Create Your Own Album Cover

Hello again.  Some time ago I came across a way to make your own album cover.  So I tried it myself and here is the result.  I found it easy to do and you can make any size you like.  This is my finished cover.

To get started, you will need the following items:  patterned paper (2 sheets co-ordinating paper to cover the inside of the cover), chipboard, duck tape, ribbon or lace, embellishments and products of your choice for the front cover.  Below are a few of the items I used for my album cover for the background:   tissue, cheesecloth, matte mod podge, moulding paste and a brick wall stencil.

To start cut two pieces of chipboard to the size that you want your album.  Mine is 8 1/2" long x 5 1/2" wide. Then you will cut a third piece the same length x 1 1/2".  This will be the spine.  You can cut the spine larger if you want, it just depends on how full an album you want.

Lay your pieces of chipboard on your table.  Place the spine between the two main ones having it about 1/4" apart.  Keeping it steady cut and apply a strip of the duck tape down the space between 

the pieces on both sides.

Now you will take more duck tape and completely cover the spine.  You will do the duck tape on both sides of the covers.  The space between the spine and the covers is to that you can fold the covers.

This is what it will look like completely covered.

Now you will cut 3 strips of ribbon, whatever width you want, (I used a 3/8" gro grain ribbon).  The length should be about 3 times the length of your spine and add a little bit for good luck.  Take these strips and using a very tacky ribbon glue (I used the 3 in 1 glue) adhere the strips to the spine evenly spaced making sure that the part coming off the bottom of the spine is slightly longer that the top of the strips.  Cover the strips using another piece of the duck tape.  These strips of ribbon have a specific purpose which you will see at the end.   PS.  You can use any colour of duck tape that you want.  You can even buy it now with patterns on it.

Next, cut pieces of your chosen patterned paper to cover the front and back covers as well as a separate strip for the spine.  You should use a very tacky glue to adhere the paper to the duck tape.

Now you can continue and decorate the covers with what ever you want.  I first took a piece of tissue paper, wrinkled it up in a ball to get lots of wrinkles.  I decided to have it going across the centre of the front cover on a diagonal and a portion of it I placed onto the spine.   Place some matte mod podge onto the covers in the area that you want to place the tissue.  Place another coat of the mod podge onto the tissue to seal it.  I then took a piece of cheese cloth and adhered it the same as the tissue across the bottom of the front cover and just going over the edge of the tissue.  Using a brick wall stencil, I decided to apply some modeling paste at the upper left corner of the front cover slightly going over the edge of the tissue.  Because the tissue and the cheesecloth is white I decided to apply some light purple gelatos to give it some colour.

Now you are ready to finish the cover.  Here is a close-up of what I added to mine.  Behind the flowers is a piece of cheese cloth - which I applied loosely by only gluing at the centre.  I wanted it to be"fluffy" around the flowers.  I added my flowers, some die cut vines, metal brads  (I cut the backs off ) and lace.  Some small light purple pearls scattered here and there finished it off.

Now for the strips of ribbon.  For the inner pages you can cut pieces of various papers making sure that you cut them 2 times the width of the covers, minus 1/2" which will ensure that the inside pages will not extend beyond the covers.  Have the length about 1/2" shorter than the covers.  To show you the centre pages I cut some different colours of cardstock - some are different widths, however you can cut them all the same size.  You can use patterned paper if you wish or a combination of both.  Put your pages together and fold them in half.  Take the first ribbon strip and wrap around the pages at the centre fold.  Tie a double knot or a bow at the top.  Cut more pieces of paper the same for the second and third ribbon strips.  You will end up with 3 sections for your album.   You can secure the ribbon if you wish when you have all your pages inserted. Below is the first section sample.  Now complete your pages with pictures and embellishements.

I hope you enjoy.  I can't wait to get started on a full 12 x 12 album cover.  Remember the "sky is the limit".  Have fun!!! Until next time 

HAPPY SCRAPPING!!!!!