Baby book

Easy baby book made with no dies

I’m using a collection kit from Echo Park Paper (Little Explorer) that includes 12 sheets of 12 x 12 paper and one sheet of stickers.

Supplies:

Patterned cardstock, 14 pieces  6” x 6”

2 matching pieces of patterned cardstock, 8” x 9” (for cover)

cut two pieces 6.5” x 1” from the scrap to cover each gutter if desired

Chipboard or cardboard from empty boxes, 2 pieces 6.5” x 6.5” and 1 piece 3” x 6.5”

White cardstock, 6 pieces 7” x 6.5”

The architecture is based on a commercial kit sold by CrafTreat, which is available for $13.99 https://www.scrapbook.com/store/ct-cab001.html but you still have to buy patterned paper.  So, $40 with tax and shipping for two books and I’d still have to buy the patterned paper, or I could just pull a couple of boxes out of the recycling bin and make my own.

Instructions:

Glue the patterned cardstock to create one strip 8” tall by 17” wide.  Position the chipboard spine in the center and the covers to each side, ensuring you leave a gutter between the spine and covers so the book will fold.  Glue the chipboard to the patterned cardstock.  Trim the corners at a 45 degree angle and cut a small triangle on each side of the spine.  Fold the edges of the patterned cardstock around the chipboard and glue in place.  

If you want to cover the gutters, score the 6.5” x 1” scraps of patterned cardstock in half lengthwise.  Attach to cover and spine so the score is centered over the gutter.

Score the white cardstock on long end at 1/2” so the flat area is 6.5” x 6.5”.

Attach patterned cardstock to both sides of white pages and inside each cover.

Attach scored end of each white page to spine.

Decorate using remainder of collection kit paper and stickers.

I made the leftovers into ring-bound books using the Eileen Hull for Sizzix Hardbound Journal die, #666882.

Short video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@papercraftcrystal