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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

{HAND MADE} YourStory Photo - Tutorial: Make your own 4x6 Covers with Glue Strips

I recently got a YourStory Photo (many thanks to Giselle for sending it to me) and I LOVE IT!  It’s a tiny little machine that can sit happily on your craft desk and also came with 28 covers. The possibilities are endless: you can create photobooks, journals, recipe books, guest books, etc.
Anyways, my hubby is absolutely brilliant and came up with an idea to create your own 4x6 covers as well as homemade glue strips! I told him there was no way it was going to work, but to my surprise, he was right, it worked!
Here are the Pro’s:
1) You don’t have to order those hard to find glue strips and cardstock covers and will never have to worry again if you run out of YourStory supplies.
2) You can make your covers using your favourite cardstock!!!
3) The supplies to make your covers are super cheap
4) Best of all, it's a fast and easy process AND this is your “greenest” option as opposed to shipping across the country.
Here are the Con’s:1) Only way to trim your cover is to place it diagonally on your 12x12 paper. This may result in some designs showing up slanted on your front and back covers.
2) You can only create 4x6 covers.  (Although if you did want to create a 5x7 cover, you can do so by using 12x24 paper).
Follow along for a tutorial with lots of photos and step-by-step instructions. I hope this helps some of you!
Supplies:12x12 Cardstock
Glue Gun
Glue Stick
Scoreboard
Paper Trimmer

The How To:
1) Trim your 12x12 cardstock to 13 by 4.




2) Score your paper at 6, 6 1/8 , 6 3/8 and 6.5

3) Heat your glue gun and slowly apply a thick strip of glue between the inner two score lines, leaving about 1/4 inch on either end. Let the glue dry for approximately 5 minutes.

4) Place your papers down into the spine of the cover.  Follow the rest of the directions that came with your YourStory Photo.




5) Voila!  Isn't this the easiest solution ever?
Leave me a comment and let me know if you tried this out and how it worked for you.
I am thinking about creating a gypsy file for 5x7 covers.  Please let me know if you would be interested in this.
I'll do another post to show you how my book looks finished. I plan on making Valentine goodie bags for my nieces and am including this book, but will personalize it.
Thanks for taking the time to look!
xoxo,
Nadia
Posted by Nadia's Beautiful Mess at 5:59 AM
Labels:

36 comments:

  1. Houses Built of CardsJanuary 4, 2011 at 6:03 AM

    WOW!!! What a great idea! I don't have a YourStory yet, but this makes it even more tempting! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Ashley NicoleJanuary 4, 2011 at 6:20 AM

    Thanks for sharing. I have a YourStory and was wondering what I could do to avoid constantly buying the hard to find glue strips.
    Nikki
    www.theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com

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  3. kimmisuJanuary 4, 2011 at 7:25 AM

    What a great idea, I have a yourstory and am going to definitely try this out. Thanks for sharing.
    Kim

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  4. Charlotte CornettJanuary 4, 2011 at 7:42 AM

    WOW!!! Thanks for sharing this item with us, I got one of these last year so this will be a HUGE help to me!!!

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  5. LilygirlJanuary 4, 2011 at 8:07 AM

    Wonderful idea!! I will be using this tip!! Hugs, Colleen

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  6. My HideawayJanuary 4, 2011 at 8:18 AM

    I don't have the Your Story Photo (just the original) and I used this technique earlier in the year to make a writing journal for my students and it worked great! The journals never came apart, and in the hands of five and six year olds that is pretty darn good! =-)

    Olivia

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  7. KeepinUpWKarenJanuary 4, 2011 at 8:51 PM

    Thank you for sharing!! I just purchased and received the original YourStory today and I've had my eye on the new one but the price of the glue strips turned me away. After reading your post and seeing your tutorial, I am about to order this now. Thanks again for sharing!!

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  8. AshleyJanuary 5, 2011 at 8:12 PM

    awesome idea! I dont own the your story but I would lovee to get it! you just convinced me even more :]

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  9. mitch1066January 6, 2011 at 3:27 AM

    just got a bundle of cricut expression and your story from hubby yesterday and of course worried how much supplies would be.Thanks so much for this idea!!!!

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  10. JanetJanuary 6, 2011 at 7:31 PM

    Great idea thank your hubby for us and thank you for sharing!

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  11. JustYolieJanuary 6, 2011 at 8:15 PM

    I don't own YourStory, but this is a great thrifty idea!

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  12. Hi, I am Karen DriscollJanuary 7, 2011 at 2:13 PM

    Hi Nadia, I found your blog, and I love the title of your blog!! I love your work, and I just became a follower, and I would love for you to check out mine, and if you like what you see, I would love for you to follow me. Thanks, Karen

    ReplyDelete
  13. Cards and Crafts by ShereeJanuary 7, 2011 at 9:43 PM

    Hi Nadia,
    I love the YourStory! This is such an awesome idea! Thank you for sharing this thrifty idea with us.
    cravinscrappin.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. JJewelJanuary 10, 2011 at 2:51 PM

    I have the original Your Story. I like that the original allows larger books. The laminate part of it is awful. If you try to trim the item the laminate pops open. I think that is why the Your Story Photo came about without the lamination!!

