Vintage Christmas Album - CCC Design Team project

Hello everyone and happy holidays!  As we busily prepare for upcoming celebrations, remember to take lots of photos with family and friends to fill this heirloom album, made with the beautiful Blue Fern Studios "Vintage Christmas" paper collection and matching self-adhesive chipboard shapes. This book has 20 pages with extensions, pockets, mats and journaling cards to record your memories.  I am using the Graphics 45 album (described & photo below) which is a "ring binder", thus, we will not be building a hinge system for the pages, I will instead concentrate on giving you tips and techniques for covering, die cutting and decorating the album front - a much requested technique in a recent survey conducted by Kimmy Murray (thank you!).  Enjoy and please share this blog site with like minded friends!
 

I used 24 pieces of 12" x 12" heavy weight, double sided printed papers, basically two each of 12 designs.  These papers are not matted onto a solid color background, but heavy enough to stand on their own so both sides can be appreciated and used as a page.  Also used is Country Craft Creations 12" x 12" Artisan Cardstock - 4 Evergreen; 2 Ivory; 4 Burgundy, and 4 of the 8 1/2" x 11" White Pearl.  I am also pleased to be using (with Tamera's permission) the wonderful Anna Griffin detailed embellishment dies.  A complete supply list is at the bottom of instructions.

The album cover is Graphic 45 Kraft Mixed Media Album, 8 1/4" x 8 3/4" x 2" with inserts.  We will not be using the inserts, but keep them as pages & patterns for future projects.  I slightly reduced the insert page size to 6" x 8" so we can cut two pages from a single sheet of  12"x 12" papers - saves paper and increases the size of the album.

This album page size is 6"x 8"


CUTTING the PRINTED PAPERS - FIRST, I pull out one each of papers that are preprinted "panels", cards or other designs that need to be cut apart, to be used as pocket cards, index tabs, etc.   I then select papers for the cover, back and inside, including the tree & roses designs to be cut out for embellishments, set them aside for the moment to be sure you have the desired cover look you want!  NEXT I chose 2 papers to be used for large envelope pages. NEXT - select 2 or 3 papers for pockets and fold-out pages, because these too need to be cut larger than the standard page size.
Cut off the manufacturers word band, then decide how you want the design area to show on the page - detailed border print papers can be aligned to cut 4" off the bottom OR top, then cut again at 6" center to end up with 2 pages.  Designs centered at the top or bottom of the page can be "cut around", sometimes I do not use them on a cut page, but trim them away for additional embellishments, then use the rest of the paper piece to cut into page sizes.  Please refer to the below photographs of each page set to see how the prints are used in this album - of course you can be creative and cut any way you desire!  SAVE all your scraps for add on pockets (those not cut into the page), diecuts, waterfall cards & embellishments.

COVER cut is 8 1/4" x 6 1/4"; Back cover is 8 1/4" x 7 3/4"; Inside front cover is 8 1/4" x 7 3/4"; Inside back cover is 8 1/4" x 6 1/2"; Inside spine piece is 8 1/4" x 1 3/8".

ENVELOPE pages are 11" x 11" (Mine are folded on the We R Memory Envelope Maker).
FOLD-OUT POCKET pages are cut 12" x 6" and scored at 4" from bottom (on 12" side).
SIDE FOLD OUT pages are cut 8" x 9 1/2" and scored at 2 1/2" (on 9 1/2" side).
Regular PAGES - of 12" x 12" pieces are cut to the 6" x 8" size as described above.
SCRAPS are cut into - Inside front cover pocket is 7 1/4" x 4 3/4"; Inside back pocket is 6" x 4 3/8"; add on (glued in) page pockets (not diecuts) are 5 1/2" x 3"; Journal cards are 4" x 6"; Waterfall cards are 4" x 3 1/2"; other add on pockets are diecut and size varies for diecut shape - cut accordingly.

CUTTING the SOLID COLOR papers using heavy weight 12" x 12" CCC Artisan Cardstock - Evergreen 1" x ? - each album is hand made and you will need to measure from the cover fabric edge to the outside album edge for your length - 4 strips are cut for the top and bottom, front and back; 2 longer strips are cut for the front and back side edges (see photo below).
PHOTO MATS are cut 4" x 6" from the Evergreen, Burgundy and White Pearl Artisan Cardstock then corner rounded but not inked
JOURNAL CARDS are cut 4 3/4" x 3 1/4" from Ivory Artisan Cardstock, corner round & inked.

