How to Make a Coupon Book for an Expecting Mother
When you need a meaningful and inexpensive present for an upcoming baby shower, give the expecting mother something she will truly cherish---the gift of time. Create a handmade, decorative coupon book filled with offers she can "redeem" from you after the baby is born. Whenever the new mother uses a coupon for a service such as folding laundry, preparing dinner for the family or making a quick trip to the grocery store, she'll have more time to spend with her precious baby. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- White chipboard or poster board
- Paper trimmer or craft knife
- Baby-themed patterned paper
- Double-sided tape
- Letter stickers or alphabet stamps and ink
- Adhesive dots
- Paper flowers
- Pastel cardstock
- Computer and printer or black pen
- Border stickers
- Markers
- Baby themed rubber stamps
- Buttons
- Hand-held hole punch
- Metal binder ring
Instructions
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Create the front and back covers for the coupon book by cutting two 8-by-4-inch pieces of white chipboard or poster board with a paper trimmer or craft knife. Use a paper trimmer or craft knife to cut four 8-by-4-inch pieces of baby-themed patterned paper and affix the paper to both sides of the chipboard pieces with double-sided tape.
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Decorate the front cover of the expecting mother coupon book by using letter stickers or alphabet stamps and ink to add a phrase like "Coupons for the New Mom" or "New Mom Special Offers." Use adhesive dots to add a cluster of paper flowers--sold at scrapbooking, rubber stamping and craft stores--to the bottom-right corner of the cover.
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Cut 7-by-3-inch pieces of cardstock in pastel shades like baby blue, pink, mint green and pale yellow with a paper trimmer. Print or write one coupon offer onto each piece of cardstock with a black pen. Use wording such as "good for one home-cooked meal," "redeem for one package of free diapers," "offer valid for one babysitting session" or "present coupon to receive one free week of laundry service."
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Add a decorative border to each coupon as a festive touch. Use border stickers, marker doodles or baby-themed rubber stamps to add flat designs around the text on each coupon. You can also affix dimensional accents like paper flowers or buttons around the edge of each coupon with adhesive dots.
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Use a hand-held hole punch to make a hole along the left-side of each cover piece and coupon about 1/2 inch in from the side and centered top to bottom.
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Bind the coupon book cover and coupons with a metal binder ring so the mother-to-be can easily tear out the offer she wants to use. Pry the metal ring open by pressing the two sides in opposite directions and pulling them apart. Put the back cover onto the ring first, followed by the stack of coupons and then the front cover. Push the sides of the ring together until they click back into place.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want to create a new mom coupon booklet for a friend, but aren't sure you'll have time to complete all of the favors because of your own busy schedule, consider creating the gift with a group of friends. This will allow you to add more "offers" and ensure that someone will always be available when the new mother wants to use a coupon.
