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Jessica Ackerman : Creating a Custom Covered Scrapbook

Creating a Custom Covered Scrapbook

By Jessica Ackerman

For those who love to scrapbook, part of the fun can be decorating the outside of the scrapbook as well as the inside pages. Custom covered scrapbooks are not only fun to make, but they can also add a personalized touch to any scrapbook theme. This same technique could be also be used for a writing journal, notebook, binder, or any other type of book.

Materials Needed

To make a covered scrapbook, you will first need a plain scrapbook in whatever size you desire. If you've never covered a book before, starting with a small sized scrapbook is often the best choice. If the scrapbook is 10 inches square or smaller, you will be able to use sheets of standard 12x12 scrapbook paper to cover the book. If it is a large scrapbook, such as 12x12, you will need to use a different type of paper, such as high quality wrapping paper. Paper generally works better than card stock, since it bends easier and is less bulky. Choose a paper that won't allow any colors or patterns on the original scrapbook cover to show through the paper. Darker colored solid and patterned papers are often the best choice. You will also need a pair of scissors, scotch tape, double sided tape or roll-on adhesive, craft glue, a ruler, a pencil, and some half inch ribbon for finishing and embellishing.

Getting Started

In most cases, you will find that one piece of scrapbook paper will not be enough to cover your scrapbook. To get started, lay a piece of the paper you will use for the cover on a work table. Measure the height of the scrapbook and the width of the spine of the scrapbook. Using these dimensions, cut a piece of paper sized to cover the spine of the book, overlapping the front and back covers by about an inch, leaving three quarters of an inch to wrap over the top and bottom edges of the scrapbook. Remove the pages of the scrapbook, then open the scrapbook up completely and attach the cover to the spine, wrapping the edges to the inside of the cover and secure with glue. Allow to dry.

Then, with the scrapbook closed, measure the dimensions of the front or back cover, and cut two pieces of paper sized to cover the front and back covers, allowing three quarters of an inch extra on three sides to allow for wrapping around the edges. To cover the front of the book, apply a strip of double sided tape or a swath of roll-on adhesive to the front cover of the book right along the edge where the cover meets the spine. Attach the paper to the adhesive, leaving three quarters of an inch on the top, bottom and opening edge of the cover. Open the book, and bend over the corners of the paper in an even triangle, gluing the point of the triangle to the inside corners of the cover. Then, fold over the edges the entire way around the front cover of the book, making even folds at the corners, and glue to secure. Repeat for the back cover. When finished, the entire outside of the book will be covered in paper, with an even border around the inside of the covers where you glued the flipped-over edges of the paper.

Finishing Touches

To add a nice finished look to the book, glue lengths of half inch wide ribbon around the front and back covers of the book to cover the seams between the front and back pieces of paper and the spine covering, overlapping the ribbon to the inside of the book. Use the same ribbon to cover the overlapped edges of the paper on the inside of the book's cover. Embellish the finished book with additional ribbon or other decorations if desired. •

About the Author

Jessica Ackerman is an exciting and originative designer with vast experience in residential interior design. ...

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