How to Make a Mini Paper Album

This is a fun paper album to make, it doesn’t take anything special and is fairly simple to complete. When done you will have nine pages that are 6 by 6 with a cute center binding. All you will have to do once the album is completed is have fun adding your pictures and journaling.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 corresponding colored cardstock 12 by 12 pages
• 5 white cardstock 12 x 12 pages
• 6 in. ribbon
• 4 brads
• Tape
• Paper trimmer
• Embellishments to finish decorating
• Creasing tool
• Piercing tool
• Ruler
• Pen

How to Make a Mini Paper Album

1. Start with the colored cardstock the will be the binding. Using the paper trimmer cut it into two 6 by 12 in. pieces. Then with one of the pieces cut two 4 by 6 pieces and the remaining pieces cut into eight 2 by 6 pieces. You will use the entire sheet when you’re done cutting.

2. 

   Now with the creasing tool, crease all of the 2 by 6 pieces in half and the two 4 by 6 pieces crease in 1 in. to have a 1 by 6 section and a 3 by 6 section. Once creased, fold along the crease and set aside.

3. With the second colored cardstock, cut two 6 by 7 pieces of paper, the remaining paper will not be used. These will be part of the cover of your mini paper album.

4. 

   Now with one of the 4 by 6 creased pieces and one 6 by 7 pieces you will create the cover and back. The 3 by 6 side of the creased paper will go on the outside, tape both pieces together. Repeat with the other pieces of paper to create the back of the album, both front and back pieces will look identical.

5. Now with the paper trimmer and the white paper, cut nine 6 by 6 3/4 pieces of paper. These will be the pages to your mini paper album.

6. 

   Take one of the pieces for the cover of the mini paper album, with the inside facing up and the 1 by 6 piece of paper folded in, apply tape the entire length. Then take one white page and apply it to the taped area, there will be an 1/8 of an inch on both sides of the white paper that you will see the cover behind it.

7. 

   Now with one of the folded 2 x 6, apply tape to one of the outside halves, apply to the white page already taped to the cover. Line the edge of the crease of the 2 by 6 piece to the creased edge of the cover.

8. 

   Repeat steps 6 and 7 till all nine white pages and eight creased 2 by 6 pieces of paper have been put together into to form the mini paper album. To make sure you are doing this correctly is that you will have the 2 by 6 piece in the center of each set of pages.

9. Now take the other cover piece and apply tape to the outside of the 1 by 6 creased section, line all the edges up with the other cover piece that is already taped to the pages and press together. Now the covers and pages should be put together for the mini paper album.

10. 

    Now with the piercing tool, two pieces of ribbon, ruler, pen and brads, mark down from the top or bottom 1 1/2 in. and in from the binding 3/4 of an inch. Pierce the paper with the piercing tool. Fold about 1/4 of an inch of the end of the ribbon back, with the piercing tool, pierce thru both layers of the ribbon. Push the brad thru both layers of the ribbon and then into the hole on the mini paper album cover. Then flatten the tabs of the brad. Repeat on the other end of the cover. Then with the other cover held at a 45 degree angle pierce the cover and pierce the folded ribbon so that the ribbon is tight against the paper with no slack.

11. 

    Now your mini paper album is completed, you can finish it off by decorating it to your liking and add your pictures.

[kimjkeepers]

on 3/28/2008 I used this craft idea several times. It makes a great album and is pretty easy to figure out. It looks so nice when it's all done. Awesome idea!!