Perforated Metal Mini Album

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my end of the month post.  As you know by now, we have been featuring products from this month's fabulous sponsor, MD Hobby & Craft.  The design team has made some wonderful projects for you that should really get those creative juices flowing.  And for my last post of May, I hope to continue some of that inspiration.

I knew I wanted to make a book with a metal cover, and I had a 12"x12" piece of the Lincane perforated metal sheet left.  It was a natural progression to determine that I could get two book covers (front and back) if I cut it in half (6"x12") and then in half again to make two 6"x6" covers.  (A guillotine style paper trimmer cuts through the metal sheets like butter).

Cover the three cut edges on each metal piece with silver foil tape.  I used 2" duct tape (not Duck tape) that is used to insulate heating ventilation pipes.  I cut it down to 1/2" strips and applied half of the length to each side, bending it over to cover the edge.  Now you will not be cut by the cut metal edges.

I used my Cinch binding machine to punch holes on the left side of each metal cover and all of the sheets of paper for the inside of the book.  (TIP:  If you do not have a Cinch, a Crop-a-dile hand held punch will also go through the metal.)

Select papers from both the Pretty in Pink and Vintage Blue 6x6 Glitz Paper Pads and punch holes in the sides of each piece. They are already the proper size for this  book.  Some of the pages are placed back to back, and adhered only on the bottom and side without holes, leaving the top open to serve as a pocket to hold even more tags, photos, and ephemera.  Trim 10 sheets of the Cream Cardstock 20 Pack to 6"x6" and punch holes. Save the excess card stock for making tags for the book, for future projects, or for die cutting.

If you want to make your book more interesting, you can add some of the small Coin Envelopes and tags or ephemera pieces from the Altered Art Pack, placing them in different spots throughout the book.  Print out and cut the Altered Tags collage sheet apart and place these inside some of the Glassine Envelopes and Bags.  Adhere the bags to your pages for some interactive fun.  Let your imagination run wild!

Bind the book with a large spiral binding wire, or use the wire coils that are made for the Cinch binding machine.  TIP: If you do not have a binding machine, simply punch one or two holes in each cover and page with a handheld paper punch, like a Crop-a-dile, and use binder rings to put your book together.

Emboss a small piece of the rolled aluminum sheeting with an embossing folder from the 2 Pack Embossing Folders.  Paint the metal with black paint.  Sand the paint off the high spots and add color with a Ranger Blending Tool, felt, and alcohol inks.   Die cut the piece with the Labels 16 die.  Save the outer frame piece for a future project, or use it on one of the many pages in the book.

Adhere label to center of book front on point, as shown.

Die cut a second label from a piece of the print paper and adhere to the inside front cover over the label.

Use Delicata Silver ink pad and Black StazOn ink pad to color the German Gold Backplate or Hinge, adhere to top and bottom edge of book cover, as shown.  

Color the Escutcheon Keyhole Ornate chipboard the same way and adhere with Aleene's Tacky Glue to the lower right of the cover.

Stamp the postal tag from the G45 Come Away With Me stamp set onto a Coin Envelope using the VersaFine Sepia ink pad.  Cut away the top flap and trim the sides to match the stamped tag shape.

Make some embellishments using images from any of the collage sheets listed.  Punch out an image with a 1" circle punch, glue into a Bottle Cap, and add a Clear Dome Stickers for Bottle Caps over the image to magnify and finish off the image.  You can glue them flat to any of the pages inside your book for added dimension, or punch a tiny hole in the top, add a jump ring through the hole in the bottle cap and hang it from some of the ribbon using Lightbulb Safety Pins.  

The Kaisercraft Bingo Cards can be inserted into any of the envelopes or bags, or glued directly to a page.

Decorate a library card and pocket with print papers.  

Add collage images to the library card with a quote for the inside.

The Zig 2-way Glue Pen works extremely well for adding glue to tiny and detailed paper embellishments.


I could go on and on, but I think I have given you some ideas for ways to use some of the supplies listed.  Use your imagination and run with it.

