DIY Z Pallete

I recently got some MAC refill eyeshadow pans and then realized i had nowhere to store them, so i looked online and found some really awesome eyeshadow z pallets, all of which, with shipping were pretty expensive and also meant that for weeks my eye shadows would have no home. So i did the next best thing and made my own, i looked over sevral online tutorials and there are many to choose from. Here is my take on it:

What You Need:

- Unwanted Hardcover Book - size should be the same size you want your palette to be, choose one where the spine is not to big.

- Ruler (metal works best)

- Double sided tape

- Foam board (same size as your book)

- Scalpel (Scissors will work ok, but will be less precise and the lines less clean)

- Magnetic Sheet ( i got mine at an Art Shop for $4.95, but if you have a magnetic calendar lying around that will work too)

- Decorative Tape (optional)

1. Open your book flat and cut out the center portion (the pages) so that you have only the shell of the book left.

2. The center part might have some threads or glue so be careful while cutting, i found a scalpel worked best.

3. This is how your book should look when it's been gutted. I used this time to stick down the ragged edges with some decorative tape to make it look a bit cleaner.

4. Measure one side of your book against the foam and cut to size if necessary.

Be careful while cutting, foam can be quite brittle and if your knife isn't sharp enough it will catch. If you can use a new blade as it will make it much easier and neater. ( i learned this the hard way)

6. Your foam board and half book should be the same size now, be sure to check the fit before moving forwards to the next step.

7. Measure out an inside square (or rectangle as the case may be). I made mine 2cm in on each side, it;s possible to free hand this but measuring will make the end effect look better.

8. Cut out the central square (or rectangle). Be careful not to cut to the edges, this piece will make the base frame of the palette. 

9. Measure your magnetic sheet to size, mine was a self adhesive one so i was able to draw on the back paper before gluing it down.

10. Double check the sizing and make sure both the frame and magnetic strip fit, cut anything down that needs it.

11. I wasn't happy with some of the ragged edges in my frame so i covered it in the same decorative tape i used earlier to stick down the ragged insides of the book.

12. Stick everything down, my magnetic strip was self adhesive and for the frame i used double sided tape, hot glue can also work but a regular glue stick won't grip hard enough and might move around.

13. Decorate to your hearts content.

Fit your depotted eye shadows however fits best, aluminum pots like those used by MAC and Australis will need to have a piece of magnet stuck to the bottom to stick while others will simply stick on their own. The only thing i need to add is some velcro straps or ribbon over the side to keep it closed.

Here is another quick palette i made from a cd case, all i did was take out the plastic piece that the CD sits on and then decorated it all pretty like with my decorative sticky tape and then stuck the other magnet sheet i had in the bottom.