"LAUGH" Emporium Accordion Album Tutorial

Here is my tutorial on how I created this sweet little accordion album using paper and stickers from the Close To My Heart Emporium collection. I saw a similiar album that Vicki Wizniuk, (a fellow CTMH consultant that lives in Canada), created using the May CTMH Miracle Kit. I used hers as a "spring board" to create my version. If you'd like to see Vicki's album, check out her blog at http://wizardshangout.blogspot.com/ - she is sooooo creative!!

CTMH Materials:

• 6" x 6" Accordion Album
• Emporium Level II Paper Pack
• Emporium My Stickease Pack
• Cocoa Cardstock
• Twilight Cardstock
• Crystal Blue Cardstock
• White Daisy Cardstock
• Sweet Leaf Cardstock
• Buttercup Cardstock
• Desert Sand Cardstock
• Brads
• Hemp
• Cocoa Grosgrain Ribbon
• Metal Rimmed Tags
• 3-Dimensional Dots
• Adhesive & Glue Dots
• Paper Piercing Tool & Pad

Non-CTMH Materials:

• Scalloped Border Punch
• Cornstarch or Baby Powder
• Small Paint Brush

Cover Instructions:

Cut the following:

• 6" x 6" piece of cocoa cardstock
• 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" piece of cocoa cardstock
• 4" x 4" piece of twilight cardstock
• 4 - 3" x 3" squares of patterned paper
• 1/2" border sticker cut to 6" in length

Adhere 6" x 6" piece of cocoa cardstock to front of accordion album. Adhere the 4 - 3" x 3" pieces of patterned paper to the 6" x 6" piece of cocoa cardstock, as shown in the photo above, overlapping in the middle and leaving 1/8" border of cocoa cardstock around the outer edge. Cover the overlapped part with the 1/2" x 6" piece of border sticker. Center and adhere the 4" x 4" piece of twilight cardstock to the 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" piece of cocoa cardstock, and adhere to the center of the cover. Cut around the edge of the "Let us be grateful..." sticker, leaving a 1/8" border of yellow. Using a dry paint brush dipped in cornstarch, (or baby powder), apply cornstarch to the sticky backing of the trimmed sticker so that it is no longer sticky. Apply 3-dimensional dots to across the center of the back of the sticker, (between the 2 points of the bracket), and adhere to the cover as shown in the photo above. NOTE: The photo that you adhere to the cover will slide under the bottom border of the sticker raised with 3-dimensional dots.

Instructions for pages 1 and 2:

Cut the following for page 1:

• 6" x 6" piece of buttercup cardstock
• 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" piece of crystal blue cardstock
• 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" piece of white daisy cardstock
• 6" x 1" piece of cocoa cardstock with one edge punched using scallop border punch
• 2" x 6" piece of patterned paper

Adhere the 6" x 6" piece of buttercup cardstock to the accordion album page. Adhere 2" x 6" piece of patterned paper approximately 3/4" from the left edge of buttercup cardstock. Adhere the cocoa scalloped strip along the left edge of the patterned paper. Adhere the white daisy rectangle paper to the center of the crystal blue rectangle paper, leaving a 1/8" border of crystal blue showing. Adhere, off-centered as shown in photo above, approximately 5/8" from top of page. Attach 5" floral border sticker approximately 3/4" inch from bottom of page, aligning the right edge of the sticker to the right side of the page. Using paint brush dipped in cornstarch, apply cornstarch to the back of one of the medallion stickers to remove the sticky. Poke a hole in the center of the medallion sticker and insert blue brad. Place 3-dimensional sticker on the back, and adhere to the left end of the floral sticker, to cover up the edge.

Cut the following for page 2:

• 6" x 6" piece of buttercup cardstock
• 2 - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" pieces of crystal blue cardstock
• 2 - 2 1/4" x 3 1/4" pieces of white daisy cardstock
• 2" x 6" piece of patterned paper
• 1" x 6" piece of cocoa cardstock with one edge punched using scallop punch

Adhere buttercup cardstock to accordion album page. Adhere the 2" x 6" piece of patterned paper approximately 3/4" from the top of the page. Adhere the cocoa scalloped punched strip along the top edge of the patterned paper. Adhere the white daisy rectangles to the centers of the crystal blue rectangles, allowing 1/8" of crystal blue as a border. Center these on the page, as shown in photo, allowing approximately 1/4" border of buttercup on the sides and the bottom. Apply cornstarch to the back of second medallion sticker, add a brad to the center, place a 3-dimensional dot on the back and center medallion on the strip of patterned paper with top of medallion approximately 7/8" from top of page.

