How to Decorate a Scrapbook Cover

Give your scrapbook a creative cover.

Showcasing your precious memories in a scrapbook is a real art. Many people are great at creating the pages in a scrapbook but neglect to take the time to make the outside as beautiful as the inside. Imagination and creativity is all it takes to change a boring cover to one that gets as many “oohs” and “ahs” as the inside pages.

Things You'll Need

• Scrapbook
• Fabric
• Lightweight quilt batting
• Heavy cardstock
• Glue gun
• Trims

Instructions

1. Begin with a plain scrapbook. Any type will work but a three-ring binder type is simple to work with. Take out all of the pages. If the cover is slightly padded, you won't need to use the quilt batting.

2. Select a theme for your scrapbook cover. Try to come up with something that goes along with the contents of your scrapbook. When you have decided on your theme you can find fabric and trim that will enhance the theme. You can find specialty fabrics that will complement your pages.

3. Lay the scrapbook out flat on top of the fabric. Cut the fabric 2 to 3 inches bigger all the way around. Cut the quilt batting the same size of the cover. Use the spray adhesive to cover the scrapbook lightly on the outside. Press the quilt batting onto it. Now spray the batting and press the fabric on.

4. Turn it over and cut diagonally across the corners to remove bulk. Spray the inside edges of the book with the adhesive. Stretch the fabric down on the inside of the cover. Glue the edges with a hot glue gun. Press down firmly. Just trim the edges shorter on the spine area and tuck and glue the fabric around the metal rings.

5. Cover the inside cover of the scrapbook with a piece of heavy cardstock or a piece of complementary fabric by gluing it flat and pressing firmly.

6. Decorate and embellish the outside with ribbon, buttons, photos, lace and anything else you can dream up.

Tips & Warnings

• A heavier fabric is best. Denim works great.