Question About Autograph books

[FairyAuntMother]

Hi Everyone!

I'm just getting started on my very own version of some of the wonderful custom autograph books you folks have posted pictures of.

Just started my first page and I already have a question. For the costumed characters (i.e. Mickey & Friends) how large should I make the "autograph section" of the page. I'm thinking to have a white square for each character to sign on each page but wasn't sure how large I need to make it in order for them to sign the book without too much difficulty. I love the idea of the custom autograph books - I just don't want them to be too much of a bother to the characters who need to sign them.

The books I'm making are 6x6. I'm adding stickers and other embellishment pertaining to each character. Would a 4x4 square work? How about a 3x3?

Sorry this is so long . . . I tend to babble at times. LOL!

 

[huge mickey fan]

I used 4 x 6 index cards from the office supply store. I would think 4 x 4 or smaller would be hard for the costume characters to sign on. It is hard for them to hold small paper or pens. We used colored sharpies and it seemed to work out great.

 

[FairyAuntMother]

Hi, thanks for the input!

So, you use the 4x6 index cards just for the "sign here" (lol!) part of the page? Or, is that the size of the entire page?

I went with a 6x6 book size, most of the center of the page is available space for the autographs. I'm hoping that works. I'd hate to start over.

What size autograph books to most of you folks use when you make the custom ones? I'm beginning to think I'm more confused than I originally thought.

Any input is much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[huge mickey fan]

I bought a spiral bound 4 x 6 index card book from the local office supply store. Then while at the parks I had the characters sign the blank side. I used a paper clip to keep my place so I didn't have to flip through the book every time. Then when I got home I removed the autograph and and put in the book. I put the picture on the left page and the autograph on the right. My book was 8 x 8 but I would think a 6 x 6 would work just fine. The index cards and sharpies fit nicely in my waist pack so there was nothing to really carry around. Hope this helps.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I've done as small as 4x4 but it was harder for gloved characters. If you are just having them sign the 6x6 page itself then you are fine. Just keep in mind that the characters like to fill up what ever space you give them. You could just decorate the edges of the 6x6 page and they will fill in the rest. If you want to do tags the I would go with the 4x6 cards then you have more flexibility as to placement of the autograph.

I also used the colored click-it sharpies and tried to match the characters colors. It looked great! I put everything in a ziploc bag to keep them from getting wet and had a separate bag in the room to put the signed cards in every night.

I also made an altered clipboard for the characters to use. The only one that had trouble with it was Eeyore. He needed something larger to get it up over his nose.

 

[FairyAuntMother]

THANKS!!

Now I've got the idea! LOL! You guys are really VERY HELPFUL. This is my first attempt at a personal autograph book so I wanted to get it right.

I've got the 6x6 pages with basically just the borders decorated with a big white cardstock space in the middle. I think those will work fine. Even if they strayed off the white space a bit I think that would be fine as well.

My 6x6 book is one of the chipboard books on rings that you decorate. The book flips very easily and makes a nice sturdy surface for the characters to sign on.

I really like the idea of matching the sharpies. Do those "click-it" sharpies come in a "fat" version. I've only seen the regular pen size type. I always thought the characters needed a fat pen to use.

 

[mommy2mrb]

we always use the "click" sharpies, they don't have a problem with them, its the regular ink pens that are too skinny.......sounds like your book will be great, I did one similar for my DD on our '05 WDW/DCL trip and was fine for all the gloved characters.

it will be a great gift and my DD still looks at her's all the time.

Lisa

 

[huge mickey fan]

We also matched the color to the character. I was thinking my sister and I were total geeks for doing that. I am glad to see we aren't alone!!!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

We also matched the color to the character. I was thinking my sister and I were total geeks for doing that. I am glad to see we aren't alone!!!

nope you're not alone, the coolest part for that was the Step Mother and the Step sisters from Cinderella. I matched their dresses, Anastasia was quite impressed. LOL
Here's a pic:

 

[SalandJeff]

How old are your children....my dd will have just turned 4 when we go in October and I am thinking she is too young to understand the autograph thing. Maybe I should do a little book for her with just the pictures of her with the characters. What do you think????

 

[SalandJeff]

Sorry ....posted twice!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

my kids are 10, 6, 5, and 1. We did autographs on our very first trip when DS5 was only 2, he totally got it and still likes to look at the books. Sometimes the characters will write little notes too. The boys have dog tags that they wear with our phone # and Pluto wrote that he loved our tags.

You can skip it too though, we skip the ones we already have and just have our pics taken.

 

[missesdisney]

How old are your children....my dd will have just turned 4 when we go in October and I am thinking she is too young to understand the autograph thing. Maybe I should do a little book for her with just the pictures of her with the characters. What do you think????

Oh no - not too young at all. We held out on autographs until my son was just past 4 thinking we were getting away with something and once we did it we were kicking ourselves for not doing it sooner. He was totally enthralled and at 6 still is.

I made personalized pages on the computer and cut them down to a 4x6 size with borders and inside was a graphic and a name too so the space was significantly smaller. I left about an inch at the top of them and used a rollabind to put them together. I sorted them alphabetically and some had two on a page and the gloved guys had no trouble with the click sharpies. When we got home we put each autograph and corresponding photo into an 8 1/2 x11 album and my son helped decorate arond it.

I have some pictures but shutterfly is not cooperating - if you pm me I"ll email to you until i figure it out if you are interested in seeing the actual sizes.

Maria