Next month we will be starting another monthly challenge here at Scrap Therapy so I thought it would be a good idea to get ourselves ready for it. Each month you will be given a letter (actually 2 each month) and your challenge will be to create a LO inspired by a word starting with that letter. All the details will be posted next month with the first challenge but for now I thought some of us might like to prepare an album for it.....yes it will end up being and A - Z album.

I've made an album cover for mine in a 10" x 10" size which will be put together with rings or cord. If you have an album just sitting around that you want to pull out and put to use, you could just do a title page for it or decorate the cover in some way. You could also decorate a cheapy ring binder for your LO's. If you would like to have an album specifically for this and are looking for one, then pop into the shop here and have a look at some that Lee-Anne has. Perhaps a 6x12 or an 8.5x11 might be good if you don't normally scrap in that size. This might be the perfect time to try scrapping in a different size. You can design your covers to any specific size but don't go too small (I'm thinking for a square, 8"x8" is about as small as I would go)as this could restrict you for the challenge. For those who don't want to commit to an album, you will still be able to join in the fun of the challenge next month.....simply pop your LO's in to your normal albums (that will work fine).

As you can see by my cover, I've titled it Everyday in abc'z - it's up to you if you want to use this title or something else you might like......thinking caps on.
Front cover...


Back cover...


Firstly I started with two 10" x 10" pieces of corrugated card (I wet one side so I could pull the top layer off to reveal the corrugations) and I base coated them roughly with a dark teal paint.


I made 3 holes along the sides for my rings or cord - I did these at 2", 5" and 8" from the top. I then set about adding old mixmatched alphas, paper doilies, cord, buttons etc and glueing them down well to both the front and back.



I then went over this with some white gesso (paint would be fine - you just might need a couple of coats to cover any darker/mixmatched coloured items on your cover)...



Then just spray over some mist.



Then I went over the letters with some yellow paint using my finger - just very sploppy and added some aqua paint to highlight and some gold and painted the abc'z with the dark teal.






When it was all VERY dry, I ran over it with an ink pad and then gave it all a coat of varnish, added some flowers a bow and lace.








For the inside of the covers, I simply painted roughly with the white gesso and misted quite heavily and stood the covers up to let it run.


The challenge for you now is to get yourself ready for next month's challenge by organizing/making an album. You can decorate an album, make some album covers or do a title page for the album.
You can load your creation into the gallery before the 2nd Friday of next month (August) and the winner will receive a little RAK in the post. YOU CAN ADD THIS TO YOUR TALLY LIST IF YOU LOAD YOUR CREATION BY THE END OF AUGUST ALONG WITH THE OTHER MONTHLY CHALLENGES.
The gallery folder for your creations is here

I love love love this idea Deb and will try very hard to play along - so more inspiraition for us girls - who else is playing

Me, me I want to play too.

OMG! WOW! this is just amazing! i'm just going to have to try this! what a lovely challenge and i just so so so lovely album cover deb!

Deb I love your covers and what a fabulous idea !!!

Thanks, girls.......really hope you will play along......we will have some fun.

Ohh what a great idea:) definitely going to try play along

Sounds like fun, will try and give it a go.

That's great, girls. Looking forward to it......we can all inspire each other.

Wow where do you come up with all these ideas sounds fun xx

Hope you will join in, Sue.

Looks SO cool Deb.

I'm gonna be playing along too!!!
Its a fab challenge!! ANd look at those wonderful covers!

Wow Deb that is way kool...

I am thinking I need to do these Album covers on Sunday and as there is no challenge for me to win anything and because I like yours so much Deb I may just have to borrow a few ideas from you Gesso here I come ready or not