Look ma, I made it all by myself!!!

Here is what I came up with for Kay's first Mother's Day as a grandma. Truth be told, she owns a store-bought "brag book" a friend gave to her after Wee One's birth, but come on, this has so much more personality!

I'll show you how I made it, but feel free to make it your own.

INGREDIENTS:

-two pieces fabric cut 9"x 12"

-two pieces fabric cut 8"x 11"

-two page protectors

-thread

-Scotch tape

-pen or pencil

-sewing machine

-iron

*The version I made has room for six 4"x 6" photos. If you want to add more photos, you can add another "page" which will require two more 8"x 11" pieces of fabric and one more page protector.

**This is a good project for some leftover pieces of fabric; they can all be different prints or colors.

STEP ONE: Cut and press fabric flat. Cut two rectangles 7"x 5" throug BOTH layers of one page protector and a third from the other page protector, giving you a total of six rectangles.

STEP TWO: Place two rectangles on the right side of each of the 8"x 11" fabric pieces, one centered above center and one centered below center. Be sure to leave space at center without any plastic as you want this to be the fold or "binding" area of your book. Tape the pieces along one short end to help them stay in place; you will leave this end open to insert your photo.
STEP THREE: Sew around the three sides of each page protector rectangle without tape, allowing for a 1/4" seam. This ensures your photo will fit inside and will let more of the fabric peek through as a border. Remove the tape and trim any excess page protector to 1/4" or so.

STEP FOUR: Place the two 8"x 11" fabric sheets right sides together and pin in place. Try to line up the center of each piece where the binding will fall to ensure no plastic page protector will be caught in the binding. Sew a 1/2" seam around three sides, leaving the fourth (the one that will be the bottom) open for turning. Trim corners and turn. Fold the raw edges of the bottom edge inwards and sew as close to edge as possible. Set aside.

STEP FIVE: Place your 9"x 12" inner lining piece right side up. Take the last two 7"x 5" page protector pieces and center them on the fabric. This fabric piece is larger and you will want the extra space to occur around the outer edges and want the same distance around the center "binding" as the 8"x 11" pieces you just sewed, so when your book is closed the sheet protector pieces are all in the same general place and the center is free of any plastic, ensuring it will close flat. Tape the sheet protector pieces in place and sew a seam 1/4" along the other three sides for each sheet protector piece. Remove the tape and trim the plastic.

STEP SIX: Place the 9"x 12" outer fabric piece and 9"x 12" inner lining piece with right sides together. Pin and sew 1/2" from edge along three sides, leaving the bottom open for turning. Trim corners and turn. Fold bottom raw edges inwards about 1/2", then sew 1/4" from edge and continue this top stitching along the other three sides as well.

STEP SEVEN: Center your smaller "page" into your "cover"; I did not make sure all my photo openings went the same way so they don't; you may want to do this. Once centered together, sew the "page" onto the "cover" down the center across the width along it's "spine."

STEP EIGHT: Slip some photos in and give to someone you love!

Happy Mother's Day Crafting to ALL (and to all a good night....)