Tuesday, April 5

ALTARED CAMPER ALBUM

Greetings, dear readers!

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back here...LOTS going on in my world! But I am here to tell you how to make an altered camper album. First, you'll need to find an old license plate. You know. The kind from a car.



Besides a license plate, here are tools and additional supplies you'll need to gather:

Tin Snips
Scissors
Chipboard (or heavy cardboard)
Sharpie (black or dark color)
A Favorite Camper shape/template 
Crop o Dile or Industrial Strength Hole Punch
Low grit sandpaper (or Dremel grinding wheel)




(Warning: I assume I am speaking to adults here, so I also assume I don't have to tell you that metal (when cut) is SHARP! DO TAKE CARE when cutting the license plate and using tin snips! If you are arthritic at all, you may need to bribe, I mean PERSUADE hubby dear to do the cutting for you.)

Okay crafters!  Do you have everything you need? 


1. First, wash off the license plate. Doesn't have to be shiny clean just knock the loose dirt off of it!


2. Trace around the license plate onto the piece of cardboard. Divide in half. This is the size your camper template will need to fit into. 






3. Cut template out of cardboard or chipboard.(if you need to know how to make one, go to my "Vintage Camper Tag Tutorial" post to find out how!) Simple shapes are best!



4. Position onto back side of license plate. Trace around template onto license plate with Sharpie (permanent marker)


5. CAREFULLY Cut two. (Flip the template over so you have 2 campers: 1 for the front  cover of the album and 1 for the back cover.)



6. Hammer down the edges, sand or grind smooth. (I like mine to be beat up looking...like it's just come off the road. So feel free to "go crazy" with the hammer or any other tool to make the plate look "authentic." :-) )



7. Next, using your crop o dile or industrial hole punch, make two holes in  each camper. (For ring binders)








Now you have some decisions to make...leave your camper covers looking like authentic license plates, or spray paint them?! I am leaving this set as is...

For the inside pages, you can use an inexpensive wallet album (the kind you get at dollar stores), punch holes in the binding and place wallet size travel photos inside, OR you can use your template and create cardstock pages that you can scrapbook photos on. Add embellishments to the outside for effect...I've used toy car tires to make it look like the "real deal." lol

More soon!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Paula,
I've got a license plate and can't wait to get started!
Cheryl

very merry vintage style said...

Great idea--thanks for linking up to my Share the Love link party!
Mary

E said...

Holy cow girl you got some serious tools! I love these but not allowed to play with tin snips ... well maybe I'll sneak !!

Brenda said...

I was doing a search on camper mini albums and found your blog....sooo glad I did! I am using the Cricut to cut mine but really love this idea...loved your camper tags as well...and your camper is soooo awesome!
hugs
Brenda