Hi (scrappy)kate here for my first post here and the first Hybridology 101 post from ScrapMatters new hybrid creative team. How exciting! I hope these posts in the months to come, will encourage you digi-only-scrappers out there to give hybrid a go! It’s so much fun and nice to have something to physically hold once you’ve finished!

Just remember, hybrid can be as simple or as complex as you can be bothered with! I’m going to take you through, step by step the makings of my recycled cardboard album “felix’s day at the zoo”…

Firstly I chose scrap’it designs “zooLander” kit to make something with, I also used “flutter by me stamped alpha” for the titles. I used some photos of a trip to the zoo and it evolved into a story book for my son. He loves that mummy made him something special and he has read it (wanted it read!) every night since I gave it to him!

I made up my digi-pages in 5×7 size and used the cookie cutter tool (in PSE6) to create a rounded corner rectangle to fit each sheet of the album. I made it 5×7, because it was for my 2.5yo son and being made from cardboard too - I was after that big and chunky look, great for small hands. I added bits and pieces from the kit, photos and finally the journaling. I was able to print two to a sheet (A4), so that worked well (and I saved on card!). I was able to print two to a sheet (A4), so that worked well (and I saved on card!).

Cut out your digipages and punch holes through the sheets. Be sure to match up the front and back of each page!

Find yourself a box. I used a nappy (diaper) box… we have a number of them. I knew I had saved a few for a reason! Then trace your cut out pages on to the cardboard and work out how big you want your border. I did mine by eye, but it was about 1cm or a bit less than 1/2″. Then used the first one as a template to cut the rest out.

Get to cutting all your sheets of cardboard out. I did one piece of card per digipage, so each page of the album was double thickness. Again for that chunky look. I went the tedious route and peeled away all those edges, to reveal the rustic corrugated look. I used a hook to drag through the top layer on top of the corrugations and some tweezers to pick off the little bits!

I roughly sanded the glossy side of the cardboard to ensure a good stick with some thinly spread pva glue and then stuck the digipages on with some roll-on glue tape.

I laid them all out on some newspaper and gave them a spray of clear latex enamel - matte finish. Just to stop sticky fingers ruining the pages! About 10 minutes later I gave it another coat.

I then added fabric grade eyelets (they are thicker than the craft/scrapbooking ones and usually a lot cheaper too) to the punched holes, for reinforcement when turning the pages. I added coordinating ribbons to two album rings to secure the pages together and assorted buttons, ribbons and staples throughout with hot glue to make it pop and add a bit more interest. I could have also printed extra copies of the digipages to cut out and adhere with foam dots, but I was pretty sure my son would want to have a look behind them and end up pulling them off (we have already lost a couple of buttons!). But that would make it really POP!

And the finished product…

images clickable for credits!

I hope I have inspired some of you to give something like this a try, remember… you are only bound by your imagination! And by using digipages and cardboard (as opposed to chipboard, for example), you can make it any shape you’d like… hearts, brackets, stars, diamonds etc!

If you decide to make one like this, don’t forget to post it (and any other hybrid projects you do) to the gallery so we can leave you love!

Have a great Thursday!
Kate