I love this project but.......

Hello there
Last week, I think it was, I saw a great project by Heidi Swapp on  MyCraftChannel.com. It's a mini album with a magnetic closure flap.I almost immediately thought that this would be a great idea for a couple of events coming up for family and friends very soon. I've decided to attempt to put instructions on here as I found Heidi's video and written instructions with photos (on her blog), quite difficult to follow as there is so much black paper/card used. I also want to note a couple of things which made making it easier for me but you could always just watch the video.  Please don't be put off by the length of the instructions; that's purely because it's quite hard to get the words right for each section. Once you've done one, you'll want to do millions; as long as you can get over that first hurdle of how it all fits together.

Note - please consider using wet glue instead of a tape runner as it's so much more forgiving when you're lining up with the 'hinges'; which is what the 8x2 black cardstock pieces are.

So I got to making sure I had everything. I cut 10 papers down to 8 x 8in and also cut about 5 black cardstock piecesto 8 x2in and folded each one in half vertically. You also need two pieces of black chipboard 8 x 8. The reason it's black is because that will hide it more when you look at the album from the top or bottom. I didn't have any, so I improvised with some thick cardboard packaging I had. I wouldn't recommend that though as you can see it from the top and bottom.

I also ordered some business card size magnets from ebay (now you know what I did with the magnets I posted about a couple of days ago!), which it has to be said are brilliant for paper crafting as they are thin and have a self-adhesive backing. They cost £6.54 inc. postage for ten of them and since you need four per album, you can clearly make two with that. I might look again to see if I could get any larger packs as I'm almost certain I'll make plenty of these albums.

First cut two pieces of cardstock; one purple and one grey (colours optional of course but I'm naming them purely for the purpose of instruction) down to 12x8in (sorry about the inches but the instructions came from America). Score the grey piece at 8 inches and then again 1/2in along to the right. The purple piece needs to be scored 6" from right, and score 1/2" for the spine; that will be the flap which holds the magnets. Place the grey piece on your left and the purple on your right. Glue one of the chipboard pieces to the 8x8in section of the grey card. The purple card is lined up at the first score line on the left and glued to the back of where the chipboard is. It isn't long enough of course but don't worry as you put an 8x8 paper piece over that to hide the join. Glue two magnets on the left hand side of the flap section but to the right of the 1/2in spine; one on top and one on the bottom and then put glue on and around them and fold the remainder of the flap (on your right hand side) on top and secure.

Glue a 8x8 paper piece on the back of the album.

At the front of the album bring the grey card over to the front and ensure it's lined up to the spine score lines of the purple card. Put a magnet on top of each magnet in the flap and peel off the backing and then bring the flap over to the left and let it fall onto the grey side. When you peel the flap up the magnets will be in place on the left hand side and you can see it working - that's a good feeling. To prevent the magnets making marks on the paper you'll cover them with, put a cardstock piece, folded in half, to the left of the magnets - that serves to raise the top paper layer up to the same height as the magnets.
Now glue a nice 8x8 paper piece on top of that.


There's the outer casing complete.


For the inside get one of the 8x2in black cardstock pieces and place the fold to your left. Then put glue on the back of the bottom section and put it down so that the foldline is directly in line with the left of the chipboard piece. Glue a 8x8 piece of paper ontop of that back section, ensuring that you line up the left hand side edge of it right inside the black hinge. Place another piece of 8x8 paper face down on top of that paper and put glue onto the left hand side section of the 8x2 black 'hinge'- fold that on to the back to front paper and adhere.

I'm sorry about the lack of photos but I forgot to take photos from the start and the ones I did take were hopeless.
When I make another one, I will rectify the situation to make this post more understandable.



Get another 8x2 'hinge' with the fold on your left and glue the back of the right hand flap and adhere it to the back of the first 'hinge'. Put glue on the right hand flap of the black 'hinge' and place another 8x8in piece of paper ontop, ensuring the left hand edge of the paper is placed neatly upto the score line. Keep repeating that until you've used all four hinges.

Put glue onto the grey cardstock area and put the last piece of chipboard onto it. Put glue onto the back of the last paper piece of the album. Then bring that section over to the right and try to let it fall directly onto the back of the last piece of paper and adhere. 

Done. Decorate now to your heart's content.

So, yes I do love this project but....I feel very disappointed in this post as it gets lost in all the words necessary to explain how it works. I also forgot to take photos from the start. I have given you easy access to Heidi's video though, so it might help to inspire somebody. I can't show how I've decorated it until I've given it to the people it is for.

Take care out there