This week, we wanted to give a friend something more personal than a normal card.

We made a small zine using old photos from our group, laid out with dirtylittlezine.com. Alongside it, we wrote a separate letter on a typewriter. We also wanted higher-quality paper. The little details mattered, including what the gift would feel like in someone’s hands.

A fun fact about me: I have an A-level in typewriting. A slightly unexpected qualification to bring into making a gift.

It was nice to return to the typewriter and use a tool designed for a specific job: putting words onto paper. I liked giving that small task my attention.

The zine came together using a digital tool; the letter came from a typewriter. Both had a place in what we were making. Choosing the photos, thinking about the paper, and writing to one particular person were all part of making the gift feel personal.

I’ve been saving a lot of ideas around creativity and making things. This week, we put one into practice, for someone we care about.