for what it’s worth & other stories by gigglesandfreckles
A collection of short jily works by @gigglesandfreckles-hp
I got my act together and sent Abi her book so I can finally brag about this lil project that I had so much fun making! A lovely little collection of fluffy stories that I love. More pics & details below the cut.
The WORLD’S BIGGEST thank you goes to Abi for allowing me to bind her work! I’ve been reading her works since she first came onto the jily scene and they are nothing short of a warm hug (except for the ones that rip your heart out, and those are equally as amazing). I found myself coming back to read them so often that it felt only fitting that I make a copy for my shelf. Abi, it was an honor to make a copy for you as well!
Bind details:
Printed on 104gsm Domtar/Cougar printmaking paper, 185 pages. Typeset by me.
French link stitch on linen tapes with 25/3 linen thread. Rounded back. Three piece bradel construction.
Endpaper & cover paper from Paper Tree Nook. Bookcloth was homemade from cotton fabric.
Book board & headbands were recycled from discard library books, thinner board for the recessed cover label was a trader joe’s cracker box.
Time binding: 42 hours (not including typesetting which took me AGES. I’m a perfectionist)
This was my first project of this kind and I'm happy with how they came out! It took me ages to decide on the covering material (lots of controversy in my household re: is it red or pink) but I’m happy with the final selections. See the last photo for my dedicated apprentice admiring the fruits of our labor.
Works featured - if you haven’t read these you’re missing out so promptly navigate to Abi’s AO3 profile:
for what it’s worth
common ground
sidewalk chalk, covered in snow
basic maths
in the line of fire
star light, star bright
a happy accident
here lies
Always handmade, never for sale. Keep fandom free.
tripping and falling are mostly the same & stumbling, though, is not so quick by @gigglesandfreckles-hp
A surprise bonus bind because I couldn’t help myself. I gave this story a reread late this summer and it got stuck in my head. Next thing I knew I had pasted the whole text into a document and started making this. More below the cut!
I’ll read anything Abi writes but I never knew I could fall in love with Euphemia and Fleamont until reading this. “Harry Potter’s grandparents? who cares?” someone yells from the back row. ME, that’s who. Consider me invested and it’s all Abi’s doing.
I wish I could say I had picked up on some motif about growth etc etc and made the vine and tree graphics reflect that, but mainly I just wanted to use a strawberry vine as a section break (and then I forgot to take a picture of it). And NOBODY better point out that the paper is upside down on the back cover. Just ignore that and admire how nicely the spine throws up.
Details:
Typeset made by me in Pages. Illustrations are from a 1889 printer’s catalogue, cleaned up in Sketchbook for iPad.
Printed on 104gsm Domtar printmaking paper.
Bound on linen tapes with 25/3 linen thread.
Book board repurposed from a damaged hardcover.
Half bind with homemade bookcloth and William Morris paper (I took some liberties with the traditional proportions)
Time designing, typesetting, and binding: 47 hours
Always handmade. Never for sale. Keep fandom free.
i don't know why i like you (but i do) - (e): chapter 5 of 5
read | listen
This time when James wakes up, there’s no Snape banging on the door, just early morning sun streaming through his window and topless Lily Evans curled against him, all smooth skin and shared body heat.
🕯️ Fanfic binding of @chdarling 's The Last Enemy Series.🕯️
I was originally not going to post this, but I thought - why the heck not. All my love goes out to C.H. Darling. This Marauders fic has brought so much comfort and whimsy into my life, and it’s been a privilege to have this sitting on my shelf, waiting to be re-read again and again.
Honestly, this long-term project has helped me through a really stressful period of my life. Putting this together has brought just as much comfort as reading TLE, no regrets!!
For personal use only. Never resell fanfic. Please ask permission or check an author's FAQ before binding fanfic. You don't need fancy supplies to bind, and there are a lot of tutorials, budget friendly options, and ways to achieve binding your own copy.
Details:
• Typeset created in Word. Graphics from Canva.
• Text block using 80gsm copy paper. Coptic stitch. Rounding and backing. Oxford hollow.
• Book cover using recycled book board, paper shopping bags, and 120gsm paper. Cover art by Heinrich Gogarten and Frances Ridley Havergal. Printed with Inkjet.
• Endpapers designed in Canva. Printed using Laserjet. Foiling done using toner-reactive foil & a laminator.
Since I'm not going to manage to finish the chapter before I go on vacation, rather than gif hints, I've decided to post the opening scene of the chapter beneath the cut. Surprise?
Private WhatsApp Chat
Resumed: Monday 28th March, 2022, 00:00
Members: Lily Evans, James Potter
================================
Lily Evans: You're still out, right? For the rest of the day?
James Potter: yeah
we got out of the first room early, so
i say we, sirius did most of the heavy lifting because i've been completely out of it
just waiting for the next one to be ready
they said it would take about 25 minutes
Lily Evans: So I suppose I don't have much time to talk to you?
James Potter: that seems to be today's recurring theme
Lily Evans: I KNOW
And I'd wanted SO much to have a properly long conversation with you earlier.
