Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and I’m back today with one more project using the Simple Stories Card Kit. For today’s project, I will show you how to turn your card kit into a mini album! It’s pretty easy to do, and the finished project is so cute! I’ll be using the Simple Stories So Sweet Card Kit, which features the Lemon Twist collection. However, you can make this mini album using any one of the Simple Stories card kits!
Aside from the card kit, you will need matching cardstock. Since my card bases are white, I will use white cardstock and I grabbed some scraps from my scrap pile. Also, we will be using ribbon to tie the mini album closed and for the tops of our tags. Finally, I will use some of the Lemon Twist Washi Tape on a few of my pages.
Building the Mini Album Base
To begin, crease four cards on the score lines. Then, cut three pieces out of cardstock measuring 1 1/4” x 5 1/2”. Score each piece at 1/2” and 3/4” and fold to create a gusset and hinges.
Next, adhere the 1/2” tab to the back side of the first card so the score line of the cardstock piece is aligned with the score line of the card. Do not add adhesive to the 1/4” section. Then, adhere the second 1/2” tab to the front of the next card, aligning the score line of the piece to the left edge of the card.
Once finished, you should have a small 1/4” gusset between the two cards. Repeat this process with the third and fourth cards. Next, cut four pieces of cardstock to 1” x 5 1/2” and score at 1/2” on the 1” side. Fold in half and miter the ends.
Open the first card front. Adhere the first piece to the right side of the card base so the score line of the piece is on the righthand side, with the opening to the inside.
Once adhered, add a small line of glue to the bottom of the card base and the 1/2” tab. Close the card front to seal the card closed, making a pocket with the opening at the top.
Then, repeat the steps with the other three pieces and cards. When finished, you should have four top-loading pockets in your mini album. Below is a top view of what the base should look like now.
Finally, choose ribbon for your mini album. I will be using a black and white checkered ribbon that matches the patterned papers. Cut two pieces measuring 6” each and adhere one to the front and back in the center.
Decorating the Cover
To decorate your mini album cover, choose your favorite card from the card kit. For mine, I will be using the “You Bring the Sunshine” card. Follow the directions in the Simple Stories card kit to assemble the card front. Once finished, adhere the piece to the front of the mini album.
Adhere the solid black panel from the card kit to the back of the mini album. Then, select the strip with newsprint and black edge. Score at 1/8” from both ends to create a piece to cover the spine. Cover the entire spine section with adhesive and adhere the piece to the spine, overlapping 1/8” with the front and back covers.
On the back cover, I will add the “Thank You for Being So Sweet” frame along with two chipboard bees.
Decorating the Mini Album Pages
First, punch out all of the background papers from the Simple Stories card kit. Then, decide which order you would like to have your papers. I will alternate the teal background papers with the yellow ones. Adhere each of the papers to the pages in the mini album.
For photo mats, cut two of the leftover card bases into eight mats measuring 2 3/4” x 3 3/4”. To do this, first measure 3 3/4” and cut off the fold in the card to make two pieces. Then cut each piece in half at 2 3/3”. One photo mat will be attached to the front of each page. Also, I will be using the Graphic 45 Classic Black Ink Pad for the edges of my mats to help them stand out on my mini album pages. Then, each page in the mini album will be decorated using pieces from the Simple Stories card kit. The gallery below will show each of my pages.
Pocket Photo Mats or Tags
Cut the remaining two card bases to 4” x 5” by removing the cold in the card. You will have four photo mats when finished. If you prefer, you can cut the top corners into a tag shape, or leave the piece as it is. I will add some ribbon to the top of each photo mat so it sticks out of the top of the mini album. With the leftover pieces from the card kit, decorate the photo mats. Be careful that you only adhere portions of each piece so the photos will slide behind them.
I hope you have found this tutorial inspiring and helpful. If you’ve never made a mini album before, this is a quick and simple way to learn! Try it with one of the many Simple Stories card kits, and if you don’t have one, head over to the FotoBella online store. There are several to choose from along with all of your other paper crafting needs!
Until next time, happy crafting!
~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team
No comments:
Post a Comment