Our Autograph Books made on a budget !

[rileyroosmom]

I got the Modge Podge at Walmart right near the books. It's a glue and finisher. I first spread it on the book with a foam brush (found right next to the m.p.) then put the paper on, smoothing out the air bubbles. After 20 minutes I spread the m.p. over the picture (it will look like you ruined it because it is all white but dries clear). I put 5 coats on (waiting 20 min between coats) It hardens the cover and protects the paper. Only drawback is, the paper turned kinda yellow, looks a little old. I think it was because I didn't print it on a heavy paper.
On the inside cover I printed a address label (in case it gets lost) and the kids put the Disney movie stickers on.

I pretty happy with the way they turned out. They definetly look homemade.
Sorry the pictures aren't clear. My ds12 took the pictures and posted them. When I said the picutes should be closer and less shiny he rolled his eyes at me! Guess I should learn how to do it all myself!

 

[pookybean]

I just wanted to share, I am making our own autograph books as well and at the dollar tree near us (phila. PA) I found actual autograph books. They are spiral bound, flip up and have 110 pages. I got one with balloons on the front and they had another with sports stuff. I also found letter stickers with disney characters on them to spell out their names.

this is so exciting, I cant WAIT to go!

megan


1 month 3 weeks and 4 days till our first family trip to DISNEY!!!!!! :

 

[GrumpyMommy]

Rileyroosmom: I love the lettering you used! How did you do it? I have those same books for my kids.

 

[rileyroosmom]

I am sooo not into computers, I had my son do it for me! I couldn't begin to tell you how. He's at baseball now and if I remember, I'll ask him for you.

 

[GrumpyMommy]

I found another post here and figured out how to get the font Rileyroosmom used!

There is a website www.1001fonts.com and you download the font waltograph (it's free). After you download it you have to copy it into your windows fonts folder. Then when you are in Word you go into word art and select the rainbow word art.

I'm glad to be able to add something here other than just ask a million questions!

 

[LSUmom4kids]

Here are the ones we made. I put modge podge over it to make them sturdier.

I bought the foam cover books too at Walmart. Are these the ones that you put Modge Podge on? I was wondering if it would "stick" on foam? Also, if you can use Modge Podge on the foam covers, did it make the foam "harder" ("stiffer")?

I used a hot glue gun to stick the name letters on the front, but would like to put stickers or pictures securely on the front and back of the book.

I'm also looking for a way to connect the Retractable Sharpies to the books? Also trying to find "fanny packs" big enough to hold these books for the kids to wear.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[rileyroosmom]

I used the Modge Podge on the foam covers and it did make the covers hard. I think I put 5 coats on. I found it worked better to put the M.P. on the cover and then put the paper on. There were less bubbles this way. The only negative to the process was the paper turned somewhat yellowish. My dh thinks its because I used "cheap regular Xerox paper". The looked bothered me at first, but I like it now. If you are concerned, try a heavy paper.

Don't know about attaching a sharpie. I was going to get them but didn't for 2 reasons, 1. the price - didn't feel like spending $5.00
2. I was afraid the kids would get the ink on their clothes and ruin them.

I ended up buying the $1.00 Disney pens at Walmart checkout. They light up when you write and there were different characters on them. These fit right in the spiral part. I'm also bringing some extra ballpoints in case the ink runs out.

Don't know about fanny packs, there's no way my kids would wear one. I have a messenger bag I put them in.

Good luck - hope I helped some.

 

[cannp123165]

They are really cute!!!

 

[LSUmom4kids]

Don't know about attaching a sharpie. I was going to get them but didn't for 2 reasons, 1. the price - didn't feel like spending $5.00
2. I was afraid the kids would get the ink on their clothes and ruin them.

I will definitely try the Modge Podge idea for the cover. I hope one bottle will be enough for 3 books.

I did buy a 3 pk. of retractable Sharpies for $4.99 at Target - one black, blue & red. But now that you mention about it getting on their clothes, I'm having second thoughts!!! My 2 sons could care less what goes on their clothes - food, markers, you name it! I'm open for other attachable fat pens suggestions....

Should I not use WASHABLE MARKERS? Even if we use ziplock bags for a threat of rain?

Looking for suggestions from the pros out there!

GO LSU ~~ Maybe next year!!!! I still love you!!!!

 

[rileyroosmom]

Another pen option is to wait until you get there and buy the pens they have. They are fatter than a regular pen and have characters on them. I think they cost about $2.50. I still have some floating around from our last trips so I'm bringing them as back ups. Did you look at the Walmart Disney pens? I don't know how washable markers would be, I guess o.k. Definetly put the books in a ziplock. Ours got ruined from last year (why I made them new ones this year!). I don't even know how it happened. I assume the rain, or maybe a water bottle got thrown in the bag...either way, I'm using a ziplock this year.

 

[msbegin]

I too made autograph books for our twin boys using the spiral books from Walmart. I left a bunch of open spaces for photos/autographs. I made one for each DS. It was time consuming, but well worth it!

My boys love looking through our scrapbooks, so I figured this way they'll look at the autograph books instead of throwing them in a drawer.

Here's a link to view my books.**sorry, cannot get the link to work... you can cut & paste the address to view.
http://www.walmart.com/agt/bounce.gsp?ID=4BF130AC192681438D19E0B17ED12A1659B9&sharee=msbegin%40sbcglobal.net

I used some scrapping supplies (totaling under $15) plus paper I already had on hand & lots of clipart that I printed & cut out (time consuming, but well worth it).

