Botanical Tea Guest Book

It used to be that weddings were ginormous events and huge tomes with pages and pages were necessary for all of the well wishes from wedding guests. Today however weddings are often smaller, more intimate affairs and perhaps a little handmade book would be more fitting. 

My cousin and his beautious bride got hitched in Vegas not long ago and I created this little book made with Graphic 45's Botanitcal Tea and Large Staples Tags to toss into their suitcase and collect congratulations from their guests.

It's a pretty little thing, a handmade something, to remind them of their gorgeous day.

Want to make your own special keepsake book? Here's the supply list:

Large Tag Album-Ivory

Washi Tape
Shabby Chic Ornate Metal KeyBotanical Tea StickersBotanical Tea Alphabet StickersBotanical Tea ChipboardBotanical Tea BannersBotanical Tea Spring Duet
Botanical Tea Fauna

Ribbon

Thread/Yarn
Paper

And here's how to put it all together...

Step One:  Cut several sheets of paper to 3.9” x 8”, the same size as the large tags. You could use regular bond (printer) paper or splurge and use better quality for something a little more special. Use a corner punch to round the edges of your paper so that they align perfectly with the tag edges.

Step Two: On ONE of the large tags, create a score line at 1.2” from the bottom, short edge.

Step Three: Cut four pieces of Graphic 45 paper to cover your tags. (I’ve chosen Spring Duet for the outside covers, and Fauna to line the inside.) At 1 ⅛” from the short bottom edge, cut a 1/4” strip from the papers that will embellish the front and back of the cover tag.

Affix your papers to the tags. Leave the fold line free on the front cover like so:

 

Step Four: Wrap a length of Washi Tape around the front cover where the exposed fold line is located and burnish into place.

Step Five: Puncture small holes in your covers and papers using a small punch, awl or nail. Mine are located .5” from the edge and there are 5 holes evenly spaced apart.

Step Six: Bind all of the pages together using thread, ribbon or yarn. If you look up Japanese Stab Binding, there are many tutorials available demonstrating this very simple binding technique in a variety of patterns.

All of these steps will help your book to lay flat when opened, avoid cracking paper, and provide stability to your fold line.

Step Seven: Now to embellish your cover! I begin with Botanical Tea Stickers...

… add some Botanical Tea Banners ...

… and a fussy cut butterfly.

Step Eight: Finally I add a Botanical Tea Chipboard tag, and Shabby Chic Ornate Metal Key with a length of pretty ribbon pulled through the tag grommet holes and finish the whole thing off with the lucky couple’s initials using Botanical Tea Alphabet Stickers.