Thinking outside of...

...the box - a boardgame box to be precise.

When a colleague asked me to do a memory book for someone who had recently been promoted and would be moving to a new office, the first thing I asked was - are there any particular colours or themes you want used.

The reply was; "Funny you should say that but..."

The 'but' was that the book should be linked in some way to the game Cluedo as the leaver was known by the nickname 'Mrs White' and her closest friends/colleagues as 'Col. Mustard & Miss Scarlet'.

I didn't think that obtaining related images would be a problem (the web is a wonderful place...) but I thought it might be a bit difficult obtaining charms/embellishments in the "weapons of choice" - after all, how often do you need a lead pipe on a layout ???

Being slightly stumped for ideas I placed a question on the UKS forums asking if anyone had any ideas about Cluedo related stuff. I had been thinking along the lines of getting a travel size version of the game but having looked at them in the shops they seemed to be in a new print format and I really wanted the traditional style. Whilst looking at the new games a thought struck and my re-cycling tendancies came to mind.

A quick visit to a local charity shop and I came away with this...

...it cost me the grand sum of £1.99.
I had originally thought of photocopying the board at A3 size and using the paper to cover some chipboard/greyboard to make the covers but seeing the actual board I had another idea...

...and attacked it with a craft knife.
By cutting at the right point I created a cover just slightly larger than 8x8...

...it also meant that the inside of the covers were already lined with the actual playing board (or at least part of it).
This was the starting point for the memory album...

...a lovely textured board set of covers.

This is how it ended up...

...the polkadot washii tape finished off the edges (hiding the fact that there were cut edges) and the book-rings will allow the person receiving the book to add other bits if they so wish.

I'll show you the inside of the book in another post - be warned it will be photo-heavy and you'll probably need to grab a cuppa before you start LOL

I wonder how many of you have old boardgames tucked away in the cupboard...pieces missing so you can't actually play the game but you have never gotten around to throwing them out ???

Now obviously my £1.99 at the charity shop did not get me a complete game but the board was there and in very good condition. There was a complete set of game cards which have been very useful as embellishments and there were 'some' of the playing pieces. What have you got in the cupboard that you could use?

Howabout creating a mini album using the pieces from a boardgame to hold Christmas photos - in our family we always had a new boardgame every Christmas and we sat down as a family after lunch to play the new game. Wouldn't it be great to pull out those photos and place them in a 'themed' album?

The game might come in a box but it is amazing what you can come up with if you think outside of it.........................................................