DIY: How To Make A 'Secret Stash' Book

For this tutorial you will need:

A pretty hard back book - one that you wont be sad (or told off) to cut up!

White glue (we used Mod Podge)

A stiff & thick brush

A pencil and ruler

A scalpel

Cling film 

A drill

To start making your hollow book, you'll want to save a few pages at the beginning and at the end of the book so it looks more realistic; you wouldn't want to give away your secret as soon as the cover has been opened!

So, go about 5 pages in (at the start and the end) of the book and cover them with cling film. You should wrap this so it covers the hardback cover fully too. This will stop your glue from sticking them together.

Once it has dried, open the book and draw in where you're going to cut the inside. We recommend you measure a good couple of inches in from all sides so you have a decent rim all the way around.

The easiest way to cut where all the corners meet is to drill holes in each; this will help act as a guide for your cutting lines too. Make sure to drill slowly and not too deep when pressing down. You only want to cut about 3/4 or so into your glued pages, otherwise you might have a book that's all hole and no secrets! 

Corners done, your next job is to join the dots and cut out the rectangle section of the book. Use your ruler and a sharp scalpel and only cut a few pages deep at a time when doing this step. Slow and steady wins the race here! Gently lift out these pages as you go...

Once you're happy, give the book another good couple of thin coats with the white glue. Using your brush, cover the inside pages, both where you have cut, around the frame and around the outside again. 

If you want to neaten up the top page and hide those corners, the best way to do it is to glue down one of your front pages that you were saving. Gently pull it out of the cling film and smooth it down over the top so it is glued closed. Pop the book under several heavy books and let it dry, then cut your new hole out of the first page. Lovely!

Let the insides dry a little longer (the glue will go clear when it's done) and you're ready to go!