Continuing with the hybrid series, (catch the first two here: Board Books Albums  Matchbook Albums) I was super excited to attempt a CD album for the first time. This was probably the most time challenging of the three projects so far. Not because it was all that difficult, but because cutting circles by hand can be a bit of a b*tch. But to be honest, it really wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

First things first. Design your album. I used Cindy’s Mr. Fix It. CD Album. After popping in my photos, I was able to print two CD pages on a single 8.5×11” sheet. Remember to use quality photo paper (glossy or matte – your choice) and to set your printer preferences accordingly for best results. I used HP Glossy Premium Photo Paper for this.

Next gather up a pile of old CDs or DVDs. You can even use chipboard if you happen to have some cut to size.

Ok here’s the annoying part – the cutting. I tried two methods and decided a combination of both worked best. I started with a swivel head craft knife using the CD lined up over my print as a template. (see image below) That actually worked quite well. Then I used my scissors to cut the areas where the knife didn’t quite make it all the way through the paper. It actually didn’t take too long to do all the pages but I’m still convinced that there must be a better way to do this so if you have any ideas – let me know!

Here is where I attempted to use white glue. I’m going to have to say that it is not the BEST idea I’ve ever had. I used Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue. Great glue, wrong project. First I squeezed it out in rings and smoothed it out with one of those painter spatulas. So this was a bad idea for three reasons. (1) It was incredibly messy and I got glue EVERYWHERE! (2) It took some time to dry (3) When you press your page down on the wet glue, the extra spills out around the edges so (a) you have to clean that up quickly (b) the only way to do it really is with your finger (c) if you get wet glue anywhere on the top of your print, the ink will bleed and run..which mine did.

So next I tried plain old mounting squares which worked but (a) it took too many squares to fill a page and (b) unless you line them up end to end, your edges won’t
be totally stuck down. So I turned to my tried and tested Zig Glue Pen which I am now convinced is the best innovation in glue in the history of the world. It was my happy medium between the spreadable white glue and the clean mounting squares. Worked PERFECTLY and dried quickly. No mess, no leaks, no runs and almost no dry time.

So once all your pages are glues to CD’s lay them out to dry completely. Next, punch holes at the top of each CD about a half inch in (depending on the size of your binder ring) You can use a Crop-o-Dile (see below) or a drill. Unfortunately a standard hole punch will not work. I tried. Once I punched one CD. I lay that one over the next and used my sharpie to make a dot on the CD below so I’d know where to punch it because I’m not into measuring things. I can’t be bothered.

Once the holes are all punched, order your pages and slip them onto a binder ring (I used a 1” binder ring – Staples/Office Depot), close and done! From here you can add embellishments to your pages or short ribbons tied around the exposed binder ring.

If you’d like to seal your pages be sure to do so before you hang them on the binder ring. Try Mod Podge or a spray sealant. This is an optional step. Some people prefer the extra protection and the look of sealed pages. Always test your sealants on a scrap print before applying to your actual project.

And there you have it – an adorable little album that makes a great gift. And honestly, it’s even easier than it looks. ENJOY!