Cereal Box Matchbook Book

Hi,

My partner and I dont really do valentines day but sometimes its nice just to let them know how much you love them.

Matchbook books are a nice small and easily hidden in places that your partner can find them. I have been Hiding a few about the house on the lead up to valentines day :)

This instructable isnt just for valentines day as these books are easily made and can be a great introduction into book binding. Using small variety pack cereal boxes gives you a wide range of nice covers.

Lets begin...

Materials

Variety pack cereal box with the tops opened along the overlap rather than thee perforated edge

Paper. I am using old printouts as they add some random images to the pages

Optional

Tracing paper. Again i am using some used pieces

Tools

Printer

Scissors

Stapler

Pencil

Pen for writing in it ;)

Print out the templates above (im using scrap materials for mine)

Cut the one of the large panels off the cereal box (some of them have cool puzzles on the back that make for good covers)

Lay the template up on the box lining up the notches with the smaller section at the side with one of the folds already on the section and mark it out with the pencil (i have used a pen for so you can see it.

Cut off the excess but not the notches, they are just to show you where to fold

Fold :)

Using the long template lay it on your paper. I'm placing it to include part of the image but if you are using blank pages you can keep it close to the edge.

Mark it out and cut it out (again dont cut out the notches)

Fold the paper like an accordion try to. keep the edges as lined up as possible.

Repeat this once more and place them together

This part is entirely optional but if you measure out two squares of your template on some used tracing paper and wrap it around the two brunches of pages to make a nice overlay page

Take your page bundle and slip it into the small folded section of the cover.

Keep it pressed in snuggly and staple it in place.

Trim the edges of the pages to open them all up making sure that they fit in the cover.

To close tuck the large section of the cover under the small section.

And you are done!

You can use bits of tape and other odds and ends to decorate them. You dont even need to use cereal boxes any nice bits of card can make good covers.

Now all you need to do is write some nice stuff in them and hide them in a place where your partner can find them.

Hi Honey, if your reading this you know where the next book is ;) xxxx

I hope you enjoyed this instructable and as always thoughts/comments/criticisms and even pictures of your own giant flexagonals are welcome in the comments below :)

Enjoy