Block 1

cover enough chipboard to cut out around six frames using the Sizzix Bigz Decorative rectangle frame,654711, with paper of your choice. From the same paper, cut six further frames: these will be used to back the chipboard once you have inserted your chosen pictures. Cut out some decorative elements using Sizzix Bigz, Decorative accent no. 7 and Decorative Vines Corner. Stamp some acetate using Staz-On ink- these will form the back and front covers.

Stck the acetate to the two frames that will form the front and back covers. Cover the raw chipboard with the paper frame covers. Now start adding your chosen photos to the frames. use contrasting card to adhere them to. Cover the raw chipboard , as with the acetate frames once you are happy with your arrangement.

Cover the backs of the chipboard rectangles that came out of the centre of the frames. Use these for your smaller photos or journalling.

now comes the fun part! you can now start to add embellishments and decorations as you wish. I found the easiest way of doing this was to co-ordinate my embellishments, i.e. use the same colours and font styles throughout, to give a unified feel to the book, but to treat each frame as a separate element, each with its own personality, if you like. If you approach each frame as an ATC, you will achieve a really 'arty' look very easily

Finally, punch hole in each top left hand corner of the frames and decorated rectangles by using a Crop-a-dile tool , screw punch or good old hammer and metal punch. Thread onto a book ring, adding embellishments to the ring and tie on ribbons to suit. Make sure that you add the date when you completed the book and your signature. I laminated a label for my book using self adhesive acetate.

Products Used in this project