This is another project I designed for Hands On Craft for Kids and I’m thrilled to share it with you here too! Today we are making little accordion-style “pocket” books from envelopes and recycled materials. . Great for little photo books, travel journals, or even coupon keepers.

Materials needed:

1. Glue Stick
2. Cereal box cardboard
3. Gift wrap
4. Scraps of ribbon
5. Envelopes (6 or another even number)
6. Ruler
7. Scissors
8. Pencil
9. Markers or stickers to decorate as desired

I have a video to share with you, which will take you through step by step:

Written Directions:

1. Using an envelope as a guide, trace around using pencil on cereal box cardboard with pencil. Add 1/2 inch to the width and length. Cut out with scissors. Trace that rectangle to make a second cover.
2.  Using glue stick, glue a piece of wrapping paper to the covers. Let the sides of the paper hang over the edge. Using scissors, trim leaving approximately 1 inch all the way around.  Fold edges around the sides and glue onto the back. Fold corners in. Repeat for second cover. Let dry.
3.  Open envelopes up so that the flaps are facing one direction and the “front” of the envelope is facing down. Place a little squiggle of glue on the flap. Place the bottom edge of another envelope OVER the flap, lining up with the fold line. Rub down with fingers. Continue until all of your envelopes are glued together in a line. Use an even number of envelopes. Let dry.
4. Accordion fold the envelopes back and forth along the fold lines. (The open edges should be facing up.) Place the BACK of the TOP envelope against the BACK (folded edge side) of the cover. Adhere using the glue stick. Lay a 12” piece of ribbon horizontally in the middle of the back cover, right-side-DOWN.  (Folded edge should be facing up. Using glue stick, adhere the ribbon. Spread glue all over the folded side. Place the BACK of the last envelope down so that you have a cover on top and bottom, and the bottom cover has the ribbon. Place under a large book and let dry.
5. Decorate with colored pens.

I love these little books and have made them with my kids to take on vacation so they can collect ticket stubs, travel brochures, and other flat mementos. They can journal on the outside and even paste on some photos when we get back home- and VOILA- travel scrapbook MADE!

Enjoy!!

Catch me on Hands On Crafts for Kids on your PBS station!

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About Jenny

Chief Craft Test Dummy, Craft Evangelist, Founder, Editor, bottle-washer, trouble-maker, and creative whirlwind.

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