 

[msbegin]

Oh, I wanted to add that if you use any clipart an your cover & try to use Modge Podge it will streak. I spray a lot (like 10-15) of fine coats of polyurethane (be sure to use water base - oil base will turn yellow).

 

[rileyroosmom]

msbegin - those books are awesome!!! I can't imagine how much work they were for you but they are outrageous! I am jealous of your talent.

Thanks for the heads up on the Modge Podge. Wish you did your books before mine. The yellow tint has grown on me though but I would have preferred to have no yellow.

 

[jennydep]

Here's a link to a wonderful do-it-yourself autograph book. I PM'd the creator and she gave me permission to share it. I've printed and cut out one set of the pages and they look great. I think I may look at getting a spiral bound autograph book and gluing these pages into it.
http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/r0siej0/Autograph book/?start=0

 

[msbegin]

Here's a link to a wonderful do-it-yourself autograph book. I PM'd the creator and she gave me permission to share it. I've printed and cut out one set of the pages and they look great. I think I may look at getting a spiral bound autograph book and gluing these pages into it.
http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/r0siej0/Autograph book/?start=0

That's very cute! You can also take it to Staples, Kinko's or Office Max and they'll bind it for you. It'll probably the same as buying a book and you'll save yourself the glueing time!

 

[jagruti6]

So after reading this thread last night I finally decided to get started on our autograph book. I used craft foam and tacky glue to attach it to a scrapbook album, and I bought card stock in bright colors for pages (which I haven`t started yet). I found the album, the foam and the card stock all at the dollar tree what a bargin!!! But I`d like to write my sons name on the cover, any ideas on what to use to write on the foam stuff?

Here some pictures of it so far, I have let a space on the back cover next to goofy and donald I`m gone to add either minnie or pluto there.

 

[lorrainesy]

Thanks for the great tips

 

[LSUmom4kids]

I've downloaded as many different characters I could find, imported the clip art into Word on a blank page and was able to put about 12 characters per page. I then put their names right under their picture.

I printed them out on "sticker" paper and eventually plan to cut each character out and put them alphabetically in the autograph book.

I will bring a big ziploc bag to hold all 3 autograph books, but should I spray my "sticker" pages of characters with a "Clear Acrylic Sealer Gloss" before I cut them out? I don't want the ink to smear. Plus I don't want the stickers to turn "yellow" with age. I bought the spray already.

My books are the foam books from Walmart. The kids each picked out a sheet of sticker pages from the Dollar Tree, we put their names on the front of the book and the stickers all over the cover, and then I used Modge Podge on all 4 sides of the foam cover to make it stiff.

Would the Acrylic Sealer Gloss be "overkill" for the cover and/or the sticker pages? I wouldn't spray the autograph page, only the stickers before I cut them out. I want to books to last - this is our kids' first trip to WDW!

 

[JulieNMM]

I used a lot of the tips from this thread when I made our autograph books before our trip 2 weeks ago.

I had about 125 characters and the kids and I tried to color in all of them. We only managed about 40! Unfortunately, about half the ones we colored were of characters who were nowhere to be found at WDW! And some characters don't do autographs (because of their hands, although they do pose for pictures).

I've tried to sum up our character experiences, but I'm sure I've forgotten about half of them. Ah, if only I were at home instead of at work!

From my experience, these guys don't do autographs:
Mike
Sully
Beast
King Louie

We did not see these characters anywhere:
Hercules
Meg
Phoebus
Hunchback
Lady & The Tramp
Dumbo
Jiminy Cricket
Milo & friends
Brother Bear bears
Pocohantas
John Smith
Gov. Ratcliffe
Meeko
White Rabbit
Mowgli
Robin Hood
Flik
Princess Atta
Daisy Duck (we just missed her at Character Connections)
Chicken Little
Abby Mallard
Captain Hook
Tinkerbell
Mr. Smee
Mad Hatter
Mary Poppins
Jane
Tarzan
Incredible
Frozone
Queen of Hearts
Timon & Pumba

We did find these characters:
Mickey (Chef Mickeys & Restaurantosaurus & Backyard BBQ)
Minnie (Chef Mickeys & Backyard BBQ)
Donald (Chef Mickeys & Restaurantosaurus)
Goofy (Chef Mickeys & Restaurantosaurus & Backyard BBQ)
Pluto (Town Plaza, MK & Restaurantosaurus)
Chip & Dale (Chef Mickeys & Backyard BBQ)
Terk (Town Plaza, MK)
Baloo (Town Plaza, MK)
King Louie (Town Plaza, MK)
Pinocchio (Town Plaza, MK)
Sleeping Beauty (Akershus)
Belle (Akershus)
Cinderella (Akershus)
Snow White (Germany, Epcot)
Jasmine (Morocco, Epcot)
Aladdin (Morocco, Epcot)
Genie (Morocco, Epcot)
Ariel (Akershus & Ariel's Grotto)
Mulan (MGM & Akerhsaus)
Stitch (Tomorrowland)
JoJo and Goliath (Mickey Avenue MGM)
Power Rangers (MGM)
Buzz Lightyear (Al's Toy Barn, MGM)
Woody (Al's Toy Barn, MGM)
Pooh (AK)
Tigger (AK)
Eeyore (AK)
Piglet (AK)
Gideon & Foulfellow (MK)
Friar Tuck (AK)
Wendy Darling (MK)
Peter Pan (MK)

We saw these characters only in parades:
Alice
Cruella DeVil
Maleficent
Ursula
Frollo
Jessie
R2D2
Little Bo Peep
Lilo
Green Army Men
Mushu
Dopey
Jafar
The Rescuers (Bianca and ???)

I'm sure there's more but that's all for now!