ideas for sister's 40th

[arimum_123]

My sister is 40 on the 13th (yep last minute or what?!) and I could do with some inspiration for a mini-book or fold out something or other. I don't have equipment to bind anything so was thinking more along the lines of paper engineering or folding and glueing paper type projects. If you have anything in your gallery or on a blog I would really appreciate a link to it



I am useless at making cards but want to give her I nice keepsake

Louise x

[sharen mk11]

I did the America lolly gift - made a little flag that say "40 sucks !!" and then got 40 candy lollies - bought a mug, put flower oasis inside - stuck in the lollies so now it looks like a bunch of flowers in the mug , added the flag - finished !

[Jampot]

I haven't read all the instructions on this one, but it might be an idea.

http://www.squidoo.com/origami-folded-scrapbook

[Gail S]

how about an exploding box (there's tutorials on you tube) with a 3d 40 in the centre (a cake decoration maybe?) and a selection of photos from each decade round about.

[MaryAnne]

I love the Squash books - you can make them as many sections as you want, they fold up small, and you can fit in lots of photos, sentiments, etc. That Squidoo one is basically ONE section of a squash book, but you can make three the same then overlap two points to expand it. I'm not explaining it very well but search for squash book and you will find all you need to know. And no Cinch or BIA needed

I like the exploding box and lolly mug idea as well. But 40? It seems like it would have to be a pretty big mug

[CraftyPrincess]

That lolly idea sounds really cute!

What about bunting? You could just make it like the mini version but on a larger scale like each piece 5x7 ish size, cut out the bunting shapes from paper and string them together with twine. Decorate some with 40 and add photographs to some of the pieces or little 'remember when' bits of journaling. It could be used as a decoration and then folded up like an accordion book to keep afterwards too.

[arimum_123]

Oh wow those are some fab ideas. I love all of them and will have to remember them for my parents golden wedding in a few years. The fold out book thingy was the sort of thing I was thinking of but the bunting would be super too and could be adapted for so many occasions. I might get the kids helping but on school hols at the mo so should have time to try a couple of these if not all of them. Did wonder about using diecut flowers with lolly stick pushed through and making 40 from them or just a small 'bouquet' effect.

Thanks ladies

Louise x

[Azimuth]

You can also fold up a bit of paper in a concertina and glue a page into alternate sections - the concertina bit becomes the spine. Experiment or look up instructions because there's a section you're not supposed to glue together to make it work properly, but i've done it before and it's pretty simple.

alternatively, cut loads of 12x12 in half, and then fold all the pieces into 6x6. glue each 6x6 section back to back with another piece to build up your book. For more stability do this with an additional concertina doo-dad as well, although that does leave a bumpy bit near the spine.

Good Luck - I always get ideas like this all last minute too - hope she loves it.