Need help with making own autograph book

[jacobsmommy]

I would like to make a special autograph book for my three year old for our trip in June. We didn't do one for him last year at WDW and I wish we would have. Any ideas??

 

[lexnconsmom]

What about covering a composition notebook with mickey paper? I made one for my friend to use to write all of our disney tips in.
Or buy a little mickey scrapbook (Joanns had an 8x8 on sale for 4.99 ) and then you would have a place to put photos of your son getting the autographs too!
Michelle lexnconsmom@webbyhome.com
If you need to see a photo of the comp book let me know

 

[KatelynnsAuntie]

I've used a 4x6 index card spiral pad. The kind where it's connected with the spiral thing at the top. You just flip over to the next page. I put the picture on the top and have the characters sign where the lines are. I put DIsney wrapping paper over the cover. Hope this makes sense!

 

[quiltymom]

If you want to make it a combination photo/autograph book, then here is what I did (and am going to do this for our next WDW trip). I'll explain at the end.

1. Use the 7x7" Creative Memories Disney album (it's red with Mickey head in bottom corner). DO NOT pre-decorate the pages! Get the Disney snap pack to use later.
2. Remove the binding from the album and leave at home (it will only get munched if kept on while being packed in a backpack, etc.)
3. Have each character use the next avalilable page.
4. If you're going to be there for a few days, or if you are going to collect a lot of autographs and are using a locker, you can remove signed pages and replace with blank ones as needed and won't have a large book to carry around with you the whole trip. Gotta keep your pack light!
5. When you return home, add blank pages in the front and inbetween every signed page. These are used for the title page and for photographs. Decorate with the Snap Pack (no thinking required!) & add photo of your child(ren) & the character.

For my first WDW trip I pre-decorated two entire albums with extra pages, and I was sorry for two reasons: First, we never knew when we were going to see a certain character, so we had to carry the whole darned things with us every day for a week. Second, I always was in a mad scramble to find the correct page at short notice. Not very fun or relaxing!

I was only happy that I did it once: When Mary Poppins saw that I had decorated a page for her, she was so happy. I guess that no one had ever decorated a page for her before and she finally felt like one of the princesses!

So, in future visits I'm doing it easy. And that way I can decorate a page for whoever I got an autograph for and I won't have any blank pages in the albums, either.

Daisy Duck and Alice in Wonderland better be easy to find - they're my only two holdouts (and blank pages!)

I hope this helps!

 

[kc10family]

I bought the 5X7 memory book at JoAnn's Fabric

Bought card stock flash card in I think it was the 8X6 (can't remember) had Staples drill the holes (only took a few minutes)

Then put them in my printer and printed pages from designers on the Creative DISigns board.

I keep everything in ABC order and was able to find things easy and fast. Everyone loved them and I plan to use them as photo albums for my DD's.

Oh, I covered them with Disney Fabric.

Best of luck.

 

[jacobsmommy]

Where did you get the great pics for the autograph pages?? Those look really cool, and since I am on spring break right now that would be a great project for me to put together.

 

[momlady]

I bought two 6x8 books with a chipboard cover and a wide spiral coil at Wal-Mart (scrapbooking section), covered the front with patterned paper, a big character sticker (different one for each kid) and letter stickers that said "________'s Autographs". I attached a super fat black Sharpie marker to the coil with a length of ribbon, popped both into a big ziplock bag to keep them clean, and we were away to the races!

Each autograph was collected on the top of the 2-page spread and I will add the picture on the bottom page.

 

[tlovesdis]

I agree, don't pre-decorate the pages. You don't know which characters you are going to see. Either take blank index cards or the blank pages out of a scrapbook.

I buy the index cards on a spiral at Office Depot and just take that. It's much easier to get ready when you see a character. Make sure to get the larger size index cards though. The bigger the page, the more they sign! When I get home, I buy a scrapbook (usually and 8 x 8) and put the pic on one side and the autograph on the other. I also use stickers and other doo-dahs to decorate.

Here are a few pics of one I did for my niece from out December 2004 trip. This particular one I actually took the blank scrapbook pages (didn't know about the spiral index cards at the time!)

 

[labagit]

I agree, don't pre-decorate the pages. You don't know which characters you are going to see. Either take blank index cards or the blank pages out of a scrapbook.

I buy the index cards on a spiral at Office Depot and just take that. It's much easier to get ready when you see a character. Make sure to get the larger size index cards though. The bigger the page, the more they sign! When I get home, I buy a scrapbook (usually and 8 x 8) and put the pic on one side and the autograph on the other. I also use stickers and other doo-dahs to decorate.

I love your pages! I'm planning on doing something similar with photos on one side and the autographs on the other. I was thinking index cards as well. Do they come larger than 4x6?

Someone else mentioned attaching a fat sharpie. Are these the best pens? I do recall that fatter is better due to their limited dexterity, but I haven't investigated what is out there.

 

[RuthieT]

Just wanted to thank the ones that posted pictures of there autograph books gives me alot of great ideas to go off of for our trip in December! They all turned out great!

 

[familydisney]

Ok...so now I feel like an underachieving mom since my kids' covers are cool, but that's it. I guess I need to step it up!! You guys are obviously more artistic than I am so I will just be content to be jealous!

 

[Leofoenget]

Ok...so now I feel like an underachieving mom since my kids' covers are cool, but that's it. I guess I need to step it up!! You guys are obviously more artistic than I am so I will just be content to be jealous!

Me too. I just went to the Disney Outlet and grabbed an autograph book for $2.49.

Worse than that, last year I got a blank book at the thrift store for 49c....

oh well

 

[kc10family]

Where did you get the great pics for the autograph pages?? Those look really cool, and since I am on spring break right now that would be a great project for me to put together.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=105

These folks like to make designs of all type, just post for autograph page help and see who replies.
You can also do a search for it.

I can tell you my girls enjoyed them a lot.

best of luck in whatever you do, it will be great.

 

[cedarparkgirl]

TLOVESDIS, Your book are amazing! I had found at the dollar store a Mickey Mouse spiral memo pad 3x4 inches and that about letting that be the autograph book. But after seeing your book, I am re-thinking the whole thing. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[huge mickey fan]

You should check out the scrapbooking section of this board. They have some great ideas over there for autograph books. I agree about taking the spiral bound index cards. It worked out great on our last WDW trip in Dec 06. They weren't too bulky to carry around and the cards tore out when we got home to put in the album.

 

[quiltymom]

Someone else mentioned attaching a fat sharpie. Are these the best pens? I do recall that fatter is better due to their limited dexterity, but I haven't investigated what is out there.

I never use Sharpie pens because they are not photo safe or long-term safe on cloth (the chemicals tend to spread after a while). I am a bit biased, but I only use Creative Memories pens (I'm a CM consultant!). They set instantly, are waterproof, and can be used on cloth or paper. I'm also a quilter, and I use them in my signature squares and quilt lables - no heat setting needed to keep them from running.

I just get some of those rubber pencil grips from an office supply store to put on the pens (I use two per pen) so the gloved characters can hold onto them easier.