Hi all... Marcy here with a little mini accordion book tutorial for you all.
I wanted to create a little mini to house just a few of my favorite photos from the past year. Something I could throw in my purse or put in a little basket on my coffee table. And if I was going to use my favorite photos, then I may as well use my favorite collection too... Midway. :)
I started by assembling the structure of my entire mini from one sheet of 12x12 cardstock.
1. Start by scoring lines so that you have 12 - 3x4 sections on your cardstock.
... and now trim them like so...
2, 3, 4 and 5. Start folding them as shown.
You're basically folding accordion-style going up, then across, then down, then across and then up again.
6. This is what it looks like all folded up.
7 and 8. When it's folded up go ahead and label all your pages 1 through 12 and also your cover and your back. This will make putting it together a lot easier once you start adding paper and embellishments.
* Notice that the numbers down your center row will be upside down.
So, now you're ready to make the actual pages. Go ahead and choose your background papers. I chose 6 of my favorite patterns from Midway and Make it Merry and trimmed those to a little less than 3x4 so that some of the white of the cardstock would show as a matte.
Print and trim your photos. I printed these slightly smaller again and trimmed them with a white border.
Start playing with your papers and arrangements. I wanted to make sure I like the photos and patterns together on ajacent pages.
At this point I also went ahead and embellished the piece that would go on my cover.
I wrapped thread around my fingers, bunched it up and stapled it to a piece of patterned paper. Then I added the chipboard polaroid and some stickers.
From here I started adding my patterned paper and photos. Remember how the numbers you wrote in the center column were upside down? Make sure that your images in that row are upside down as well.
Once I adhered everything down I added a little stitching.
When the mini's folded up it looks something like this. Not quite done though.
When I closed it up a few of the pages had openings on the top. These were perfect for adding tags for my journaling. I sewed the bottoms of the pages closed and left the tops open.
Time to flip it over and work on the spine.
1. I decided to use washi tape to keep the spine tight and together. Just hold your mini closed tightly and cover it.
2. Trim a length of ribbon and run it across the front and back of your mini. Your back and front covers you made will cover this.
3 and 4. You should end up with something like what is shown in these last two images.
And here is my finished project. Sweet and simple.
I love little projects like these. :) Great for gifts or to keep for yourself.... Hmmm... maybe I'll have to make another one for Mother's day. ;)