The WM Pet Connection

By Patricia Anne McGoldrick

Pets share our lives, our homes, our memories.
Many of us have photos of out pets—print and digital, iPad, desktop, calendars, wall hangings, maybe even a portrait on our favourite morning coffee mug.

I have another suggestion—Book your Pet! With a few folds of a recycled paper, you can make small green book, so compact that you can carry it in your pocket or purse.

Personally, I like to make a “green” small book about our cock-a-poo, Cody. I reuse a piece of paper printed on one side only. The blank reverse side provides a great place to sketch or paste a photo of your pet. Check those ad flyers that come in the mail or arrive with the inserts tucked inside your newspaper. Orange or pink or green or white, they work perfectly!

There are varied types of small green books you can make. Here are 4 books, shown in photo, that work well with many types of paper:

4-page fold-up book

o Fold paper in half
o Then in half again.
o Open your small book.

8-page hotdog book

o First, fold paper in half, lengthwise—hotdog fold! Open.
o Second, fold in half, horizontally, the hamburger fold.
o Third, take one open edge & bring back to the middle fold. Press.
o Fourth, turn over and take the other open edge, press back to the middle.
o Open slightly –will look like a “w”—cut along the mid section fold line.
o Open back and fold to form your small book.
6-page accordion book
o Fold paper in half, lengthwise
o Fold that long piece, in half, again.
o Take an outer edge and fold back to mid-fold
o Turn over and fold back the other edge to the middle.
o Open out to see the accordion shape of your small book

Stick and elastic book (to carry in pocket, be sure to use flat surface stick)
o Fold paper in half
o Use hole-punch to insert hole near fold—one at top and one at bottom.
o Push elastic from back, through top hole, slip over top of stick.
o Push other end of elastic through the second hole, loop over stick.
o
Whichever type you choose, you now have a book to fill—all about your pet!

For each type of small green book , customize it for your pet, manually or digitally!

The advantage of making your own small green book is that you have control over its dimensions and content. It is a fun creative project to make with children, even teens, especially on those rainy days!

A small green book format enables you to take your pet with you.

Also, it is a great gift to give your son or daughter as they leave for holidays or college or a job. This small green book can travel with them, fairly incognito unless they want to share it with others. Bragger’s rights belong to the one who carries such a small book.

Book your pet this week!