Paper Bag Book

This can be filed under the most clever creations I've ever seen from my friends at Captured Moments in Rotterdam, NY.  This is a flip book for pictures, made out of two PAPER BAGS!!  Who comes up with something like this?  Tara and Tiffany are so creative.

The crazy thing is...this is so simple to make.  You start by stamping the edges of your paper bags.  Layer two bags on top of each other, facing opposite directions.  Fold them in half.  Punch three holes in the fold and tie them together with ribbon.

You'll want to cut blocks of designed paper for each page of the book.  Another thing I love about Tara and Tiffany is that they are not afraid to use bold patterns and mix them together.  Ink your edges.  You can place photos or notes on these pages.  The girls chose to use titles to inspire a theme for your pictures.

The bottom of your bag with half a fold.  You can use that for something fun and unique...a clever pocket.  If you prefer to cover it, simply glue the fold closed and adhere your patterned paper over the top of the fold.

The tops of the bags offer pockets for pull-out pictures.  Throw a block of patterned paper inside and attach some fiber to the edge to give your book some texture.  This makes the book interactive...some pages flip, others pull out.

Embellish your cover and enjoy.  I think I had more fun with this project than any of the other make-n-takes I've brought home.  Mostly, I was impressed by the originality of the idea.  You can find more work by Tara and Tiffany at www.capturedmomentstore.com

Crazy Accordion Book

This is a puzzling twist on your traditional brag book.  I've been on a kick showing you some of the make-n-takes Crafty Girl and I brought home after our scrapbooking retreats over the years.  I have a box full of them.  I really should fill them and give them away as gifts.  That little task is on a long to-do list, stored in the back of my brain.  First, I need to show you how to make one.  I can't be the only person with a box full of little books taking up room in my crafting area.

Here's what I could make of this handmade treat:  Start with a full piece of paper and envision a sharp-edged spiral.  Ultimately, you'll need 16 squares.  That's four rows across and four rows from top to bottom.  Once you've made your folds, it will be easier to figure out where to cut.

Fold it up in different directions, so the squares come together in a flat book.  You can use a thick card stock as your front and back covers.  Before you adhere the card stock, fold your favorite paper design over the top of it.  You can fold the paper around the edges and cover the center with the front and back pages of your spiral book.

Embellish the cover and hold it all together with a cute ribbon.  Fill it with pictures for a gift.  You can either use 16 different photos or one large photo that fits together like a puzzle when the book is opened.  I recommend starting with a traditional flip book.  But, if you've made a million of those and would like to try something different, this is one idea that was shared with us.  Go for it!!