Rotating Star Book

 

(I first came across this book through Scrapbookers Anonymous and More who called it a Kaleidoscope Album and then I found other videos on You Tube who called it a Rotating Star Book.) This is an amalgam of both.

Video: Rotating Star Book - Materials

Materials Needed

•          Paper

o   2 pieces of 8.5” x 11” paper in four different colours or you can use two solid colours and two eco printed papers/gelli printed/specialty papers.  The paper will display better if your eco prints/gelli prints/specialty papers are double sided.

o   2 pieces of eco-dyed/gelli printed paper for the cover decoration that are at least 4” x 4”

•         4 pieces of cardboard that are 2.75” x 2.75” 
•         Adhesive – glue stick or tacky glue, packing tape
•         Small, thin, magnets (I will have some available)

•         Thin ribbon for tie closure
•         Tools

o   Bone folder

o   Cutting tools – you are going to be precutting a lot of this at home

o   Scoring tool – anything pointy but not too sharp will work (tapestry needle in a cork would work)

o   Ruler

o   Cutting mat

 

Assembly

Video: Making the Sections

Making the Sections

1.  The easiest way to start is to do your scoring first.  With the short end of your 8.5” paper facing up, score down the length of the paper at .5”, 1.75”, 3” and 5.75”.  Do this with all four colours of paper.  That would be 8 sheets of paper in total.

 

 

 

2.  The next step is to turn the paper sideways and to cut it into 4 pieces.  Each piece will be 2.75” wide.  You need to have 6 pieces of each colour or pattern. Note:  you will have extra paper of each colour (save these in case you make any mistakes)

3.   After the paper is cut, you will fold each section.  The .5” tab is folded back and the 1.75” sections are folded into a V, the larger section is folded around the back to meet the tab, where the adhesive will be placed.

4.   I find it is very useful to put the folded sections under weight for a while.  They can be very bouncy when first folded.  The flatter they are before assembly; the better assembly goes.

5.   I put a strip of double-sided tape on the tab and then adhere the larger flap.

6.   When you are finished you will have a section that has a fold on one side and a V on the other.

 

 

Video: Adhering the Sections

Putting Them Together

1.    If your sections have an obvious top and bottom, make sure that you arrange them in that order as you stack them, ready for gluing.  Put them in four colour coordinated piles, folds pointing up, all oriented properly and in order so that you won’t paste any in upside down or out of order if you are working with text) (If you’re not confident about the text – you can always glue it in after the book is assembled)

2.   Place the first section with the fold to the LEFT.  Put glue on the entire surface and place the second section (next colour) with the fold facing the TOP. Rub it down well. Turn the glued pieces one quarter turn to the LEFT. (the fold will now be on the left)

3.   Put glue on the surface and place the third section (colour) with the fold facing the TOP. Rub it down well. Turn the glued pieces one quarter turn to the LEFT. 

4.   Put glue on the surface and place the fourth section (colour) with the fold facing the TOP. Rub it down well. Turn the glued pieces one quarter turn to the LEFT.

5.   You have now completed one colour change.  You need to repeat these steps until all remaining pieces have been used.  The most important step to remember is the quarter turn to the LEFT.  This is what will allow the book to rotate properly, and it is also the easiest step to forget.

Video: Creating the Cover

Video - Getting Better at the Cover

Creating the Cover

1.     You will need two pieces of 2.75” x 2.75” cardboard for each cover.  One piece of cardboard will have holes cut out slightly larger than the size of the magnets (this is to allow them to be inset into the cover of the book and covered with decorative paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.   The magnets are adhered (I used clear packing tape) to the bottom piece of cardboard and the second piece of cardboard is glued on top.  A mark is made to indicate top and bottom and Left and Right (so we can get the polarity of the magnets on the other cover right) 

3.   The cover for the other side is made in the same way.  You will want to make sure that you line up the magnets on the second cover so that the polarity of the magnets attracts. It’s not a problem if you take the time to make sure that all the magnets on the first cover are glued with the polarity in the same direction (but they can be jumpy things and accidents do happen)

4.   Once you are sure that your covers will attract, it’s time to cover them in decorative paper.  The decorative paper covers the magnets, and the plain cardboard is the surface that will be glued to your book.

5.   Put your adhesive (I used glue stick) around the magnet area and place the cardboard on the paper.  Miter the corners and glue. 

 

6.     Before attaching to the book, you may want to add a length of thin ribbon to the back cover to keep the book closed when not on display.  It will wrap around to the front and tie.  Place the ribbon along the middle of the cardboard before attaching it to the back of the book. 

7.   After attaching the covers, place under weight until the glue dries.