Customized Album Covers

The bookshelves in my library are lined with beautiful scrapbook albums, matching and all identical. While the order and simplicity is aesthetically pleasing, it is sometimes hard to find a particular album because they all look the same. It recently struck me that I wanted to do something with these albums to make them portray more of the personality of the pictures and layouts inside their covers.

Many of the embellishments you use on your paper pages will work on the cover of your album. One factor in choosing your embellishments is to know which adhesive will work best and whether or not the items will be removable if you do not like the results. Also keep in mind that the cover of an album is not as protected as the inside pages. Choose embellishments that will hold up over time, such as those that are not bulky and will not tear or bend.

Here are a few of the many options you have for decorating your cover:

• Stamping - Try stamping on your album cover, using StazOn for nonporous albums. For fabric albums, use acrylic paint or pigment/craft ink that is heat set with your iron.
• Rub-on letters and designs - Mix and match designs with alphabets to personalize your cover. Be sure your rub-ons have a high contrast to the color of your album cover, such as white rub-ons on a navy blue cover.
• Decorative brads - Using a common drill, make small holes through your cover. Be sure to use brads with longer shanks so that the brad is anchored tightly through the cover.
• Silk flowers - Attach silk flowers with glue dots or use brads in the center with the method above.
• Iron-ons - Perfect for fabric-covered albums, iron-ons come in many different styles.
• Ribbon - Wrap ribbon around the binding of the album and tie in a bow.
• Chipboard - Decorate your chipboard shapes and letters, then attach with Terrifically Tacky Tape.
• Stickers - Gel or epoxy stickers work best as they are more durable. If you plan to use a paper sticker, consider adding a layer of Mod Podge for durability.
• Label holders - Simple and perfect for identifying the contents of your album, use label holders on the spine or the cover.

Whether you are making a small gift album or wanting to personalize your family album, have fun with all of the embellishments available to create your own cover and spine art.

Merry Christmas
album: Marcella
stickers: EK Success

Joy
album: We R Memory Keepers
ribbon: Michaels
rub-ons: Creative Imaginations, Making Memories
snowflakes: Nunn Design

Lucky One
album: Close to My Heart
stars: Me and My Big Ideas, Deja Views, Pressed Petals
stickers: K&Company, Making Memories
gaffer Tape: 7 Gypsies
ribbon: Deja Views

To learn more about Scrapbooking Cover Design, we recommend the wonderful book by Jill Davis, A Scrapbooker's Guide: Scrapbook Planning and Cover Designs.

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