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Pagesoftheheart.net Mini Albums Coffee Filter mini-albums are all the rage lately. They’re cute, compact and very easy to make! You can make them as thin or as thick as you’d like, depending on how many coffee filters you use. They would be great for Father’s Day gifts-the little pockets could hold coupons or gift certificates, or little scrapbook pages.
In order to make one of these darling little albums, you will need: -Size 4 coffee filters -One 8 ½”x11” (or bigger) piece of cardboard -One 8 ½”x11” (or bigger) piece of patterned paper -One 8 ½”x11” (or bigger) piece of coordinating cardstock -12” of ribbon -adhesive (I find a tape runner, or a constant line of adhesive works better than tabs or squares) -velcro (amount will depend on thickness of ribbon)-Note: this is optional
Step 1: Place a coffee filter in the bottom corner of the cardboard and trace around it, then do the same thing in the top corner. Be sure when you cut them out you cut at least a ¼-inch away from your pencil lines. These will be your front and back covers.
Step 2: Use the cardboard cut-outs to trace on the back of your patterned paper, this time when you cut, leave at least ½-inch around the trace-lines, so you can fold it onto the back of the cardboard. I find it easier to fold it back if it’s scored with a bone folder first.
Step 3: Adhere the cardboard onto the back of the patterned paper cut-out, matching it with the pencil lines to keep it centered. Then bring the “overhang” onto the back of the cardboard, and stick it down. Do this to both cardboard pieces.
Step 4: Take a coffee filter and trace around it on the piece of cardstock. Make 2 of these, being sure to cut on or outside the pencil lines. These will be the inside covers of your album. Adhere them to the inside of the cardboard pieces.
Step 5: To make the inside flaps like I did, all you have to do is fold the coffee filters in along the seams that run down one side and along the bottom. Use this folded-up filter as your template to make as many inside pages that you need. You should be able to get 5 inserts to a 12”x12” piece of paper.
Step 6: Take your coffee filters and line them up so they are all facing the same direction. (ie, the seams are all on the same side.) Take your tape runner and, making sure to stay in the middle of the filter, run a single line of adhesive from the bottom to the top of the filter (skinny edge out to the middle of the round edge). Do this to each filter, then attach a sticky side of one to a non-sticky side of the next one, until they are all attached to one another. The top filter should have adhesive on it. Attach this one to one of the covers, making sure it’s centered.
Step 7: Put a line of adhesive along the middle of the back filter and attach it to back cover, also making sure it’s centered, and also be sure that it matches up to the front cover.
Step 8: Use your tape runner and run along the back cover in the middle, from the small part to the middle of the round edge, then from the small edge to half-way towards the round edge on the front cover.
Note: Step 9 is ONLY for if you are using Velcro to fasten your album, if not, go to step Step 9: Start with one edge of your ribbon and stick to the adhesive line across the front, and across to the back. Wrap it back over to the front and place your Velcro in the appropriate spot. Keep in mind that your album will be thicker when it’s finished, so make sure you place the Velcro in a place where there’s some give when it’s empty.
Note: Step is if you NOT using Velcro to fasten your album Step 10: If you’re going to use the ribbon to tie your album closed, then you’ll need to put adhesive across the whole length of the front cover, not just halfway. Start at the small side of the cover, fold your ribbon in half to find the center. Take one half of the ribbon and run it across the front of the cover, the other half across the back. They should meet at the round edge, where you can tie them in a bow.
Step 11: fill the album and enjoy!
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