James Potter: so did i, but it's alright
hey, lily?
Lily Evans: Yeah?
James Potter: are we okay?
Lily Evans: What?
James Potter: it's just that i feel like we might not be, so i wanted to check
Lily Evans: Wait, what?
Why wouldn't we be okay?
James Potter: because of what happened earlier
Lily Evans: You're upset about that?
James Potter: no, but
i mean, sort of
not because it wasn't the best thing that's ever happened to me, because it was
but we had an agreement, you made it really clear that you had this boundary in place and that we shouldn't move too fast, except then we did, and i'm worried that i've made you do something that you weren't ready for
which i'm so sorry about, if i have
Lily Evans: Have you been worrying about this since we hung up?
James Potter: yeah
well
not initially because i was still, y'know
heaven
Lily Evans: Right
James Potter: but then i started to really think about what it meant and i feel like i got carried away and cocked up, and i owe you an apology
Lily Evans: No you don't!
James Potter: but i do though, we said we weren't going to do this and now we have because i brought up your friend's brother and asked you to tell me you wanted me when i could have not done those things
so i don't want you to feel like this is something you have to keep up just for my sake
if you need to take a few steps back now, please tell me and we can do that
Lily Evans: JAMES
James Potter: i just don't want to lose you, i don't want to fuck this up
Lily Evans: You're NOT going to lose me, okay??
And I really need you to know that I don't want to lose you, either.
Yes, I freaked out earlier when you brought up Aaron because I'd been so sure that you KNEW there wasn't a chance I'd be interested in somebody else and then suddenly it dawned on me that things from your end must have seemed more one-sided than they were, so I told you all of that stuff in a rush, but if the trains hadn't been cancelled and I hadn't gotten home so late I would have said it all anyway, James. I would have said it earlier.
Only I'd have said it in the way I'd planned to last night, and it would have made me sound a lot less like a maniac.
So PLEASE, don't worry about me and my boundaries right now, because I feel really good about what happened.
James Potter: you'd planned to say that stuff today?
Lily Evans: Yes.
James Potter: because of my birthday??
Lily Evans: Not because it was your birthday, obviously it BEING your birthday made it more of an ideal time, but no.
I wanted to say it to you because honestly, James, I think we should just go for it.
James Potter: what do you mean?
Lily Evans: I mean IT
As in you and me.
As in us.
I think we should actually BE an us.
James Potter: you mean
be a couple?
Lily Evans: Yes, a couple. Let's be a couple. That's what I want.
Is that what you want?
James Potter: lily
are you sure?
are you REALLY sure?
Lily Evans: Yes, I'm sure.
James Potter: because i don't want you to rush into anything you're not ready for
i meant it when i said i was happy to wait
Lily Evans: I know, and I appreciate you so much for that but I promise you, I'm ready. I'm there. I am.
I am mad about you, I want us to be together, and I'm SO sick of only being able to half-acknowledge it when all I want to do every minute of every day is let you know it.
I said I was frightened and I wasn't lying, but I'm also sick of letting my life be dictated by a bunch of fears and insecurities that aren't going to go away if I wait patiently for them to leave. I have to actually DO something to confront them.
So I want us to go for it. I can't be just friends anymore.
James Potter: right
Lily Evans: Unless this isn't sounding good to you and I've completely misread the situation?
James Potter: GOD NO
LILY
you haven't misread AT ALL
i'm just
stunned
Lily Evans: Oh. Okay.
James Potter: because i wasn't expecting this
i was expecting the opposite after this morning, honestly
i thought i'd fucked up somehow
i'd thought you were going to want to take a step back
Lily Evans: No, I don't, I really don't, I'm so tired of taking steps back, James. I want to move forward.
I want to move forward with you, because I trust you and I know how much you care about me, and I care SO much about you, and I think we could be really great together, you know?
I think we could make each other really happy.
James Potter: lily we ARE great together
Lily Evans: WE ARE
James Potter: I KNOW
Lily Evans: WE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN
James Potter: from day one
i've always said it
i mean, not to you, i was terrified to say it to you
but remus and sirius have heard a LOT about it
Lily Evans: Well, I want you to say it to me now, please.
Because, you know, if there's a full James Potter experience that I've been missing out on while we've been just friends for the past year and a bit, I want in as soon as possible.
James Potter: oh, there's an experience
Lily Evans: I thought so.
James Potter: very exclusive though
Lily Evans: I should bloody well hope it is, I'm not sharing you with anyone else.
James Potter: there's a single entrant limit, what do you take me for?
Lily Evans: There's not a dress code, is there?
James Potter: dress code is wear whatever you want or wear nothing
Lily Evans: And I can alternate between both?
James Potter: don't let my personal preferences dissuade you from putting on clothes
Lily Evans: I kind of have to if I want to keep my job, right?
James Potter: right
so
we're together then?
properly together?
you and me?
Lily Evans: That's what I want, more than anything.
I mean that.
