Last May, I finally made a pilgrimage with my sister to Concord, Massachusetts for a visit to Orchard House, the family home of Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women. I was so moved by the story of the Alcott Family during my visit, I became determined to create a journal using Little Women as my theme. I think I could write a short novel about the little bits of symbolism I tried to incorporate in the journal, but I will settle for sharing few layouts from the journal.

The journal uses a large, vintage 1932 copy of Little Women as its base. The book was detached from the spine, but the end papers were intact, so I did incorporate them into the journal. This edition had absolutely gorgeous illustrations and I was able to use many original pages and pictures from the book. I made a detachable pocket which embellishes the cover and acts as a lovely display. I used an old, old muslin pillow case hem and a “new” tin type of Louisa May inside an old ambrotype frame that is engraved with the words “The Union Now and Forever.” The Alcotts were staunch supporters of the Union during the Civil War, so I found this to be appropriate. The pocket is attached with bulldog clips and the bow remains permanently tied.

All of the pages in this journal are printed with Graphics Fairy papers and also papers I designed in Photoshop using Graphics Fairy images. I printed all the base pages on 8’ x 13” hand made rag paper that has a deep coffee color. The various wallpapers and album frames I used look just gorgeous on this paper.

I made many different journal cards using Graphics Fairy imagery and typography and sprinkled them throughout in different envelopes and tuck spots. I used several Vintage Album frames as paper and love how they worked as pockets and tuck spots.

Throughout the journal I tried to leave many blank pages from the vintage book. Since Jo was a writer, I wanted this journal to have plenty of blank writing space. I also made small notes cards from several teacups from the Tea Party Images bundle and I have attached them throughout. I made the teacup note cards by duplicating an image and then flipping it, placing them nose to nose and fussy cutting and folding in the middle.

I also made several removable mini journals for writing. I chose the image from The Ephemera Collection Bundle, The Book of Wonders, because Jo March begins her writing career writing short stories for the Penny Dreadfuls and I thought this little mini journal conveyed this phase in her writing process. The opposite page shows a tuck spot I made from the Vintage Album Frame Bundle with the picture of the March girls from the Little Women Bundle. The back of the picture is actually another tuck spot with a photo of Louisa.

This next layout incorporates one of the original illustrations. The belly band opposite uses wallpaper from one of the many wallpaper bundles, set against another paper that features Vintage Album frames. The way I used the frame was to take the image into Photoshop and flip the duplicate image so they mirrored each other to create a page that can be folded. I have attached a small biological slide from one of the Printables in the Vintage Paperie bundle. This slide reveals an apple blossom in the clear middle as there is a small apple orchard next to the Alcott’s home.

This double pocket features paper from the Tattered Paper Treasures bundle (one of my personal favorites) I have used the teabag pattern and made a sweet envelope that holds a potpourri sachet. I have also stuffed one of my teacup notecards. I also made several envelopes for the journal using the Envelopes Pocket Templates bundle. I used imagery from several sources, but especially the Seed Catalog bundle. All of these envelopes are stuffed with journal cards.

I have so many pages to share, but can’t fit them all in this post, so I decided to share another original illustration juxtaposed against the Marriage Certificate from the Wedding Ephemera bundle. I filled out all the real information for the real Meg, Anna Alcott and her husband John Pratt. I did a little research and discovered who married them, he was a relative, Samuel May. There is a tiny glassine envelope tucked in a fold with journal cards.

The final picture I am going to share is another double pocket which is embellished with a velvet pansy, lace and sating ribbon. I glued a banner from the quotes available in the Little Women Bundle at the top. I really loved making this special tribute to Little Women and I hope you will travel over to the Graphics Fairy Youtube channel to watch the entire flip through of this journal. I have listed the bundles used in this journal below.