Base coat your box and set aside to dry. Measure the top of the box and cut a piece of the map showing your route just slightly smaller than the top of the box. Mark the route you took on vacation that will show on that area of the map that is cut out. Apply glue to the back of the map piece and glue it centered on the lid of your box. Add a piece of trim around the edge of the map and glue in place.
Around the edge of the box glue small pieces of map or postcards cut to fit showing individual stops on your trip such as a particular tourist attraction or city. Add found objects or purchased momentos of that particular area using a different site or attraction for each side or arranging them as you like.
On the inner lid place a special collage of pictures or memorabilia. In the sample we used a puzzle postcard partially put together. Apply several coats of water based acrylic varnish allowing it to dry thoroughly between coats. This will help protect your memorabilia as well as hold it in place.
Instructions:
Using pieces of the map (with your route traced in permanent marker), photographs or postcards and other memorabilia such as decals and stickers of local attractions or bookmarks. Arrange in a pleasant manner over the cover of your binder. Glue each item in place with Tacky glue. Allow to dry thoroughly. Using the Tacky glue place a thin line partly on the picture, partly on the binder go around each item to seal the edges and allow to dry thoroughly.
You may use acrylic paint in place of the glue as an option. Another option is to glue a Shrink Art window or zipper type bag on to hold some objects.
Cut your clear contact paper one half inch larger all the way around than the open binder. Clip the area at the spine, remove the paper, and tuck the tab under the spine at each end. Cut across each corner and peel the paper from one side. Smoothing from the spine out to the edges turning the contact paper to the inside wrapping the edge so the diagonal cut at the corner forms a neat miter and the contact paper is smooth over and around each item. Repeat with the other side.
Cut two pieces of contact paper 1/4" smaller on
three sides and up to the metal portion on the inside of your binder. Peel
the cover paper from the edge that fits to the metal spine. Seal there
and slowly and carefully smooth the clear contact paper to incase the inside
cover of the binder. This piece should overlap the contact paper from the
front that has been folded around the edges so your binder is completely
protected.
Instructions:
Using purchased back pack or book bag of your choice
arrange souvenir patches, decals and postcards in a pleasing array. Using
the Okay to Wash It Glue, glue each decoration in place. On any of the
non fabric decorations paint an area slightly larger than your decoration
with the Okay to Wash It Glue. Center the decoration within that area and
paint over the entire decoration with the same Okay to Wash It Glue so
the non fabric items are completely encased.
Center the stack of cut newspapers on your piece of fabric. Place the cardboard layers centered on the newspaper. Bring one side of the fabric around to the back and glue in place on the cardboard. Turn under 1/8" to 1/4" along the opposite side and glue in place. Allow both to dry.
Gently pull the opposite side around to the back making sure your newspaper remains centered in the front and glue the fabric over the raw edge of the first piece. Allow to dry.
Bring the right front piece over the newspaper and the cardboard and tuck it between two layers of the cardboard. Bring the back right side over the back piece of cardboard and tuck it into that same area. Place a line of glue between the two pieces of fabric on the end and allow them to dry. Repeat this process with the remaining side.
Take one piece of ribbon and center it across the front of your Message Board folding it to the back and gluing it in place. Repeat with the other color ribbon. The other two pieces of ribbon will go across the front in the opposite direction and are brought to the back and glued in place. The ribbons cross in one corner see picture.
Along the two longest ribbons glue two or three flat backed charms spaced far enough apart to allow you to tuck notes behind the ribbon between the charms. One larger charm can be glued over the area where the ribbons cross. This Message Board works to hold notes, schedules etc. by tucking them under the ribbons. Straight pins or map pins can be used to hold larger items such as a class schedule in the center of the board.
