Making miniature doll books is such an easy thing to do…so let’s get started.
The ones I’m showing you today are just flat fronts with no pages…see I told you it would be easy.
The easiest way to find books you’d like to make for your doll is to use your computer and google “children’s books” and then hit “images” at the top of the screen. It will bring up thousands of pictures of books to look at. If you wanted a certain theme…say Winne the Pooh or Mermaids or puppies, just add that in your book search.
I just typed in children’s books so it looked something like this…
Click on the book or books you’d like to save and save your image with a name…I saved mine as Nyssa’s school books. (If you have magazines with pictures of books, you can also use them.)
I used Picasa 3 to print mine out using the “wallet” layout for the size. I could print up to 9 books if I wanted. I did all three that I made for Nyssa at one time.
You can print more than one on a sheet of paper, but I did these separately.
Then cut them out the way I have…
I already had some 1/8″ chipboard pieces cut in wallet size shapes…
…but if you don’t happen to have any chipboard, use your paper cutout and trace the size of your book onto a piece of cardboard…then cut it out.
Match up your cardboard with all your book fronts.
Then use glue on the backside of the paper or the cardboard all the way to the edges and stick them carefully in place. Turn them over with the picture facing down onto a hard surface and press with your fingers so the glue gets in all the corners…then wipe any glue off that oozes out…
Almost done…now you just need to use some clear shipping tape to cover them…this is the tape I use…
Use a piece of tape that is wide enough to go across the front of your book and wrap around to the backside…line your tape up at the top and lay it across your book front…try to keep your fingerprints off of the sticky side of the middle section of your tape…
Then do the bottom half of the book…
Now, look at what you have made… some dolly books! :o) Wasn’t that easy?
You can make them thicker if you want by stacking your cardboard pieces together… you can add a bookmark hanging out the top edge of your book… you can cover them with fabric if you like, just use the same steps, making your fabric a little wider so you can wrap it around the back. You could add a ribbon down the spine of the book if you wanted a thicker book using stacked cardboard. There are lots of things you can do to personalize your dolls books. Have fun!
NOW FOR A BONUS:
Marilyn sent me a link to a sweet book that you can put together… you’ll just need to click on this link and it will appear… print it out and put it together for your dolls…I made one to show you…
Cut the pieces out…but leave the left 1/8″ edge on the paper.
Then using a glue stick glue the sheets together just along that 1/8″ section…
Next fold your book cover in half, matching up the edges…and slide the pages in till they hit the fold…glue them in place just along the 1/8″ section…they will be sticking out on the right side…
Close the book and trim off the edges of the paper…by leaving that extra 1/8″ at the spine of the book, it actually allows more of your paper to show and not be glued down in the middle.
See?
…and here is your new composition notebook..
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, that doesn’t seem hard at all, and yet you have such cute accessories! I was thinking you’d have to photocopy and then reduce some real books. This is much easier!!
I love the little composition book, too. Thanks, Marilyn, for sharing the link!
Hi Marilyn,
See, I told you it would be easy!
Have fun if you make one!!
Blessings, Jeanne
What a great way to make books for our dolls, Jeanne! I am wondering if you need to add Picasa on the computer, or if it is already there. I know just about nothing concerning computers, as you can see! Michael does it all for me! However, when I bought a bunch of those mini AG dolls, they each came with a tiny book that works for the dolls, plus I have a lot of books from their nighttime sets, so I am good with storybooks. It’s schoolbooks I need!
Since I had the instructions Marilyn sent, I went ahead and made 5 composition books, but used a stapler instead. It worked out fine, but the part with the holes that are supposed to be for a 3 ring binder are not showing, which is fine with me! I am left handed and those binders were the absolute pits to write on, unless you took out the paper!
I too, thank Marilyn for the link!
Hi Linda,
Picasa 3 is
A photo editing program that is free for anyone to download. You can resize, add color, make your pictures black and white, add a frame, fuzzy the edges, plus a whole lot more. It’s kind of like a simple photo shop.
Glad you enjoyed making some books already!
