Little Corner of Ania

Been a while since I re-posted some of the older tutorials (to new readers: I’m trying to gather my various tutorials placed randomly around the web – so I can have them all gathered on my blog). Here’s the first tutorial I did for Crate Paper back when I started designing for them (you can also find this one on their blog here).

The below is taken from the tutorial-post:

Ania here with my very first tutorial for Crate Paper - Yay! First, let me come clean and admit something. This project - a mini album - came together because I've recently been a bad girl. I promised my mom (as usual) that I'd send grandma a postcard (as usual) during my vacation, but some how, I kept putting it off 'til it was too late. Ugh. Bad & Embarrassing, I know. So, I figured I'd make up for it by making her a mini album instead..but, don't think I'm good because I made her a mini. I'm actually terrible at making amends...

There - I said it! Let's continue, shall we?!

Here's what you'll need:

• At least two sheets of Patterned Paper (Restoration Collection)
• Embellishments (Restoration & Pink Plum Collections)
• Scoring Tool/Bone Folder
• Ruler
• Mod Podge/Sealer/Multi-Medium Matte (Claudine Hellmuth)
• Adhesive (Both Liquid & Double-sided)
• Sewing Machine
• Bazzill Cardstock
• Fiskars Edge Puncher
• Staples
• Adorn It Letters/Alphas
• Prima Flower

Cut a strip of the patterned paper you'd like as your cover. Based on my photos (which was four images printed on a 4" x 6" sheet) I determined my mini would be 3 1/4" tall and 4.5" long (the cover is slightly longer - the inner pages are 4.5" though). Using a center finder ruler, measure the area in the middle to create a series of accordion folds for the binding of the album (an extra inch or two of paper length required for this part of the album - think about this when trimming paper for your own album.)

Note: In hindsight, I should of probably used a separate piece of cardstock or double patterned paper for this part (accordion section), because in the end, there was a noticeable amount of white between the pages. I loved the edges of the die-cut paper though, so I had to use it!

Measure so that you can create nine creases between between the front and back of your album (yielding four "inner-tops" = 8 pages (front & back)). This part is when I wish I had some kind of scoring tool! :P If you're without one, use a metal ruler or bone folder instead.

Take a sheet of patterned paper, cut one side to 9", then turn and cut it into "four" 3" strips. The inner pages should be slightly smaller in height.  Fold them in two (yielding 3" x 4.5" pages for your mini).

Optional: Paint the cover with mod podge/sealer to make it stronger.

While the cover is drying, create a cover-embellishment for your album. I opted to create a frame using pieces from the Restoration collection: Chipboard, Paper, Rub-Ons & Stickers. Test your embellishments loosely before adhering them down.

Here is my finished cover piece: Layered Paper, Chipboard Frame & Flower, No. 19 Rub-On, Label Sticker, Rhinestones & Button w/Tie.

Decorate your inner pages. I loved this pattern paper, Slipcover, so much that I didn't want to cover it up. Hence this simple set-up with bare patterned paper, photos and an occasional brad or chipboard piece.

Note: you can also trim the pages individually, though I wanted to preserve the folds.

After all the pages are done, adhere the pages together. Apply liquid glue to each crease and insert page into crease - press the crease around the page to ensure that page adheres appropriately. Make sure the page is deep into the crease and all the way in. Rinse & repeat with the other pages.

When done, press the mini together (watch out for adhesive between the pages themselves - wipe any spilled glue away)

I decided to make a small spine cover to place over the creases of my album. Pre-measure and trim to size a small section of pattern paper to fit over the spine and punch edges using a decorative border punch (fiskars). Don't forget to apply mod podge/sealer to this one as well!

Apply adhesive the sides (not middle section!) of inner spine cover. Add to album and leave in place!

ll righty - all that remains is to adhere the cover-embellishment we made earlier on!

And here's the finished mini in all it's glory..let's hope grandma enjoy this so much that she'll forget I didn't send her a postcard this Summer *cough* :)

There you have it :)

By the way, after much hemming and thinking, I’ve decided to create a disclosure-page – found on the top of this blog. Tbh, to me it’s pretty evident that when you’re part of a design team, part of your “job” is to create samples and stuff with their products and then sharing what you have created – plus the occasional promote-post re. things they do and stuff. And even after your term with them ends, you usually still have lots of products from the time w/the manufacturer, and you still find the time creating stuff w/them and stuff – even if you’re no longer “obligated” to.

I join design-teams because I love the products they produce (more or less – you can’t really love *everything* although some manufs really come close ;) – and even products I initially go “uhm, no, that’s so not me” about – have usually been the ones I’ve used the most/loved more and more over time, haha), and the love of using said products doesn’t end within a date.

However, there’s a Norwegian discussion about bloggers and promoting, and although I personally never really compared myself to the bloggers the discussion’s been about (plus, my design teams haven’t been “secret” either), I figured it’d be better to come clean w/an own disclosure-page explaining how things are for those not really aware how scrapbooking&designteams work just in case. Better safe than sorry? :p

I dunno..have you seen disclosures on scrapbook-blogs? (apart from the sites like Craft Critique, who receive samples to review them)