I see my birthdays as reminders of how strong I was each year, to remind me how much I have changed (hopefully for the better). Therefore, I want to make each year’s birthday memorable even on the simplest ways and I must say that this year’s birthday is really memorable.
AND WHAT IS BETTER THEN PRESERVING THESE MEMORIES THROUGH A JOURNAL RIGHT?
This is my finished spread for my 2018 birthday, I included some illustrations and wrote some insights and also some preserved petals.
MATERIALS USED
NOTE: I was not able to bring my journaling materials from my apartment in Thailand that is why I only used what is left in my house… Luckily, I have enough stuff to make a decent spread here in my house in Philippines.
~ My journal
~ pens and colored pencils
~watercolor tubes
~ tags
~ craft papers
~ stickers
~ letter stamps
~ glue
PROCESS
My process for this spread is very simple. I just marked all of the sections with pencils very lightly; this will give me and idea on how my spread would turn out in the end… (And yes, I did the planning of this spread on a restaurant)
Then…nothing special.
I just painted all the parts to be painted with watercolor and re~doodled everything with either brown pen or pencils, glued some tags and craft papers, did my calligraphy and wrote my highlights. I also made my own envelope in which I will keep the dried petals from the sunflower that my boyfriend gave me.
HIGHLIGHTS
I was really worried at first because I wanted to have a watercolor piece on all of my spreads. I was concerned because I didn’t bring my watercolors but I remembered that my sister gave me a set before I went out of the country so…happy day!
This is the DIY envelope that I was talking about and those are the dried sunflower petals.
Birthdays, may it be simple or nothing at all, is very important and should really be remembered. A lot of people are being salty about it but I’d rather be very excited about eating the simplest food with loved ones than being skeptical about it.
I thank God for I am able to celebrate my birthday this year with my family and boyfriend…
EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT
~ Fenella Samson ~