A mini album is a small handmade book for a handful of photos: a trip, a birthday, a season with the grandkids. Amber from Lyric Lover Crafts builds this one from six sheets of 12x12 patterned paper, two of each of three prints, with no binding machine and no chipboard. Fold, cut, glue, and you have a sturdy album about 5 by 6 inches with pockets built into the folds.
It takes about an hour, and most of that is waiting for glue.
Choosing paper for a mini scrapbook album
Pick three prints that go together: one busy pattern, one dark, one soft floral. Amber uses open stock paper that is heavier than printer paper but thinner than cardstock, which folds crisply without cracking. Single sided paper is fine because the backs are glued together and never show. Avoid heavy cardstock for the pages. It cracks at the folds and makes the album too thick to close.
How the six sheet mini album works
Each pair of sheets is joined into one long strip, folded into a small booklet, and glued so every page is double thickness. That gives you three little books. Glue the three together at the spines and wrap a strip of paper around the outside to cover the join. The folds that stay open at the top become pockets for tags and journaling cards.
Wet glue or tape runner?
Use a tape runner for the first join between sheets, because it is clean and instant. Use liquid glue to stick the folded pages and the three books together. Wet glue gives you a few seconds to slide the spines into line before it grabs. Go easy on it. Too much glue makes thin paper ripple as it dries.
Decorating your mini album
Keep the scraps from trimming. They make the spine strip, photo mats and tags. A die cut wreath and a sticker on a white mat makes a simple cover. Tie the album closed with seam binding or ribbon. Leave most pages plain so there is room for photos, and tuck journaling cards into the pockets.
Making it bigger or smaller
Joining two sheets is what gives this album its 5 by 6 inch size. Fold a single 12x12 sheet the same way and you get a slim album, about 3 by 6 inches. An 8.5 by 11 sheet makes a tiny one that fits inside a greeting card. Use more pairs of sheets for a thicker book.
Gift ideas
A mini album makes a thoughtful present: a grandparent brag book, a first day of school keepsake, or a thank you for a teacher filled with class photos. Make the album ahead and add the photos later.
Common mistakes
- Uneven first fold. If the long strip is folded off center, every page ends up crooked.
- Skipping the bone folder. Soft folds make the book spring open.
- Gluing the whole spine strip. Glue only its edges so the album still bends.
- Stacking before the glue dries. Let each little book sit flat under a heavy book.
New to scrapbooking? Start with how to scrapbook. If you like book making, a junk journal uses the same folding and gluing. For a full page design, try a flower meadow scrapbook layout. And for pocket inserts, make small paper envelopes to slip into the folds.
