I Spy book

After seeing these posts about personalized Ispy books I wanted to make my own.

http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/2008/05/personalized-i.html
http://www.rookiemoms.com/publish-your-own-i-spy-book/
http://marytree.blogspot.com/2008/02/mini-swap-makes-it-to-cinncinati.html
http://juliekintaiwan.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/i-spy-pictures/

materials used: Can be made for under $20 if you design frugally.
scrapbook album
scrapbook paper (12x12 same size as album pages)
digital camera
printer
stickers
foamie stickers


I put this book together for my friend’s son Brian. He is 4.

I took pictures of interesting items/toys around the house and then changed their perspective by focusing in on details.

I wanted a fun way to have him work on his numbers and alphabet.

The fun thing about these books is you can read them as written and then when kids get bored look for other things like specific color items, specific shapes, things that are happy, things that are sad, items you use during certain seasons and so on.

And of course, you can always add pages to commemorate an event

• It's easiest to come up with a story then find pictures to illustrate it.

• Think of the words you want to use then find rhymes around them, a thesaurus and rhyming dictionary are great tools.
• your child's name and all the words that rhyme are also great starting points.
• When in need of another line use a color or sound and then go through the alphabet thinking of all the words that rhyme. (blue, boo, coo, goo, moo, new, too, woo, zoo...)
• now is the time to use all those spare foamies and stickers you find laying around. You'll notice the numbers I used to number my pages aren't a matched set. Some were left over from a foamie car kit while others are stickers and markers.
• You can add items to a picture to suit your needs like a hidden cow (pg 6) or missing fish (pgs 9, 14, 16-19, 23)

(please click photos to enlarge and see two pages side by side. Having blogging difficulties which are cutting off the preview of my pics)

(page one was a personal message and instructions, not featured here)

Page 2
Here are things that start with the letter B
How many burgers do you see?

Page 3
Cars go fast and cars go slow,
Some carry people and some can tow
Lots of them are in this book.
How many sparkling cars if you look?



Page 4

swings can move high and low.
I ha d 4 golf balls,
Where did they go?
I also thought I had 4 tees,
If you find them we can golf with ease.

Page 5

What am I?
Think hard and use your wit,
Rem ember where in your house I fit.

Page 6

I am your dining room chairs!
Do you spy something blue?
Many things which are tasty too?
And someone Who goes “MOOO!”

Page 7

What am I?
Maybe I am used to hear.
Or to laugh and yell and scream and cheer.
Could I be used to smell?
You

need to turn the page to tell

Page 8

I am your bear!
I have eyes that add to two,
Just like mom and dad and you!
In the woods I like to roam
What kind of place to do you call home?
Instead of hands I have paws,
Instead of nails I use claws.

Page 9

This too is from your house,
but do you know where?
Maybe it’s a bed, couch or chair.

Page 10

Do you see something that is green and grows?
How about something that ribbits and sits in a pose?

Page 11

Ready for more?
Do I go on a wall or on a door?
Maybe on a ceiling or on a floor?

Page 12

I am your playroom rug!
I am the letter B.
Without me there is no Brian, bed or bug.
Do you spy something green?
Something you could use to clean?

Page 13

How many sharks are swimming here?
Uh-oh! Some fish are missing I fear.
They are lost somewhere on the pages of this book
Find them and tell them to return to the brook!

Page 14

I spy with my little eye a snake in blue.
Can you see him too?
There’s a monk in brown.
And a giraffe way down.
There’s 11 in all,
Some are short and some are tall.

Page 15

(was the picture which was a piece of scrapbook paper unaltered)

Page 16

Can you find all these toys in the pile?
Some are backwards so it might take a while.

Page 17
(picture of toys in box)

Page 18

I’m pink and yellow and black
I can be used to hold a snack.
What am I?

Page 19

Your cookie jar!
Can you find where I hid a car?

Page 20

Who can fly way up high?
Who’s neck is longest?
Do you know why?
I spy an animal in mid roar
And one with a trunk.
What’s he use it for?

Page 21

Can you pick the island with 4 trees?
Watch out for the snake that likes to squeeze!

Page 22

How many sheep do you see?
And which animal has a count of 3?
One animal is in a herd (or group) of 4,
And one has 6 which is 2 more.

Page 23
You are almost done!
One of these pirates lost his sword
And now has none.
After matching colors can you tell which one?

Page 24

You made it to the end of Brian’s quest,
How many jewels match each chest?

Looking for ways to do this cheaply?

• Every week in the Sunday paper Joann's, AC Moore, Michaels, and other crafting stores offer 40% off one item coupons. Buy the big items like the album and big pack of foamies with those coupons and look for sales on scrapbook papers and stickers.
  
• Scrapbook paper can be found 4/$1.00 during a great sale. I built up my supplies over weeks while I wrote the book and hoarded coupons each week.
  
• Some weeks I bought two Sunday papers and went to nearby stores twice.
  
• Split your supplies and make books with friends. Most stickers come in sheets of two.

I would love to see how other people are inspired to make their own books. If you need help with rhymes or ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact me.