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Creating a mini-book can be fun and inexpensive. A welcome departure from the large format scrapbooks, mini-books can be finished quickly and make great gifts for family, friends, and teachers.

When creating a mini-book, first decide on a theme for your book. It can be as simple as 'Ashley's Birthday,' Baby Emily's Favorite Toys,' or a list of 101 things that make you smile. Whatever the theme may be, pick the photos, papers and ephemera you'd like to use and prepare your book. Two simple mini-books you can make yourself are the paper bag book and a board book.

To make a paper bag album, you'll need regular brown paper lunch bags. You can buy acid-free ones from the scrapbook store if you're concerned with archival quality.
Personally, while I plan on my full-size scrapbooks lasting for generations, I make these paper bag albums for fun so I'm not as concerned with them being completely acid free.

Leaving the bag closed, cut the bottom of the bag off using the bottom flap as a guide.(For pages a bit larger, fold the top flap of the bottom back onto itself and cut across.) You should have an unopened paper tube. Bring the two short ends together and fold. This will create 2 pages, a front and back cover, and two pockets'. Add another bag for every 4 pages you'd like to add to the book.

Punch holes in the first bag along the folded edge, 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the edge. Use this bag as a template to punch holes in the others. Stack the bags one on top of another, NOT one inside the other. Bind the book together by threading ribbon or string through the holes, or use inexpensive binder rings. (I buy mine at a discount store in a pack of 6 for about a dollar.)

Lay out your papers, pictures and embellishments before you start to glue them down. The pages of paper bag albums have pockets between every other one, which gives you twice as much room to add personality. For a teacher's gift one year, I used 3x5 cards (or use cardstock cut to size) and had each child write a note to the teacher. I added a ribbon pull on each and slid them in behind their picture. A cute way to add so much more to the book.

To make a board book album, first find yourself a board book in decent condition, one of those thick cardboard picture books that kids grow out of so fast. Using sandpaper, sand off the glossy coating on each and every page and cover. This step is time consuming, but it's essential. The gloss coat prevents the paper from adhering to the pages.

After it's sanded, wipe off leftover dust with a dry cloth. Using a tape runner or strong glue stick, apply adhesive to one page at a time. Line up paper with inside edge and smooth out to the edges. After smoothing, flip the book over and trim the paper with a craft knife. Trimming from the back ensures a cleaner cut.

Again, it's always a good idea to lay out your design plans before gluing into place. This is where you add your creative flair to the project, including as much or as little embellishments, ephemera, journaling, and photos as you'd like.

Experiment with these and other smaller scrapbook projects, and you'll reward yourself with not only a fun afternoon, but by being able to say that you are finally done' with a scrapbook!

Learn more about this author, Yolanda Kaye.
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