I have a two in one step by step for you today.  Ever found yourself with a couple of scrapbook pages and wondering how to keep them all together? Ever stressed about whether to staple or stitch a project? Well, pamphlet stitch is a quick and simple way of putting minibooks together and in this tutorial you will see how to do it using ribbon.

You will need to have a couple of things in hand:

• A printer and heavy weight paper. Preferably something that can be printed on both sides like double sided matte paper.
• Eyelet setter and hammer. Alternatively you can use a hole punch with a long reach or the Big Bite (crop a dile)
• You will also need Ribbon, adhesive (double sided tape), scoring tool, and your favourite photos.
• Lastly, since this is a hybrid project, you will need digital papers to print out.

Step by Step

Step 1. Print six (6) 3x2 photos. These can be printed on 6x4 paper, two at a time. If you are taking the time to digitally transform the two 3x2 photos to fit into the one 6x4 format, maybe you can also take the opportunity to add some brushes/ embellishments and text directly into the photos.

Step 2. Print an A4 sheet of double sided matte paper with your favorite digital papers on both sides. I have added a scallop to the design, you can have a collage of papers, there are many possibilities, I am just keeping it simple to show you how it is done.

Step 3. Cut your printed A4 Sheet in two 5x8 pieces and fold them in half (flatten them with a scoring tool). Layer the two sheets like a book.

Step 4. Cut your photos and stick them in the centre of each page.

Step 5. Add a front and back cover to your book. You can create them digitally or using the pattern paper you have printed. I have also used a piece of an acetate like material to protect my book.

Step 6. Cut a long length of ribbon (around 20 inches) to do a pamphlet stitch to bind your book together.

mmm but how do I do a pamphlet stitch?

The Pamphlet stitch

Step 1. Using a hole punch or Big Bite, make 3 holes in the centre of your book like in the image.

Step 2. Insert ribbon in the middle hole starting from outside of the book, ribbon end is now inside the book.

Step 3. Insert ribbon on the third hole for it to go back outside.

Step 4. Insert ribbon on the first hole (inserting ribbon in the inside of the book).

Step 5. Insert ribbon on the middle hole (for it to go back outside).

Step 6. Now you should have the two ends outside, making sure you have one end in each side of the ribbon going through the middle of the book, make a knot.

Step 7. You can cut the excess ribbon or finish it off with a bow.

I know it LOOKS complicated, but it really is straight forward. 

Enjoy your brag book :) Here are a couple more shots of my finished project:

Digital Supplies: A little bird told me - Designs by Lili. Font is LMS Dear mom - Lisa Sisneros.

Hope you enjoyed this one :) See you next time!

On the same theme as Sunday's post, you must have noticed I like to be creative with titles. I am featured on the Miss Fancy Pants blog with a fun technique to create the title on this layout:

Nope, I am not sharing it here, you have to go have a look there at the Fancy Pants blog :)

I hope you enjoy trying this out :) Happy scrapping!

My boys and Isabella:

Look at the little pout :) I don't think she likes being smothered by her cousins :)

Needless to say it was great to play with the camera and these little models! Even though it was a dark cloudy day, these are precious to me!

No scrapping yet, too busy playing with the photos, these were edited using Jinky Art's IttyBitty Actions - Sweet set. Talking about Jinky Art, congratulations to Barb Uil for her new baby girl:)

See you soon!

My niece and Godchild: Isabella

(you can click on images for a little larger versions! the reductions get so blurry)

I'll be back soon with more :)

As I mentioned before, I am overwhelmed with the number of photos of my trip; but there is one highlight that will sure make it to this blog: meeting Isabella for the first time. Here are the photos of our first lunch together, the first time the boys got to hold her (and for some reason they were very eager to):

well, at first she didn't like it, but she ended up settling :) and I just adore that tiny baby cry! so cute!!!

aww, she is such a good baby, and I admit I was super happy she slept in my arms!

and off course, we took the chance to get a family shot in:

mmm, this is just day one :) more photos to come! Now is super late and I should have been in bed a while ago!!!

xoxo

For my Hybrid Feature this week I need to send you to The Daily Digi blog :) I have a tutorial there for this little beauty:

Album created with my Hybrid Magic 21 included in the digi files this month (see previous post), designs by Julia Makotisnky (Chocolate Kisses), American Crafts thickers, Mod Podge, Kaisercraft paint, a mint tin, ribbons and buttons (doodlebug).

My first niece was born in January this year and I could not resist making one of these for her. Can't wait to meet her in person! I am her Godmother, by the way.

Thanks for stopping by.

My niece was born yesterday, Isabella, my first niece. I am so happy to have a little baby girl to spoil, dress up (play doll), send little dresses, dolls, make pigtails, take girly photos and .... scrap :)  She wasn't due until next month so it was a bit of a surprise, I got very teary and it finally sank in I was going to be an aunt. It is hard when you are away from your family, I thought about her a little bit but it was more like "my sister in law is pregnant" thought than anything else. I am so happy for them and for our ever growing family. My kids' first little cousin :) Shame we are so far away and plans are only to visit next year, she will be over one year old by then. Tis' life! Let's enjoy the bright side!

I feel like I got nothing crossed off my "to do" list today, but I have been so busy at the same time, Just beyond sidetracked, I get sidetracked so easily, and this blog is just THE place to get sidetracked. I am not posting my products and pages today. I am not posting them until I figure out how to have a web gallery. I want to post a little thumbnail of the page here and you should be able to click on it and go to another page to see the credits. I am ok with what I did for the tutorial, but I don't want that for my pages! I am trying lots of different options (zenphotos, picasa, smugmug, etc) and can't make up my mind (or make them work). I just wish flickr haven't made my life so damn difficult! But let's not go there again LOL

I forgot to mention here on the blog I got my broadband connection back! Why do you think there are tutorials on this blog :) I couldn't do it before. I was using a prepaid mobile connection that I swear felt worse than dial up. So I will be able to do lots of things online that I missed, including visiting my friend's blogs and leaving some love in the galleries (not that I really have any spare time LOL)

Please cross your finger for me next week. The sale of our house was supposed to go through today but the bank said they needed more paperwork. So we didn't get the extra money, will have to pay the old house's mortgage for a couple more days AND we had to allow the new owners to move in because is not their fault, so we are paying for their mortgage at the moment.

This post is getting too wordy and long for not enough eye candy, so let me finish by wishing you a great weekend! Here is a long weekend with a holiday on Monday and we are going to have a much needed quiet one, maybe I will get more stuff done :)

xoxo