Madhatter's Scrapbook Hat

My club held a Madhatter's Luncheon in which everyone was required to wear a hat, the more outrageous the better. Prizes were given and my Scrapbook Diva hat won most creative! To make the hat, I first had to stabilize the crown with cardboard so that it wouldn't collapse with the weight of the scrapbook.

The scrapbook itself is an explosion style which lifts up off the crown with a little handle made out of an old wooden stamp. Each page of the scrapbook shows the many hats that I wear: wife, mother, grandmother, friend, family member and historian.

I enjoyed making this unusual project, enjoyed wearing it, and of course, I enjoyed winning!

Here are the instructions for making your own Explosion Album.

Supplies
2 sheets of 12 x 12 inch cardstock
2 sheets of patterned paper for the cover
2 pieces of cardboard or chipboard cut into 6 ¼ x6 1/4 inch squares
1 yard of ribbon
3 sheets of 12 x 12 paper cut into 6-inch squares to decorate the inside of the album
Plenty of acid-free adhesive

Preparing the pages
A. First, to make your covers, cut two pieces of patterned paper into 8 inch squares. Take one and lay it face down on the table. Position a piece of cardboard in the center. Fold corners of paper in and adhere them to the cardboard. Fold edges of patterned paper in and adhere them as well. Use a bone folder to perfectly crease all edges. Repeat with other piece of cardboard. You now have the front and back cover of your album.
B. To make the inside pages, take a 12x12 sheet of cardstock and fold it in half and crease. Unfold, then fold in half the other direction and crease so that when you open it, you see four squares. Now fold the bottom left corner up to the top right corner. Crease and unfold.
C. Repeat with the other two pieces of cardstock.

Assembly:
A. Starting with one piece of cardstock, turn it so that one of the points is facing upward with the crease forming a mountain (see insert). Place adhesive on the back of the back of the flat square on the left and adhere it to the inside of your cover.
B. Take the next piece of cardstock and position it so that the point is facing up, but the crease forms a valley. Place glue on the back of the flat square on the left and position over the right hand flat square already glued to your cover and glue them together.
C. The third piece of cardstock will have the mountain crease and will be glued in the same manner as the others so that you have a long piece looking like the example above.
D. Finally, glue your back cover on the final square.
Embellish
A. If you wish to use a ribbon to tie your album closed, position your ribbon first, then glue it to only one side of the album cover.
B. Decorate the inside of the album with the patterned squares. Add photos and embellishments.
D. Admire your work!