Rafael's Story - Birthday Gift

I messaged Hannah at the end of June with a unique inquiry. I wanted a custom A5 journal made for my friend from the United States as a birthday gift. We quickly fell into step sending messages back and forth, discussing every minute detail. It was really fun picking each individual charm, and Hannah even provided suggestions of her own that would suit my friend's interests. When I asked about additional add-ons, Hannah gave me the details for each, but at no point did I feel like she was trying to upsell me on upgrades my friend probably wouldn't find useful. Finally, the packaging was exquisite — that alone enhanced the experience tenfold. Watching my friend open her gift box and find layer after layer of little goodies, which felt like substantial gifts on their own, and then finally get to her journal, carefully stored in a dust bag, was such a rewarding experience. She genuinely loves it and has gone from someone who knew very little about the hobby to someone fully immersed in it.

What inspired this piece?

My friend is currently working on her debut novel, and a character in her series carries around a little poetry book that she writes in. This scene in her book inspired me to gift my friend the life-sized version of said poetry book, which she can fill with more writing and concept art as she furthers her craft.

 - Journal Review