so as i've mentioned a few times before, i'm working vigorously to purge unneeded things from my apt. it's brought me upon things that i'd forgotten about, things i'd pushed aside, and things i WISH i had purged long ago. it's also encouraged me to completed tasks and project that have been sitting - unfinished and a bit neglected - for long long amounts of time. and, on a sort of unrelated, i've been staring at a binder for over a year - a binder filled with memories of a wedding i was part of, over a year ago. things i had tried to encourage myself to compile into a meaningful gift to the bride... which i had basically ignored for a year.
so finally, when i was purging in regions (this is what it has come to in my little apartment), i took the binder into my hand, and had to make a choice - toss, or commit to?
so i did it. i spent a few hours, and the book made itself. I had already collected notes from friends, family members, and bridesmaids during the shower, bachelorette and wedding... i also kept receipts, napkins, invitations, and other keepsakes during the planning. it made the whole thing easier. i kept it simple and streamlined - that way, if she had already made a wedding album, she could just slip these pages into it... neutrals were my choice. it also helped when i was including things like the neon pink napkins from her bachelorette, and the neon coloured invite and notes from her 80's style shower.
and, while it pained me a bit, i also included handwritten notes. my notes from our original visit to the dress shop, notes from my planning of the events, and i included a few snippets of text here and there.... i feel like it wouldn't be from me, if it didn't include the handwriting/printing that my friends always comment on (i'm a bit infamous for my handwritten notes).
it came together finally... and i was relieved. though it was a fortune to ship it (MARY - MOVE BACK HERE FROM CALIFORNIA!), it was worth it. i included a note... i wanted her to know why i did it, why it was late, and what it meant to me... so the first thing she would find would be a hand written note, when she opened her package.
in my note to her, i said this (with some edits - some things are for friend eyes only!):
"i always have the greatest of intentions. i collect things from trips and memorable occasions, and have grand plans to turn them into photo collages, scrapbooks, memory frames and all those martha stewart type things that we all wish we had 36 hours a day of free time to complete.
so, i saved all these things from your wedding, and then they sat. i started to compile them all about 9 months after your wedding, and had everything in a binder, with scrapbook paper everywhere.... and then life got very busy, jewelry sales went crazy, and it was put aside again.
so then.
i started purging. i was going through clothes, books, photoframes, etc. while trying to purge & clean my apartment... and i found your binder. my friend who was helping me said, 'jamie, are you REALLY ever going to finish that?? just toss it!' but i couldn't. there was something in me that coudln't part with all of the memories - all of the receipts, notes on love. the invitations and emails, and the notes on the dresses that we fought so hard for. i coudln't do it.
so instead - since i knew it was worth it to me - i buckled down. covered myself in glue and sparkles. printed photos and spent hours on placement and location of photos. and finished it.
you may receive this in the mail, and not want it. you may toss it once you look at it once. and that's totally fine! but i wanted you to see it all. i wanted you to know how much spending your day with you two meant to me. i spent hours and hours, and just wanted everything to be perfect for you both... and i just hope that's what this stack of memories conveys."
a perfect way to purge your home of the things we save from special events... and goodness knows, this friend was elated when she received it in the mail. heck... i want one too now!
update: miss mary received her gift. and was elated! love that she loves it... and now i can google over it when i come visit :)
so i did it. i spent a few hours, and the book made itself. I had already collected notes from friends, family members, and bridesmaids during the shower, bachelorette and wedding... i also kept receipts, napkins, invitations, and other keepsakes during the planning. it made the whole thing easier. i kept it simple and streamlined - that way, if she had already made a wedding album, she could just slip these pages into it... neutrals were my choice. it also helped when i was including things like the neon pink napkins from her bachelorette, and the neon coloured invite and notes from her 80's style shower.
"i always have the greatest of intentions. i collect things from trips and memorable occasions, and have grand plans to turn them into photo collages, scrapbooks, memory frames and all those martha stewart type things that we all wish we had 36 hours a day of free time to complete.
so, i saved all these things from your wedding, and then they sat. i started to compile them all about 9 months after your wedding, and had everything in a binder, with scrapbook paper everywhere.... and then life got very busy, jewelry sales went crazy, and it was put aside again.
so then.
i started purging. i was going through clothes, books, photoframes, etc. while trying to purge & clean my apartment... and i found your binder. my friend who was helping me said, 'jamie, are you REALLY ever going to finish that?? just toss it!' but i couldn't. there was something in me that coudln't part with all of the memories - all of the receipts, notes on love. the invitations and emails, and the notes on the dresses that we fought so hard for. i coudln't do it.
so instead - since i knew it was worth it to me - i buckled down. covered myself in glue and sparkles. printed photos and spent hours on placement and location of photos. and finished it.
you may receive this in the mail, and not want it. you may toss it once you look at it once. and that's totally fine! but i wanted you to see it all. i wanted you to know how much spending your day with you two meant to me. i spent hours and hours, and just wanted everything to be perfect for you both... and i just hope that's what this stack of memories conveys."
update: miss mary received her gift. and was elated! love that she loves it... and now i can google over it when i come visit :)