DIY project : Making book jacket from toothpaste boxes

Another DIY idea I did for a TV show's DIY section I talked about last week. I did two ideas altogether. The first which was on air last week and I already posted the step-by-step instruction here is DIY project : Let's make butterfly bookplate! My other idea will be on air tomorrow. This time I'm going to make a book jacket from toothpaste boxes :)

I had been wondering how I could transform toothpaste boxes into something useful for some time. Don't know why I should think about it but I just did. My first idea was making bookmarks. Then I tried cutting a box and laid it out. I found that the size of the box paper, excluding the lid parts, is perfect for making a jacket for old book.

So, let's try making one :)



First,  cut a toothpaste box and lay it out. Cut off the lids part from top and bottom. You will see that the remaining part is a bit bigger than my book which is a small pocket book (about 13 x18 cm). We don't need to cut more as the big sheet will function as the book's protector.



As the toothpaste box has its own creases, we don't need to fold the spine part ourselves. Just have to measure and cut this part a bit so that the jacket's spine will be a  bit bigger that the book's.



Cut another box just as we did with the first one. Now with two paper sheets, we have front and back of the jacket. Combine the two by gluing the spine part together.



We have the jacket! Next is to make the whole thing pretty. Find a used shopping bag or document envelope, measure and cut, make it a bit bigger so that it can wrap around the jacket for double protection.



Above are the wrapping steps for the corners.



Next, cut a sheet of beautiful wrapping paper or maybe some big magazine pages and glue it down over the inner part to hide the toothpaste box.



We will need locking parts to hold the book. I use two paper sheets left  from the toothpaste box cutting in the first step to make these or you can find some other paper sheets. The sheets should be a bit thick and  strong enough to hold the book. Cut it into two long rectangular pieces just as in the image. Cover them with lovely paper wraps.  Make it beautiful.



Attach the two parts left and right by gluing only the top and bottom of each rectangular sheet. Leave  the middle part unglue so that we can slip the book's covers through.



Try insert the back cover.



Then the front.



Almost done! The last step is to decorate the front. Make it your style with some bright colorful scraps of paper from notebooks or paper bags.



So, here is my design. You can use this jacket for day planner, notebook or make it as a wrapping of book gift. You can also add a strap made from the paper bag's rope handle. Another reuse!



Use paper puncher to punch out both front and back then add the ropes on. Complete!

Hope you like this DIY. I try to write the instruction as clear as I can.  If you have any questions, please leave a comment. And if you think this idea is helpful, please share :)

This is the last idea I did for the TV show but I think I will continue thinking and making things from scraps of paper I have in my studio.  Doing DIY is really fun and relaxing. It helps me think in different angles and once I get some ideas and start creating, the step-by-step process is just like a meditation practice. I really love that :)

PS. I just got an idea the other day while getting stuck in traffic. The idea is to transform tissue box into a card holder. Do you think I can make it? :)

DIY project : let's make butterfly bookplate!

I have been thinking about doing DIY project on blog for some time but never pushed myself hard enough to do it. A chance came when one of my facebook fellows who was doing part-time MC for a TV show about book and reading asked me if I could provide ideas for the show's DIY section. The artist who did this job regularly happened to be unavailable for two weeks. The show is on air weekly and she needed to have two ideas for the section. I was a bit nervous but it seemed so challenging. Sometimes when opportunity knocks, be ready and open your door (even if you don't feel you are ready at all)

The main concept of this DIY section is to create something that promotes reading activity. I was doing bookplates for sale on my shop at the time and thought it might be a good idea for the show.

Generally, bookplates are sheets of paper printed with beautiful illustration. But since the idea of DIY is to make things that can be made by hand easily, I thought we could play with shapes instead of illustrating.

My idea is this easy one, butterfly bookplate. Let's make one fly :)



I have been also thinking that if I do DIY project, I will reuse things that can be found at home as much as possible. So, for this project I just use paper from shopping bag, pretty and colorful photos from old magazine, pencil, scissors and glue.



First, cut a square sheet from a paper bag. Use the brown side.
The size depends on how big your book is.



Fold the paper in half then draw a wing of butterfly.



Cut the butterfly out. Unfold it. Now you have the first butterfly with symmetrical wings



Next, we're going to make design on its wings. Find a photos or pretty page from old magazine. Try putting the cut-out butterfly over the page in different positions to see which part will be best for cutting out.



Again fold down the magazine paper and use the first butterfly as a template. Trace the outline with a pencil.



This time we cut the second butterfly. Don't cut along the line exactly. Just use the pencil outline as a guide and cut smaller one. Now we have two butterflies.



Next we're going to make a third and final one.  The paper for this part should be in pale color so that what we write on it will be easily read. In this, I use a sheet from a notebook.



Again fold down the paper and use the second butterfly as a template. Trace the outline with a pencil. Then cut it out. This time you can cut exactly along the outline.  Then we will have two butterflies in the same size.



All the three butterflies are ready to be assembled next.



Glue down the outside part.



Then the other one inside. This side will be the part for writing "This book belongs to" and then put your name on. If you plan to make this as a gift, leave it blank here.



One very last step, cut a small piece of colorful paper fold down and make the butterfly's body!



Now we have our own handmade butterfly bookplate.When you stick it on the page,  place the butterfly in slightly-slanting position so that it looks like it's flying :)



Try opening it. How do you like it?

This is actually the way of making pop-up card adapted to be used as bookplate.  I think it will be very touching to put your own little craft in books you will give to your loved ones. They will cherish it, I'm sure :)

I have another fun and cute ideas of making this kind of paper art. Will share them later :)
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy my very first DIY :)