Materials:
Scor-it Board
Papers - Sanook Paper Company, division of Janlynn Corp.
White lightweight paper (for stamping fortunes)
Ruler, craft knife, cutting mat (or paper cutter)
Fortune cookie rubber stamps (Judi Kauffman for Red Castle, Inc.,)
Nick Bantock Collection “Damson Plum” ink pad from Ranger
Paper strip (6” x 40” or in the size desired)
Heavy cardboard (two pieces measuring .25” larger than the folded pages)
Fibers, “Rain Forest” from Hand-Dyed Hobbies
Asian coin reproductions from Sulyn Industries
Asian message stickers from Design Originals
UHU Glue Stick
Glossy Accents from Ranger
Small coin envelopes- 
The Scor-it Board makes accordion books so easy that you may find yourself creating them for all sorts of occasions. If you leave the inside blank as a journal, you can make a unique gift in under an hour. Add photos for a memory book. Fill the pages with messages from a group of friends as a gift for a bridal shower, anniversary, or farewell party. Sprinkle with envelopes and pockets to hold memorabilia. The sky’s the limit.
The materials list for the Good Fortune Accordion Book gives the specifics about whose stickers, coins, rubber stamps, papers, and fibers I used, but the instructions are generic - written so that you can customize the book to the theme and supplies you choose and make a book in any size with any number of pages!
Instructions:
- Score and accordion fold strip for inside pages. Remember to flip the paper between scoring lines to create MOUNTAIN and VALLEY folds (see tip in the general directions).
- Cut two pieces of heavy cardboard for covers, .25” larger on all sides than the folded pages.
Glue background paper to the covers, wrapping extra paper around the edges and at least .5” onto the reverse side.
- Glue the first and last pages of the book to the inside of the front and back covers. Open the book so it is flat while you are working on the pages.
Glue an envelope to every other page to hold messages and memorabilia. For the final page, make a pocket out of one of the collage papers. Option: Make a mini-book to tuck into the pocket.
- Stamp fortunes on white paper. Cut them out.
- Use the Scor-it Board to create random, diagonal embossed lines on a sheet of heavy card stock. Accent the lines with ink or chalk if desired. Cut this piece into small pieces.
Add collage to the covers and inside pages as shown or as desired. Use the embossed pieces as strong main accents to visually anchor some of the stickers and other elements.
NOTE: Glue all paper elements with the glue stick. Use Glossy Accents to hold the coins, to add shine to the large coin on the front cover, and to add small round textural elements to the front cover. These glossy dots repeat the other round elements (coins and stickers). Add stamped fortunes to alternating pages as shown. Tuck more stamped fortunes into the envelopes or back pocket.
- Tie the finished book with a band made from hand dyed fibers.
Some hints to simplify the process:
Cut, score, and accordion fold the long strip for the pages BEFORE you cut board for the covers. It’s the fastest way to get a precise fit.
If you don’t have long pieces of paper, overlap and sew or glue shorter pieces till the strip is the length you want.
Overlap and glue very close to a fold if you want the place where you have joined the strips to be less obvious. Or join the strips without regard for where the seam will be. It will become part of the design. Sewn lines make nice linear elements in a collage. By changing papers several times along the strip you can also change colors and textures within the pages.
For those who like to plan ahead: Choose a size for the pages. Decide how many pages you want. Multiply to get the total needed for the length of the strip. For example, ten 4” x 6” pages as shown requires a 6” x 40” strip, scored and folded at 4” intervals.
For those who don’t like to plan: Join papers till you have a nice long strip. Measure the strip, finding the center point. That point is the first place where you score a fold. Use the ruler on the Scor-it Board to help you determine where the remaining scoring lines and folds will be. Pages can be all the same size - or not!
Important:
Remember that accordion folding requires flipping the paper over between scoring lines so that they will create alternating MOUNTAIN and VALLEY folds. The raised ridge that you see when you are scoring is the INSIDE of the fold.
If you have selected paper that has a “front” and “back” to the texture or printed design, make sure that you have a valley fold on the front of the strip at the first and last pages. This way, when you glue the accordion strip inside the covers it will look the same at both ends.
More options:
Add hand written or computer generated messages or journaling.
Add coins, charms, or beads to the fibers.
Use vellum envelopes instead of opaque ones.