Bacharach, Germany Mini Album (Saddle Stitch Tutorial)

I have a new tutorial to share with you today created with Bloom Street and showing you how to make a saddle stitch mini album!

Here is the process video so you can see how this book came together from start-to-finish:

1) Trim Specialty Floral Transparency Paper to 10 ¼ x 7”, score at 5 1/8” from the left side, round the corners, then set aside to begin the pile.

2) Trim Paper 15 (purple floral) to 10 x 7”, score at 5” from the left side, then set with the light purple side down.

3) Trim Paper 14 (pastel stripes/yellow floral ) to 10 x 5”, score at 5” from the left side, then set with the stripes side down.

4) Trim Paper 08 (butterflies/blue geometric) to 9 x 4 ½”, score at 4 ½” from the left side, place the butterflies side down. 

5) Trim Paper 09 (green floral/pink dots) to 8 x 4”, score at 4” from the left side, then set with the green floral side down.

6) Trace and cut out a 7” circle from Paper 12 (floral/green), score it at 3 ½” from the left side, then set with the floral side down. 

7) Trim Paper 21 (aqua floral/ green) to 12 x 6 ¾” then score at 4 ½” and 9” from the left side. Fold the right flap over then set the floral side down.

8) Trim off the holed edge from a 6x8 2" square pocket page protector, turn it horizontally, then score down the middle at 4 ½”. Place it on the pile.

9) Trim the top row of cards from Paper 11 (seed packets/purple floral), score between each card, then fold the flaps over like a book. Trim about 1/8" from the left and right edges so it folds nicely. Set on the pile seed packets side down.

10) Grab the pile and center all the pages together at the scored middles, securing everything with clips and washi tape if needed. Print the Saddle Stitching Template, cut it out, then insert the stitching template into the clips in the crease. Pierce holes at every line on the template through the crease of the entire book pile. 

11) Starting at the inside bottom hole, stitch through with a 20" length of white thread, leaving a 2” tail. Saddle stitch through the holes then once at the top, start stitching back down, looping on a Flower Charm (loop it on backwards so it appears rightside up when done) on the outside of each stitch. Between the last two holes on the inside, knot the string ends then trim the excess thread ends.

12) Decorate the front cover: use colorful letters from the Puffy Word Stickers and add another word below with the mini alphabet stickers from the 4-Page Sticker Book. Add a strip of purple floral Washi Tape and a light pink heart Cardstock Sticker underneath to finish.

13) Trim two 6" pieces of ribbon and staple one piece to the front center edge and the other to the back center edge. When the book is finished, tie the ribbon into a bow to keep the book closed.

14) Use clips to keep the spreads open as you’re working on them. On the first page, use a ruler to draw journaling lines with a black pen on the bottom right side and write journaling on top.

15) Place a purple paper strip from the 4-Page Sticker Book below the journaling.

16) Trim a Floral Die Cut in half and adhere the halves above and below the journaling.

17) Adhere a 4x6” photo to the left side then embellish with three Layered Butterfly Stickers.

18) Add a “LOVE” Puffy Word Sticker to the bottom left with a heart border sticker strip (from the 4-Page Sticker Book) below.

19) Write or add printed journaling underneath.

20) On the right side, attach a mint floral journaling card from the Ephemera Die Cuts and stamp the date with black ink at the top.

21) Write journaling with a black pen on the journaling card.

22) Adhere a 4” square photo to both pages.

23) Add a Floral Die Cut to the top edge of the left photo. Slightly bend the petals and leaves for dimension.

24) Place a “happy” sentiment sticker from the 4-Page Sticker Book and a star border Cardstock Sticker on an empty/not focal part of the photo.

25) Layer a pink floral die cut with silver foiling from the Ephemera Die Cuts at the top of the right photo and add a “lovely” Cardstock Sticker over it.

26) Cover the left page with a photo (4 ½” square).

27) Add a sentiment Ephemera Die Cut with foam squares to the right page.

28) Adhere a 3 ½” square photo to the left page. 

29) Along the curve of the right page, place Floral Foam Thickers to say “BEAUTIFUL TOWN” or whatever sentiment fits the theme of your book.

30) Attach a round “Hello Spring” Ephemera Die Cut to the left page, add a pink flower Enamel Dot to the edge, then write journaling around the die cut with a black pen.

31) Adhere a 3” square photo to the right page.

32) Trim off the bottom edge of a pink Floral Die Cut and add it to the top of the photo.

33) Place a pink “LOVELY” Puffy Word Sticker below the floral die cut.

34) Attach two journaling cards from the Ephemera Die Cuts to the left page and write journaling with a black pen on them. I added three number stickers from my stash which coordinate with three numbered stickers placed on photos on the next spread.

