October Challenge - Mini Albums

Accordian Album - by bethd488 - Beth

Supplies:

5x5 mini chipboard album or cardboard backing to 8.5inch x 11inch pad of paper (or other size as desired)

6x6 paper

                BG granola

                MME lost and found – Portobello

                EP a walk in the park

Slice Design Cards

                Basic Elements

                Noteworthy

                Big Kids

                Back to School

                Parties

Corner rounder punch

2 inch diameter punch

1.5 Inch Diameter punch

Various stickers

Wallet size pictures

MM Fresh Anthology Ribbon – Picot Daffodil

Instructions:

Begin by deciding what size album you would like to create.  If you choose to use the 8.5inch x 11inch cardboard, you will end up with about a 4inch x 3.67inch finished album with 10 sides to cover (if you finish the front and the back).  Most 5x5 albums give you 12 sides to finish.

The following few steps apply to using the cardboard from an 8.5inch x 11inch pad of paper.

1.        Draw lines on one side of the cardboard so that you end up with six rectangles of 4inch x 3.67inch each.  See picture for help.

2.       Cut along the long lines – one line should be along the whole length (to eliminate the holes), and two-thirds of the other line, making sure to leave one side intact.

3.       Score (with a boning tool) along the short lines and the final third of the middle long line.  Then fold along all scored lines.  You should end up with something that looks like this:

4.       Then glue the two connected pages together so that you end up with a 4inch x 11inch rectangle.  Then fold into accordion for finished base.

Begin by cutting the background/base paper for each side.  You want to cover the full side, so cut the paper to match the album size.  Since the mini album is slightly less than 5x5, you will need to cut the paper to slightly less than 5 inch square if you go that route.

Next, choose which and how many pictures go on each side.  I like wallet size pictures since you can fit more than one on each side.  Trim pictures to desired size.  Use circle punches or corner rounder to add some variety to the pictures.

Then cut the main accent pieces as desired.   I used the Slice machine and die cut large shapes (squares, frames, hearts, flowers, etc) to act as the accents/mats behind the pictures.  When selecting the size of the shape I used the 3.5inch or 4inch size for most pages.  In some cases, to add variety, I used two 2.5inch shapes and offset layered them.

Next, I added smaller accent shapes and words to fit the “theme” of each page.  I did this using the Slice also.  Add stickers, brads, or other embellishments as desired.

Assemble and adhere the pieces together for each side (except the last side which will end up as the back when the album is closed).  Add a title for the front – I used alpha stickers for this, but you could die cut the alpha also.

Assemble the last side/back (see video for visual).

1.       First cut a piece of ribbon (I use the length of my arm as a good guide).  Then adhere it to the last side/back of the album.  I centered mine, but you can shift it up or down as you desire to work with your album.

2.       Then you can assemble your last page as you would the others – adhere paper, then accents, then pictures and embellishments. 

Flip the album over and tie the ribbon.  You now have a finished mini chipboard album.