Hi! It's Kathie here. Today I'm going to give you the instructions for
decorating the cover of this bright little mini album.
You'll need the following:
Scrapware 6x12 album (the portrait orientation one)
Scrap ware “Notes” Journaling Block
Scrapware Chipboard Ric Rac Border Strip
Scrapware Chipboard Scallop Heart Border Strip
Scrapware Wooden Flourish
Bazzill - Rain Cardstock
Scenic Route - Salem Boardman Street paper
Daisy D’s - Wonderyears Let’s Picnic paper
Daisy D’s - Wonder Years Transfer Book
Daisy D’s Tea Party Stickers
Been There Done That - Alpha rubons
Acrylic Paint - Antique Red, Lime Green, Classic Red, Cream, Burnt
Umber
Plaid Dimensional Magic
Black Sharpie
Mod Podge
OK, let's get started!
Take the front page of your little album. I love the size of these 6x12
albums! They come in two orientations - portrait style like the one that I’ve
used, or the landscape orientation. There’s something really playful about
decorating a space that’s 6x12. The other thing I love about them is that
they’re really sturdy!
First step in decorating the cover is to cut the Scenic Route Boardman
Street paper to size - I simply lay the cover on my paper and drew around it
with a pencil, then cut to size. Use a sponge or paintbrush to apply a thin coat
of modpodge to the back of the paper and then place onto the album cover (make
sure the holes in the album are on the LHS so you know you've got your page
orientated around the right way!). Use a bone scorer to flatten out the paper
and remove any air bubbles.
While the paper is drying, you’ll want to get painting. I’ve used cheap
acrylic paints from Spotlight, use whatever type you’d prefer.
Take the Notes Journaling Block and apply a coat of cream paint to it. Dry.
Apply another coat of cream paint. Dry. Take a fine paintbrush and carefully
paint the “Notes” part of the journaling block red. Set aside to dry.
Take the Ric Rac Border strip and paint it lime green. Dry. Apply another
coat of green paint. Dry. Carefully apply a smooth coat of Dimensional Magic,
using a pin to prick any air bubbles. Set aside to dry - about three
hours.
Take the Scallop Heart Border Strip and paint it brown. Dry. Apply another
coat of brown paint. Set aside to dry.
Your cover should have dried nicely while you've been doing all this
painting. Once the cover is dry, use your craft knife to go around and neaten up
the edges and then sand them briefly with some sandpaper. This gives a nice neat
edge. Use your hole punch to punch holes where the binder rings will go.
Adhere the journaling block to the cover once it’s dry. Use the picture as
a guide to where to place it.
You’ll want to think up a two or three word title that you can spread over
the journaling block and down below it, like I've done.
Use a pencil to hand-letter your title onto the blue cardstock. Trace over
the pencil with a black sharpie pen. Erase pencil marks. Use your craft knife to
carefully cut out the letters. I cut on a glass cutting mat as it's easier to
manipulate the knife and get nice smooth curves. Cut the inside curves of the
letters first while you've got a nice sized chunk of cardstock to hold onto,
then go back and cut out the outside of the letters.
(If you don’t want to hand letter your title, find some commercially
available letters in the colour you want - there’s heaps out there. I just like
to use my own handwriting sometimes. It makes the project more uniquely
mine.)
Adhere part of the title on top of the journaling block and the remainder
beneath it. Complete the title using the Been There Done That alpha
rubons.
Decorate the title with a piece of the brown Scallop Heart Border Strip and
a sticker from the Daisy D’s Teaparty Stickers.
Adhere the Wooden Flourish under the title and run a piece of the Green Ric
Rac Border Strip alongside it to balance. (Tap the border strip lightly before
using it to make sure it’s dry!)
Cut a small scalloped strip from the Let’s Picnic paper. Adhere at the top
RHS of the cover. Rub some Daisy D’s Wonderyears rubons over the top to
finish.
There you go. Now you're ready to decorate the rest of your album. Have
fun!