CORNER ROUND before inking, the right hand page edge, top and bottom, with a large corner rounder - fold any extended pages to punch so edges will match.  I DID NOT corner round any of the left side edges on the ring binder side (to be hole punched) - your choice.  I also used both a large and small corner rounder on some of the pocket photo mats and journaling cards - again, your choice.

INKING - once I have cut out and corner rounded all the printed pages, cards and embellishments, I use two or more colors of Ranger Distress Oxide inks by Tim Holtz to accent the edges. For this album, I used three colors - Iced Spruce, Peeled Paint and Fired Brick.  That might sound excessive and silly - BUT - by using three different colors, I am able to maneuver the inks in various shades. Use a separate ink applicator for each color.  DO NOT SATURATE your sponge applicators with ink, you only need to skim the surface to create a shade to match your papers, its easier to pick up & add more ink if you need rather than try to remove after applying.  Start with the Iced Spruce, apply completely around the edges, then add the other colors where desired - note the different shades on the page photographs.
You will also ink a 10" piece of the 2" wide heavy lace using small sponges/Q-tips to apply pastel shade of red on the flowers, green on scallops and spruce on the straight edge - less is more!

Ink 3 sheets of matt finish reinforcements - do not use the glossy ones as they will not hold the ink - "pounce" the ink applicator on to create a spotty look, some have more spruce, green, or red, set all inked pieces aside to dry. 

COVERING the ALBUM - I am going to share a neat trick with you on how to "cover" a premade album with only a few pieces of paper.  Since this book is already made of heavy chipboard, kraft paper and a fabric spine, there is no need to completely recover, in fact, I painted part of it with acrylic craft paint.  To determine what paint color is best to use, I smeared daub's of color on the INSIDE BACK which will be covered later, allowed to dry, then matched it to the paper color (see below).  When the right color is determined, paint the fabric spine and corners, inside and out and around the metal rings - be sure to paint over the fabric edges and onto the kraft paper so there will be no gaps in the colors later - set aside to dry.

 

Cut Evergreen Artisan Cardstock paper strips 1" wide x ??? for the album edges (photo below) - noted above that each album is measured individually.  Now flip the strips over and apply 1" ScorTape to back:

Center each strip - one at a time - on EDGE of album to hold in place, trim corners and turn down onto the album, then smooth in place on front and back covers.  This will effectively cover the album edges and your printed papers will cover the rest.  NOTE - the painted corners insure color in case trimming is not exact, plus you can always add a bit more paint if needed.

  

Now you will center up add the beautiful cut, corner rounded, inked, printed papers on the OUTSIDE COVER ONLY using Scor Tape and/or Art Glitter Glue to secure:

Next we will add the inked lace - you can use either ScorTape or hot glue to secure in place - NOTE - the lace hangs over top and bottom edges until secure/dry, then it is wrapped to the back (inside cover) and again ScorTape or hot glued into place.  Do not glue on the red satin ribbon - it makes spots - DO use 1/2" ScorTape on the back, peel and place over the lace straight edge (as shown), wrap to the inside of the album and smooth down.  I add a piece of tape over the lace & ribbon raw edges.

 

Before adding the inside cover papers, you must add the ribbon ties on the INSIDE front and back - cut two 12" pieces of 1" wide double faced red satin ribbon, then a piece of 1" ScorTape to place just inside center of covered edge (see photo below). Secure a ribbon end to ScorTape and tape over the raw edge.  Now glue and/or ScorTape the inside cover and spine papers in place, voila, you are ready to embellish the cover - fun time!

 

COVER EMBELLISHMENT - I use my scrap stash of a paper collection to create additional embellishments for the covers and pages of a album - in this case, we saved a beautiful tree with roses and several extra big beautiful roses.  I cut "around" the tree image, applied to adhesive backed foam sheet - THEN fussy cut around the details.  For the image booklet, I found a smaller version of the same on the matching chipboard sticker sheet (photo below) and enlarged it on my color printer to fit the space - IMPORTANT NOTE - IF you enlarge or reduce a copyrighted paper image, it can be for personal use only, you cannot sell the item without express written permission from the copyright holder artist and/or publisher!  I do this only if it is staying in my family home. or a gift.  Peel backing off the tree and place on cover covering part of the lace & ribbon edge. Prima flowers used on this project, have inked edges of the white petals in red, then cut both white and red flowers apart in layers to use under the paper roses.  Leave the red buds on wire to tuck in and hot glue under the tree.  I use hot glue to place these pieces, then additional large roses and the Anna Griffin Botanical diecut greenery (see below) to fill the space as a bouquet.  The book is added with hot glue and foam squares under the pages to simulate a curled page.  Add the matching chipboard self adhesive sentiment (saying) embellishment to finish.
 

