How to Make an Accordion Album

Supplies Needed:

Digital papers and Embellishments
Photos
Liquid glue, double stick tape or preferred glue
Lightweight matte photo paper or cardstock (for album pages)
Lightweight cardboard or tagboard or thick cardstock (for covers)
30″ coordinating ribbon
Glue dots or double stick tape (to adhere ribbon)
Paper trimmer, scissors
Scoring tool or something to score with (optional)

This fun to make printable accordion album makes the perfect gift for Grandparents, family and friends! You can even leave some spots blank and ready for recipients to add their own photos! (Click the image to see a larger version.)

1. First open up ‘SNU_SSCraft_AccordionAlb-AlbumPgTemp’ and make three copies then close your original. Name your album pages 1, 2 and 3 and save as PSD’s.

2. Begin with Album Page ‘1’ and layer your template with photos, papers and add your embellishments and personalization. Adhere to template pieces by using a clipping mask (Alt+Ctrl+G). Leave the bottom right square empty as you will be adhering page ‘2’ there.

I used my Little Red Bird Collection Mini.

When you are done save and also save a copy as a PNG. Set aside for later.

3. Open Album Page ‘2’ and layer your template with photos, papers and add your embellishments and personalization. Leave the bottom right square blank as you did with page ‘1’ as you will be adhering Album Page ‘3’ there.

When you are done save and also save a copy as a PNG.

4. Open Album Page ‘3’ and layer your template with photos, papers and add your embellishments and personalization. You can add a photo or paper to the bottom right square on this album page.

When you are done save and also save a copy as a PNG.

5. Now open ScrapSimple Craft Templates: Accordion Album – Printing and Scoring Guide make 3 copies and close your original.

Slide the Album Page ‘1’ PNG under the template and save as a JPEG.

Do the same thing with Album Page ‘2’ and Album Page ‘3’.

6. Next open up ‘SNU_SSCraft_AccordionAlb-Covers’ template and make a copy then close your original. If you want your front and back covers to match you only need to use one template. If you would like to have different front and back covers then make another copy of the template.

Slide your desired paper under the template and embellish if you like. Keeping in mind that the ribbon will be tied on the top of the front cover. Now save as a JPEG. Go ahead and print two copies of the JPEG now.

7. Now it’s time to Print out the album pages that you added to the printing guides and saved as JPEG’s. Open up the JPEGS and print onto a lightweight cardstock.

NOTE: There are two ways to ‘score’ the pages, you can use a scoring tool and score as indicated by the score marks on the printed template before cutting out the album pages. Or you can go ahead and cut out the album pages and just fold as I will explain below. (folding without scoring is my preferred method)

8. After printing cut out the album pages with a paper trimmer to get nice straight cuts.

9. You will be folding album pages ‘1’ and ‘3’ the same but album page ‘2’ is folded opposite of ‘1’ and ‘3’. This makes it all fold together nicely.

Fold album page ‘1’ on diagonal along lines printed side out as shown.

Open back up and fold in half. Notice that the printed side is on the inside.

Open back up and fold in half in the other direction. Open up and this is what it should look like.

Do the same folds for Album Page ‘3’.

For Album Page ‘2’ fold on the diagonal with the printed side on the inside as shown below.

Open back up and fold in half printed side out.

Open back up and fold in half in the other direction. This is what Album Page 3 should look like.

10. Now it’s time to assemble your printable accordion album. Open up your Album Assembly Guide and use as a reference to glue your pages together.

This is an example of that it should look like after the pages have been glued together.

11. Next fold it all up as shown below.

12. Now it’s time to make the front and back covers.

Cut out the covers using a paper trimmer. Cut two 4 1/8″ pieces of lightweight cardboard, tagboard or thick cardstock.

Next cut out the album covers using a paper trimmer.

13. Now center the cardboard on the non-printed side of the printed cover and glue in place. Do the same for the other cover.

14. Next cut a diagonal cut in each corner of the printed cover paper as shown below. Do the same for the other cover.

Fold each corner in and glue as shown. Then fold over and glue each flap to the cardboard. Do the same for other cover.

15. Now glue Album Page 1 Square ‘A’ to one of the covers as shown. (this will become your front cover)

16. With the remaining cover (Back cover) place printed side down and center a 30″ piece of coordinating ribbon over the center and glue in place with double stick tape or glue dots.