Simple Mini Album Construction

Hello cool people!  Autumn here with a little tutorial for you on creating a simple mini album.  Recently, I was sorting my designer paper and decided to remove the chipboard backs off of the pads of paper (ahem - to make more room for paper...)  Anyway, I thought it would be fun to create a painted mini album that didn't have to be covered with designer paper (because apparently I need to hoard it!)  Wrapping book covers can be so tricky, ya know, so I hope you will enjoy this option.

 I cut one of my ticker sheets of chipboard down to 6" x 12".  Next, I used my score board to score lines on both the back and front 4 3/4" from each side.  This resulted in a rather thick binding.  You could narrow and change the dimensions to your preference.  Then I punched two holes for the binding.  The chipboard cracked at the seam, but to me that adds to the texture of what would become a grungy, distressed album anyway.  To further accentuate the cracks, I scraped all the edges, inside and out, with a pair of scissors, then scribed lines into the cardboard.

Here you can see the cracks, but I promise the end result is sturdy, the cracking is only on the top layer of the chipboard.  If it bothers you, you could cover with washi tape, just add some adhesive on top and bottom for security.  Next, I gessoed the entire book  to prepare the surface for my watercolor.

First I stenciled the inside and out with a beautiful ledger stencil.  Next, I applied layer of layer of various colors of watercolor paint, heat setting between each layer.

 I printed various copyright free images from a Google search and The Graphics Fairy, along with several verses for my collages.   I also blended in lots of stamped images and die cuts.

The pages inside are envelopes so I can store little notes, scripture, and journal snippets.  I prepped the envelopes with gesso to support the weight and paint.

Because the book is quite thick, I was able to add 3-Dimensional elements, and I will be able to stuff the envelopes quite full.  I had intended to do  more pages, but my husband used my craft envelopes for bills!  To think!  ;0

For me, painting my own cover and elements was a perfect way to play along with Branka's Think Pink challenge this month.  I don't normally buy pink, so this was the perfect alternative.

One last shot at the simple binding, which will allow me to add more pages after a trip to town!  I hope you are inspired to join our Think Pink challenge this month.  Why not create a pink project for a special woman in your life?  Thanks for visiting, Autumn