Tutorial Thursday with The Stamping Chef - Mini Album Tutorial

Today is a Tutorial Thursday for The Stamping Chef which I wanted to make an mini album using envelopes which was inspired by one of my Design Team Sisters on Treasure Box Designs, Lara. It is the most adorable mini album and knew that I wanted to try it and made my very very first one in January and now, I knew I wanted to show you this wonderful inspiration!!! Are you ready???

Recipe: 

• 8.5 x 11 inch piece of card stock scored at 2, 2.25, 6.75, and 7-inches with the long piece at the top  

 

 

•  I used Martha Stewart Vine punch which I thought was a border punch but it wasn't and then added an additional 1.75 inch piece of paper on the left side (the side with the 2-inch score line)   

• fold on your scored lines to make the album base  

• need three (3) business sized envelopes which is alright if they are security ones as you won't see
• seal the envelopes shut  

• cut one envelope 5.75 inches, cut one envelope 6.75 inches, and final envelope 7.75 inches
• make an accordion folded piece for the album to hold your envelopes by cutting a piece of card stock 2.5 x 4.25 inches   

• score this piece long ways every 1/2 inch until you have five (5) parts
• glue accordion onto one end of album
• start adding envelopes in accordion only gluing the bottom part of the envelope into the folds - envelopes should be able to be lifted up from the album with the flap side up to be covered (here is where I made an error and needed to cover both sides   

• you will see the above envelope is only glued at the BOTTOM - glue in the other two (2) envelopes into the folds and glue the folds together while playing to make sure it "works" before you glue
• envelopes should all be glued and able to flip forward  

• need to cut some card stock to cover your envelopes of course to make them look pretty with each piece being 4-inches wide
• one piece should be 5.25 inches long, next one should be 6.25 inches long, with the last piece should be 7.25 inches long
• adhere to front of each of the corresponding envelopes 
• punch a half-circle in the top of each piece after glued to envelopes to ensure all half-circles are in the same place - I do not have a circle punch and folded one of my scrap envelope pieces in half to create the half circle cut which I duplicated on each of my envelopes  

• to make inserts to go into the envelopes, you need 3 pieces of card stock cut 3.75-inches wide with one 5.25 inches long, ones 6.25 inches long with the last one being 7.25 inches long
• slide inserts into each of the envelopes

• now comes the fun part - DECORATE!!!!!
• for my decorations, I used various early works of The Stamping Chef which are adorable babies - you can decide on the "theme" of your mini album along with what was a freebie at one time from Treasure Box Designs, Cute as a Button  

  

top row left to right:

Good Night Sleep Tight, Little Emily

bottom row left to right

Good Morning Mimi, Little Lucy

Treasure Box Designs Cute as a Button 

• blocks were made spelling out "Lily" using Make the Cut

• you of course need a "belly" band to hold it all together by cutting a strip of card stock 1.5 x 11-inches  

• wrap it loosely around the album and then glue the ends of the band together making sure its not too tight 
• VIOLA - here's my finished product. Hope you like it and can't wait to see your creations on TSC Recipes with sew many "themes" to choose from at The Stamping Chef!!!!  

Good Morning Mimi

           Little Emily   

       Little Lucy

Good Night Sleep Tight

Treasure Box Designs 

Cute as a Button

God Bless you and thanks ever sew much for stopping by today. 
I sew much would rather use my envelopes to make these mini albums than pay bills!!!!

I would love to read your comments and can't wait 
for you to leave  yours!

Much love, hugs, and friendship

Lynne