Blessings, Jeanne
Thanks for sharing that! What a great project. It looks like something I can handle since my talents lay elsewhere! Lol! Certainly not in sewing for me but these types of projects look fairly manageable.
Thank you Jeanne and Marilyn.
Have a great day everyone!
Hi Paula,
I hope you give the books a try…they are pretty fun to make.
Thanks Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
Last year when I was preparing my school room scenario I went on line and found things like composition books, and other school supplies. I really had no idea there was a composition book that I could make. The composition books were hardest to find. I will definitely be making a few of these in the future. Thanks, Marilyn.
I bought several “novels” online for my dolls too, and now after I did that I discovered that there are ways of making them yourself. I think you showed us once before how to do these books, but it was after I had bought mine. When I need more, I will do this. Thanks, Jeanne.
Hi Barbara,
Yes, now you can make your own composition books! Maybe your grand kids might like to make them too…
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you Jeanne and Marilyn. Book props add so much to scenes.
I like to make magazines for my dolls. Most people magazines have a mini photo inside of the front cover or even issues from the past. I cut those out and find something else appealing in the magazine and glue them to a folded piece of card stock cut to size. You can add pages inside too. Just photos, Elmer’s glue, and card stock. It is fun putting one on the nightstand or coffee table for the dolls to peruse. And it is also fun to make a few DVD’s or TV remotes too. Again, cut out some DVD photos from a magazine or the Target newspaper flyer and glue them to stacked cardboard. I use cereal boxes as it is easy to cut/shape. For a remote, I Googled and found some I liked. Printed them out and glued to stacked cardboard. To cover the remote edges, I use black permanent marker. I’ve never tried covering them with clear tape, but that is a good idea too. My dollies love having a remote as well as lots of DVD choices. 🙂
For vintage school books, I’ve found some great covers through Google. I even went so far as to copy my old 4th Grade Social Studies book cover and reduce it to dolly size. Fun.
Thanks Jeanne. This gives me inspiration to switch out my old printer. 🙂
Hi Joy,
So glad you enjoyed today’s post.
I think YOU gave us lots of inspiration on things to make for our dolls!! Thanks for all your ideas!
Blessings, Jeanne
To see more about the Virtual Doll Convention and future activities, just Google Virtual Doll Convention. It comes right up with several variations. Here’s the gift shop link https://www.virtualdollconvention.com/vdcgiftshop
which features $600 dolls as well complete freebies, as well as things you may not have thought of, like a doll clothes ironing board.
hi Marilyn
I just looked at ALL the items and enjoyed it very much.
I have to say the third pic down…that Jumeau doll is exquisite…such a pretty face.
Thanks for sharing this with us…
Blessings, Jeanne
How fun! What a great little
All your accessories are so cute with your dresses Jeanne
Thank you for the ready to print book Marilyn!
Hi Kathie,
I think making little things for your dolls is such a fun thing to do….just like making doll shoes !! :o)
Thanks Kathie
Blessings, Jeanne
Thanks Jeanne that was so informative. I will share it with Sam as this is right up her street. She’ll love your ideas and Joy’s suggestions too.
Hi Anne,
I hope Sam gives the books a try… they are a fun little project that doesnt take much time.
Blessings, Jeanne
What an easy way to make a variety if you don’t care about inside writing. Those are perfect for just lying on a table. BTW, where can you find some that do have a few pages of inside writing? I ‘m searching for some additional school books as well for Samantha, Civil War era, and 1930’s era. The little composition book is really cute also. Thank you for the link, Marilyn!
Hi Laura,
I’m sure there are some pages of books that you could copy… I’ll keep my eyes open for some…
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
The little composition book is on the Pixie Faire website. There are patterns also. I need to buy a new printer as mine has not been functional for too long. Thanks for reminding me of Picasa. For some reason it disappeared years ago for a while but I think it’s the best. I’ll download it again. The little books are darling.
Hi Susette,
I like Picasa too as it’s just techy enough for me, but not too much. I like how simple it is to use too.
I wonder how many people made little books today?? :o)
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne