Persoanlize Your Scrapbook with Handmade Vellum Pockets, Sheet Protectors & Covers by Kim Brady

“Visit to Prayer Valley” is from a scrapbook I made of the 2002-03 World Scout Jamboree held in Sattahip,Thailand. Additional pages were featured in last month’s column “Travel Scrapbooking” and can also be viewed at www.bastet.us/travel. This spread features my son, Jon, and one of the friends he made during the two-week event. Each of the documents/pamphlets displayed on this spread were mounted either traditionally with a mat or in one of four handmade vellum pockets — each made with a different construction technique described below.

Our most cherished memories don’t always fit seamlessly into a conventional scrapbook layout. For example, in my column “Travel Scrapbooking,” I provide a list of souvenirs readers can collect from places they visit — whether they’re on a road trip to Grandpa’s farm or an exotic journey around the world. These souvenirs make great memorabilia for your scrapbook pages, but they can also pose a challenge if they don’t fit into standard scrapbooking pockets designed to display such items. One solution is to look for clear plastic products that are better sized to hold your souvenirs, like CD holders or page protectors of different sizes. A more creative option is to make your own vellum pockets, with colors and embellishments designed to match your scrapbook pages.

Memorabilia products, like these from 3L Consumer Products (www.3l-adhesives.com)(left) and Fiskars (www.fiskars.com)(right), continue to grow along with the popularity of scrapbooking. They come in many shapes and sizes, but it’s not always easy to find the right ones to fit your needs. Typically, they’re sold in sets of different sized pockets, so you may end up using only half the envelopes in the package.

I purposely designed this layout with several types of vellum pockets. Each is constructed differently, but I’ve tied them all together by using the same patterned vellum, as well as colors and embellishments to match the rest of the layout. Below, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for each type of folder, so you can make your own, unique memorabilia pockets.

“Visit to Prayer Valley” Page 1. Background paper: Die Cuts With a View (DCWV)“Water Lily,” Far East Collection (www.diecutswithaview.com); Paper strips: DCWV “Green Blue Daisies,” Pocket Full of Posies Collection; Mat paper: Prismatic textured cardstock (www.prismpapers.com); Vellum: The Paper Studio “Elements” (www.craftsetc.com); Flowers: Prima Marketing (www.primamarketinginc.com); Brads: 7Gypsies Brads in a Tin (www.7gypsies.com); Fiber: EK Success Adornaments Blue Metallic Fibers (www.eksuccess.com).

The Vellum Pocket Tag, located in the upper left corner of Page 1, above, is one of my favorite vellum pocket designs, because it’s so easy to construct and I’m always looking for new things to do with tags. This design is based on Wendy Kennedy’s Picture Holder Tag (www.DotComWomen.com), which I’ve altered to reflect my own scrapbooking style. To make your own, unique pocket tag, just follow the simple steps below:

1. Cut a simple square or rectangular tag from sturdy mat paper to match your page design. This one is cut from the same contrasting mat paper I used to accent my scrapbook page, and measures about 3.5 x 4.5 inches in size.

3. Cut a small piece of vellum to make the pocket. It should be the same width as the tag and approximately 2 to 2.5 inches deep. Carefully tear a piece off the top of the vellum, leaving a torn edge like the one in this sample.

4. Apply a very thin layer of vellum adhesive to the three remaining (straight) edges of the vellum pocket. (You can apply it to the edges of the mat, instead, but make sure you only apply adhesive where you want the vellum to stick.)

5. Place the vellum pocket on top of the tag, so the straight edges are flush along the bottom and two sides, and then rub the edges on top until the adhesive is no longer visible. (I use a small burnishing tool, or a polish-free fingernail, to gently rub the front of the vellum.) Remove any excess adhesive on the top, back, or edges of the tag. If the adhesive is still visible along the straight edges of the vellum pocket, you can apply a sticker border around the tag to cover up any traces.

6. Add embellishments to the tag, but keep them simple. I’ve attached two pieces of twine to this tag (one on each side), by taping them down on the back and tying them together in the front with a square knot. Later, I added a fabric flower and brad to the upper left corner.

7. Slide a small photo into the pocket. I left this one adhesive free, so I can pull it out, tilt it slightly, or even replace it at a later time.

The final result is a great-looking tag that adds graphic interest and another photograph to the layout. The pocket tag image is relatively easy to identify — a person holding a candle in the dark, possibly in prayer. I chose it because my son participated in a candle-lit ceremony at the Valley of Prayer, and at the time, he described it as “really cool.” Unfortunately, he didn’t have his camera with him (a disposable that probably wouldn’t have worked very well, anyway), so I dug through photos from my own Scouting experiences and found this perfect substitute. In the years to come, those candle-lit hands will remind him of the ceremony he attended in Thailand.

