Star Book With Mermaids and Manta Rays

I love to give handmade mini-books for birthdays. Here is an under the sea themed star book that's perfect for anyone who loves mermaids and marine life!

This star book is made of two layers; one strip with marine life and one strip of a nautical chart. When the book is opened completely, a star is created when viewed from above.

1. Cutting Mat
2. Paper Trimmer with a both a cut and a score attachment
3. Scissors
4. Rotary Cutter
5. Hobby Knife (X-acto knife)
6. UHU Glue Stick
7. Straight Edge
8. Lighter
9. Carbon Transfer Paper
10. Quilter's Rulers

• Mi-Teintes Canson Art Paper, 19.5 inches x 25.5 inches
• Nautical Chart, at least 30 inches wide
• Thin non-corrugated cardboard
• Art Paper
• Grosgrain Ribbon, 24 inches
• Wooden Barrel Bead
• A Printer (not pictured)

Download the 3 files for the under the sea pattern PDF and print the 3 pages onto regular printer paper. Trim each of the 5 templates to 4 inches by 6 inches. Arrange the 5 templates into the order you prefer.

The marine life strip is made from a continuous piece of art paper. I used Canson Mi-teintes art paper which is 98 lb. or 160 gsm weight.

1. Using a large cutting mat and a quilter's rule, cut the paper to 6 inches tall by 24 inches wide.
2. Using the scorer attachment on the paper trimmer, score (don't cut) every 2 inches. You should have 12 sections, each 6 inch by 2 inch.
3. Starting at 2 inches in from the left, arrange your 5 tracing templates in the order you prefer. Please note, the outermost 2 inch sections should remain empty and there should be no gap between templates.
4. Place the carbon transfer paper, carbon side down, underneath the first template and trace each template.
5. Using a sharp hobby knife, cut on the lines and remove all the negative space.
6. Erase any leftover carbon.
7. Fan fold on the score lines, starting and ending with a mountain fold.

The background strip is made from a continuous piece of nautical chart paper.

1. Using a large cutting mat and a quilter's rule, cut the chart paper to 6 inches tall by 30 inches wide.
2. Using the scorer attachment on the paper trimmer, score (don't cut) every 3 inches. You should have 10 sections, each 6 inch by 3 inch.
3. Flip the nautical chart upside down.
4. Fan fold on the score lines, starting and ending with a mountain fold.

Creating the covers for you mini book.

1. Using a cutting mat and a straight edge, cut 2 pieces from the thin non-corrugated cardboard. Each piece should be 6-1/4 inches tall by 3-1/4 inches wide.
2. Now cut 2 pieces from the art paper to cover the cardboard. Each piece should be 7-1/4 inches by 4-1/4 inches.
3. Glue the cardboard to the art paper . The cardboard should be centered top to bottom and left to right.
4. Fold, and glue down, the top and bottom flaps of the art paper to the cardboard.
5. Making little triangles, fold and glue the paper corners in. This will make a nice mitered edge in the next step.
6. Fold, and glue down, the right and left sides of the art paper to the cardboard.
7. If the covers warp, place them under a heavy book until the glue sets.

Adding the inner strips and finishing the book.

1. Lay the covers with nice paper side facing down.
2. Lightly mark the horizontal center on the cardboard with a pencil.
3. Leave about a 1/4 inch space between the covers.
4. Find the center of the ribbon and line this up with the 1/4 space between the covers.
5. Maintaining the space, glue the ribbon down along the marked pencil line on both covers.
6. Nest the nautical chart strip behind the mermaid strip. The edge of the chart strip should fit snugly into the first and last mountain folds of the mermaid strip. Make sure the top and bottom are lined up too.
7. Now glue the inside of the 2 inch mermaid strip flap to the back of the nautical chart strip on both ends. make sure to glue the entire 2 inch flap.
8. Next glue both ends of the inner strips to the covers.
9. Place under a heavy book until the glue sets.

Slice the barrel bead onto both ribbons and make a knot pretty close to the end. This should keep the bead on. Use a lighter to barely melt the ends of the ribbon to keep them from unraveling.

Now you can open the book completely and slide the bead towards the covers to keep it open or close the book and slide the bead towards to covers to keep it closed.

Please note, different weights of paper may cause the mermaid strip to not stay nested in the nautical strip as the book opens and closes. If this happens, then place a small piece of double-sided tape between the edges of the nautical chart and mermaid strip as shown in the last photo.