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Back to School…. I think all of us have mixed feelings about these words. But, like it or not, the first day of school is fast approaching! My girls and I were chatting about how going back to school means getting to see their besties regularly again. They are definitely happy about that. With that in mind, I came up with this cute Back to School bestie gift idea. Anyone remember Slam Books?? I loved those when I was in middle school! So I’m bringing them back! These would also make super fun teacher’s gifts to help teachers get to know the new students in their class. Knowing that my Cricut machine can cut a ton of different materials and has a whole line of adorable products, I knew I’d be able to put together an awesome craft for my girls to put together.

Cricut Design Space was my first stop in creating my Slam Book design. Did you know Design Space was recently updated? I love the Cricut listens to their customers and updates according to their needs and wants. I also love the ease of using DS on my iPhone and connecting wirelessly to my machine.

Here’s a screen shot of my design. In my design, I used a bunch of Cricut images. (#M35BE8, #M38E45, #M468AC, #M42898 are the thought bubbles and #M40B8F is the background).

The Cricut washi sheets in classic were so bright and playful, I knew they’d be perfect for my Slam Books. I also found these cardboard binders on clearance last year after the Back to School sales for .44 cents each! I’ve been waiting to use them for a cool kid craft idea. Thankfully this craft fits the bill.

The best part of using washi sheets for this kid craft is how forgiving it is! You know pre-teen girls, always changing their minds! These cut outs are easily re-stickable. (Hint: I will say that if they restick them too much, you might need a little help from a glue stick to keep the edges down, especially if you little don’t have the cleanest hands. My kids always have perfectly clean hands, so I wouldn’t know about that 😉

I love how easily you can adjust the setting to cut different materials! I mean, look how perfectly it cut through the washi sheet without cutting the backing, making peeling and sticking so easy!

Make sure you smooth out your washi sheet with even pressure to get any bumps or bubbles out. Focus on the edges as well to get a good stick.

The washi sheets are also a little transparent which I love! It was fun to see the different designs showing through from underneath. You can also use transfer tape to place your washi but we found it easy enough just to peel and stick.

You can also use transfer tape to place your washi but we found it easy enough just to peel and stick.

Placing the last piece!

It turned out lovely!

I created PDF files that coordinate with the Classic Washi Sheet designs. Use these to fill your slam book.

Slambook pages

You can also use the washi sheets to cut out your Slam Book markers. Use different shapes and washi sheet designs to make how ever many sets of markers you’ll need. You’ll want a set of unique markers for each friend.