 Here is a side photo to show you the dimension you can add if desired:

POCKETS - Several of the pages were cut larger to "include" pockets - scored, folded, corner rounded and inked - now we need to use Glitter Glue OR 3/8" ScorTape to seal the folded edges so they can hold photo mats and journaling cards.  I did not seal the side foldout page (see photos of finished pages).
There are also some "add on" pockets that have been cut separately - on two of these I used a Anna Griffin embossing folder (one Holly and one Snowflake) plus inking to create a textured image.
Finally, there are pockets that have been diecut using a Anna Griffin Christmas Pocket Die and Christmas Decorative Edge Die.  Whatever you choose in the way of pockets, they need to be secured as follows - score the bottom and side edges 1/4", clip corners where the score lines cross, fold (shown below), then apply either 3/8" ScorTape or Glitter Glue and apply to page.  If gluing, I wait until they are dry before adding cards, just so they don't accidentally stick in the pocket.

FINISHING the PAGES: I made a chipboard guide from a page that was included in the album to line up pages and punch holes using a standard 1/4" hole punch, you could also use a Crop-A-Dial.  After all the page holes are punched, add the inked reinforcements to both the front and back to keep pages from ripping in wear-n-tear.  Additional page embellishments were made with matching stash images, cut and secured on foam squares, as well as the marching self adhesive chipboard images throughout the book.
ENVELOPE pages were made using the We-R-Memory Keepers Envelope Board, paper cut to 11" x 11" (which folds into a 6" x 8" page), one side fold was trimmed, inked, holes punched, reinforcements added - then a small card cut from preprinted paper was glued to top fold, magnet set was attached to secure, round paper embellishments (punched from scrap) were used to cover.
CORNER CARDS to hold mats are featured on several pages, these use the small preprinted cards cut out, inked and attached on one side and bottom with Glitter Glue - dry - add cards behind.
TABS for pages were preprinted, cut out, attached on page edge, second one glued to back and inked.

The following are photos of each open page set from front to back along with some closeups of "open" pages to show you magnet placement on envelopes and the fold out page:

Last but not least, don't forget to sign and date your albums for future generations!

SUPPLIES - available from Country Craft Creations
Blue Fern Studios "Vintage Christmas" paper collection and matching self adhesive chipboard pieces
Artisan Cardstock - Evergreen, Burgundy, Ivory and White Pearl
Graphic 45 - Kraft Mixed Media Album 8 1/4" x 8 3/4" x 2"
ScorTape - 3/8", 1/2", 1"
Art Glitter Glue
Prima paper flowers - white, red
2" wide heavy scalloped lace
Ranger Distress Oxide Inks - Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Iced Spruce
Ranger Ink Applicators + sponges
Magnetic disc closures - Small

Other supplies needed:
Acrylic craft paint - color to match solid cover paper
Sponge "paint brush" - disposable
Adhesive backed foam sheet - white - approx 1/8" thick
Adhesive backed 1/4" foam squares
Paper Reinforcements - matte finish
Red Satin Ribbon, double-faced - 1/2" (10" needed) and 1" (2 feet needed)
Anna Griffin Cutting Dies - Christmas Decorative Edge; Christmas Botanical; Christmas Pockets
Die Cutting machine + appropriate plates (I use a Cuttlebug)
Decorative edge scissors - Large Scallop

Basic crafting supplies and tools needed: 12" paper trimmer, 12" score board, ruler, scissors (both regular and fussy cutting), corner rounder(s) small & large, 1/4" standard hole punch OR Crop-A-Dial, 1 1/2" circle punch, hot glue gun + glue sticks

I hope you enjoy this project, please do not hesitate to contact me (email on side) with any additional questions you might have - most of all, enjoy the process, experiment, learn new techniques and have fun!