Surprise someone special with this personalized Mother’s Day accordion book…it’s so much fun to make!
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I tend to go through craft phases. for a while, he was knitting (he even had a knitting blog), then it was jewelry and soap making. there were also many other intermediate phases.
something I was really interested in for a while was placing bets. And no, I’m not talking about gambling!
Bookmaking, or bookbinding, is a really fun hobby, especially if you’re creative. books are easier to make than you think and they make great gifts. They’re also a great way to use beautiful papers, stickers, and other unique craft supplies.
I still like to make books for special occasions, like my husband’s birthday or our anniversary. So I thought it would be fun to make a DIY picture book for Mother’s Day to surprise my mother-in-law.
DIY accordion book
This is such a fun project!
I love accordion books because of their unique shape, plus there are plenty of pages to attach photos and other personal items.
I made this for mother’s day, but it would also make a great gift for father’s day or another occasion. I also like to make them for myself, because they are so much fun to make.
When I start a project like this homemade accordion book, I raid my craft supplies and grab anything I think I could use.
accordion photo book supplies
This is what you will need to make this handmade book:
- mat board or book board
- craft knife
- ruler with metal edge
- decorating paper (paper source has a great selection).
- 2 sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch printer paper
- mod podge
- scissors (regular and decorative border)
- foam brush
- bone folder
- ribbon
- photos and other keepsakes
- other decorative items, such as ribbon washi, clip art, punches, tacks, stickers, gel pens, etc.
how to make an accordion book
gather all your materials and let’s get started!
making the cover
Cut out two 3 x 4-inch rectangles from the book mat/board. Accurate measurements are very important, so measure carefully and use the ruler to guide your craft knife when cutting the board.
Next, you’ll cover these rectangles with decorative paper. I like to use a really flexible paper (like mulberry paper), since it needs to be folded around the edges of the cover. however, any thin, porous paper will work. Cut two 4 x 5-inch rectangles from this decorative paper.
Using a foam brush, apply a thin layer of mod podge to the back of one of the table mat/book covers. Center the cover over the decorative paper, then flip it over and use the bone folder to smooth out any air bubbles.
Next, cut a wide “v” in all corners of the decorative paper (see below left). do not cut the cover; leave about ¼ inch of decorative paper at the bottom of the “v”.
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Apply a thin layer of mod podge to one of the flaps. use the bone folder to fold the paper flap on the cover. smooth out any bumps or bubbles with the bone folder then fold up the extra ¼ inch from the base of the “v”. continue around the cover until all the flaps are glued and folded.
The back of the finished cover should look similar to the image below.
Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. you will cover this unfinished side with more paper later.
creating the pages
Next, you’ll create the pages of your book. Using the craft knife, cut 3 3.75 x 11-inch strips of paper from the printer paper. again, make the cuts as straight as possible.
Take one of the strips and fold it in half lengthwise (see top left below). use your bone folder to flatten the fold. then, take one of the ends and fold it towards the center (see below left). smooth the fold with your bone folder. flip the paper over and repeat on the other side (see below right). take your time and make the folds as straight and neat as possible.
repeat with the other two strips of paper.
Next, you’ll connect the three strips together. cut two strips of decorative paper 1 inch wide. the length doesn’t matter too much, it should just be taller than the height of your pages.
Draw a line down the middle of one of the strips, dividing it in half. Mark this line with the point of your bone folder, using the ruler as a guide (this helps to make an accurate fold). Fold the strip in half, then flatten the fold with the bone folder. repeat with the other strip.
If you want, decorate the edges of the strips. I used scalloped edge scissors for mine.
Next, lay out the accordion pages end-to-end (see second row to the right below), making sure all the pages are laid out the same way. the ends of each accordion should face up and meet the previous accordion.
Apply a thin layer of mod podge to the reverse side of one of the decorative strips, then align the edge of one of the pages with the fold of the strip (the part that sticks out goes down into the fold). click to attach it and then repeat with the next section.
turn the pages over and trim the decorative strips so they are flush with the tops of the pages. place the other strips in the same way.
assembling the book
Next, you’ll glue the pages to the cover.
start by tying the ribbon to one of the covers (this will be your back cover). place a line of mod podge (should be as wide as the tape) down the center of the back cover. center the tape on the mod podge and press it into place.
cover the back of the last accordion page with a thin layer of mod podge, then center it on the back cover (decorative strips should be facing you – see top right image below), over the ribbon. use the bone folder to smooth out any bumps or bubbles.
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repeat this process (minus the tape) on the other side of the book.
If you like, you can cover the final pages with decorative paper like I did below (bottom right) for a more finished look. just cut the paper a bit smaller than your cover and glue it on.
and that’s it, your DIY accordion book is complete!
tie the ribbon with a bow to keep the book together and admire their hard work!
ideas to decorate your illustrated book
You could stop there, but decorating the pages is the best part.
I use a combination of decorative paper, photos, clip art, washi tape, letter tacks (“mama” below), and anything else fun I can find. be creative!
Before I start pasting anything, I like to design the elements for each of my pages. then I’ll work from the front of the book to the back, gluing things together as I go.
I used mother’s day clip art for my cover (google “free mother’s day clip art” to find images).
if you need inspiration to decorate your pages, just search for “accordion book”. you will be surprised by all the ideas!
I’m not done, but so far it’s been a lot of fun working on this little book.
also, this mother’s day accordion book is for my mother-in-law, and I don’t want to completely ruin the surprise (she reads my blog)!
by the way…if you’re looking for more personalized gift ideas, be sure to check out my DIY notebook tutorial as well.
Are you going to do something for your mom this Mother’s Day?
p.s. Still looking for the perfect gift for Mother’s Day? I’ve put together tons of personalized gift ideas here!
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