SO MANY ACTIVITIES - Max gets a new Quiet Book and demonstration
Sew Nice
Holly taught herself to sew about a year ago, and she’s since channelled some of her incredible creativity through the medium.
One project Holly’s been making iterations of is the “Quiet Book,” with felt cloth pages and sewn or fabric-glued components.
Each page or spread presents a game or activity to keep a toddler entertained, engaged, and even learning. For example, our little Max would point to the letters and say what they are. That kept him engaged in conversation (he didn’t start talking until later than our other two, so any talking was good to hear). Max–just turned 3–still gets the books out of his own volition, and sits to do the various activities.
Max gets a new Quiet Book and demonstration
Photos of In-Progress and Finished Pages from Holly’s Latest 2 Quiet Books
See below for photos of the latest 2 books Holly made (one for Max, and one for his friend Piper).
Some of the pages are Holly’s take on ideas found in Google Image search and from Etsy quiet book sellers. Others are wholly original concepts.
Enjoy the photos, and send an email if you want Holly to make a custom activity book for you.
Pages Ready for Assembly:
Cover 1
Cover 2 (Electric Boogaloo)
Tall Stack of pages (2 books’ worth)
Clock page: Tell Time and What do Clock Hands do? activity
Telephone page: Learn Mommy’s Phone Number
Let’s talk about what these animals are and where food comes from
What can we put in pockets? page
That’s our pet dog Betty
Tetris Puzzle 1 – Fit all the pieces together
Tetris Puzzle 2 – Fit all the pieces together
Let’s hang the laundry out to dry
Mirror Page: Who’s that beautiful baby lookin’ at me?
Max Loves Cars, Wal-Mart and Mail Delivery
Let’s change the baby
Mamma and kittens splish splash and go potty
Mamma and kittens splish splash and go potty
Kitten models need their beauty rest
Models at play
Caterpillar eats leaves makes chrysalis turns to butterfly
This is how we use our fingers to count
This is how we use our fingers to count
This is how we make a chain
Busy little bee buzzes around the bouquet
Let’s sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider song
Next page: See the finished books and how to bind them
2 Books, Assembled & Bound
Unlike previous Quiet Books Holly made, when she sewed the pages into a cloth binding, she tried binder rings on these two. Using the largest rings she could find at the office store, and purchasing a leather punch tool, she was able to hold the large books together functionally.
Buy the Right Tool for the Job
Leather punch tool, strong enough to cut through doubled felt pages
Careful, not every punch is up to the task. Holly first bought a Martha Stewart brand punch, thinking it’s usually a good quality bet. It wasn’t (she said it could barely punch the cardboard it was packaged in). Either way, unless you’re a dedicated leather crafter, you probably don’t need an expensive punch for a felt book with double-sided pages, although they’re still formidable enough to require a tool. You can get a decent one for $10-$25.
The Finished Books
Used leather hole punch and largest binder rings this time
Front Cover Car on Road for Max
Mirror and Itsy Bitsy Spider spread
Mirror and Itsy Bitsy Spider Water Spout
Change the baby’s diaper spread
Let’s learn our Phone Number and how the Clock Works
Mamma Kitty & Bathroom
Mamma Kitty and Bathroom
Let’s make finger numbers spread
Let’s make finger numbers
Lets Talk About Farm Life spread
Lets Talk About Farm Life spread
Flowers and Caterpillar
Flowers and Caterpillar
Clothes Pins and Dog House
Clothes Pins and Pocket Wallet
Tetris Puzzle Game spread
Tetris Puzzle Game spread
Max Drives to his Favorite Store
Chain game and Back Cover Personal Dedication
Chain game and Back Cover Personal Dedication
Back Cover
Want Holly to make a custom activity book for you?
Email us with your ideas, Holly will get back to you on whether she can do it and how much it will cost. Books start at $25/page.