Here's a little 6x6 mini "concertina" album for you to make using MME papers.


You will need 3 sheets of paper for your pages, 1&1/2 sheets for your concertina, cover and inside cover or 1/2 sheet for each if you want them different. The MME papers are perfect for this album because they are quite heavy and strong.

Firstly you need to cut your back and front covers 6" x 6" (sorry I work in inches but sometimes will break out into the cm's lol ) Check your paper first and don't just assume it is exactly 12x12. I've used So Sophie Graceful "sister" circular bliss for my covers and then using 3 sheets of your paper for the pages - cut out 12 squares slightly smaller than 6"x6" (I usually just go a bit under the 6" on my cutter probably about 1/8" - you just need them to be a bit smaller so that they fit neatly under the covers. I've cut all of my pages from the one MME paper So Sophie graceful"open your heart" royal paper but you can mix it up if you like.


Next you need to make your concertina to hold the pages......you will need a strip 12" x the not quite 6" size (same as your pages) and on the wrong side you need to mark 1 & 1/2cm (here I go breaking into the cm's) intervals on either side (this needs to be pretty accurate).

Then score across the page from one side to the other. You need to have about 15 scored lines and you can cut off your strip at the 15th score.


Start to fold the concertina first by folding with the right side upwards and bring the first fold up to show the underside of the paper.

Keep folding until it looks like this.


TIme to start gluing your pages together and get them into the concertina (I've sanded my pages first roughly around the edges but you could ink or distress or just leave..........if you have just the one pattern for your pages then just glue away with wrong side together....if you have used all different papers then you may need to sort out how they will look in your album and mix them up a bit.



Now comes the tricky part........you need to take your pages and start glueing them into the concertina....glue them to the left hand side of the concertina starting one fold in like this.

Be careful to only put the glue onto that left hand side and try to avoid getting it onto the right hand side or too much into the fold


As you go just sit the book up and make sure the pages are all lining up top and bottom as you go.



You can now pop on your covers front and back....just glue them onto what is left of the concertina...the back cover goes in like the pages on the left hand side of the last fold

The front cover just sits on the right hand side. Don't worry this will all be covered.

Just remember that your covers are 6x6 so you will have a bit sticking out either end of the concertina.

Don't forget to stand your book up now to make sure it is all straight and sitting nicely before the glue dries.


Now for the inside front and back covers....you can use the same as your pages or your concertina but I've gone for So Sophie Graceful "open your heart" berry stem paper. You need to cut 2 - 6"x6" squares
and then decide if you want some ribbon or something to tie your book up with...so you will need 2 pieces of this as well.

So place your ribbon half way down (I usually glue this with a stronger glue first then simply glue your inside covers in......the covers cover the concertina.


Now for your book binding...cut a piece of paper 2"x6" (you can use the same as your front cover or a contrast and you can put this through a corrugator (as you can see I'm hopeless with the corrugator) I just used a piece of corrugated pizza box and inked it.

Now you need to cover this thickly with glue (I would advise to maybe use the strongest glue you have - but the only trouble with that is that if it drys too fast, you haven't got time to play with.

So now all you do is wrap this binding over your book.....


You really need to push on the spine part to connect the spine with the concertina inside.

You can attack it from the outside and in with pressure.


So now your little book is pretty much done and ready to decorate.


I've just done some pages for photos and little pockets, room for quotes etc. I think it's best not to put photos opposite each other as they could stick...probably best to put a photo on one side and journalling or a quote on the other. I've used MME paper and embellies from the So Sophie Graceful range to decorate the pages. When you choose what papers, embellies you are going to put throughout the album try to incorporate a little onto each page to blend it all together....it could be just a simple punched flower or butterfly...I've broken up a couple of prima flowers as well and simply popped bits of them through the album with a new centre. I've then gone through and smudged white paint throughout the album just coz I like paint. Just put some on your finger and spread it over the page.
Here is what the album looks like........might make a nice Grandma's brag book.

Wow Deb - you are on fire - this is a stunning little project and I love the way you are doing so many projects at the moment that are ready for photos!

LOVE you rmini album Deb, thanks for all the steps on puttign one together, these would make great gifts!!

This is so cool Deb, and thanks for the TUTE too...it looks so easy to do!!! Love all the MME goodness and like Lee-Anne said, you have been making a lot of prepared items

looks great deb

Just adorable!! So love this deb!!! gorgeous papers!!!!

Thats just gorgeous Deb.

Thanks, girls.

so beautiful, love it

Love concertina books and haven't done one for ages. The papers you've used are fab.

Very cool Deb!