Mini Albums!

I love the look of mini albums and I'd like to try and make my first one soon but I'm a little lost and have a couple of questions. I'm planning to make a chipboard album and my local scrapbook store said they would happily make the holes to bind the album.

First - Whats the best way to stick your background paper to you're chipboard? Any product ideas (I'm not in america so any alternatives/other options are appreciated ^^)

Second - If I want to use brads or eyelets on the book e.g. say I put one on the front page - would the brad/eyelet go all the way through the chipboard or just through the front page paper? (I hope that make sense).

Thanks so much for reading all that XD.

I've stuck my background paper to chipboard any number of ways,,,,,

I've used mod podge, brayered it with a credit card and then covered the back ground paper with it again to "coat" and protect it,,,,,,

sometimes I don't want that look, so I simply use ATG or any double sided acid free tape to adhere,,,,,getting close to the edges so it doesn't lift up easily,,,,,

I'd not MYSELF stick a brad or eyelet all the way through the book, only because the yucky side will show on the OTHER side,,,,,,,

what I actually LIKE to do with brads on minis, is clip off the wings with wire clippers and just glue them down with a glue dot like a button,,,,, I did that here,,,,,,

Joy Mini page 6 By CommaHolly

Thank you so much ^^. I've seen Mod Podge at the local scrapbook store so I'll go take a look.

I am terrible with any straight lines XD so I will have to try my hardest with a tape runner haha.

Yea I also don't really have a tool strong enough to punch through chipboard. Thanks for the suggestions!

both of these will punch holes in chipboard,,,that's what I use to make holes in mine so I can bind them with rings the Big Bite will put a hole any where on a 12x12 paper (it has a 6 inch reach, so by going in on any 4 sides you can reach every spot on a 12x12 paper)

Ahh thank you so much

I might look into getting the smaller one (as I have the making memories eyelet setter, which I'm sure will break if I try chipboard XD).

Also is there anyway to adhere the Tim Holtz Ornate Plates to the album, other then using the brads given?

Another simple, inexpensive way to adhere the paper is a glue stick. It's the one and only time I use glue sticks but you can get a smooth all over coverage that sticks really, really good. Then if you want to tear or sand the edges you don't have to worry about where the tape is. Just cover the chipboard add the paper and use a brayer to roll it all out. Or just use the palm of your hand firmly all over.

^ Thank you ^^ I don't mind using glue sticks but I always find I have the issue of the glue coming off in lumps on the paper and then if it gets onto the edges of the paper then I always have the issue 'dirtying' the glue which messes up the paper. So I'm a bit hesitant with glue sticks. But I'll definitely keep it in mind, thanks again!

I've never had that problem. That's why I like it, the gel glues and stuff run but the glue sticks don't. Maybe because I use a brayer to roll it all out. Good luck, they are so much fun to make!

You could try spray adhesive. Personally I've used glue sticks in the past but I think spray adhesive would give a more permanent "seal". I, myself, hesitate to use modge podge because it will curl and warp your project if the cardstock is not sturdy enough. I've also read that modge podge can leave your project tacky if used as a top coat sealant.

I've used either modge podge or my ATG gun. I have spray adhesive & I'm sure it would work, but I try to avoid the stuff because it is a pain to work with! And I would suggest: As adorable as all those shaped minis are, they are awful to work with. I did a rocking horse shaped one recently (had a bunch of cutouts in the middle as well as the outline) and I HATED cutting the papers and then trying to sand all the teeny tiny crevices later. I decided to do only basic shapes until I have my die cut machine to cut both the chipboard and the papers!

^ Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I feel so much better about starting now!

Yea I think I'll stick with a nicely shaped album to start with, but incase the album is slightly irregular in shape - is a craft knife easiest to cut away excess paper?

Thanks so much again to everyone!

• south1001 Said:

Oh this is a piece of cake,,,,,I use these all the time and I lovvvvvvvvvve them,,,,

put the brads through the holes and flip the wings up,,,THEN adhere the ornate plates to the mini with strong double sided tape,,,the tape will keep the wings in place so they won't wiggle around and show out the sides of the plate, if that makes sense,,,,,,put the tap on the plate, NOT the book, then press into place on the book!

^ Phew thank you so much, I was worrying about what to do with them. Any tape you'd recommend?

You're a life saver, thanks again!

I get Terriffically Tacky Tape in 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch widths,,,it's got an orange skin on it that you peel off to expose the sticky on the other side,,,3-5 bucks for 5 feet at M's with the scrapping adhesive.

^ Thank you ! and Happy Holidays ^^

you too!!!

I use double-sided Scotch tape for a good portion of my scrapbooking projects because it's cheaper than continuously buying tape runner refills, but recently I started using a glue pen for papers, which seems to work even better than the tape, and things lay flatter.

I like Zig Memory System's 2way Glue for flat stuff and Tombo Mono Aqua Liquid Glue for flat and 3d embellishments. Occasionally I use Provo Craft Terrifically Tacky strip tape for paper on cardboard, but I generally save that for ribbon and embellishments that need a solid tacking down.

I'm not always good at planning ahead on my LOs and cards and albums but I try not to let brads and eyelets show through the other side (unless the eyelet hole is perfunctory). Sometimes you can't help it, and then you just find something cute to cover it with!

^ Thank you so much I'm going to take a look at the adhesives at my LSS so hopefully they might have some of those you mentioned.

Haha I'm terrible with planning ahead I always decide to put eyelets in once I've put big flower on so I can't set the eyelet *headdesk*

welcome to the world of creativity too much planning destroys creativity anyway

Haha just as creativity destroys the bank account!

what's a bank account?

Hahahaha, tell me about it.

this hobby will suck it dry if you have one