Articles : Tutorials - Scrapbooking

Basic Acrylic Album

Learn the basics of acrylic scrapbooking

Class: Basic Mini Acrylic Album

Inspiration: I took a class at CHA using the Prima Build-a-Books, and couldn't wait to do another one!

Objective:  To create a mini acrylic abum with the basics so that you can add more embellishments and make it your own!

Materials:

Prima Build-a-Book

Heidi Grace We Are Family Line Papers, Rub-ons, and Stickers

American Crafts Thickers: Poolside White Vinyl

Making Memories Tiny Alphas

Acrylic albums are all the rage right now...and they can be SO fun!  It takes only a small amount of planning to make these albums totally work!

Basic steps in creating an acrylic album:

Most albums have a protective covering.  It is usually a plastic that is easily removed, or in th case of the Prima albums we suggested in this class, it is a paper covering.  For the plastic protection, peeling away is sufficient..  The Prima pages, however, are best removed by wetting a small part of the paper and removing it.

Now...let's start with the basics.

Adhesive....for this album, I have used Glue Dots (the mini ones).  They are small, easy to hide...and they adhere well.  Fabri-Tac is another adhesive that works well...but is best used in small amounts. 

For class purposes, I am going to label the pages (8 of them) as A thru H.  They are consecutive.

Page A (front page):

I cut the ARGYLE paper in a 5.5 inch by 5.5 inch square.  I rounded the edges.  To adhere the paper, I put glue dots on the REVERSE side, and adhered to the FRONT of the page.  The striped side is visible, the "argyle" is visible through to the backside of the "B" page.  I hid the glue gots in the flowers of the argyle.  On top the striped paper, I used my thickers and created the title "we are family"  (you can choose any title that you want!)  Under the ARE, I used the RED ARROW from the We are Decor Stickers.  After that, I added the rubons from the Decor family Rub-Ons.  To make it more fu...I also added a ladybug to the W in we and a blue birdie to the y in family.  As an added touch, I layered  2 flowers and added a pearl to the upper left hand corner.

As you can tell...the rubons extend past the paper...so they can be visible on both sides.  This works well with black rubons, but these Heidi Grace have a bit of color on both sides!

SIDE B:

Much easier....as the argyle print is already there from side A.  I just added a picture of my ds, mounted on white cardstock.  I added a swirl from the rub on sheet, his initial from the thickers, and the words "they are".  I journaled attributes of all the kids on their pictures using Making Memories tiny alphas.

Off to side C....which is the second page of the album (of 4 pages).

On this page I used the "Trees in a Row" paper.  Again, I adhered it using the more "busy" side of the paper... I hid the adhesive in the patterned side.  (Making the red strip part sit on TOP of the acrylic page).  I adhered it close to the holes where the rings are.  I then picked a picture of my dd, matted on white cardstock, and used another attribute.  I also chose another sticker.  The rub-on along the side I added after putting the picture on the reverse side.

 I also added a swirlie to the sticker.  :)  I just like how that looked, but you could add journaling there.

SIDE D (the reverse)

 There is a picture of my second dd, mounted on white cardstock.  It is postitioned to show as much of the patterned paper as possible (and to hide the rub-on on the reverse side).  Again, I added the initial of my dd and a sticker from the photo decor stickers.  I also added a rubon in the top right hand corner.

SIDE E

I cut a 4.5 by 5.5 square (Family Decor Stripe) and adhered it on the strip side (so that the orange paper is on top).  Again, a photo, mounted on white cardsock...a sticker and a thicker initial, as well as a family attribute.

Side F

I cut a matching strip of the striped paper....adhered it with mini dots on each side, making a strip of paper that can "hold" the tags.  I then cut 4 tags, to highlight my kids at this time in 2008.  I picked matching ribbon and stapled it on each tag.

Side G:

On this page I cut a 5.5 by 5.5 square and used the corner rounder to edge it.  It is IMPORTANT to put the paper on the INSIDE of the acrylic page.  This protects it from the outside.  I hid the adhesive in the flower centers of the back page.  (Which I left blank).  I included a picture, mounted on white cardstock....and adhanced with rubons, a tiny alpha, a sticker, a flower and a button. 

Side H:

Just the flower side of the paper :)