Faith's Album

Faith's Album

I made a little photo album using CD folders and cardstock for someone dear to my family. The album has eleven 5" x 5" pages for photos, plus six pockets. Each of the pockets held an insert with two photos, for a total of 23 photos in the book.

I wanted to share the album with you today. Please note, the photos I used in the album have been altered digitally to remove people to protect the privacy of the subjects.

Materials

• Paper and Cardstock
• 2 sheets of sturdy 12"x12" Cardstock
• 2 sheets of coordinating patterned paper (I used K&Co Tim Coffey Cottage Garden, Day Lillies)
• Additional coordinating paper and cardstock for tags and mats as desired
• Embellishments
• Dimensional embellishments of choice
  (I used K&Co's Susan Winget Spring Blossom Daisy Layered Accents & Tim Coffey Cottage Garden White Floral Grand Adhesions.)
• Miscellaneous
• 3 CD Folders

Instructions

• Cut and score the cardstock as shown in the above diagrams (or as described below.)
  
• One piece 5 1/4" x 11 1/4", scored at 5 1/4", 5 1/2", 5 3/4", and 6" in landscape orientation.
• Two pieces 5"x5" each
  (Note:
  My cardstock wasn't sturdy enough for my tastes so I used DOUBLED cardstock on my inserts.
  I cut them all from a separate sheet of 12"x12" yellow cardstock rather than from the cover sheet as shown in the diagram, 4 pieces, 5"x5" each
  and glued them back to back to make my two 5"x5" inserts.)
• Two pieces 5"x12", each scored at 5", 5 1/2", 6", 6 1/2", and 7" in landscape orientation.
• Accordion fold the two 12" long pieces on the score lines.
  
  
  
• With the cardstock turned so that the first and last folds are mountain folds, place glue inside the valleys, as shown.
  
  
  Once glued together, the front of the cardstock at the fold will look like this:
  
  
  This is the INSIDE of the insert.
  Fold it closed.
  
  Repeat with the other insert.
  Set both inserts aside.
  
• Fold the cover piece so that the outer-most score lines form valley folds, and the other two score lines form mountain folds.
  Make hard creases using a bone folder only on the outer score lines (the other scores will allow the book to open more easily but do not need to be hard folds.)
  
  
  
• Form the album:
• Start by folding all of the CD Folders so that the media pockets are on their insides.
• Make a "sandwich" of the CD Folders and inserts... folder, insert, folder, insert, folder... making sure the folders all face the same way.
• Glue the sandwich pieces into place, back of CD folder to outside of insert.
• Glue the cover piece in place on the outside of the sandwich.
• Glue the insert pages into place by putting glue on both sides of the valley and gluing the page into place.
  
  
  
• Decorate the insides of the CD Folders with the patterned paper, cut into 5"x5" squares.
• Slip the paper inside the CD folder pocket with the punched circle.
• Mark the cut out area with a pencil.
  
  
• Remove the paper from the pocket.
• Punch the half-circle out of the paper using a 3/4" punch.
  
  
• Glue the paper onto the pocket front, aligning the punched circle.
• Slip a paper into the slotted folder pocket.
• Mark the pocket's edge with a pencil.
• Remove the paper from the pocket.
  
  
  
• Cut along the marked line.
• Glue the two pieces of paper into place.
• Repeat with the other two CD Folders.

• On the outside of the album, attach an 18" piece of ribbon to enable the album to be tied closed.
• Decorate the front of the album with a paper doily and dimensional stickers as desired.
• Decorate the inside of the album with photos and dimensional stickers.
• Use a large scalloped square Nestabilites die to cut the mats.
• Make tags to insert into the CD folders from scrap coordinating cardstock.
• Mount photos directly onto the mats and tags using acid-free glue.

Here is the completed album.