Today I'd like to share a new project I just completed - it is a star book A star book is a type of accordion book. Each page has multiple layers that vary in length and thus form a multi-layered star when the book is open and the covers are placed back to back. This book features the Graphic 45 Secret Garden paper collection. I used both the 12x12 and 8x8 pads to create the project. The project also features Spellbinders Shapeabilities dies - four of the pages have a panel created from one of these dies using a special cutting technique to create a mirror image or extended diecut panel. I videoed the construction of the book as I went along, so if you are interested in making this project yourself you can use those videos as a guide. More on that at the end of the post. Cover The cover is very simple- just the feature sheet from the 8x8 pad. I kept this very simple and flat so the star book would stand open properly Page 1: Blue Roses Background - “Seed Fairy” Panel 2 – Blue diecut Inset- Spellbinders “Butterfly Garden” die framed with “April Showers” Panel 1 – Frame “Coming Up Roses”, accented with fussy-cut roses from “May Flowers” cut-aparts Page 2: Flower Fairies Background - “April Showers” Panel 2 – Purple diecut Inset - Spellbinders “Grateful Lattice” die framed with “Sun Kissed” Panel 1 – Frame “Coming Up Roses”. Scene created with Tim Holtz “Brick Wall”, grass with Poppy Stamps “Grassland Border”, Flowers and Fairies fussy cut from “May Flowers”. The top border was cut using Spellbinders “Gilded Life- Petite Monarch” and the bottom of the panel has a fussy cut strip from “Posy Patch” with some additional flowers. Page 3: Fence & Flowers Background - “Posy Patch” Panel 2 – Collage created from top of “Secret Garden” paper with fussy cut girl from “May Flowers” cut-aparts Panel 1 – Fence from “Secret Garden” Page 4: Beautiful Blooms Background - “Sun Kissed” Panel 2 – Cream diecut Inset - Spellbinders “Basic Lattice” die framed with “Coming Up Roses”. The lattice was decorated with flowers fussy cut from cut-aparts and other flowers Panel 1 – Frame from “Beautiful Blooms” Page 5 - Leafy Treetops Background - “Leafy Treetops” Panel 2 – Green diecut Inset - Spellbinders “Botanical Swirls” die framed with “Pretty Primrose” Panel 1 – “Leafy Treetops” Diecut Panels Each of the diecut panels was created using a Spellbinders Shapeabilities die cut twice to create either a mirror image (Butterfly Garden, Botanical Swirls) or an extended design (Graceful Lattice, Basic Lattice). If you are interested in how these diecuts were created, I made a YouTube video explaining the technique. Construction The panels for each page have hinges to connect them. The three-panel set was then attached to a green cardstock back panel. The five pages were connected together with cardstock hinges at the front edges. There is a set of videos detailing the construction, and also a construction guide which lists the papers needed and some of the cutting dimensions. Links to Videos: Intro to Construction Part 1 - Blue Roses Page Part 2 - Leafy Treetops Page Part 3 - Flower Fairies Page Part 4 - Beautiful Blooms Page Part 5 - Fence And Flowers Page Part 6 - Assembling the Pages Part 7 - Covers and Book Assembly, Part 8 - Optional Belly Band Closure Bonus Video - Making Mirrored Diecut Panels Link to Construction Guide on Dropbox. Completed Project There is also a YouTube video if you would like to take a tour of the completed project and see the pages in more detail and the project in three dimensions.