Hi Everyone
I have had a few e-mails and comments asking how I created the folded paper mini books I featured last week so I have created a quick tutorial on how they are put together.
It was my turn to blog today at Artfull Crafts and I created a couple of these books in a 4″x4″ size, one using one of my faves from Kaisercraft last year – Lush and one using using the Sassafrass Lass “Indie Girl” collection.
Kaisercraft “Lush” Love Book
Here I have made the book using the Kaisercraft Lush collection – one of my faves from last year.
Goes to show that Valentines and Love themes don’t always have to be pink!
The colors in this collection are stunning.
I have used some of the chipboard pieces, journal tags and rub-ons (all by Kaisercraft) to complete the decoration on the front.
Sassafrass Lass “Indie Girl” Love Book
I am new to the Sassafrass Lass products and I have to say some of these papers and embellishments in the Sassafrass Indie Girl line are really lovely. Each piece of paper comes with an extra 12 inch border, die cut strip that you can use as a decorative strip which is a really neat idea! (I see Kaisercraft are doing this too now which is great)
I have used the Indie Girl Stickers and a chipboard button I made to decorate the front.
The Indie Girl Journal Tags and Stickers are the perfect size for the book too and I have used them for a mat on the pages
Here are a couple of close-ups of the detailing. I have also used a few Basic Grey brads which matched perfectly!
Tutorial
Now I am not going to deny this technique IS a little heavy on the paper use – but if you haven’t had to buy a blank album – then I guess overall it’s no more expensive than any other technique!
I use it as a way to use up paper and odds and ends of collections so I don’t feel guilty! This size book with 8 pages uses the equivalent of 2 whole sheets of paper – which is still probably cheaper than buying an album and covering it in paper!
You could of course make the book from plain cardstock and cut patterned paper to cover each page, which would effectively use half the amount of patterned paper.
- Cut 8 pieces of paper 4” x 8”
- Fold all the pieces into half , with the side of paper you want showing on the INSIDE
- Glue pieces together back to back to create pages
- Ensure that the folds are always aligned
- When all piece are glued – round corners if desired
- Cut piece of paper 8.5” x 4” for cover – round corners on one side
- Score cover at 4” and 4¼ ” to create “spine” for book
- Glue cover to front of book – do not glue spine
- Glue cover to back of book
- Trim excess paper and round corners for back of book
I hope this has given you some inspiration to create your own books. It’s a project that comes together in an hour or so and the book pages feel really “solid” in terms of weight – and much easier to stuff in a purse (thinking Grandma brag book!!) than a chipboard or wooden album.
Would love to see what you come up with!
Lowri 🙂
19 Comments
Thanks for the tute Lowri… any chance of some step by step photos?
Hi Alanna – you might have missed them – but there is a 10 photo collage in the post!!
Scroll down to the bottom and it's the last picture. The accompanying instructions are below.
Let me know if you cannot see them!!
These are amazing, thanks for sharing!
AMAZING!! So very fabulous! Visiting from Paper Issues!
This is absooutely adorable!!! 🙂
Thanks so much for dropping by my blog! I love your style and this little album is so cute! I have really enjoyed looking around your blog – so glad I found it. Following you now! 🙂
What fantastic minibooks! I love the style and colors. Thanks for the tutorial, too. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving those great comments.
Beautiful! I love your style.
Oh I've loved these tutorials! If only I had the vision of you scrapbookers! Great job btw
thanks for sharing-cute!! following from the tip junkie!!
Very pretty!
Thanks for this wonderful tutorial!!
Beautiful! How is the spine attached? Glue? Thanks!
I ADORE these books!! I am SO going to try and make these. I'm not very arts and crafty…I'm more like, arts and crappy. However…I'm going to try…
This is so cute! Odd thing is, I was just thinking to myself I need to make some kind of mini book to keep in my purse to jot down craft and blog ideas. Perfect timing, I found it on pinterest!! Thanks!
How can it be that I missed this one? Just amazing, Lowri!
I am new to your blog and very late seeing this post, so I don't know if you'll see my comment, but I am wondering what type of glue you used. This is really cute and am thinking it could be scaled to just about any size. Can't wait to try it!
Why not just stack and sew the folded papers so you have twice as many pages for the same amount of paper? it's so easy to do!
Genial la idea,gracias