this I was determined.
I knew, though my guests did not, that I intended for it to be about all of us, not just about my birthday. Hence the party favours using Maggie Holmes Mini Kit - Styleboard.
So long ago (that's how it feels) that I have had to go back and look at all the process photos to remember what order I did everything in so that I can at least offer some guidance should you wish to create similar.
Lets begin at the end:

Here is how I got there:
Gather supplies - I used generic brown paper bags, seam binding, twine, inkpad (Avery Elle after trying a few others like Colorbox and Stazon - basically you just need a pigment ink not a chalk or dye ink), embossing folder (I used Maggie Holmes doily folder), Big Shot (or similar that will emboss), a Styleboard Project Life Mini Kit by Maggie Holmes (I did use the best part of this kit purely because I didnt think that I would use it for much else and because I made so many booklets), something to punch holes to tie the twine through (you could simply use washi tape to seal the bags shut), doilies (for prettiness), letter stamps to personalise (you could use letter stickers).


Begin by faux letterpress embossing the paper bags - swipe the inkpad across the embossing folder (I did one side only so that the back side was uninked, but you could easily do both sides).
Next place bag on top of inked side of folder and close the folder.
Run through your Big Shot (or machine of choice) following the guidelines for embossing.
Set bags aside to dry. Being a pigment ink it doesn't take that long - 20 mins on a warm clear day, allow extra for cooler temps, high humidity or rainy weather.
I then pulled out the contents of the mini kit - did a head count of guests plus one and divided that into the 3x4 cards. I used 8 3x4 cards and one 4x6 card (this acted as the cover) for each booklet.
Assemble in a pleasing to you order. Because there were duplicates of each design of 3x4 card I needed to shuffle a few around to ensure no 2 booklets were exactly the same. I also alternated picture cards with journaling cards.
Choose a cover for each from the 4x6 cards in the kit.
Wrap the 4x6 card around each mini stack of 3x4 cards.
Punch a hole through the whole lot in the top left corner.
Thread ribbon (I used seam binding) through the booklet.

I then set about journaling in each one to personalise each guests booklet.


Each journal card I wrote something that was relevant to each recipient. All those women (save 1) at the table I had known a very long time, some have known me my entire life, some I have known theirs. Fond memories, funny memories, quirky statements and a whole bunch of love went into those words. For the guest I haven't know very long I asked her mother in law (my Aunt) all the things she loves about her... and I wrote those. When I handed her her's I explained this.
Yes these women were there to help me celebrate my birthday, I received beautiful gifts and had a wonderful afternoon... but I planned for it to be a commemoration of gratitude that they are in my life.
To celebrate the contributions they have made toward who I am today.
To acknowledge our woven lives and to thank them.
even
To congratulate them for doing the good, the bad and the ugly with me as we journey through life together.
It was the THE most amazing feeling to watch each one unwrap their gift of a small, handmade minibook and read the words I wanted and needed to say to them, to record some memories, to remember, to laugh and yes.... to cry.
Money can't buy this kind of gift.
I tear up even now just remembering this never to be forgotten afternoon.

Ok.. so back to the assembly steps ... I hand punched along the edge of each bag, I placed a booklet in each bag, folded a white doily over and then punched 2 holes in which to thread the twine through, then tied the twine in a bow. So that I knew which booklet belonged to whom I needed something on the outside - I stamped using Letter Stamps and Avery Elle Mint to Be ink their names along the inner circle of the doily.

And they were done.

So that I too could have some handwritten sentiments I made an extra booklet.
I invited each guest to write something in the minibook that I would keep to help commemorate the day.
I read these before our lovely afternoon came to an end... more memories shared, more laughs and yes... a few more tears.
Priceless.