Heartfelt Creations Wednesday - Accordion Tag Mini Album

Welcome to another Heartfelt Creations Wednesday! I have a little mini album to share with you today. This week I am using two older paper collections: Raindrops on Roses and Cut Mat Create. I really like the prints and colors in both of these collections, but I don't get much of a chance to use them as they came out before my time on the Heartfelt Creations team. I am usually too busy with NEW releases to work with the older stuff! It is a happy day when I have an extra week in a month to dig into my stash and use some of the other collections!

I love making minis! Out of all the different types of paper crafting, I really enjoy making a mini album the most. There is just something about decorating the pages, making pockets, and flip-out pages, and adding tags that just makes me happy! This little darling is 6" x 3" when folded and 6" x 12" when opened.

I created this mini to have a pocket on EVERY page, with some tags in each pocket! Some of the tags are cut from the paper collections, but I also added three of the Graphic 45 Ivory Artist Trading Tags. (I have a lot of that size tag left over from a class I taught.) The mini is held together by a belly band.

Here is a view of the back of the mini. Pockets, tags, lace borders, oh my!

Here is a view of the front side of the mini, all opened. (Don't worry, there are step-by-step directions below!)

I decorated both sides of the panels. This is the back view. This lavender, purple, green, ivory, and white color combination is just lovely! Now, let's make this project!

Cut dark brown cardstock to 6" x 12" and score at 3", 6", and 9" on the long side. Use a craft knife to trim the left-most panel to 3" x 3".

Fold the cardstock in an accordion-fold pattern, creating first a mountain-fold, then a valley-fold, and so on. Use a 1 1/2" circle punch to punch a notch out of the top center of the 3" x 3" panel.

Create a pocket out of the left-most panel by trimming a piece of dark brown cardstock to 3" x 3". Cut a notch in the top center of the cardstock. Place adhesive on the sides and bottom of the panel, and then attach to the back of the left-most panel of the mini album, creating a 3" x 3" notched pocket.

Add decorative paper to the front of a Graphic 45 Ivory Artist Trading Tag. Tie ribbon to the top of the tag. (Directions for creating the belly band are at the end of the post.)

Cut a piece of decorative paper to 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" and notch the top center using a circle punch. Sponge the edges with distress ink, and attach the notched piece to the front of the first panel. Place the tag into the pocket. (The tag measures approximately 3 5/8" x 2 1/2".)

Cover each of the six remaining panels with six pieces of Raindrops on Roses and Cut Mat Create papers cut to  5 7/8" x 2 7/8". Sponge the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Create a pocket on each panel per the following directions.  

Page 2: Cut roses paper to 5 7/8" x 2 7/8" and attach to page 2. Cut decorative paper to 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" and then cut on the diagonal to form a triangle pocket. Apply adhesive to the right side and bottom of the triangle and attach it to the lower right corner of the page. (All paper is sponged with Walnut Stain Distress ink.)

Use the Luggage and Tags Die to cut two tags from the Cut Mat Create paper. Tie ivory twine through the holes on the tops of the tags and tuck them into the pocket.

Page 3: Cut text paper to 5 7/8" x 2 7/8" and attach to page 3. Cut another piece of text paper to 4" x 2 7/8". Use a 1 1/2" circle punch to cut a notch in the top center of the paper. Apply adhesive to the sides and bottom of the paper and attach to the panel to form a pocket. Trim a ticket from the decorative paper and attach to the bottom of the pocket with foam adhesive.

Cover an ivory tag with decorative paper and add a ticket to the right edge. 

Flip the ivory tag over and decorate the other side with a strip of paper and a ticket. Place the tag into the pocket.

Page 4: Cut roses paper to 5 7/8" x 2 7/8" and attach to page 4. Cut decorative paper to 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" and then cut on the diagonal to form a triangle pocket. Use a decorative border punch to create a piece of lace trim for the diagonal edge of the triangle. Apply adhesive to the left side and bottom of the triangle and attach it to the lower left corner of the page. Use the Large Tag from the Decorative Flower Pot Die to trim out the mini tag. Tie ivory twine through the tag and attach to the pocket with foam adhesive.

Trim photo mats from the decorative paper and slip into the pocket. The mats are approximately 3 3/4" x 2 5/8". Flip the mini over and work on the back panels.

Page 5: Cut paper to 5 7/8" x 2 7/8" and attach to page 5. Cut decorative paper to 3 7/8" x 2 7/8" and then cut on the diagonal to form a triangle pocket. Trim a strip of contrasting paper to decorate the edge of the triangle. Apply adhesive to the left side and bottom of the triangle and attach it to the lower left corner of the page. Add a photo mat to the pocket.

Page 6: Cut paper to 5 7/8" x 2 7/8" and attach to page 6. Cut decorative paper to 3 7/8" x 2 7/8". Fold the paper to create a decorative triangle. Apply adhesive to the right side and bottom of the triangle and attach it to the lower right corner of the page. Use foam adheisve to add a ticket to the bottom center of the pocket.

Cover an ivory tag with decorative paper. Use the Small Tag from the Decorative Flower Pot Die to trim out the mini tag. Tie ivory twine through the mini tag and attach to the tag with foam adhesive.

Do not decorate the back of the tag to allow for journaling. Place the tag into the pocket.

Page 7: Cut paper to 5 7/8" x 2 7/8" and attach to page 7 Cut decorative paper to 1 3/4" x 2 7/8". Add a lace border to the top of the paper. Apply adhesive to the left and right sides and bottom of the paper. Attach the panel it to the bottom of the page to form a pocket. Use the Spellbinders Back to Basics Tags to cut out the mini tag. Tie twine through the hole in the tag and add it to the fop of the page with foam adhesive. (Make sure you check how your mini folds before allowing embellishments to hang over the edge of the page.)

Trim a 5" x 3 1/4" photo mat from the decorative paper and fold in half.

Tuck the photo mat into the pocket.

Page 8: This is the back of the front cover. Remove the tag from the pocket and cover the opposite side of the tag with paper as shown. Cut a piece of decorative paper to 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" and notch the top center using a circle punch. Sponge the edges with distress ink, and attach the notched piece to the front of the first panel. 

Slide the tag into the pocket. 

Create a "belly band" to hold the mini closed by trimming dark brown cardstock to 1 1/2" x 8". 

Decorate the band with printed paper trimmed to 1 3/8" x 7 7/8". Wrap the bannd snugly around the bottom of the mini album, making sure that it can be removed easily. Secure the band together in the back by overlapping the paper.

Trim a sentiment strip (approximately 3/4" x 10") and wrap around the band, securing at the back. Add a decorative tag to the front of the band and top the tag with a twine bow. Slide the band over the bottom of the mini album as shown.

Thanks for stopping by! Visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog for more inspiration!

Heartfelt Creations Products Used:

HCDP1-245 Cut Mat Create Paper Collection

HCDP1-240 Raindrops on Roses Paper Collection

HCD1-745 Luggage and Tags Die

HCD1-732 Decorative Flowerpot Die

Other Products Used: 
Dies: Spellbinders Back to Basics Tags
Cardstock: WorldWin Papers Dark Brown
Ink: Ranger Distress Walnut Stain 
Tags: Graphic 45 Ivory Artist Trading Tags
Ribbon and twine: Really Reasonable Ribbon
Tools: Sizzix Big Shot, Martha Stewart score board and border punch, Stampin' Up 1/2", 5/8", 1 1/4" circle punches
Adhesive: Scotch 3M tape, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L 3D Foam Squares, Scor-tape, Aleene's Tacky Glue