I love a good mini album, and I really love showing you how to stretch your supplies. This mini album project shows how to use the packaging (chipboard) from my Paper Shares for the base of the album, and then we'll add in two papers from the May-Aug Paper Share to create the album. You'll need about 23-24 sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock for the whole book, not including some white and colors to stamp and die-cut flowers and leaves. I used the new 2026-2028 In Colors, because those are the colors in both packs of DSP that I'm using. If you don't have these colors, I think Crumb Cake would be a great substitute.
Finished album size is 6" x 9" x 1 1/4". I think it should hold at least 25 pictures of varying sizes.
Just a reminder that I am generally Live on-line every Thursday at 8:00pm ET. I stream to BOTH YouTube and Facebook simultaneously, but I recommend viewing on YouTube.
If you are not able to catch me live, you can watch over on YouTube. If the picture does not appear below, you can click HERE to get to it.
Since I wrapped the covers and made the album base, hinges, and pocket pages ahead of time (watch THIS video in case you did not see that first), I’ll start with all of the measurements for those pieces. Then we’ll dive into each page of this mini album.
Note that the chipboard pieces came from the packaging from my May - Aug 2026 Paper Share. Use any of the heavier chipboard that comes in the Specialty packs of designer series papers, or you could use some of the chipboard that comes in our monthly Paper Pumpkin kits...I think those are 9" long by 6"something...
Between the Bloom Boutique and In Color paper shares, I had SIXTEEN 6" x 12" pieces of DSP to work with to create this mini album. Six pieces from the Bloom Boutique, and ten from the In Color. I have a lot of nice-sized scraps left, but maybe only three uncut 6" x 12" sheets of the In Color left. I really love a project that uses up some paper!
CS = cardstock
DSP = Designer series paper
Covers & Spine - When you watch the video, you'll see that I use a 6" wide roll of Scor-Tape to attach the chipboard to the cardstock. That tape is linked in my Amazon Store at the bottom of this post. I really prefer that for making my albums.
Chipboard:
- (2) 6” x 9”
- (1) 1 1/4” x 6”
CS:
- (2) 8” x 11”
- (1) 4 1/4” x 8”
Inside Covers -
CS:
- (1) 4 1/4” x 5 7/8”
- (2) 5 7/8” x 8 7/8”
Hinge -
- CS: 4 7/8” (tall) x 3 3/4”. Score on the 3 3/4” side at 1/2”, 1”, 1 3/8”, 1 7/8”, 2 3/8”, 2 3/4”, 3 1/4”
Base Pocket Pages and Inserts -
- CS: (3). 8 1/2” x 11”, scored at 5”, 10”
- CS: (3) 4 1/2” x 8”
- DSP: 4 1/4” x 7 3/4”
In this week’s live, I picked up from there and worked through the album, page by page. Since we have three pocket pages, that gives us SIX pages/sides to tart up and add some interesting bits and pieces. I’ll show each page, and then list the measurements below.
You’ll notice that I did not add any embellishments yet. I ran out of time, but I did show how to mass stamp and die-cut the flowers and leaves from the Bloom Boutique at the end of the video. I will keep all of those flowers in a small baggie inside of the album for when I go to add pictures.
Page 1 - This page has a Tri-fold with a ribbon closure. Two things to remember with this page. The first is that if you want to do any stamping to the base page, do that now. Maybe some tone-on-tone to give a little background interest. That’s up to you. The second thing is to add your ribbon around the tri-fold before you glue the tri-fold down to the page.
The tri-fold measures 7 1/4” x 3 3/4”, when it’s all folded up.
- CS: 7 1/4” x 4 1/4”, scored at 3 3/4”
- CS: 7 1/4” x 7 1/2”, scored at 3 3/4”
- DSP: (3) 3 1/2” x 7”
Page 2 - This one just has a layer of DSP. You could add some flower clusters for tuck spots, or just embellishment.
- DSP: 4 3/4” x 8 1/4”
Page 3 - This one is my FAVORITE. We’ve got a Gatefold Pocket situation, with a photo mat to keep the pockets closed. There are so many opportunities to add pictures or journaling here. Again, add a flower cluster to one of those front pockets to create a tuck spot. Doll up the photo mat with some flowers.
Gatefold Pockets -
- CS: (2) 7” x 4 3/4”, scored at 4 1/4”. Then turn and score on the 7” side at 5”. This gives us 2” pockets.
- DSP: (2) 4” x 4 3/4”
- DSP: (2) 1 3/4” x 4”
- DSP: (1) 4 3/4” x 8 1/4”
Photo Mat -
- CS: (1) 4 1/2” x 8”
- DSP: 4 1/4” x 7 3/4”
This one shows the side pocket insert -
Page 4 - This one has a flat half-triangle corner pocket. NOT gusseted. This corner pocket needs to be snug, so things won’t fall out, so…no gussets.
- CS: 4” x 4”, cut in half diagonally
- DSP: 3 5/8” x 3 5/8”, cut in half diagonally
Page 5 - This has a side tip-in. I DID use magnets to close this one - watch the video to see where and when I placed the magnets. You can see that pocket insert pulled out too.
- CS: 5” x 5 1/2”, scored at 5”
- DSP: 4 3/4” x 4 3/4”
- DSP: 4 3/4” x 8 1/4”
See the flip opened here. You could use that inside panel for journaling, pictures, or even another pocket.
Page 6 - Our final page has a deep gusseted pocket. This should hold several photo mats, even a photo booklet or small journal maybe. You can also add a flower cluster to the front of the pocket, for another tuck spot. You do want to add the larger piece of DSP to the page FIRST, before you glue on the pocket.
- DSP: 4 3/4” x 8 1/4”
- CS: 2 1/2” x 9 1/4”, scored at 1/2” on 3 sides to make the gusseted pocket
- DSP: 1 3/4” x 8”
Front & Back Covers - I do like to add some layers to the outside front and back covers.
- CS: (2) 5 1/2" x 8 1/2"
- CS embossed: (2) 5 1/4" x 8 1/4" - I REALLY love the longer embossing folders that we have when it comes to something like this!
Before I finished this blog post, I went ahead and added some flowers and another layer to the front of the album. I took a scrap of Barely Blush and cut out the largest size of Countryside Corners dies. Embossed that with the Lazy Daisy folder, then glued on to another piece of Barely Blush. Trim around all the edges. Then I added some of the flowers that I die-cut a few days ago. This is what I just added to the top of this post.
If you don't have these particular papers - pick any two or three packs that will go together. It's SO addictive. I hope you enjoyed seeing how this little book came together.
This coming Thursday, I'll be creating with a bunch of the Mix & Match Ephemera Packs that we have. Hopefully not just cards, but we'll see what happens. :)
Thanks for visiting, and Happy stamping!
Toni
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