DIY Wedding Guest Book

 For my son's wedding reception I wanted to make a simple guest book for the bride and groom. (Writing thank you notes is always easier if all the info is in one place.)  I started the book with a simple two ring binder that I found in a clearance bin.  ( I always think about re-purposing possibilities when perusing the sale tables.) I've been hoarding three of these mini albums for a while so it was exciting to finally find a use for one.  The project started by covering the outside and inside with Japanese crane print washi paper.  I didn't measure, just pressed the paper against the album before cutting to get an approximate size.  I adhered the paper to the album with wide double stick Heiko tape.  It's available at HM Ben Franklin Crafts and is fairly forgiving if you need to lift up and shift the paper.  I had planned to decorate the album with an asymmetric design on the front but after taping down the washi paper I noticed that the zigzag paper on the original cover showed through. I decided that my best course of action was to camouflage the zigzag pattern with ribbon and lace.  I glued on the lace flowers, LOVE ribbon, and heart bling (all from HM BFC wedding department) with 3-2-1 Beacon glue and Glossy Accents.

 I glued the floral lace  and LOVE ribbon all around the album, placing two flowers on the spine.  I added the heart bling just to the front center of the ribbon.  In the photo the heart ribbon and bling look black but actually the words and hearts are silver.  The reason I chose a two ring binder for this project is because I wanted the reception guests to fill out a two holed card with their information.  This way I will have the ability to add the cards gradually to the binder and not make the guests wait around to fill in just one book.  I was pleased that I was able to transform a generic binder into an guest book attractive enough for a wedding reception.   Thanks for stopping at this blog site. Please leave a comment if you have some time.  I enjoy hearing from you. Wishing you crafting bliss!