A do-it-yourself or DIY guest book, can be a great way to save money, show some creativity, and create a memorable guest book that the recipient will truly enjoy. As with any DIY project, the guest book can be as simple or extravagant as the creator desires. The best tips for creating a DIY guest book include setting a budget, planning the design, and experimenting with different ideas to make the book truly original.
Setting a budget for a DIY guest book project is important because crafting supplies can vary significantly in price. With everything from inexpensive crafting scissors to fancy machines that do the cutting themselves, it can be easy to overspend. Even those on the smallest budget can create the perfect guest book with little more than a notebook, a few scraps of paper, and an imagination.
Coming up with an overall theme for the guest book should go along with creating a budget, as one determines the other in many cases. A minimalist approach to design is easiest on the budget and allows the guest signatures or messages to take the spotlight. Those who wish to create a fancier design should consider keeping the actual pages of the book somewhat plain and instead focusing the embellishments on the cover of the book.
The theme should reflect both the event itself and the personality of the recipient. For example, many wedding-themed guest books are white and feature a significant amount of frilly lace. If the recipient is not fond of frilly themes, a DIY guest book can be created using the colors of the wedding party instead while still featuring customary wedding themes, such as a bride and groom holding hands or a pair of wedding bands.
For those who want to create something more original than a standard signature book, asking guests to answer a specific question related to the recipient can be a good way to provide a fun experience to both the guests and the recipient. For example, a graduation-themed DIY guest book may ask guests to share a favorite school-related memory, while a guest book designed for a baby shower may request tips for the new parents.
The actual book itself can be made using a variety of paper products. Plain-colored scrapbooks filled with different colors of paper are a good option for those on a tight budget, and the cover can be customized with stickers, paint, photos, or any other types of embellishments. Even an empty journal can act as a base for the book design. The main goal of the DIY guest book is to reflect the style of the recipient. As long as that goal is achieved, the book itself can be made using just about any material that can be written on.