The matted vellum pocket is ideal for larger and/or heavier items like brochures, pamphlets, or booklets, because the mat backing provides more stability than an all-vellum pocket. This one is also easy to assemble by following these steps:

1. Measure the brochure or booklet you wish to display on your scrapbook page. In this case, the booklet is 4.5 x 5.5 inches, a little smaller than a 5x7-inch print. Cut a piece of vellum 2.25 inches wider than the brochure and approximately half the vertical length. In this case, that would require a piece of vellum measuring 6.75 x 3.75 inches.

2. Using a pencil, lightly mark a 1-inch border on three sides of the vellum, as shown below. Trim both corners of the bottom edge, plus the bottom corners of each side, to create three 1-inch flaps.

3. Cut a piece of mat paper approximately one-quarter-inch wider than the folded vellum pocket and about one-half-inch wider and taller than the booklet or pamphlet. In this case, the mat is 5x6 inches to hold a 4.5x5.5-inch booklet.

4. Very lightly score the back of the vellum with a small scissor or X-Acto knife, using the dotted lines as a guide. Practice on scraps of vellum until you’ve learned to score the paper without cutting too deep, otherwise the flaps will break off. (If you can make a straight, clean fold without scoring, that’s even better.)

5. Fold the flaps toward the back of the vellum, using the scores (or penciled-in lines) to make sure the folds are straight. Fold the sides in first and the bottom flap last.

6. Apply double stick tape to the folded flaps on the back of the pocket so you can adhere it to the front of the mat.

7. Turn your vellum pocket over so the front is facing you and place it on the bottom half of the mat (as shown below). Make sure you’ve folded the side flaps in first, so the pamphlet will slide smoothly into the pocket without getting hung-up on the bottom flap.

8. Add stickers, stamps, or other embellishments to the vellum pocket so it fits in with the other elements on the page.

The sample pocket on the left is made with translucent vellum so you can more easily see how the pocket is attached to the paper. In the final version, on the right, I used printed vellum and added stickers to reinforce the layout’s graphic design and inspirational theme. The word “Friendship” is on a clear backing, which I cut the same width as the vellum pocket. Both stickers are from DCWV Phrase booklets.

“Visit to Prayer Valley,” page 2 displays flyers and handouts from a class on Won-Buddhism that was offered at Jamboree. I used two new pocket designs that allow viewers to read about the values that were introduced to the Scouts, including a quote from Buddha (below). Background paper: DCWV “Water Lily,” Far East Collection; Paper strips: DCWV “Green Blue Daisies,” Pocket Full of Posies Collection; Mat paper: Prismatic textured cardstock; Vellum: The Paper Studio “Elements”; Flowers: Prima Marketing; Brads: 7Gypsies; Fiber: EK Success Adornaments.

This simplest of the vellum pockets was inspired by the Do It Yourself (DIY) network (www.diynet.com). Instead of attaching the vellum directly to the scrapbook page, as demonstrated on DIY, I’ve attached my vellum pocket to a mat backing that matches the pocket tag above. The following steps can be altered to suit your own scrapbook page design:

1. Cut a piece of mat paper that is approximately one-half inch larger — horizontally and vertically — than the souvenir you wish to display. The sample above is approximately 4 x 2 inches.

2. Cut a piece of vellum the same width as your mat paper and approximately two-thirds to three-fourths the depth, depending on how deep you want your pocket.

3. Lay the Vellum over the mat so the two sides and bottom edges are flush. Measure 3/16-inch in from the edges, making a light pencil mark in the two bottom corners and the two top corners (measuring from the top of the vellum). With your ruler, find the center point between the two bottom pencil marks, and add a third mark 3/16-inch from the bottom.

4. Use a heavy gauge needle, X-Acto knife, or 1/16-inch hole punch to make a small hole at each of the pencil marks. These tools should provide enough of a hole to push through the tongs of a mini-brad. (I don’t suggest using regular-size brads, due to their bulk.)

Use a tool with a small, sharp point — like those shown above — to cut holes for mini-brads. The 1/16-inch hole punch on top may be too large, so check it against the brads before making the first hole. I suggest using a large carpet needle or an X-Acto knife to cut a hole just large enough to insert the brads. Mini-brads: Colorbök (www.colorbök.com)

5. Insert a brad into each hole, spreading the tongs on the back of the mat as shown below. You may have to trim off one of the tongs to prevent it from hanging over the edge of the mat.

