Holiday Helper: Keepsake Book
by Amy Brayfield
A homemade book is a great present, whether you use it as a gussied-up photo album, a collection of quotes or (as my daughter opted to do) a storybook for a younger sibling. They’re charming and easy to make — two qualities I’m always looking for in homemade gifts, especially with not a lot of time left before the holidays.
We made this book on a Sunday morning while we watched a TV documentary on birds. We had it finished well before lunchtime rolled around. We were also able to make it without buying one supply, for a total cost of $0. Even if you have to pick up rubber cement or sturdy paper, it’s still a totally affordable gift.
What You Need:
- Cardboard cut into a rectangle twice the side of the book you want to make (we used the flap of an old box and planned to make a 4x6-inch book)
- Decorative paper or fabric cut in a rectangle about 2 inches longer on all sides than the size of your book
- Rubber cement
- Scissors
- Sheets of sturdy paper, such as posterboard, cardstock, photo paper, etc., cut into rectangles about 1 inch smaller on all sides than the size of your book
- Strong needle
- String or thread
What You Do:
- First make the book. Start by finding the center of the cardboard rectangle and marking it. (You can use anything you want to mark it, since it’s going to be covered up.) This will be the center of the book, so make sure you are happy with the size before moving forward.
- Use your scissors and a straight-edge to lightly score on either side of the mark you just made, running from top to bottom. (This is probably an adult project.) Now, carefully fold along the scores. This makes a spine for your book.
- Spread the book flat again. Apply a thin layer of rubber cement over the outside of the book. Carefully position the fabric or decorative paper so that it’s evenly places over the cardboard, then press it firmly down. You might want to use a book to keep the pressure even.
- Now apply rubber cement around each of the inner sides and corners of the cardboard base, working on one part at a time. Apply the cement, then pull the fabric into place over it so that the fabric is taut. Try the keep it reasonably neat, but don’t obsess: You’re going to glue some paper there, too. Let it dry.
- Once that’s done, decide how many pages your book will have. Around 12 is a good number so that sewing’s not a killer. You’ll stitch the sheaf of pages carefully up along the edge that will fit into the spine of the book, so make sure you’re stitching the right part of the paper.
- Once you’ve sewn up the book, carefully fit the spine into the book’s spine. Make sure the pages are centered. Apply rubber cement to the book’s inside front cover, then gently press the first of the sewn pages into the rubber cement. You may want to use a book to make sure it’s smooth. Do the same thing with the back page and the back cover.
- Let it dry, and then you can use the book however you want.
Amy Brayfield is a cheapskate, and she's not afraid to admit it. In addition to torturing her children by not taking them to McDonald's every day, she writes about parenting and family topics for various national and local magazines. She lives happily in the Midwest with her husband and two children.
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