To finish off the cover, adhere some Assorted Flowers and Pen Nibs Assorted to the cover, with a butterfly image that was first fussy cut, then heat embossed with Versamark ink and clear embossing powder.  

Add brown color to the Sheer Ribbon, yellow to match your book cover, and tie to the spiral binding.  Add a key charm with a Lightbulb Safety Pins to the ribbon.

Stamp any and all of the rubber stamps I have listed on your pages, pockets, envelopes, or tags.  Color and or embellish to your heart's content.  The same goes for the collage images of your choice, adding to your pages in ways that please you.  Here are some of the pages that I have been working on.  

Left: Rubber stamped dragonfly and quote
Right:  Kaisercraft Bingo Cards and Printed Tag

Supplies:

Altered Pages:

• 6x6 Glitz Paper Pads (Pretty in Pink) (Vintage Blue)
• Cream Cardstock 20 Pack
• Coin Envelopes 10 Pack
• Glassine Envelopes and Bags
• Scroll Corners Chipboard
• Library Cards + Pockets
• Kraft Clock Faces
• Create Art collage sheet; Vintage Words collage sheet
• Tools for Artists collage sheet; Quotations collage sheet
• I Create, Therefore I Am collage sheet; Collage Backgrounds 1
• Belle Jardiniere collage sheet; Altered Tags collage sheet
• Femme le Fluer rubber stamp
• Lily Pad rubber stamp
• Honeycomb Border rubber stamp
• Muse Dragonfly stamp set
• G45 Come Away With Me stamp set
• Time on Your Side stamp set
• French Postmark rubber stamp
• Frilly Square rubber stamp
• Assorted Flowers
• Glitz Journaling Stickers
• Glitz What-Nots Embellishments Collections
• Lovely Lasses Stickers
• Valentine Angel & Roses Stickers
• Kaisercraft Bingo Card Packs
• Bottle Cap Images collage sheet
• 2 Pack Embossing Folders
• Ranger Blending Tool
• Escutcheon Keyhole Ornate chipboard
• Altered Art Pack
• German Gold Backplate or Hinge
• Lightbulb Safety Pins
• Bottle Caps, Silver or Gold 8 pack
• Clear Dome Stickers for Bottle Caps
• Pen Nibs Assorted
• Zig 2-way Glue Pen
• Aleene's Tacky Glue
• Double Side Tape Mini
• Black StazOn ink pad
• VersaFine Sepia ink pad
• Delicata Silver ink pad
• Sheer Ribbon, yellow
• Times Nouveau Frames

Other supplies:

• MD Hobby & Craft:  Lincane Perforated Aluminum Sheet; Rolled Aluminum metal sheet
• Alcohol inks (Stream, Juniper, Sunset Orange)
• Spellbinders Labels 16 die set
• Sizzix Writing Desk die set
• Vintage Photo distress ink
• Cinch binding machine
• Silver metal foil tape for duct work (hardware store)

As you can see from this rather LONG supply list, Altered Pages carries a ton of awesome products for use in your mini albums and scrapbooks.  So stop on over and check out what is available in the store.  My book is far from being complete, and I have a gazillion ideas in my head as to how I want to decorate the inside.  With so many choices, it's hard not to.  

Thanks so much to MD Hobby & Craft for allowing us to "play" with their fabulous products this month.  I have a bit of this perforated sheet left, so I am sure I will have more fun ideas for its use in the future.

And a big thanks to you for stopping by today.  

And now for some news!

• Gelatos are BACK!

All your favorite colors of Gelatos are available!   Steampunk, Metallics and great creamy color sets are ready to go!  use the coupon code EASY for a 25% discount on your total order! (excluding shipping)

• New Collage themes and topics are at Altered Pages.

Please find new collages throughout the website, browse categories to find fun and inspiration.

Yummy stuff - click here 

 And last but not least ...

• JUNE will be awesome!

The month of June is dedicated to Altered Pocket Pages with a swap and free collages!   Watch the Blog for details on how you can participate and win an Altered Pocket Pages Art Kit.  Our team will be offering inspiration for your Altered Pocket Pages. 

Have a wonderful and creative week!

Barbara