Saturday 21 November 2009

Cute Mini Book with instructions





I saw a book like this in a local shop, went home and spent hours working out exactly how to make it. I like the way the pages explode into a fairly flat shape making it ideal for lots of mini photos. Cut a piece of paper 8” by 4”

Then you need to fold your paper. I used a scoring blade as you can score all the folds accurately. If you don’t have a scoring blade you could use a bone folder.


Then in the middle of the rectangle, cut 1” in both sides, (dark blue line on the picture.)

Then you need to make the 1” square folds in each corner.


The folds in the books are mountains (going up towards you) or valleys (opposite direction) I hope this diagram shows you which direction the folds need to go in.

The pink lines are folds that go up/mountains. The turquoise lines are folds that go down/valleys. The black lines are where you have already cut your paper.


Once you have managed your squished together folds, you need to make a cover for your mini book.

Cut a strip of card 2.5” wide and 9” long. Use the scoring blade for folds at the following measurements. 2.5” then 2” then 2” and finally 2.5”


I glued a piece of ribbon on the inside of the card before I stuck the folded mini book on the top, this makes a nice closure.

I added lots of mini photos, the beauty of this book is that you can place so many tiny photos. They don’t have to be stuck completely to each fold, some of mine come off the edge but fold away beautifully when it comes to close the book.


Im going to try adapting this pattern to make a larger book, and will post instructions as soon as I have worked it out.

Wednesday 18 November 2009

Thank you Carmen


I received this award from the lovely Carmen, so thank you for thinking my blog is fabulous. I have to list 5 things I am obsessed with at the moment, and pass the award on to five other people.

1. I have become a bit obsessed with card making, apart from making card toppers and selling them on ebay to make a bit of money I have never really been interested in cards. I think the NEC and some of the lovely stamps I bought there are to blame.

2. Promarkers, I cant believe I have only just discovered them, I love the bright colours and the way the colours blend without damaging the paper.

3. I am determined to find time to properly find out how to use my camera on manual settings, it is a bridge camera but I really want to improve my photos.

4. Scrapbooking, mini books and altering things.

5. Creating a record of memories for my children. I have a number of little note books and scraps of paper all being collected with memories, funny things children have said in work and little things like notes the children left when they were younger.

As I cant pass this award back to Carmen, I am sending it to these people.

Jayne, at http://boringhousewifexx.blogspot.com/
Claire at http://www.curlylockspicsandpieces.blogspot.com/
Eleanor at http://www.paperseaside.blogspot.com/
Andrea at http://andreagourley.blogspot.com/
paper and string looks lovely, I often go to look at the shelves of buttons etc lol.

Tuesday 17 November 2009

Combining border punches, School photo layout



Did you know you can combine some border punches to make a new design. I used the fiskars ribbon punch combined with the border lace punch to make a new border. Line the ribbon border with the scallops on the lace punch. The layout is one of my DT projects for Fiskarettes.