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  15. Liset VillarinoJanuary 11, 2011 at 7:43 AM

    that was an awesome Idea, It makes me want the yourStory more now.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Liset :0)

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  16. AnonymousJanuary 11, 2011 at 12:34 PM

    TFS! I need to look into getting one of these :-)

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  17. AnonymousJanuary 20, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    Just wondering - if you laminated the cover do you think it would melt when you bind?

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  18. wurmpleJanuary 23, 2011 at 4:45 PM

    I just tried it and it worked. Very easy with great results. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  19. UnknownJanuary 23, 2011 at 4:52 PM

    TFS...I just received my Your Story on Friday and I was wondering if I would only be able to use the hard binders. I found you through a Google search. TFS....I am now one of your follower.

    My blog is http://NikaCreativeCricutDesigns.blopspot.com

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  20. DresdenJanuary 23, 2011 at 7:18 PM

    Thank you. Just got my Your Story and the first time I tried to use it as a laminator - the paper stuck inside. I have tried and tried to find out from customer service what to do now - how to open the machine or? I did run card stock through the machine afterwards and it went threw and then I tried it again - OOPS - didn't work this time. I love the idea of the machine - hope I can get it to work.

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  21. Nadia's Beautiful MessJanuary 23, 2011 at 8:29 PM

    @ kathmuzic - Yes, my husband seems to think that if you tried to bind your laminated book, that it would likely melt the laminate away.

    ReplyDelete
  22. ShellyJanuary 24, 2011 at 6:05 PM

    Thanks for sharing! I have been looking in stores for the cardstock covers, but haven't found them. I would be interested in seeing the instructions for the 5x7 cover if you have them. Thanks so much!

    shellyjdavis@yahoo.com

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  23. LarelynJanuary 25, 2011 at 1:45 PM

    I'm so glad I saw your post on the mb. I just received the big Your Story and the Photo is on its way! I was wondering if there was a way to make your own covers - now I know. Thank you soooooooo much. Can't wait to try it. I'm going to follow your blog as well and I'll list it on my blog. I'd love to have you visit:
    http://handmadefromtheheart-designsbylarelyn.blogspot.com
    Hugs,

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  24. JanarnJanuary 27, 2011 at 4:08 PM

    Thanks for sharing this. I just ordered a Yourstory and I am looking forward to trying it out!

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  25. nightnurseFebruary 15, 2011 at 10:35 AM

    Great tutorial. Just got my yourstory today and I can't wait to try making my own covers.

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  26. JaneMarch 6, 2011 at 12:18 PM

    Thanks for showing how to do this. I won the Your Story at the Atlanta Meet Up and was looking online at the prices for the 4x6 covers and thought they were too pricey for what I will be doing. I will be making books in a dog theme for people to add their own pictures and selling them to help support my rescue. Thanks again!!

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  27. CrazyHomeCrafterMarch 19, 2011 at 7:28 AM

    Very nicely done!
    TSF I LOVE it

    creativehandiwork.blogspot.com/

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  28. Beth F.May 6, 2011 at 5:38 PM

    Thank you so much for posting this! It is exactly what I have been hoping to find. Now I hope to get the yourstory and use this technique!!

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  29. AnonymousMay 7, 2011 at 4:49 AM

    I think it would be great for making shaped books! I can't wait to try it. Just ordered mine yesterday. Thanks for the tutorial!
    Evelyn

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  30. Nadia (WithGlitteringEyes.blogspot.com)May 15, 2011 at 9:46 AM

    Great idea!!

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  31. CrazynannaMay 17, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    You are terrific! I just bought one also, with the idea of creating my own covers, but couldn't find the glue strips. Thank you for your creativity!

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  32. AmandaMay 18, 2011 at 10:25 AM

    Thanks for the tutorial. I just got my YourStory and came across this post. Did you ever make a gypsy file for the 5x7 cover? If so, would you please email it to me? Thanks! :)

    amandawoodau at hotmail dot com

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  33. Turtle Mountain GiftsJuly 8, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    Thank for sharing I just ordered the binding kit and this is such a better alternative to the strips which cost more than the whole kit. Thanks again.
    Sherry@ www.turtlemountaingifts.com

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  34. ScrapCrazyyyy!October 28, 2011 at 2:02 PM

    Thanks for sharing. I just couldn't see how to do this before viewing your tutorial. Great tutorial...thanks again!

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  35. KathyJanuary 7, 2012 at 10:11 AM

    Just happened to find this. what a thrill! I have a 12" YourStory. Can I do the smaller ones using this glue gun tip in it? Do you use a special temperature glue? Low temp? med?

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  36. KathyJanuary 7, 2012 at 10:12 AM

    I would love the gypsy file for the 4x6 and 5x7 covers. Please with sugar on top? kstutz1951@embarqmail.com

    ReplyDelete

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