Chonky Boys: The Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches that Scream Summer!

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Featuring my thick and nuggy Chonky Boy Chocolate Chip Cookies, these ice cream sandwiches are the stuff that summer dreams are made of.  If you've ever had the Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich at Disneyland , you are going to LOVE these!  These big and bold chocolate chip cookies are based on a recipe from my culinary school studies at Auguste Escoffier, but with a few modifications to give them that Jennuine touch.  They make the perfectas book for a fat slice of real vanilla bean ice cream.  And those mini chips?  You just gotta have that extra cronch! Thank goodness this recipe only makes 8 sandwiches, otherwise I would be eating them for breakfast lunch and dinner.  This way, my big family can help save me from my inner child diet-saboteur.   Print With Image Without Image Chonky Boy Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches Yield: 8 Author: Jenn Erickson Loaded with chocolate chips and buttery, brown-sugary vanilla flavor, these mall-sized cookies form a perfect partnership with a

Last Minute Handmade Gift Tutorial ~ Make Upcycled Book Journals~
(Elmers Holiday #GluenGlitter)

 
Old Book + Recycled Paper = New Journal!

As part of the Elmer's Holiday Memories Campaign* through Social Fabric, I had the opportunity to create an easy, affordable last minute holiday gift using my favorite Elmer's and X-ACTO products, and requiring only one quick stop at our local Walmart! 


 

With all the homework, music lessons, karate and dance classes, school performances, cookie exchanges and all the other holly jolly of the season, there's been little time to shop, let alone craft!  So a one-stop-shop was an absolute must for my** handmade gift project, which was inspired by the Ordy & Joon post I had tacked to my "Crafty Inspirations" board on Pinterest earlier this year.


Readers Digest Books have wonderful covers and are plentiful at second-hand stores for $1-$3 = Let's call it $2 per journal.
I started with something most people have around their home -- an old book.  If you don't have an old book in need of a makeover, Reader's Digests, like the ones I used here, can be picked up for a song in second-hand shops.  




Nearly everything else I needed came from a single section of the craft aisle at Walmart:



The tools will see me through years of projects, and only a small amount of the adhesives were used to make my 10 journals.  So, calculating these purchases into the total cost of the project is tricky.  Even if you had to go out and buy each one of these items for the project, at Walmart's incredibly low, prices, you'd only be looking at a $3 "investment" per journal (for a quantity of 10).


Just to the left of the Elmer's Memory Keeping section I found the perfect textured scrapbook paper for binding the journals.

Each pad contains 30 sheets, which will yield 30 journals = 17 cents per journal
Then it was just a hop, skip and a jump over to the office supplies aisle for recycled paper and large binder clips.

One ream of paper yields ten 100 page journals = 42 cents per journal.  Office Impressions large binder clips were $5.00 for 36. You use two per journal = 28 cents per journal


I couldn't find the paint department at our local Walmart, but if yours has one, pick up a few complimentary wooden stir sticks.  I picked up mine from a local home improvement store. I used two per journal.



TOTAL COST PER JOURNAL:  $5.50


Here's how it's done...

Upcycled Book Journal
(broken down for 1 journal) 
Actual crafting time:  about 15 minutes
Drying time:  30 minutes + setting overnight

Supplies/Materials:
1 Old Book -- I love the old Reader's Digest covers
1 12x12 sheet scrapbook paper (I prefer a textured paper for its bookcloth-like quality)
100 sheets of recycled paper, trimmed to match the size of the original pages of the book
2 wooden paint stir sticks (free at most home improvement stores)
2 Large binder clips
A sheet of newspaper
Optional:  Washi or decorative scrapbooking tape

Tools:
A pencil


Step 1:  Use the craft knife to remove both the front and back cover from the book. Use the metal ruler to guide a nice even cut.


Step 2:  Measure the height of the book cover, then mark the measurement on both sides of the wooden paint stir stick with your pencil.  Score both sides, along the pencil line with your craft knife.  Stick should easily break along the lines.  Repeat with second stick.


Step 3:  Tap the 100 sheets of trimmed, recycled paper on a flat, hard surface to stack evenly and create and even, flat surface for the spine.  Sandwich in-between the two wooden sticks and clamp between the two large binder clips.



Step 4:  Use the large side of the flexible dual-tip glue pen to completely coat the entire spine of the stack of paper with glue. (This glue, and the combed applicator tip positively shine at this task.).  Allow to dry in a warm, dry place for 15 minutes.  Apply a second coat, then dry another 15 minutes.


Step 5:  While the glue is drying, prepare the lining and binding for the journal.  
Take measurements for the lining:


Width -- Measure 1/4" in from the left side of the inside cover to the right edge.  Take that measurement and double it (for the back cover), then add 3/4" (to accommodate the 100 pages).  

Height:  Measure 1/4" from the bottom of the inside cover to 1/4" from the top of the inside cover.

Take measurements for the spine wrap:

Width:  For the Reader's Digests I needed 1 1/4" per cover (front and back) to cover the old wrap.  So, the total width needed to be 1 1/4" + 1 1/4" + 3/4" (for the 100 pages) = 3 1/4".

Height:  Measure the height of the book cover, then add two inches.

Use the pencil and metal ruler to mark measurements on wrong side of the scrapbook paper.  Use the scissors to cut out the two pieces.


Step 6:  Lay the smaller spine piece, wrong side up on a sheet of newspaper and evenly spray with the spray adhesive.  


Step 7:  Transfer the sprayed piece to a clean tack-free surface.  Set the back cover in place.


Step 8:  Align the front cover on top of the bottom.  Then flip the binding over the top and press in to place.


Step 9:  Immediately open the covers and lay flat.  Fold over the ends and press in to place.


Step 10:  On a sheet of newspaper, with the wrong side of the lining paper facing up, spray evenly with spray adhesive.  Set in place on the inside of the book covers.  Press in to place, then fold covers along all the creases to form a deep channel for the pages. 


Note:  I found it helpful to fold the book backward as well as forward.



Step 11: Gently remove the clips and wooden sticks from the paper stack.  Use the glue pen to thoroughly fill the channel between the covers. Set the pages in place.  Wipe away any glue that runs out of the spine on either side, then close the covers and clamp the book closed with a binder clip.  Dry overnight. Do not be tempted to cheat!


Step 12:  Remove clip and enjoy your new journal!



Step 12 (OPTIONAL):  The glue can sometimes leave the inside covers of the book looking a little unfinished.  I use a decorative Washi tape to cover the seam, which covers any imperfections and helps give the spine/binding extra support.




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*This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #ElmersHoliday #gluenglitter #collectivebias #CBias. My enthusiasm for Elmer's products goes all the way back to childhood -- I really can't say enough about their quality and dependability. So, whether it's for pay or not, my love for Elmer's is bonifide and all opinions are my own.

** This project was inspired by the post "1,923,431 Things to do with 1,923,431 Reader's Digest Books" at The Adventures of Ordy & Joon, and I picked up some great tips from the book tutorial at Poppytalk.

 

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