It Takes A Village To Build A Box From A Book

I'm just popping in quickly to ask for a bit of advice and help. I received Stampington's November news letter "Post Scripts" today. They have a great tutorial on making Gratitude Book Boxes. It really looks like fun and easy peasy to make. For me the one catch is that it is built from one of their paper mache books (Box) I know that this is one of those things I'm never going to fine here in town. So I thought I'd try to make a box from a book I have here at home. I'm sure there must be someone in the Bloglandian neighborhood that has done this.. Yes?? Would any of you like to share with this novice how you went about doing it?? :c) Even if you haven't what are your thoughts on how to proceed??

Here's what I have done so far. I sorted through the hard back novels we have with this criteria. It has to be a book we don't mind sacrificing, and at least an inch and a half thick. With that in mind I settled on Clive Cussler's "Treasure of Khan" Cussler is always an entertaining read but he's certainly not someone you go back and reread:c)

I mixed up a bit of decoupage. Yep I mixed up, there is no Mgg podge (sp?) here and the decoupage medium they do have is very expensive. White glue on the other hand is much cheaper. So I just make my own decoupage medium with the glue and water like we use to do back in the Oldin Days :c) Okay then, once I had it the consistency I wanted I Held the front and back covers open and away from the pages. The first coat of medium I brushed in thickly letting it run down in between the pages. Then I put the book on the floor and stood on it until the glue had set up a bit. Now I'm putting layers of decoupage on all 3 sides of the edges of the pages. So far this seems to be holding the pages together in one mass.

Now can someone take it from there?? How or what tool should I use to cut the center of the pages out of the book out?? This will leave me a space to use as the box.

Okay tag you are it, what do I do next or do I need to find another book and start over?? If you aren't sure how to do it please could you do me a favor and ask on your blog for a helpful instructor. I'm sure I can't be the only one in Bloglandia that has ever entertained this idea. Maybe we can put a little neighborhood tutorial together and have someone publish it on their tutorial blog??

Alrighty Bloglandian friends I'm looking forward to reading all your suggestions :c) Please have a good day or evening depending on what part of the world you are in :c)