Creating a Photo Album

©Anne Rita Taylor 2016

After I received the Make Your Own Book kit from Arnold Grummer I was pleasantly surprised. First of all, I loved the size, 5 1/2 by 10 inches!

It had all the basic pieces, 2 cover boards, 2 pre-drilled end boards, 2 sets of hardware, instructions, but also really heavy weight paper - 35 pages pre-drilled!

I could make the book with duct tape, which was OK for this book-binder, or use paper or cloth. I use a spacer bar when I use boards that need a hinge, makes gluing so much easier. Found these brass spacer bars at Home Depot near the wood aisle.

I found this lovely paper at Paper Source. When I have end boards that are pre-drilled I make sure I pop in an awl so I don’t lose sight of those holes down the road. Of course I used a bone folder to smooth out the paper after gluing the boards.

Pinch the ends to glue the covers over the book boards.

Place the finished covers in my Arnold Grummer paper press overnight.

I can either screw in the hardware...

Or make it even prettier by adding gold ribbon - 27 inches - a gold paper square and a black paper square - both 4 inches, plus a heart-shaped doily. Using Uncial calligraphy I wrote The Taylors. 

Using it for a photo album for this year’s summer adventures. 

Am I going back to Paris!?!