My Favorites - Part 1 - Blank Board Books

As promised, today I kick off a series of "my favorites" - five of my favorite scrapbooking goodies and tools of the moment. Tune in all week to see them all!

Most of the time I consider myself a very practical gal - I love things that work well, are versatile, and represent value. So, it's no surprise that my first "favorites" pick is blank board books. Reminiscent of the chunky books we read as kids - these board books are fun and adorable and can be used for so many things.

The ones I sell in my eBay store are 5"x5" acid-free, white chunky books with 6 pages (12 surfaces). I love this size because they are so do-able. Enough space to decorate with paper and embellies, and add photos, but easier and faster to finish than a regular sized scrapbook. I am infamous for having more ideas than I can finish when it comes to scrapbooking (I literally have scrapbooks that have been waiting for their last pages for years now), but with these mini sized books, I can actually do one start to finish in a couple hours - love that instant gratification!

Here is a sample of one that I did themed for a baby girl (using the Oh Baby Girl papers from Basic Grey) - this mini scrapbook would be fabulous as a brag book for a new mom - everyone's always asking to see pictures of a new baby, but most moms I know are a bit busy with the feedings and diaper changes to create a giant scrapbook from the get-go!



As you can see, the look just completely changes when you decorate them with different papers. This next one uses the black and white papers from Doodlebug, and the large white silk flower is Heidi Swapp.



The basic technique for making these books is to "wallpaper" the chunky pages with your cardstock or patterned paper. I cut my base papers 4 7/8" wide x 5" tall to fit the pages. For a one-piece cover, I cut the cardstock/paper to 10 1/4" x 5" (maybe a hair longer to give you more leeway when wrapping it around the book).

Here are my tips for working with these board books -

1. Design and build the page first and then attach the completed page to the book. I find this much easier than sticking things as I go to the book, because it is easier to work without the board book getting in the way (since it doesn't lie flat when open).
   
2. Use the right adhesive for the job - people often ask what I use to keep the pages stuck to the book. Currently I am using my 3M ATG gun for that - the adhesive is really strong, and will stand up to a lot of handling. I usually apply the adhesive to the book itself (making sure to apply it right at the edges so the paper won't peel up), and then wallpaper the patterned paper or cardstock onto it. Spray adhesives also work well, and some people use a Xyron.
3. Use a small radius corner rounder to round the edges of your paper - to get the rounded edges on your paper to match the rounded corners of the book, use a small corner punch - I use a red one from Hobby Lobby (the small size). I found that my Creative Memories corner rounder made the corners too large.

You could even use these books to make little chunky books for your kids - tell a story using photos or paper piecings, or make a book that teaches colors, animals, or numbers! I love that what you can make with these books is only limited by your imagination!