Instructions for pages 3 and 4:

Cut the following for pages 3 and 4:

• 2 - 6" x 6" pieces of twilight cardstock
• 2 - 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" pieces of white daisy cardstock
• 2 - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" pieces of patterned paper
• 2 - 3" long pieces of cocoa grosgrain ribbon, trimming ends as shown in photo

Adhere twilight cardstock to accordion album pages. Place white daisy cardstock rectangles approximately 3/8" from top of twilight cardstock, aligning edges with outer edges of twilight cardstock as shown in photo above. Adhere patterned paper rectangles lining up with white daisy rectangles and butting up against inside edges of pages as shown in photo. Place medallion stickers in the centers of the metal rimmed tags, fold ribbon in half and attach to the underside of the tags. Place 3-dimensional dots on the back of each tag and place on patterned paper as shown in photo above. Cut 12" long blue/yellow striped border sticker in half and align along bottom edge of white daisy/patterned paper strips. Cut 12" long scalloped border sticker in half and align along the bottom edge of the blue/yellow sticker strips.

Instructions for pages 5 and 6:

Cut the following for page 5:

• 6" x 6" piece of desert sand cardstock
• 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of cocoa cardstock
• 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" piece of white daisy cardstock
• 16 - 1" x 1" pieces of paper and/or cardstock - using mixed designs as desired

Adhere the desert sand cardstock to the accordion album page. Center the cocoa cardstock and adhere to the desert sand cardstock, leaving a 1/4" border of desert sand around the outer edges. Center and adhere the white daisy cardstock to the cocoa cardstock. Lay the 1" paper squares around the outer edge of the cocoa cardstock square, leaving a slight border between each square. When you've decided on the pattern that you like, adhere the squares to the cocoa cardstock. Coat the back of 3 small round stickers with cornstarch, adhere a 3-dimensional dot to the back of each, and randomly add to the 1" square stickers as shown in photo above.

Cut the following for page 6:

• 6" x 6" piece of desert sand cardstock
• 4 - 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" pieces of patterned paper
• 2 - 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" pieces of cocoa cardstock

Adhere desert sand cardstock to accordion album page. Center the 4 - 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" squares of patterned paper, aligning as shown in photo above, leaving a 1/4" border of desert sand cardstock around the outer edge of page. Center the 2 pieces of cocoa cardstock over 2 of the patterned paper blocks and adhere. Adhere the "LAUGH" stickers across the center of the page diagonally as shown. Tie 5 pieces of hemp into knots and adhere randomly on each letter of the word "LAUGH".  Coat the back of the "Love This Smile" circle sticker with cornstarch, place a 3-dimensional dot on the back, and adhere to upper right block, bordering with 3 small circle stickers that have been coated on the back with cornstarch and attached with 3-dimensional dots as shown in photo. Place square medallion sticker on the diagonal in the lower left hand block. Coat the back of 1 small circle sticker with cornstarch, place 3-dimensional dot on the back, and adhere to center of medallion.

Instructions for back cover:

Cut the following for the back cover:

• 6" x 6" piece of crystal blue cardstock
• 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of patterned paper
• 3 3/4" 3 1/4" piece of sweet leaf cardstock
• 2 7/8" x 3 3/8" piece of patterned paper
• 3" x 2 1/5" piece of white daisy cardstock

Adhere crystal blue cardstock to back cover of accordion album. Adhere patterned paper to center of crystal blue cardstock, leaving a 1/4" border of crystal blue cardstock showing around the outer edge. Layer sweet leaf cardstock, blue patterned paper, and white cardstock rectangles as shown in photo. Adhere to patterned paper approximately 3/4" from the top and approximately 3/4" from the right edge. Brush cornstarch on the back of the round "Laughter" sticker to remove the sticky, adhere 3-dimensional dots to the back, and adhere to the lower left corner of page, as shown in photo.

These little albums make fun gifts for graduation, birthdays, Father's day, etc. Have fun making some...I'd love to see your variations of this as well, so feel free to email your photos to me!

Have a blessed day!