Disney Diva's Favorite Things

#6: The Disney Diva creates her own custom autograph book

- by Kristin T. Scroggin, December 9, 2010

Share

Custom Autograph Books

The first time my son went to Walt Disney world we - like most parents - bought him an autograph book. I mean, who is more famous than Mickey Mouse? Of COURSE your kids want to get autographs.

So, after my son collected all these autographs, I looked at that little book and thought, "Now what the heck am I supposed to do with it"?

What I did was destroy the book by pulling out the autographs and putting them into a scrapbook so there's actually a chance of us looking at them again.

The next time I went to Disney World I got smart and made a combination autograph book and photo album - something my kids would actually LOOK at when we got back home. They both keep their books in their rooms and I often catch them looking at the books during 'nap time'.

How do I make one, Disney Diva? I thought you'd never ask!

You only need a few things:

click an image to expand:

Custom autograph book: raw materials

Custom autograph book: sample page

Custom autograph book: final product

1. A slim clipboard storage case. You can find them at Staples or Office Max or any other office supply store. DON'T get a regular clipboard. You want a clipboard storage case because not only will it hold your autograph papers (keeping them dry and crinkle-free) but it will also hold two Sharpies and fit quite nicely into a backpack.
2. 4x6 index cards, cardstock, or scrapbook paper. Cut anything not an index card to 4x6 size. If you get scrapbook paper, make sure it doesn't have a pattern - otherwise, your autographs won't show up very well. Use different color cards or paper to spice up your book even more.
3. Sharpie markers. Black sharpies are important because Disney characters have a hard time holding little pens. Sharpies show up REALLY well on paper and their points don't tear the paper as ball-point pens can do.
4. A photo album that holds 2 4x6 photos per page. Go as fancy or as plain as you like. You can find suitable photo albums anywhere: from the dollar store to the hobby shop, or look on-line for albums with a Disney theme. The key is that the album must hold TWO 4x6 pictures per page.

Now all you need are autographs. As you're getting them, make sure that your 'character celebrities' always sign their names horizontally, not vertically, and remember to always take HORIZONTAL pictures of the characters - otherwise, you'll experience some weird head-tilting while reading your autograph book.

And... voila! A memory book - photobook - autograph book all-in-one!

Don't stop there! Check out more Disney Diva's Favorite Things...