Create a Mini-Book

Try this craft that teaches a simplified version of real bookbinding to give your students a taste of early American craftsmanship. Create a pocket sized sketch journal, then go out and fill the book with drawings! Ages 8 and up.

Supplies:

• White paper
• Cardboard
• Wallpaper
• Rubber cement (*Read note below)
• Stapler
• Paper cutter or scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil

Instructions:

1. Using the scissors, ruler and pencil (or just a paper cutter), cut the white paper, cardboard and wallpaper to the sizes indicated below:

2. Spread a thin, even layer of rubber cement over the 2 large cardboard pieces, one of the small ones and the back of the wallpaper. (Do NOT stick them together.) Allow all to dry completely.

3. Stack the white papers together and fold them in half, like a booklet. Open them up and flatten so you can still see the fold. Place the small cardboard piece without the rubber cement along the fold line. Staple along the center 2 times. Laying it as shown below, spread a thin, even layer of rubber cement all over the surface of the paper and the cardboard. Allow to dry completely. Trim the edges of the cardboard to be the same size as the paper.

4. When the wallpaper and cardboard pieces are dry, carefully place the 2 large cardboard pieces and the small one onto the back of the wallpaper as shown below, sticking rubber cemented sides together.

5. Using a scissor or paper cutter, cut the corners of the wallpaper as shown below. Do not cut it too closely to the cardboard!

6. Now spread a thin, even layer of rubber cement on the tops of the cardboard pieces and allow to dry completely.

7. Fold the wallpaper edges in toward the center, bonding it to the cardboard.

8. Spread more rubber cement over the folded pieces of wallpaper and allow to dry completely.

9. Stick the rubber cemented sides of the 2 small cardboard pieces together, leaving the pages loose.

10. Now, with the book partially closed, stick the first and last pages of the white paper to the book covers.

11. Rub off all extra dry rubber cement with your finger.

12. You may add a nameplate to the front for a title such as "Journal".

* Note on rubber cement:

No other glue will work as well as rubber cement for this project, because it creates a totally flat bond. For a permanant bond, we will be spreading it onto 2 surfaces and allowing each to dry completely. Then we will press the dry surfaces together to create a very powerful bond!

© Karine Bauch 2006. All rights reserved.

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