In the Winter of 2015, I teamed up with the women of my family to plan the baby shower to end all baby showers for a young woman named Michele. The matriarchs handed creative planning over to me while they handled logistics. The guest book was part of that checklist of decorative items that I needed to create.
Traditional guest books in which attendees simply sign their name and jot down well wishes or advice are always a solid option, but I knew I could create something more dynamic that would add a little something special when Michele wanted to look back on the day. Instead of providing the expectant mother with both a guest book and a photo album, I combined the two, using an accordion style book to allow guests a fold each for notes next to which I affixed a photo of them from the event alongside photos of Michele and the event itself.
Book in its case Format of the accordion book as it unfurls from the box The guest book waiting for signatures
This structure was only possible because I had access to the guest list and was also serving as the event’s photographer, so I could ensure that every attendee made it into a snap and could then match faces to signatures after printing. To allow for inclusion of photos of the event and any extra snaps Michele wanted included, I designed the accordion style book to contain more folds than guests.
The book required some sort of housing after I edited, printed, and affixed the pictures using photo corners. Michele wanted the top photo tantalizingly visible, so we settled on a clear acrylic box that she could secure using some of the ribbon from the event’s decorations, turning it into a bit of shelf decor in her own home.
See the gallery below for paintings I created as take-home decor for Michele’s nursery. For the decor that I coordinated and/or made for the full event, see my blog post on planning the baby shower. See post Baby Shower Book, vol. 2-3 for more books Michele commissioned to contain memories from the baby shower.
Harold & The Purple Crayon Clifford The Big Red Dog Quiet Loud Oh, The Places You’ll Go!