This romantic book is made by sewing folios of translucent papers into a sentimental keepsake. Whatever personal messages, drawings or poems are inscribed on the layers of vellum, all can be seen in a collision of line and colour.

YOU WILL NEED
Self-healing mat
Vellum
Straight-edge ruler
Pencil
X-Acto knife
Fine sewing needle
Cotton thread in lavender
Sewing machine (optional)
T-pin (optional)
High-tack white glue
Dried flower or floral sticker

INSTRUCTIONS
1 On self-healing mat, measure, mark and cut six 9-inch-by-6-inch rectangles from vellum, using ruler, pencil and X-Acto knife. Choose two as cover, and set others aside.

2 Lay cover rectangles together, all edges even. Fold cover in half crosswise, using hands to crease fold.

3 Lightly sketch a 1 1/2-inch rectangle on front of cover, using pecil and ruler. Open cover and lay flat on work surface, right side up. Cut out rectangle, using ruler and X-Acto knife.

4 Whipstitch around the edge of window using needle and thread. Whipstitch two cover sheets together around all four sides.

5 Fold remaining pages of vellum in half crosswise, using hands to crease fold. Open folio flat to wrong side and stitch center fold, using a straight stitch of sewing machine.

6 Lay cover flat on work surface, wrong side up. Lay folio flat on cover, wrong side up, aligning folds. Stitch along fold, stitching through cover and folio, using a straight stitch. Use T-pin, if necessary, to puncture holes to aid stitching.

7 Lay card flat on work surface. Glue dried flower to first page of folio, or apply floral sticker.

 

Excerpted from Instant Gratification Cards: Fast and Fabulous Projects by Carol Endler Sterbenz and Genevieve A. Sterbenz. Copyright 2000 by Chronicle Books. Excerpted with permission by Chronicle Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.