Small but Mighty Holiday Album by Betsy Skagen

It's true what they say, good things do come in small packages. At only 6 x 6 inches, this holiday album might be small, but it is packed full of goodness.

I won't kid you, while they are not difficult, making these kinds of books are time intensive and require a lot of planning.

Since describing how to make a book like gets quite lengthy, I am highlighting just a few of the steps. To see detailed step-by-step directions for a similar book check out my Book that Never Ends Tutorial.

To make this book begin by using the Bracket Edged Staggered Mini Album as the foundation.

Then use the edge of largest page as a template to cut a cover from a vintage Bingo card.

Begin planning the pages where you want to add pockets or foldouts. You will want to make all these first because you will be adding magnets and flaps that lie beneath the background paper.

Pages 1 & 2

Page 1 and 2 includes a card that inserts into Snowflakes painted and glittered and an extra flap that snaps to a close thanks to magnets hidden below the surface.

Pages 3 & 4

Page 4 features a trifold flap that also has a magnet hidden below the Bingo marker so it easily snaps back to a closed position. 

Pages 5 & 6

Page 5 features a star trio magnetic clasp that holds three insert cards in place. Another insert on page 6 is held in place by a vintage bulldog clip. 

To make the clasp, first paint your stars with red acrylic paint. When dry, stipple brush ivory paint onto the stars. After the paint has dried cover the stars with gloss gel medium. Then attach a micro magnet to the back side.

Cut two strips of black cardstock and a small strip of black Tyvek of the same width. Attach the two strips together with the Tyvek. This will be your hinge.

Fold at the hinge and add another micro magnet to the back side.

Place the stars on the front side, aligning the magnets. Then glue the assemblage to your page.

Pages 7 & 8

Page 7 has a magnetic mitten clasp that can hold your mementos in place. To make it, begin by painting the mitten from the Winter Shape Set red. When dry, add ivory paint to a star stamp and stamp onto the mitten. After it has dried, cover the entire mitten with gloss medium gel.

Adhere a micro magnet to the back side of the mitten. Trace the mitten onto black Tyvek and cut out, leaving extra Tyvek at the wrist. Glue the Tyvek over the back of the mitten.

Place the mitten at the top of the paper that will cover Page 7 and fold the excess Tyvek behind it. Let a second magnet attach itself through the paper to the one on the mitten and adhere the second magnet in this location.

Glue the background paper to the chipboard.

To make the foldout on Page 8, first adhere the background paper to the chipboard. Then cut three 4" squares. Score each square along one side at the 3.5" mark.

Add patterned cardstock to both sides of all the squares and add a magnet below the patterned paper on one of the squares.

Glue the flaps to the base page so that each square folds inward atop each other. Make the square with the magnet be the top of the folded squares.

 Attach another magnet to the base sheet so that the top magnet will attach to it. Add a final square of patterned paper over the magnet and three flaps. Add vintage packaging to the top square.

Pages 9 & 10

After adding your backaground paper, add vintage packaging to Page 9 and leave the remainder of the page open for photos or mementos. 

 Page 10 has three cascading vertical pockets and insert cards.

After adhering your background paper, cut a 5" x 3.75" rectangle, 5" x 2.75" rectangle and 5" x 1.5" rectangle from a black cardstock. On each of these pieces, score three of the sides .25" in from the edge and fold in. Add decorative paper to the outside of each rectangle. 

Place scoretape along these flaps.  

Remove the liner from the smallest piece and place it atop the next biggest rectangle. Repeat with the next pocket. Make sure the open edges all face the same direction. 

Place the entire assemblage onto Page 10, making sure the open pockets face the outside of the page. Make insert cards that fit each pocket and slide into place.

Pages 11 & 12

Page 11 features three corner pockets which descend in size. Make these by first cutting a 2.5", 3" and 3.5" square from black cardstock. Cut the squares in half diagonally. Then score each non-diagonal side 1/4" in from the edge.

Cut patterned cardstock to fit each triangle and adhere to the black triangles. Place scoretape along the scored flaps. 

Adhere patterened scrapbook paper to one of your chipboard pages. Fold the flaps on the largest triangle in and remove the scoretape liner. Place in the bottom corner of the page. Repeat with the second largest triangle, placing it over the first triangle as you align the bottom and side edges. Repeat with the smallest triangle. 

To make inserts for these three pockets, cut black cardstock rectangles to fit each pocket and add patterned paper to each side of the cardstock. 

The grand finale is on Page 12. It begins when you open a simple card. 

However, that card also lifts up to reveal two more pages with sweet images of vintage packaging.

 Those pages also  offer three insert cards. Just imagine all the great memories you can stuff in here!

 But wait! There's more!

Fold down yet another flap to discover even more places to put goodies. My Book that Never Ends Tutorial provides detailed instructions on how to make a complicated layout like this. 

Finish your album with binder rings and decorative ribbon. That's it for today's project. I hope you consider making one of these books as they make truly heartfelt gifts. -Betsy

Great Stuff

Bracket Edged Staggered Mini Album
Winter Shape Set
Banner Border Strips
Vintage Packaging Images by Paper Calliope (coming soon!)
Tim Holtz 12 x 12 Merriment Paper Stash
Vintage Bingo Card
Black cardstock
Large black Tyvek envelope
Red and ivory acrylic paint
Gloss gel medium
Micro magnets
Beacon Fabri-Tac
Hot glue gun
Tape runner