Secret Santa Revealed: Part Two

I'm part of an awesome team on etsy--the Blogging Business Artisans, brand new in October!  We have lots of fun events planned.  One of these was a Secret Santa Swap.  Participants signed up stating their likes and dislikes.  Sharla of beaded tail (with some help from her husband) made the assignments.

My Secret Santa was Judy of J N Originals.

Judy sent me the most wonderful gift!  Just wait till you see what it is!

Oh WOW!!! 
It's a beautiful hand~made journal!!  Wait till you see the inside!
I open it up and discover it has a beachy theme.  Perfect!

a pocket with seashells and lovely tags!

Just look at this paper!  a sailboat!  (One of my favorite things to do on beachy vacations is to take a sailboat snorkeling cruise.) 

Waves, and oh look!  There's an inside pocket.  (I already have a few items stashed in there including a map of a favorite island--St. Maarten.)

another beautiful seashell pocket with tags!  and a little note on the back of Judy's business card.  That will stay in the book.

This journal is filled with lovely paper, some patterned, some blank.  Here's another seashell pocket page.







Once I calmed down a bit from the excitement of receiving such a lovely gift, I began to think about what I would put in it.  This journal will be a treasure.  There will be photos and written memories of beach visits over the years.  When I was a young child living on the East Coast of the US, my family would go on beach vacations.  (Here's a POST about that long ago time with photos.  At least one old time photo will have to go in this journal.)

Here's a couple photos from when my kids were young.

My parents lived in Naples, Florida, and we would visit them (of course!).

In more recent years, I would take my sketchbook, watercolor pencils, and a paintbrush with me on vacations.  I made a few sketches.  These should go in the book as well.  I may tip them in.

 

 












This journal is most certainly a treasure!  Judy constructed it sturdily of lovely fabric.  It has a velcro closure.  The journal is made up of 3 wonderful signatures.  I can't wait to start adding my memorabilia!


Judy, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!


LINKS to Judy Nolan's websites:
BLOGS:
This Creative Journey 
Word Walks

SHOPS:
J N Originals 
Mister Pen Quin 
Dancing Thimble 
2nd Chance Treasures 

OTHER:
twitter  
flickr 
facebook
Pinterest 

MORE LINKS:
interview by Storybeader

photos by me © 2011 & 2012