35) Place three sets of 2” square photos back-to-back, add written or typed captions to the photos, then tuck them into the top left, middle right, and bottom left sections of the 6x8 2" square pocket page protector.

36) Tear apart the heart journaling squares from the Ephemera Die Cuts and tuck the blue one into the top right, the yellow one into the middle left, and the purple one into the bottom right sections of the 6x8 2" square pocket page protector.

37) Staple a pink heart Puffy Vinyl Sticker to the blue heart section, a pink heart to the yellow heart, and a blue heart to the purple heart.

38) Add a Layered Butterfly Sticker to hide the backside of the staples on the top left, middle right, and bottom left sections of the pocket page protector on the left side.

39) Nothing is added to this front page of the seed packets fold-out but you can embellish to your liking.

40) Round the right corners of the left flap and the left corners of the right flap.

41) Add a 2 ½ x 3 ¾” photo on the left section and add a handwritten or typed caption to the bottom.

42) Place a floral ampersand Cardstock Sticker in the 2nd section with “sunshine” Cardstock Sticker above and “happiness” Cardstock Sticker below.

43) Add a 2 ½ x 3 ¾” photo on the 3rd section.

44) Place an orange Floral Die Cut on the right edge of the 4th section and trim off the excess.

45) I didn’t add any additional embellishment to the back of the seed packet fold-out.

46) Place six sets of 2” square photos back-to-back, add written or typed captions to the photos, then tuck them into all the sections of the 6x8 2" square pocket page protector.

47) Place three pink leaf Puffy Vinyl Stickers down the center of the pocket page protector.

48) Add number stickers to coordinate with the written journaling from a few spreads earlier.

49) Clip on a paperclip to the top of the fold-out page on the right to keep it closed.

50) Remove the paperclip to embellish the fold-out. Add a 7x5” photo, scoring at the crease so it folds as well.

51) Place a “beautiful” Puffy Vinyl Sticker across the top of the photo.

52) Edge the bottom of the photo with a piece of floral Washi Tape.

53) Add an orange Floral Die Cut to the bottom left edge of the photo and place hand written or typed journaling strips on the right.

54) Place a 4x3” photo on the left page and add a blue Floral Die Cut at the top.

55) Tear off the perforated purple ticket from the Ephemera Die Cuts, write a caption on it, then tuck it under the bottom edge of the photo.

56) Place a blue “MAGIC” Puffy Word Sticker on the right, “of” mini alphabet stickers from the 4-Page Sticker Book, and blue/green “Spring” Puffy Vinyl Sticker on the right page. 

57) Dot the “i” in the “MAGIC” with a clear glitter Enamel Dot add a mini pink puffy heart sticker (from the Puffy Word Stickers) above the “of”, and add a piece of white floral border sticker from the 4-Page Sticker Book below as shown.

58) I didn’t add any extra embellishment to the left page but you can add anything you’d like!

59) Add a 3” square photo to the right side and staple a pink heart Puffy Vinyl Sticker to the top edge of the picture.

60) Write journaling with a black pen around the edges of the photo.

61) Place a “you make my heart flutter” Cardstock Sticker on the left page.

62) Cover the right page with a photo (4 ½” square).

63) Staple a green heart Puffy Vinyl Sticker to the photo, add a blue “THIS” Puffy Word Sticker below along with a tiny white heart also from the Puffy Word Stickers.

64) Finish embellishing with a blue hummingbird Cardstock Sticker and rainbow striped scalloped border sticker from the 4-Page Sticker Book in the cluster.

65) Tear off the bottom section of a tag from the Ephemera Die Cuts, write journaling with a black pen on it, then attach it to the middle of the left page. 

66) Add a 4x3” photo to the right page and place a silver “love” Cardstock Sticker on the top right side.

67) Place a pink Floral Die Cut on the top right corner and trim off the excess.

68) Attach a 3 ½” square photo to the left page then staple a 3” square photo on top of it.

69) Adhere a purple leaf die cut from the Floral Die Cuts to the top and a purple leaf from the Cardstock Stickers to the bottom edge of the photos.

70) Write or add typed journaling onto a purple tab Ephemera Die Cut and adhere it to the bottom edge of the smaller photo on top. (I trimmed off the triangle edge of the perforated tab).
71) Cover the right page with a photo (5x7") and round the right corners.
72) Add a "me & you" Cardstock Sticker on the bottom right. Attach a perforated pink ticket from the Ephemera Die Cuts below and write a caption on top. Frame with a small pink flower Cardstock Sticker and a green leaf Puffy Vinyl Sticker.

73) Staple a green heart Puffy Vinyl Sticker to the bottom of the last page and add a sentiment Cardstock Sticker underneath along with a border sticker strip from the 4-Page Sticker Book to finish! Ta-da! 

ENJOY YOUR BOOK!