Preschool Graduation and tutorial

Yes! Even the five year olds graduate from pre-school. I wasn't prepared either. I knew that I had to get something done, a card, and something bought, a gift for the graduate, but life just got in the way! I knew that i was not going to give her the usual cap/diploma card. she needed something girly and pink to catch her eye! Come Sunday morning, I'm like what am I gonna do for this wee one, my grand daughter? I had printed out three of the images on one piece of cs, so I began coloring. practice on one, persevere on the other and so on. I was trying to get highlights in the brown hair and it just wouldn't work for me. then her two favorite colors - pink and purple. oh, wait what about the little sister, she's three and doesn't understand why she doesn't get what her sister gets, so the practice image became the little one's card.

The gift? Well, she spends the day with me on Mondays so...her favorite thing to do with Mims is to go to Target and shop! So give her a budget, stick to it and she's the happiest little camper/princess in town. She knew what she wanted when she walked in the door this morning!
Back to Sunday, I had to give them both a little something with their cards and I had just the thing. They both love to color and I made them both coloring books with the digital images from my computer. I printed them out cut them into 4 1/4 " by 3 1/2" sheets and made covers for them. did I get pics.....no. both books were here today and life just got in the way...I forgot to take photos. well, let me tell you they were the biggest hits for both the girls. Today, Lily came by after school , she's three, and had made a pocket on her card behind the ribbon and it was holding her pencil. She thought that all up by herself, too!
they are so cute and adorable with those coloring books!

 Tutorial

Staple the pages/sheets of images together. Turn it over and smash down those staples til they are sorta flat. I added sticky tape across backs of the pages where the staples were and it's ready to adhere to the inside back cover. Cut a piece of cs 9 1/4" by 3 3/4" score at 4 1/2" turn 180 degrees and score again at 4 1/2" that will leave one quarter inch space that will be the 'spine' at the top of your coloring book. Fold on score lines and you will have the beginning of your book that opens at the top for the color sheets. Decorate for your little princess or knight in shining armor. Boys love to color, too!
Here's two pics one with the measurements, score and fold lines, the back of the color sheets with staples and sticky tape,and the one that i just now made up since I don't have the 'real' ones here. It's a great thing to put a pic of the child on his/her own coloring book when they are young and cannot read. This way they know which one is theirs.
The white piece of paper says, " Backside of images with sticky tape covering the staples."

 

You know what ? I decided that i did not want Her pic up here. the hair went up on the back of my neck and that means...don't do it! You know how you have to follow that instinct. I just brushed her face right out!!! Sorry! she's just too cute to put out there!!!! I'll get pics of their books when they come to visit on Wednesday and put them up. they are way cuter than what I have thrown together for this tuut.

Thanks for coming by!

Hope you enjoyed my little coloring book tutorial!

The image is a freebie from Michelle Perkett called, "Goldilocks" and you can find her at the brand new ning site called Crafter's Digital Art Center. head on over there and go to challenges and scroll through for all the freebies that are available. there are several featured groups (25 to be exact at present) there and many have offered free digital images.