Using Posterboards:Accordian Albums a plenty...

So we were buying a posterboard for MIL & SIL's bf's son's graduation (got that?!) and me had me an id-eer :D

1) buy inexpensive posterboard...comes in a myriad of colors now, and usually for under a buck or $2

2) Sure you can do some major measuring to get your sections perfect, but since I had more than one posterboard, I used it as a guide. I made sure to line the bottom two edges up, always, that way I knew I was relatively straight. Then, with a pen, drew a line. You could use exacto knife and cut them now, I just didn't bring my pad and didn't want to ruin MIL's desk :D

3) Since the posterboards are large, cutting long-ways and varying my heights, I got 4-6 strips from each board. You can use decorative edged scissors along one edge for a different look.

4) Now to score. Regular posterboards are 28" long. So 7 equal lengths of 4" or 4 lengths of 7" (easy just to predecorate for someone to plop a 4x6 photo if you cut height big enough) But you don't have to.... I did many @ 5" and 6".... no rules. I slid my strip along my trimmer and scored at each increment. I used a bone folder to get even bottoms so they would stand properly, but I wasn't so concerned with perfection at the top, since I had hand cut them. If you didn't use an even cut, then simply at the last score, leave a flap, or cut it off instead of scoring.

5) Decorate. I didn't worry about my pen marks because A) I ink. A Lot. B) The poster board I had was white core, so I sanded as well. and C) Many I covered completely with paper just as chipboard.

It's inexpensive (mine were at the only small town store, so from $.79-1.29 for mine.) But cut into strips, you are getting mini albums at RIDICULOUSLY cheap price, and there are different colors to choose from, so you have a lot of options!

Here are a few I have completed:

This one was the one commisioned for Dev, the graduate I mentioned above:

And now a double sided one, on the larger side, about 7"x7" approx. This one I made for my MIL and FIL as a thank-you for letting us stay so long!!