Everyday Purse Made Into a Memory Album

Today's Friday Feature for Concord & 9th is how to assemble the purse into a memory album.

I used several of my favorite Concord & 9th stamp sets to adorn the pages, but you can customize them in many ways.

I've included the photos and instructions below for creating the pages.  Be mindful as you decorate your pages that your purse still closes. It holds quite a bit but you can over load it.

How to make the memory album.

To begin making the memory album, cut two purse bodies.  Trim the flaps from both pieces and adhere the purse together.  You will just have a front and back, no sides.

At this point, do any stamping, embossing or decorating you might want to do on the purse while it is flat.

Wait to attach your handles until you have added the pages.

Cut cardstock for pages to:

3-1/8" x 6-1/2"

3-1/8" x 6-1/4"

3-1/8" x 6"

3-1/8" x 5-3/4"

Score all 4 pages the same regardless of the size - score at 2-3/4" from both ends.

(score at 2-3/4" flip it around and score at 2-3/4" from the other end)

Add adhesive (I used Score Tape) to the back side of each spine.

Lay the largest piece flat and center the second largest piece in the spine.  Peel the tape backing and adhere.

Center the third page in the spine and adhere and the fourth page.

Use your bone folder to press firmly on all adhered areas.  When it is dry, slightly rebend the pages on the score lines as they probably flattened out from assembly.

For this book, I am taking it to Creativation so lots of people are going to be opening it.  I tied it closed with a ribbon instead of any of the die closures in the set.  I assembled my purse front and back, laid the ribbon down and cut another set of front and backs to sandwich the ribbon in good and strong.  Then I added the pages. You probably would not have to do that for everyday use, but that is how I assembled this one.

When you have all the pages made, adhere them to the center of the purse.  At some point, now or before you add them to the purse, use a corner rounder on all corners.  That way it lines up with the shape on the purse and nothing hangs out.

I am also using this post to insert the video for the basic assembly of the purse.

Clicking on the shopping cart takes you to my ordering page, where you can choose from various companies to place orders.