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Episode 313 - Paper
Anniversary Gift
A Memory Album
You may not know this but a couple of friends of mine are celebrating their first wedding anniversary. A year has gone by since Dominique and Howard got married. For the first anniversary, the traditional gift is paper. How a propo to create a little memento made out of paper for their first year of wedded bliss.

There are a couple of options if you're going to create something as a souvenir for your friends. You can purchase beautiful handmade books at stores which can be used both as a photo album or as a place to jot down memories. I chose to make my own booklet and I think you'll want to try it as well - it's a fun thing to do for the happy couple.

First thing to do is to go to your favourite paper store and pick up something nice. I chose paper with flower petals and herbs actually woven into it. Select a paper that is the appropriate size for the sentiments you would like to include in it.

Take all of the pages and line them up into a nice even stack. Using a hole punch, create holes on one side. Take a ruler, line it up about an inch from the edge where the hole punches are. Then, take a burnishing tool (can use a dull knife), run it along the edge of the ruler, and you are left with a score on the paper that will make your book easier to open and more pliable.

I wrote Dominique and Howard in black pen on the cover and underneath their names I wrote "A year in review…". I had collected a whole bunch of things to include: the label from one of the champagne bottles from their wedding; the tag from their souvenirs for the evening (they gave out chocolate almonds, so I attached the tag to a page in the book). As well, I included the reply card from the invitation and wrote a little note on it.

You should look for all kinds of different things you can add to give your own personal remembrances of the fun this couple has had over the last year. How about a photograph of them at the altar? On their honeymoon? The bride lost a button in the frenzy of dancing and celebration? Hope you found it, saved it and sewed it onto a page!

The last thing I included in Dominique and Howard's book was a sneak preview of things to come: they have announced that they're expecting their first child. I thought it would be a fun idea to place a little piece of paper with an infant in a frame into the book. Maybe they'll name him Nik? Who knows?

How to assemble your booklet? Take a nice ribbon, cut it, and pull it through one of the holes; take the other end of the ribbon and do exactly the same thing. Then, pull the ribbon around and back through the hole (creates a nice detail on each side). Make sure the ribbon is straight. Tie into a simple bow (not too tightly or you will curl the book). A wonderful detail to complete a wonderful gift!