Easy “Squash” Book for treasured memories
Hello stampers! If you know me at all, you may know that I can be quite a forgetful person. I made this squash book many months ago and had every intention of doing a blog post on it, but I searched through this entire blog, and there is no post on this beautiful book. So now there will be one! I have also made a video on how to do it, but sometimes a few pictures can be helpful as well. The video is most helpful in teaching you how to “squash” it together the first time. After you do it a few times it just opens and closes naturally the way it should. I used the wedding pictures from my son and daughter-in-law, but you could make this book for any occasion. It is such a nice little book and very portable. I used the Falling in Love designer series paper and gold satin ribbon as well as the new doilies which are unfortunately sold out.
The cover of the book uses the chipboard that you get for free when you order specialty designer series paper, so be sure to save it for this purpose!
You can lightly sand the edges of the chipboard if you like. If you prefer a cleaner look you can also choose to “wrap” them in designer series paper. I just put a 4″ square piece of paper on and then sponged the edges with soft suede ink to finish it. Here are the other pieces you will need to make the book.
I outlined the score lines with pencil so that you could see it more clearly, you don’t need to do this when you are making the book! You will need three of these pieces.
Use fast fuse or tear and tape to adhere the pages together. You can see by the photo how it is done. Put one square in the middle and then the other two are adhered on the bottom left and top right “unscored square”. You will then fold along all the score lines, do it both ways to “limber” it up and then if you are not a logical person (I am not) watch the video to see how I folded it up into a book shape. Once you have conquered that step you can adhere the covers. Don’t forget to put the ribbon on first!
Here is another close-up of the inside of the book:
A great trick for cropping your pictures is to use a vellum triangle. Just take a four inch square piece of vellum and cut it in half diagonally. Then you can place it over your picture to see how it will work to cut the picture. Some work better than others. Your pictures will either be a four inch square or a triangle just the same size as the vellum one.
You also use this technique and this measurement to cut your patterned paper triangles. I find it pleasing to the eye to keep all your pictures going in the same direction and also to not add too many embellishments to the inside of the book, or to the outside for that matter. They distract from the beauty of the pictures and on the outside they are just things that could get caught on people’s clothes, on the inside of your purse, you name it. An accident waiting to happen!
I think that gives you enough details to be able to make this book on your own. Here is the video that I think will also be very helpful. I would love for you to share your success stories when you get your book made. What event are you wanting to document and share? This would make such a lovely gift for just about anyone. Father’s Day is around the corner, bring a tear to his eye with some special photos just for him in this little book.
