Who doesn’t love a good craft project?? Today I’m going to share about how to create a special personalized ABC book for any young child. These books are a wonderful way to create a family keepsake, teach letters and help nurture young minds. This would also make a great birthday gift for a younger child.
Materials you will need:
- Paper – thick heavy scrapbook paper is best. Scrapbook paper is usually 12×12, so you’ll need 10-15 sheets of them for a full alphabet book. They come in a variety of designs and motifs.
- Chipboard
- Plaques – we used 5×5 wooden plaque with holes in them ($1.99)
- Ink or Markers
- Adhesive (Make sure its acid-free glue, we also have glue sticks which can be less messy.)
- Ribbon
- Edged Scissors
- Binder Rings
- Photos – either get them printed or at home print. If using photo-printing paper, make sure the photos have appropriate time to dry – a few hours should do it.
- Stickers
- Hole Punch
Creating the cover and back of the book:
- Use two plaques for the cover and the back.
- Ink the edges of the plaques.
- Cover with paper. *Make sure to punch the holes into the paper for the binder rings. One tip we have learned over the years is to trace the backside of the paper with pencil and then cut out the hole sizes. You can always smooth down rough paper edges with sandpaper.
- Add title and picture. We just printed out a title created in Word.
Creating the inside of the book:
- Cut chipboard pages for the inside and cover both the front and back with paper. (5″x5″)
- Ink all of the edges. You could also use permanent markers for this.
- Make sure to punch the holes for the binder rings.
- Cut pictures, sayings, and letters and glue onto the pages. The more personal, the more treasured this book will become.
Finishing Touches:
- Put the book in order and use the binder rings to secure all the pages together.
- Add ribbon to the binder rings for an added touch.
More creative ideas:
- Child handprints and footprints as the back and front of this book.
- Create a “Daddy & Me, or Grandma & Me” book for father’s days or birthday gifts.
- Use ticket stubs or birthday party invitations as additional memories inside the book.
[typography font=”Delius Swash Caps” size=”24″ size_format=”px”]Written by Shannon Desautels[/typography]
Shannon is the projects and classes coordinator for Creative Habitat in South Burlington. Her son Ethan is the one featured in the ABC book above. Creative Habitat is a locally owned and operated craft store in Burlington that provides craft products, home decor, and custom framing. They also have adult and kids classes; something for everyone in the family! Make sure to check them out on Facebook and Twitter!
