Valentine Booklets

We're making little Valentine booklets instead of cards this year. I assembled the booklets and the kids will draw and put stickers inside. The middle one is a paper booklet inside a felt book-cover. They all measure about 3"x3" and are sewing machine-stitched together instead of stapled (partly for fun and partly for safety of little fingers and mouths-not that kids will be eating these, but with small children things get played with and pulled apart and scattered all over the house and eventually end up in the mouth of the baby).

Basic instructions for paper booklets:
1. Cut 3"x6" strips of colored cardstock. (Paper cutter is probably easiest).
2. Mix and match up exterior and interior pages. (I used one sheet inside, one out).
3. Fold and crease down the middle. (Do not score).
4. Place the outside of the booklet face-up and straight-stitch the crease with coordinating thread.
5. Cut simple shapes and glue onto the front or cut through the front to reveal interior.
6. Write messages and decorate inside.

For the felt booklet cover:
1. Cut your felt piece 11"x3".
2. Lay it out horizontally and fold each end over 2 1/2". Pin in place. It should measure 6" long now.
3. Starting at the base of the "spine," stitch all the way around the felt rectangle, ending where you began.
4. Remeasure your booklet from the inside of the stitching and cut pieces of paper to fit. My paper pages measured about 5 1/2"x2 1/2". I cut three pieces. (Two pages end up hidden inside the pockets of the booklet cover and the other 4 are free for decorating).
5. Fold and crease your pages. Do not score.
6. You can stitch through the middle of your paper pages before you insert it into the felt cover or insert the pages then stitch through the felt and paper together. For this one, place the interior side face-up. (I stitched through the whole thing since I liked the extra security and the appearance).
7. Finally, you can cut and glue designs to the front. (If you want yours stitched to the front, you need to do that right after you cut out your felt piece, before you fold the ends over).