Thursday, June 26, 2014

Project Life Mini Album

I know so many of us have lots of Project Life, Albums Made Easy, & just those great pieces of patterned paper that are filled with the 3x4 and 4x6 images for us to cut out (super inexpensive way to build up your card collection), etc.... every company is jumping on the pocket scrapbooking band wagon.   But you can only use so many of them right?  many times there are 3-10 of each style in a boxed set so lots of left overs that are super cute but you may not want to use them again in your pocket album.  

So what to do......

I was inspired by Susan owner of EMI Scrapbooking to take a boxed set of the Becky Higgins Project Life Azure Core Kit cards & the matching patterned paper to make a mini album sample & kits for sale at her store.  Each kit included 1 of each of the 3x4 cards & 1 of each patterned paper (when I kit I use every little bit of paper)




I started out just going thru the "decks" of cards to see what inspired me & went together to make an interesting title.  Adding the stamped "us together" words by Ali Edwards completed my title and balanced the page.

This is what I came up with....
I tried to make it generic enough for nearly any kind of pictures you may be taking right now


Here's some of the 33 pages in this album
Cutting up office supply file folders is a great way to add lots of room for photos or journaling.

It's filled with lots of flaps, folders, tabs & pockets 
Another stamped image on the super cute but plain heart card.

Stamping on some of the cards added interest 

I even cut down some of the Project Life cards for title embellishment 

Gluing a piece of paper gives a nice spot to tuck a "book" of cards made by stapling several together 


Fussy cutting of the butterflies brought them over to the other side of the 
2 page spread.  The photo mat is hidden under the paper just lift the flap



All papers are 95% pre cut & stacked for ease of assembly. 
Pre-stamped images, decorative borders punched & flaps scored.
Purchaser will have to do the fussy cutting example butterflies shown above.  
Includes binder rings

If you would be interested in purchasing this kit contact Susan at 404-273-4773
emiscrapbooking@aol.com


I'd love to hear what you think...
Do you do pocket style scrapbooking?


Saturday, June 14, 2014

The Destin "Monster Mini" Book

** Warning super photo heavy I'm sharing each page & interactive element in this really big mini album**
After adding all the edited photos to the blog I thought I should have done a video... oh well next time

I had an amazing 2 weeks at the beach in Destin 3 years ago with my parents. It was a special time since we don't get to spend as much time together anymore & I rarely get to the beach anymore.

I had scrapped some of the photos & made a mini book kit sample with some of the memories for EMI Scrapbooking using Pink Paislee Nantucket.  The kit had an actual baggie of sand in it from my trip that I glued on the front cover to add texture & shells I picked up on my walks. (I never blogged about that mini so maybe it will be a next week's post)

However I had so much more journaling about the trip that I wanted to do & loads of pictures... I would take the dslr & iphone on my morning walks & end up dumping all the photos each day onto the laptop since I was running out of space.  I found beauty in the little insignificant things along my walk.  The time walking & solitude really changed my soul.

When Teresa Collins released Memorabilia came out I knew that was the perfect collection to put all my memories of the trip in one book.  The soft blue & black colors with a very classic/timeless feel.  I added the journaling book & folders to give me plenty of room to preserve the memory.  It started out going to be bound with coils & got so big with all the interactive elements that I had to use rings. Thankfully I had just bought some big blue ones (though was one short so a friend who also bought gave me one so wouldn't have red & blue rings).  So, the book was dubbed the Monster Mini.

I like a "kit club" feel to my projects mixing and matching from things in my stash.  But I loved the entire collection so much that I added a few embellishments from different companies but you will see I bought & used all the different types of embellishments & papers.  I used quite a bit of the Family Stories collection that was released at the same time.  It has some pink in it and it's more modern so I had to choose carefully which parts would go with my book

When planning a travel mini pick up lots of ephemera during your stay.  Maps, tickets, receipts, postcards, & unique inexpensive trinkets.  Notice the flip flops key chain that says Destin - it doesn't necessarily match but I love the whimsy

See what I mean about how thick this book is 

It's a bit unusual but I put one of the journaling booklets
that are available with the collection on the cover for journaling
I added eyelets to the front & back cover to allow me to knot off some 
Maya Road black & white gingham ribbon to keep the journal closed.
I kept ribbon long to allow me to double tie blows so there are 4 loops visible.
Make sure you put some fray check on the ends I like little bit of fraying for interest
but don't want it going crazy & ruining my project.

Don't you love the bingo cards from Teresa Collins Summer Stories collection
Lots on a single piece of patterned paper

Lots of photos printed wallet size & tiny embellishments
scattered among the many journaled memories. 

It's sort of smash book style - very random
plenty of room to fill it with personal memories of the trip

Tip:  I save everything... the word memories is from the cutaway strip from a piece of patterned paper
in the Memories collection.


