Technique Tuesday: How 'bout a chubby book??

One of my favorite things is making little gift books for people, so I thought for Technique Tuesday this week, I'd make a chubby book. My inspiration is from a lot of sources, but here is a recent tutorial that I like from Memory Makers Masters Blog.. Chunky Book Tutorial. My book is made with papers, inks and mostly stamps from Close To My Heart. The paper pack is called Stardust and the colors are Moonstruck, Topiary, Bamboo and Honey.

My chubby book is made almost exactly like the chunky tutorial except that my book is 5.5" tall by 5.5" wide and I have a couple additional pages in my book. While I like little books, I do like to be able to actually put pictures in the book too.

So step 1: Cut out 12 squares of chipboard. Set 2 pieces aside for your front and back.

Step 2: Cut 10 rectangles 2"x5.5"

Step 3: Adhere strips of paper to chipboard. Do your best to keep the chipboard pieces lined up. A little bit off ends up making a wobbly book.

Step 4: (Not pictured.. I have a picture, just forgot to include it. I'll go find it later!) Choose a piece of paper, pattern or solid and cut 5.5x11, fold in half and adhere to the front and back of your book.

Step 5: Cut a piece of chipboard 5.5 tall by as wide as your book. My piece ended up being about 3/4 of an inch wide.

Step 6: Get a large piece of paper (if you use my directions you will need one that is MORE THAN a 12x12 scrapbook piece of paper!) and place your front, spine and back on the paper with a couple of inches all around and a small space between each piece. Adhere well when lined up correctly.

Step 7: Trim corners.

Step 8: Using a bone folder, credit card or ruler fold over your pieces like you are wrapping a present and adhere very well!Step 9: Stand up your book and crease your spine into a book shape.

Step 10: Adhere book to cover. Do this by placing lots of adhesive on the paper flap and lining it up on the edge of the inside of the cover. It is important to line this up evenly and ahere well! Do this to front and back.

Step 11: Cut out 18 inside pages. My pages were 4.75"x5.5"
Step 12: Adhere paper to pages and decorate as desired.

Here are a couple of finished pages. I am really trying to not go crazy with embellishments, but I know that I will add more once I get the pictures of my new nephew coming from N Korea!!

I'll try to remember to post pictures of the completed album!