So if that's what you want too, then yes. Please.
James Potter: OF COURSE THAT'S WHAT I WANT
Lily Evans: Unless you'd rather not share our anniversary with your birthday?? I don't know how you feel about that.
Although it is after midnight HERE.
James Potter: you're talking about anniversaries
you're talking about OUR anniversary
lily
LILY
Lily Evans: I mean, yeah?
I just assumed.
Are you okay with that?
James Potter: AM I OKAY WITH IT
LILY
LILY EVANS
Lily Evans: ????
James Potter: i'm sitting here in a waiting room trying to look like i'm not having a heart attack while you tell me that all my dreams are coming true and you're wondering if i'm OKAY with it?
Lily Evans: You have dreams that are unrelated to me!
James Potter: ALL MY DREAMS, LILY
i can't believe this is happening
this isn't real
i'm going to wake up any second, aren't i? i passed out on my bed or something. this can't be real
it can't be
you're SURE?
Lily Evans: YES I'M SURE
James Potter: you're not worried about rushing into anything??
Lily Evans: No, honestly, I've been thinking about that, and would it even BE rushing into anything when you're still travelling until July and we'll have already been together for a solid three months, long distance, by the time you get back?
James Potter: right
yeah
so you're cool with that? with the distance?
Lily Evans: Yes, of course, we've been apart this whole time and it hasn't done a thing to get in the way of us becoming as close as we have.
And I trust you. I trust you SO much.
I just don't want to keep holding things back.
James Potter: you mean everything to me, lil
everything
in the world
you're it for me, you always have been
if i tell you that i would do anything for you, i'm not exaggerating, because i really really would
i'm sorry if that's too much, it's true though, that's how i feel
Lily Evans: It's not. It's not too much at all, I feel the exact same way.
You're it for me too. You really are.
James Potter: and i'm going to do everything in my power to make you happy, alright?
i promise
i promise that i'm never going to take you for granted
for fuck's SAKE they want us in the room now
i literally just went and hid in the toilet twenty seconds ago but now sirius is banging on the door
one sec, i'm going to tell them that something's come up and i can't do it
Lily Evans: No, it's okay!
Do it, it's fine!
Sirius has a bunch of genuinely cool plans for your birthday that you deserve to enjoy and I really need to go to bed anyway, hell week starts in the morning and I'm going to need SOME sleep to get through it.
James Potter: lily i will tell everyone in this building to fuck off right now if you want me to, it's fine
Lily Evans: No really, don't!
Last night I was convinced that I wanted to have this perfect, planned, lengthy conversation about us, but honestly it really doesn't matter how it happened, I'm just so happy that it did.
James Potter: i'm crazy about you, do you know that?
Lily Evans: I'm crazy about you!
You're all I bloody think about!
James Potter: YOU'RE ALL I THINK ABOUT TOO
HENCE THE CAPS
FOR EMPHASIS
Lily Evans: Okay so GO HAVE FUN and I'm going to go to bed and try to sleep and I'll text you in the morning and we'll sort out a time to talk PROPERLY and figure all this out, okay?
James Potter: okay
okay
okay
jesus, my heart's beating so fast i might collapse
Lily Evans: Lol mine too, I'm going to need the blue Nytol to sleep tonight.
James Potter: i'm going to need a mallet to the head
Lily Evans: Tire yourself out having THE BEST time tonight and you'll be alright.
Now get out of the loo and escape the room, I adore you.
James Potter: i adore you too, you goddess of a woman
Lily Evans: Okay I'm GOING TO BED or else you're never going to leave that bathroom and I'm going to be a zombie with eye bags at work tomorrow.
James Potter: you could not sleep for a week and still be beautiful
Lily Evans: STOP
James Potter: NO I WILL NOT STOP, IT'S LITERALLY MY JOB TO TELL YOU THAT NOW
Lily Evans: OKAY DON'T STOP BUT LEAVE THE LOO, OKAY?
*despite being at the center of the narrative- the mother who saves harry with the “power of love,” we know very little about lily evans. many characters tell harry what his parents are like- brave, or kind, or good at potions- but harry, and the reader by extension, rarely gets to see for himself. finally, in the later books, we get some flashbacks which show what lily was really like without the halo of death. her voice, her words, her tone all serve her characterization (if you’re interested in pulling from the book, and it’s okay if you’re not.) in this part i’ve gathered almost every instance where lily speaks herself from childhood up to october 31st. most are from snape’s pov, one from voldemort’s, and the letter stands by itself. the next part will be every instance of speech post-death. just a little something of interest for the lily evans enjoyers (◡‿◡✿)
how are CYOA James and Lily spending their 2025 Valentine's day?
So by February 2025 James has finished his two year MA and is working as an art therapist and Lily is COO at Spice as Nice, so they have pretty busy lives buuuuuut for Valentine's Day they've booked a long weekend off and James has whisked his wife off to Reykjavik so that she can see the Northern Lights and he can spend a lot of time snuggled up and nuzzling her neck beneath blankets. Just off the top of my head.
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