WHEN DOES A CARD LOOK LIKE A BOOK?
Just had to make a faux book :) Saw a pic of one in passing and decided to try and make one up as I go along! So the below instructions are how I muddled my way through it - no doubt there are better/easier ways! I patched and coloured as I went and am still happy with my cute little book :)
It is a very fiddly project, but I think it's worth it for something a little different!
I started with a piece of white card, 14.5 x 8.5cm. On the back of it, I used a ruler and pencil to mark lines on every side at the 1cm mark and the 3cm mark. You can see I tried lots of ideas, it's a mess, but nobody will see it!
What you're making with this is the inside of the book - the 'pages' - essentially a little white box. the folds along the 3cm lines will make the walls of the box and the folds at the 1cm lines will form a little lip that will be used to attach the "pages" to the book cover.
Now trim, cut and fold as above picture shows. Easier to show than describe! What you trim off is the small squares in the corner and the small rectangles beside them along the long edges of the card.
Along each "wall panel" (on the visible side), you need to rule a series of lines (in black, grey, brown, gold, silver - whatever works for you) very close together and matching as well as possible at the corners. This is to make the box look like the bound pages.
Just as when you make a box, apply glue or double sided tape to the large square tabs and fold the sides up and fasten.
Fold over the 1cm lips that have the additional tabs (on the short ends) and fasten the tabs inside the box.
Fold over the 1cm sections on the long sides to complete the box. Set this aside.
Now we move onto the cover. You need a piece of chipboard 15.5cm x 20.5cm. Score 9cm in from the ends so that you have two 9cm sections and a 2.5cm spine. Gently fold to make sure that it's even and that the box sits comfortable inside it with overhang of about 0.5cm around it on the covers.
It's ok if the chipboard breaks up along the folds, it will be hidden (and held together).
Cut a piece of patterned cardstock 18.5 x 23.5cm, this will cover your book. Stick the spine down with double sided tape first, making sure it's centred.
Now you need to fold up the cover before sticking the rest of the cardstock onto it. If you don't, it won't have the freedom to fold afterwards. When sticking the cardstock down, smooth from the spine across to the other side.
Ok, I'm first to admit, this is where things got a little dodgy for me. I trimmed it up the same way that I would contact a school book., however this wasn't much good when I'm trying to hide the chipboard. But anyway, this was what I did (above) and folded over and stuck down each edge. THEN, because there were bits showing, I cut little triangles to hide grey sections where the cardstock didn't meet properly.
See? Still not perfect but I'll tell you a secret - I dodgily fixed up any more exposed areas later on with a pen of a matching colour! LOL PLEASE - if you know exactly how to do it neater, do THAT instead of my way!! I was playing by ear :)
For the visible inside cover (inside the front cover), I cut some patterned cardstock with a design that would compliment the cover but stand out on its on. This piece was cut at 9cm x 15.5cm but I did trim a couple of mm off the top and side so that it wouldn't go quite to the edges. I inked the edges with an ink that matches the cover and stuck it inside the front cover of the book.
I also then inked every edge of the book, inside and out, including the exterior spine. This just gives it a little boost!
I decided a bookmark would be a sweet little addition for my book and so stuck this on next. It was a length of ribbon, about 30cm long (give or take), with a knot tied on the end and a charm threaded onto it. I stuck this down a few mm from the spine, taking it about halfway down the cover to anchorn it well. What you have hanging out needs to be long enough to go over a 2cm wall of your box, down the entire front and hang out the bottom of the book by at least 2cm.
Next I got some scraps of cardstock, about 8cm long and stuck them roughly to the back of the box (onto the lips). This is to provide more area for the glue to grip and hold the box on properly.
Stick the box onto the back inside cover, pressed right along the spine.
I used a standard crafting glue, but if I could go back, I think I'd use hot glue. Better hold, faster drying. Anyway, I applied more glue to the spine of the book and then held it shut, making sure the box was still firmly pressed against the spine and sitting where it should.
I then sat something on it that was heavy enough to hold it shut firmly but not heavy enough to squash anything...and left it overnight to dry properly. The problem area you need to make sure sticks properly is the spine. You only want the front cover to be able to open and close.
Once dried, I completed the inside. I cut a piece of coloured paper to fit the front of the box. I then found a crappy book I had lying around and I cut a page out of it! I trimmed it down and stuck it in the centre of the box.
Now, using double sided tape, the book mark is stuck down along the inside edge of the box and left to dangle at the bottom.
And finally, I applied the greeting. Mine says "Many dreams to live ... Many adventures to have ... Many stories to share ... Have a Wonderful Birthday!"
Now you can decorate the cover however you want! I kept mine minimalist as usual :) A flower, some pearls and a greeting, "Life's Sweet Journey" (I wanted it to sound like a book title).
Done! :)
Happy Book Making!
Dani :)
