Homemade Daybook Tutorial...

Having recently fallen in love with the Amy Tangerine Daybook, I decided that I wanted to have a go at making my own....after all that is how Amy came up with the idea of the books...she made one with scraps left over from a demo she was doing at CHA...

So the first step is to make a cover. I use Bazzill Kraft cardstock and a piece of overlay/acetate.

This book measures 7.5 x 5.5 inches. The overlay/acetate measures 5.5 inches deep and is very slighty shorter that the cover so that it doesn't hang over.

The inside pages are made from double sided papers...if they are a little thicker than paper that is better as it gives the pages more support. Cut them in a variety of sizes smaller than your cover.

As you can see I have included some envelopes in my book, plus used some decorative edges to the pages...plus some washi tape and stickers.

More of the inside pages...

More of the inside pages, envelopes and stickers...

Now back to decorating the cover. I added some washi tape to the inside and sticker that goes with the paper range I used. I stuck the sticker over the busy overlay/acetate on the front so that it created a place to put the title of the album at a later date.

The inside of the cover is decorated with more washi tape and another sticker.

Now the cover and insides are ready I added the clips to hold all the pages in place ready to make the holes for hand sewing the book together.

As you can see in the picture I have added holes down the centre fold of the album using an embroidery needle and foam mat.

When I start sewing from the second hole down and then back one hole and forward two holes....it means you over sew, but it makes the binding nice and strong.

More of the sewing...

A close up of the sewing.

Further down and you can get more of an idea...

Sewing all done, and as you can see you get a neat(ish) sewn line down the centre of the daybook.

Here is the sewing from the outside...

And finally the finished daybook with a paperclip added to hold it together neatly.

I hope this explains everything, and inspires a few of you to have a go at your own book. It is a great way to use up all the pieces of patterned paper you have laying around. Also it is a great saver as the Amy Tangerine Books cost between £6.99-£9.99, and I have estimated that this book cost me about £4 to make and it is utterly unique. If you are a cardmaker with mainly 6x6 pads laying around then don't think you can't have a go at this...I have made another album that is just 6.5 x 4.5 inches and all the pages inside are made from a 6x6 paper pad.