Clamshell Box from Game Board $1
Materials needed:
Game board (I scored all of my boards for $1 at D.I.)
Hot glue gun
X-acto knife
Straight edge
Cutting mat
Extra game cards, game money, playing pieces
Flat super-strength adhesive magnets (only if you want the box to snap shut)
Printable tutorial here.
During my third year at BYU I took Bookbinding from Chris McAfee, possibly the world's coolest teacher. Our final project was a clamshell box. I sliced the tip of my middle finger off with an x-acto knife the day before it was due and fainted. Then I had to go to the Campus Health Center to get it sewn back on. My hand was all bandaged up and Chris took pity on me and said, "I'll give you an A...just finish your box someday." I'd like to think of this project as some sort of redemption on my end for the free A I was graciously given.
I make these to use as birthday gifts for my daughter's friends. We fill them with goodies and so far they have been a hit. I like odd boards from games I've never heard of as well as the classic boards I grew up with. If I can ever get my paws on a vintage Candy Land I might die of delight. The games were so much better when I was a kid. Just sayin'.
Birthdays, Board Games, Kids
Reader Comments (3)
I remember you taking a bookbinding class! I was totally jealous, admiring one of your hand stitched books. I STILL would like to learn. Love the blog!
Mary, everything you could want to learn is on the internet. I had to google "coptic stitch binding" to finish a book for my parents (b/c I couldn't remember how to do it) and no less than 15 videos came up with easy-to-follow instructions. There are also really good books available on Amazon on basic bookbinding. I suspect one of your six boys will have an interest in it someday! Maybe I can bind a Thai recipe book for you?
Those are awesome! So cute. And the games look like they were in pretty good shape when you got them at D.I.