How to Make a Pizza Squishy Book
Craft an adorable, tactile pizza squishy book made from paper, packing tape, and soft stuffing with slice-shaped interactive pages and toppings.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
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๐งฐ Required Tools & Equipment
- โ Pencil and eraser
- โ Scissors
- โ Ruler
- โ Colored markers or pencils
- โ Black fine-liner pen
๐ฆ Materials & Supplies
- โ A4 heavy white drawing paper or cardstock
- โ Clear wide packing tape
- โ Polyester fiberfill or cotton stuffing
- โ Self-adhesive hook-and-loop dots (velcro)
โ ๏ธ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- โข Cut away from your body and keep fingers clear when trimming laminated paper.
- โข Smooth tape down gently to avoid sharp tape-edge papercuts.
๐ Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Draft the Pizza Cover and Page Templates
Fold two sheets of A4 paper in half widthwise to create the page base. Draw a large triangular pizza slice shape on the front cover, making sure the left spine edge remains flat for binding. Sketch matching pizza bases on inner pages along with small individual toppings like pepperoni, mushrooms, and peppers on a separate sheet.
- โข Triangle pizza outlines matched across all book pages
- โข Spine edge left straight and aligned
- โข Separate sheet filled with drawn toppings
- โข Drawing the pizza shape all the way to the edge without leaving a flat spine to bind
- โข Making toppings too small to easily cut out later
Outline and Color All Illustrations
Trace over all pencil lines with a waterproof black fine-liner pen, then erase any remaining graphite marks. Fill in the crust with golden-brown tones, the sauce with vibrant red, the cheese with warm yellow, and toppings with contrasting colors. Add cute facial expressions or melted cheese details to give the book character.
- โข Crisp black outlines around all drawings
- โข Vibrant, fully saturated coloring on both pages and toppings
- โข Using water-based ink that smears when tape is applied
- โข Leaving uncolored white patches around edges
Laminate Pages and Pieces with Clear Tape
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape across the entire front and back of each page and topping sheet, overlapping each tape strip slightly by 2 millimeters. Press down firmly with your fingers or a ruler edge to push out any trapped air bubbles. The tape creates a durable, glossy surface that protects the paper during squishing.
- โข Smooth, bubble-free glossy film covering all artwork
- โข Both front and back of every sheet fully sealed in tape
- โข Allowing packing tape to wrinkle during application
- โข Leaving untaped gaps where paper can tear or absorb moisture
Cut Out Book Pages and Topping Elements
Use scissors to cut out each laminated pizza page and topping piece, leaving a tiny 1-millimeter border around outer edges. Cut matching blank backing pieces for the front and back covers if you want double-sided thickness. Keep individual toppings organized in a small bowl or tray so they are not misplaced.
- โข Cleanly trimmed pizza pages with smooth edges
- โข Individual toppings cut out and ready for assembly
- โข Cutting inside the drawn lines, exposing unlaminated paper edges
- โข Accidentally trimming off the spine alignment edges
Stuff and Seal Each Page into a Squishy
Align the front and back of each pizza page and tape three edges shut with clear tape, leaving the bottom crust open. Push small clumps of polyester fiberfill into the opening until the page is soft and puffy without stretching the seams. Tape the remaining opening securely shut, folding excess tape neatly over the edges.
- โข Puffy, squishy pizza pages that rebound when squeezed
- โข Completely sealed edges with no stuffing poking through
- โข Overstuffing the page, which prevents the book from closing flat
- โข Under-stuffing, resulting in a flat, crinkled look
Bind the Spine and Attach Interactive Toppings
Stack your stuffed pizza pages in order and join them along the left spine using strips of clear packing tape on both sides so the pages turn smoothly. Stick one side of a hook-and-loop velcro dot to the pizza slice surface and the matching side behind a topping piece. Test opening the book, flipping pages, and placing removable toppings on each pizza slice.
- โข Pages flip smoothly along a flexible, reinforced tape spine
- โข Removable toppings attach securely to pages via velcro dots
- โข Taping the spine too tightly, preventing pages from laying open flat
- โข Aligning velcro dots incorrectly so toppings do not stick properly
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by LฤฐLฤฐ LEMON โ watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Polyester fiberfill? Shredded plastic grocery bags or cotton balls
- No Hook-and-loop velcro dots? Rolled painter's tape loops or sticky poster tack
- No Clear packing tape? Clear self-adhesive laminating film