PaperArtsy Progressive Four Fold Mini Album Tutorial

Happy happy New Year!!!  The first of the year is such an exciting time and for us at Mini Album Makers Challenge because we are able to share a new array of exciting challenges and monthly inspiration and tutorials with you.

I am thrilled to announce our January sponsor is Lindy's Stamp Gang.  I have created a 4.5" square progressive style album tutorial for you and have used some beautiful sprays from Lindy's.  I hope you will take a moment to peruse the online shop.

I must say I started this book in September and almost ruined it, but after a few other failed attempts for this challenge I pulled it out and gave her a good coat of gesso and started again.  Each page was stenciled with modeling paste, then sprinkled with PaperArtsy Infusions and coated with DecoArt Clear Crackle Glaze.  I wasn't keen on the vivid tie dyed color I had made paired with my white crackle cover, so I gessoed the pages and sprayed with Lindy's sprays for a much subtler effect

I used Long John's Silver Vintage Moon Shadow Mist, Sandra Dee Sepia Flat Fabio and Cafe au Lait Flat Fabio sprays over the gesso.  Now some of the Infusions colors beneath did show through, so I achieved a nice variegated look.

I unified the pages by adding vintage laces along with my Lynne Perrella stamped images by PaperArtsy.

The cover boards were some my sweet friend Sara Emily and I used for her to show me DecoArt two step crackle when we met at the beach last summer.  I treasure them and wanted them to become the covers for an album.  I layered with more laces, a Prima flower and berries, Tim Holtz greenery die, a Kaisercraft wooden clock, and a vintage pom pom, tucking my smallest Lynne Perrella image into the bundle.

You can see that luscious crackle here.  I embossed PaperArtsy: Ink & The Dog (Mini Stamps 23) with Pewter chunky embossing powder for a bit of metallic on each page.

The sentiments are from the Tim Holtz Clippings sticker set.

The pages all folding out to tell a story of a girl with big dreams and a soft heart.  These laces are so important to me, special gifts from beloved friends.

This style of album is so easy to make and the chipboard is a perfect base for mixed media, but would be equally beautiful decorated with designer papers and layered photos. 

Start by making three spine sections.  The center of the first being 1/4, the second 3/8, and the third 1/2 with a half inch section on each side to adhere to the pages.

Cut three sections to:
1 1/4 x 4.5
1 3/8 x 4.5
1 1/2 x 4.5
Score each section half an inch from each end.

Burnish the folds well.

Cut eight chipboard panels to 4.5" square.  Use Score Tape or heavy adhesive to adhere the chipboard to the spine pieces like shown.  Flip the panels over and adhere the remaining chipboard panels directly over the base layers.  In photo three you can see how I adhered lace between my layers so that it would fringe over my pages when the album was folded up.  The section next to the largest spine will be your cover.  The fourth photo shows how I finished attaching the remaining chipboard over the adhered spine pieces.

I hope you'll pin this project for future reference.  Please let me know if you have any questions and leave me a comment with a link to your project if you try this out.  :)

I truly hope you've found the tutorial helpful and inspiring.  We would love for you to take the time to play along with our January challenge for a chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Lindy's Stamp Gang.  Thanks for visiting and have a blessed New Year!

I'm also sharing with:

Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes

Words & Paintery: Moodboard

That's Crafty! Anything Goes

Brown Sugar: Anything But a Card

Word Art Wednesdays: Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments: Snowflakes