Military sarabook™
By LeNae Gerig

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It can be hard to explain to a child what happened to a mother, father, grandparent or someone close who is in the military serving our country. Designer LeNae Gerig created this military-themed sarabook™ to help her daughter Lauren understand where her grandfather, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army had gone.

LeNae says: “I selected photos of Lauren with her grandfather and used the book as a way to comfort her by focusing on the positive and not overwhelming or scaring her with too much information.”

Supplies:

• sarabooks™ 5”x7” Rectangle Blank Book
• sarabooks™ Emerald Fibers & Key
• Paper Pizazz® New Military Papers
• Paper Pizazz® Light Cardstock Collection
• Paper Pizazz® Black Cardstock Collection
• Paper Pizazz® Altered Book Treasures
• Paper Pizazz® Words Embossed Paper Tags
• Cardmaker’s™ Antique & Pewter Mini Brads
• Impress Set and Hammer
• U.S. Army Honor Badge
• 1/4” and 1/16” hole punches
• Black Permapaque Pen: Sakura
• Mini Glue Dots™
• glue stick

Instructions:

For the Covers:
Apply glue to one side of the blank book cover. Place the camouflage paper over the cover and smooth out any bubbles. Trim the paper, leaving 3/4” around the edges of the cover. Add glue to the edges of the paper and miter the covers. Fold the paper edges over the inside of the cover. Repeat for the back cover. Use the 1/4” hole punch to repunch the holes on the covers.

Cut two pieces of tan cardstock 1/8” smaller than the covers. Glue the cardstock to the inside front and back covers as a liner. Repunch holes in covers again. Tear a 1 1/2” wide strip of tan cardstock and glue a length to one side of each cover, over the binding holes. Trim the paper even with the cover sides. Repunch the holes again.

Computer journal as shown on sage cardstock, leaving space between the lines for the seal. Crop into a rectangle as shown and mat with both tan and black cardstock. Adhere the seal and punch 1/16” holes in the top corners of the journaling block. Insert the brads and use Mini Glue Dots™ to add to the cover as shown.

Inside Pages:
Apply glue to the blank pages, making sure the edges and the area near the holes are well coated. Smooth the patterned paper over the page blank and smooth out any air bubbles. Trim the paper even with the page sides. Repunch the holes before covering the other side of the page, then repunch again.

Computer journal on paper or cardstock, mat and add to the pages with matted photos, embossed charms, etc.

For the Dog Tag:
Place the tag on a cutting mat and firmly hammer each letter onto the metal with the Impress Set. Apply ink from the pen directly onto the metal over the letters and wipe away before it has time to set, allowing it to sink into the impressed letters. Use a length of excess fiber to tie the tag to the binding as shown. Use a Mini Glue Dot™ to secure.

Binding the Book:
Cut three 9” lengths of 5 different fibers. Hold groups of five fibers together and thread through the holes of back cover, inside pages and top cover. Tie in an overhand knot. Slide the knot closer to the side of the book and the hole. Repeat for other two holes and trim the fiber ends to 2 1/2” to 3” long.

LeNae Gerig is a talented paper crafter, scrapbooker and cardmaker for Hot Off The Press and the Paper Wishes catalog. LeNae loves to make handmade books using the sarabooks™ blank books and fibers.