This very clever pocket design (above) is a little more difficult to create, but well worth the effort. It’s perfect for large tickets, baby announcements, party invitations, and other items that are approximately the size of a “library card.” Several scrapbooking websites sell templates for these and other vellum pockets (see links below). Some readers may find it easier to use a pattern. I drew this one from scratch, which accounts for the imperfect corners, but it works just fine.

1. Lay the item you want to display (we’ll call it a “card”) on top of a plain piece of 8.5x11-inch paper to draw a pattern. I suggest working on paper first, so if you make a mistake you won’t ruin a piece of vellum.

2. Draw a rectangle around the card, approximately 1/8-inch wider and 3/8-inch taller than the card. This will be the backing for the pocket. My backing measures approximately 4 1/4 x 5 3/8 inches.

3. Draw another rectangle (horizontal this time) extending from the bottom of the backing. This is the front of the pocket and it should be about one-half the height of the back, with 1/2-inch flaps on each side. My front measures approximately 5 1/4 x 2 3/4 inches.

Most office supply stores carry simple drafting templates like the Berol RapiDesign Pocket Pal on the right. A French Curve, like the model by C-Thru Ruler (left), may be a little more difficult to find, but it’s a great design tool. Try your local art store or visit www.cthruruler.com.

4. Find the center of the extension and draw a small, concave indentation on the bottom edge. It’s a little tricky keeping it centered and even, which is why I suggest doing it on paper first. If you have a simple drafting template, like one of those pictured above, it can make the whole project go a little more smoothly.

5. Round off the two top corners, using a drafting template, a rounding punch (above), or any round-cornered tag from your scrapbooking collection (see samples below). Round off the corners on the two flaps, as well, creating a natural fold line so you can wrap the flaps around the back of the pocket. Note that the folds are slightly indented at the top and bottom, so that the pocket will have round corners when it’s finally assembled.

6. Once you have the pattern drawn, cut it out and test it to make sure the folds are straight and the card slides easily into the pocket. If everything works properly, use the paper template to draw the pattern on a sheet of vellum.

7. When you have the vellum pocket cut out, fold the front up to create the pocket and fold the flaps back over the backing as shown below. A piece of double stick tape on each flap will secure it firmly to the back.

Fold the front panel of the library pocket up so the two side flaps extend over the sides (left). Turn the pocket over, apply double-stick tape to the flaps, and fold them over so they adhere to the back panel (right). Your pocket is now ready for embellishment.

When scrapbooking an important trip or event, don’t forget the over-sized souvenirs like brochures, magazines, and newspapers. My son and I both wrote articles about our experiences in Thailand for Boy’s Life Magazine. Rather than cut out the articles and mount them on a scrapbook page (another possible option), I decided to preserve the entire issue by sliding it into an 8.5x11-inch plastic sleeve. The optional diagonal cut off the top makes the magazine a little easier to grasp. Standard-size page protectors are typically sold in office supply stores.

Some souvenirs are just too large (or heavy) for hand-made vellum pockets. That’s when clear plastic page sleeves come in handy. Souvenir books, magazines, even small-town newspapers (folded) slip nicely into an 8.5x11-inch plastic sleeve, where they’re protected from moisture and frayed edges. The open sleeve design also allows viewers to remove the publication and read the articles inside. The sample sleeve above was trimmed with a diagonal cut across the top to make the magazine easier to remove.

With the proliferation of scrapbook page formats, you can find sheet protectors in a variety of sizes. Some may be small enough to mount onto your scrapbook page while others will work better as their own pages (like the one shown above). You can even mount a plastic page protector on the front of your scrapbook and turn your favorite photo or souvenir into a cover graphic. Leave it plain or add a border around the page protector to create a “framed” print (see below).

With so many creative ways to mount and/or package your souvenirs, there’s no reason to leave any of them out of your scrapbook!

Many scrapbook albums come with built-in windows on the cover to insert your favorite photos. In this case, I added a full 5x7-inch, matted photo to the outside of an Anna Griffin post-bound album — placing it in a clear page protector to prevent damage. The page protector is cut to size with an X-Acto knife, leaving three edges open, but the natural “clinging” properties of the plastic hold it tightly against the picture, thus reducing exposure to ozone. I can also add stickers along the edges of the photo (right) to improve the seal. Album: Anna Griffin (discontinued); Sticker: Marcella by Kay Dimensional Stickers (KandCompany.com).