Thursday, May 23, 2013

Paris Is Always a Good Idea

(quote, Audrey Hepburn)


It is. Paris is always a good idea. However, I'm not going there. Not soon enough, anyway.

My best friend is currently in France, and we've had this long, long habit of making each other "airplane packages" -- parcels that can't be opened until you're sitting in your seat and the journey has begun. Airplane packages are kind of like a Christmas stocking, for the airplane. They must contain treats and sundry interesting lightweight items that won't be a big encumbrance on your travels, and also: reading material. Like magazines you can leave behind when you're done, or photocopied favorite short stories, or whatever. Or, ahem, pages of a work in progress ...

This trip coincided with my friend's birthday, and I wanted to do something special. (Also, especially when I am on deadline, the craft urge within me balloons until the pressure grows so great I must. Make. Something. So Clementine and I made this little book, and had such fun with it. It was my first adventure with this washi tape I hear so much about!)






My initial plan was to find a pretty but not huge book about Paris and alter it a little, tape in some envelopes, things like that. But I couldn't find a pretty book on Paris! I mean, a non-coffee-table book, you know? I thought there would be a zillion pretty little "Paris sketchbook" type books out there, kind of Sara Midda-esque, but of Paris. But ... there AREN'T. (So now I want to move to Paris and MAKE one. Ha. Well. One can dream!) So I used a blank journal instead.




Put in some pages from a favorite French picture book, some beautiful bande dessines (French graphic novels; if you didn't know, France is the center of the Universe for graphic novels. The bookstores are enough to make you weep). Made a "macaron Bingo" card. That might have been my favorite. I want to play!




And Passage Jouffroy! This was a favorite rainstorm stop on trip to Paris last fall. It's this glass-vaulted shopping arcade with some of the sweetest shops ever: pastries, books, toys, and dollhouse stuff! It's where the wax museum is, if you decide to look for it. So lovely.





That's all. Craft urge back under control for a while.

(Though Clementine and I did try our hands at some embroidery yesterday ...)





20 comments:

megwrites said...

This is so magical! What a great gift.

Alexandra Saperstein said...

Hey!!! IThese pictures don't do the book justice! I have been leafing through the book every day! It was the most perfect way to start the trip. I adore it and I I say to you THANK YOU and Merci Berkoooooooooooooo and Blagodareeya and in every other language! If you liked French stuff I'd bring you something back but oh well. (-: hahaHA xoxoxo

Anonymous said...

What a fantastic gift idea... And so pretty! I love Paris, too. *sigh* And now I want to go and make stuff - starting with an extra four hours in every day. Thanks for the inspiration! x

Anonymous said...

This scrapbook is so pretty! After reading your books, especially Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I turned to sketchbook-ing because your imagery and descriptions were so beautiful. I would be so honoured if you took a look at the first page in my sketchbook here: http://daughterofmyworld.blogspot.com/2013/05/laini-taylor-and-her-ultimate.html
I can't wait for April!!!

Connie Onnie said...

Laini you are Magic & that gift was so sweet and beautiful it made me want to cry. Mostly because my sister Debbie has made similar gifts.

Laurence King said...

What a lovely friend you are, Laini! The book is completely wonderful! I love Paris, too—I'm from France so I'm a little biased.:)

Kritika said...

These pictures have inspired me to start my own journal/scrapbook. Those macarons make my mouth water...thank you for sharing!

Unknown said...

ah, this really makes a trip to Paris even more wonderfull ! I am going to France this summer too!! yay

pdxjess said...

Lovely. And clearly filled with love.

BURIED IN BOOKS said...

How thoughtful! A real gift from the heart! I'd love to receive a gift like that. So much better than store bought. Is there anything you can't do?

Heather

~Michelle~ said...

I'd love a tutorial from you on how to do this! Hint hint!

Laini Taylor said...

HI ~Michelle~ this is an easy one: just glue stick and some rolls of washi tape, nothing fancy :-)

Asa said...

tomorrow morning i am getting on the plane for france and i am way too exited to sleep! I LOVE the idea of making little plane packets for friends! I am sooo going to do that from now on!

jo said...

did you completely fill the book with scraps of this and that, laini? do you think you could add more pics? pretty please??

x jo

jo said...

oh, and how many pages did you fill (approx.)?

Valeria Andrea said...

Ow, I have such a huge crush with Paris, so after seeing this I want to cry.
I MUST go & practice my French, so I will need one of these.

Joyce C said...

Your handwriting is gorgeous! And those notebooks are ridiculously pretty!

Alyssa said...

Beautiful and so inspiring! What a thoughtful friend you are! Now I think I will perhaps start doing this for traveling friends... Such a great idea! :)

Leanne @ Record of Confection said...

Completely charmed by your Paris gift book. And that macaron bingo card? I'm swooning! I kind of want to steal the idea for it and fashion recipe posts around it on my blog. ;) Scratch that, I totally more than "kind of" want to steal that idea.

LK said...

I am never as filled with the need to make art as when I am facing an imminent writing deadline. My brain is on fire with ideas, not for my manuscript, alas, but for things to make with paper, paint, and clay. My muse's evil genius laugh can be heard echoing through the house as I try to find some way to glue my butt to my chair and WRITE.

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