Hello there. :)

PROJECT FRIENDMARKED has its humble beginnings back in 2001 when I first started designing personalised bookmarks for my church friends. I must confess that I wasn't good at encouraging other people with gifts and notes before I came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior in early 2001... Haha. :P "Pass It On" cards were quite popular back then - I can still remember the very first card I received, how the note encouraged me... I started to write them for others and it came to a point where I realised that I could utilise my design skills to print cards and bookmarks with pictures of friends on them.

There wasn't much standardization to the dimensions of the cards and bookmarks I made back then; it was very much a "stand alone" project for each card I made. The idea of a fixed dimension came about only in 2006 when I was designing a bookmark for a dear brother's 29th birthday; it was also then that I decided to invest in a mini laminating machine to make proper bookmarks. The term "FRIENDMARK" only came about some months later, after I had so gleefully plastered one side of my wall with the printed bookmarks, as shown above. :)

I had thoughts here and there of making it into a hobby trade in which I can perhaps earn some extra pocket money from... those thoughts didn't really materialise till mid 2007. It was very much a step of faith that I decided to register the web domain name (www.projectfriendmarked.com) and finally work on the project. I had trouble working out the charges... and decided to do away with it altogether. Haha... I guess this is one way I can freely give and may I add, joyfully. :)

Having said that, it does take effort (to design) and money (to maintain the server space and domain each year) to sustain the project in the long haul. Any amount of support and aid financially will be greatly appreciated!

I'm not sure how it'll all go from here frankly... cause for all I know, not many will see the significance of designing such a thing and writing notes of encouragements to the friends that surround us. All I hope is that there're people out there who see the meaning in this project and take it upon himself / herself to be an advocate of it. It's been encouraging so far to read of the notes of appreciation and encouragement that friends write to others through the orders submitted - I hope that you've been blessed by them too! Why not make a few for the friends around you whom you cherish as well? :)

I have a dream of exhibiting the printed FRIENDMARKS in the future... perhaps when the count reaches the first 100,000? Haha... Come, order yours, now... now!! :D

God bless,
Galvin
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