Old Album Cover Scrapbook

Certain record albums from long ago can be worth a lot of money but others have little value at all. If youre an album collector, or you just have an empty album cover lying around in the basement, it can have a new life. Old album covers make unique, retro-style scrapbooks that are different than anyone elses! The type of album jacket you need is one that has only two sides and the album slides between them. Album covers with that open up are not suitable. With a sharp knife slit the three closed sides of the album cover to separate it into two pieces, the front and the back.

Make one type of scrapbook by taking a stack of paper and placing it between the two album panels. The papers should be a tad smaller in width and length than the jacket. Poke two holes down the side of the stack of paper and two more on the sides of the album jacket panels. An ice pick or a nail works great to puncture the album cover.

Align the paper on the back jacket piece then position the front jacket piece on top of the paper. With all holes aligned thread a length of ribbon through them. To do this, bring one end of the ribbon up through the bottom jacket, through the paper, and through the top jacket. Take the opposite end of the ribbon and do the same through the holes on the opposite side. Tie the ribbon together on top of the jacket, at the side where the holes are. Make a different scrapbook by using plastic homework covers. These are large, paper-size pockets made of see-through plastic. They have holes already on the sides making it easy to thread the ribbon through. With this type of scrapbook you simply slide your photos and embellishments into the pockets. There are other things you can make when you start with an old album cover. Instead of adding paper or pockets with holes do something a little different to create a unique note pad or journal. Attach a band of plastic or vinyl across the back jacket, on the inside. Run it from one edge to the other, about a fourth of the way down from the top. Now you can purchase paper that features a cardboard cover and slide the cardboard piece into the band. The cardboard piece can be removed and thrown away when the pad is empty. Recycling old album covers is a fun way to use those retro jackets to make something new and exciting. Start looking for some at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores if you dont already have any. Youll enjoy the project so much youll end up making several!