I will be attending a celebration sometime soon.
I’ve been asked to provide a guest book that is intended for people, not just to sign, but to write notes in. It makes perfect sense that I was asked to do this, but I didn’t want to make a book that would end up being mostly empty pages. I also considered that only one person can write in a book at a time.
Instead, I made a guest box that I think will work perfectly.
The box is filled with blank 5 inch by 7 inches card, which, with a few exceptions, are mostly, blank pieces of cover weight paper. I will pass out the cards, and leave some at a central spot, along with pens, markers, and colored pencils.
The plan is that people will get an email, in advance, to ask them to think of what they might write to the person we are reveling with. The idea is that the guest of honor will have something from each of us, something that we have had in our hands, that shares whatever we would like to express, and then, which neatly fits in a pretty box, as a way to easily hold and transport a community of love and appreciation.
This is a lightweight box, made of Crane’s Curious Metallics 92lb Cover Gold Leaf Card Stock.
After the box was assembled, I thought it was perhaps too light, so added an extra layer of paper to some parts of the box.
Used magnets and metal washers for the closures. Using washers with the magnets was the idea of a friend, Steven K. My husband’s workshop is like a hardware store, so it was easy to get what I wanted. I chose small, thin, washers that, like the magnets are held in place and mostly hidden by being sandwiched between layers of paper.
Included some decorative elements too.
Used PVA to hold the structural elements of the box together, but used glue sticks when I was adding the extra layers, as I wanted to reduce the amount of moisture that I’d introducing on to the box.
Quite pleased with this project. Will write an update on how it works out.
Update: The box was a great success! I waited to announce it until about half-way into the event, after the initial excitement of getting together had calmed down. After that, whenever I looked around the room I’d see people with cards and writing/drawing tools making marks on paper and pondering notes to the guests of honor. Then today I got the loveliest message from the recipient of all these notes, expressing her thanks at having received this gift.
Playful Bookbinding and Paper Works 