Pages 1-2
Lots of fold outs & pockets
Twine & American Crafts Dear Lizzy flare hold the 
Teresa Collins folder with pockets closed
Wood pieces are from Studio Calico

Page 2 has a border strip & one of the quotes
The binder clip keeps it closed

These pages are all about the "neighborhood"

Open out & filled with white shipping tags

 Opening the fold over made using a heavily textured paper that's
 very pliable almost fabric like
The "recorded" patterned paper is part of a waterfall
I staggered & folded the 4" strips of patterned paper to make the photo spots
binder clip keeps it manageable when closed 

Opening it up has room for lots more photos

Pg 3-4
First picture at the water's edge is on pg 3
Pg 4 is a folder - story about my dad coming to look for me because I was gone really long
(walked too far & my poor feet wouldn't bring me back without a rest)
He rode Mom's scooter

Matting the photos with black cardstock allowed me to layer them
The journaling strips gave it a more organized feel
Stamped images draw the eye and balance the photos

Since I had more to say I made a lift up flap 

Pg 5 & 6
Pg 5 is a day when my health & pain kept me inside
Thankful for a good book that our cousin Jackie had in a basket

Lift up the photo reveals the journaling

Pg 6 is a sturdy paper bag
With a card & tag inside.
My inexpensive necklace/earrings I bought while shopping one day 
journaling on the back

Pg 7 is a folder
the pocket holds title card (Jenni Bowlin Beach Bingo Card) & journaling

 Opening the folder the story is all about my Mom's love of the pool
I continued using the handwritten journaling strips

Pg 8-9
Note how I had to adhere the folder onto a strip of patterned paper....
that's because originally this was going to be bound by a WRMK Cinch wire coils
But since I was using rings it would have torn the folder & my photos were too close.... 
making it work after the fact lol

Pg 8 another of the great chalkboard look quotes that are part of Teresa's collection

Pg 9 is just random photos from the pier 

Pg 10-11

Pg 10 - Lunch at the pier with my parents each photo lifts up to reveal jouranling 

Pg 11 a post card picked up at the grocery store with Destin title
makes a great addition to any travel mini.
I adhered to another strip of patterned paper.
I like to be able to see next page from page I'm on sometimes

Bottom photo of my parents lifts up to reveal our food

Pg 12 -13
Pg 12 is backside of postcard kept simple with a special beach photo & journaling
Pg 13 is a photo I caught of my dad thanking a maintenance guy who gave us a ride when mom couldn't walk anymore... he is always giving out gold dollars as random act of kindness.  
Dad gave him several for his children - yes on a short ride my dad gets to know people lol
The journaling is inside the Maya Road kraft envelope
Pg 14-15
Pg 14 - a Heidi Swapp fold out booklet worked perfectly with this collection. 

Pg 15 is another of the textured black cardstock fold overs with a quote & border strip from collection

The booklet opened up to have several photos & journaling.

Pg 15 is another textured piece of black cardstock that opens out.
Another Jenni Bowlin bingo card is held in a cute envelope made by Webster's Pages.
The long piece of polka dot patterned paper lifts up to reveal photos & journaling
Hearts punched out of different patterned papers draw the eye & anchors the bottom photo


Pg 16-17
Pg 16 - I matted the letters from the collection sticker sheet to make them stand out

Tip:  I add more liquid adhesive (like glossy accents) to embellishments like the enamel dots on mini books because they take a lot of handling & abuse

Pg 17 - Offsetting the Polaroid frame adds interest & showcases 
the plane in photo that could have gotten lost
The diecut metal clip is by Basic Grey

This page needed something it felt off balance so I stamped on vellum
and used staples to attach
Foam letters are American Crafts Thickers - add dimension & mix up titlework

Pg 18-19

Pg 18 - story of all the birds that walked with me in the morning
I put the bottom photo layered on one of the pockets from the collection

Pg 19 - is a strip of patterned paper with matted photos hanging over the edge

Pg 18 several jouranling cards filled with more photos & stories
(some of my all time favorite mini letter stickers by Making Memories... 
LOVE the mat finish I hate a shiny sticker) 

Pg 20-21

Pg 20 is the back of the strip of patterned paper - I staggered another matted photo & a journaling spot

Pg 21 - I sewed a piece of patterned paper closed with black thread to make a pocket 

Pg 21 - the tag pulled out of the pocket 

Pg 22-23
Pg 22 - backside of the pocket

Pg 23 photos at my favorite place on the beach 
It was a long walk to the Jetty so I had to plan if it was a good day health wise & had 
to remember that I had to walk back

Pg 23 bottom photo opens to the side to reveal more photos & journaling 
of my special place

Pg 24-25
Keeping it simple since this book is getting REALLY big
Pg 24 matted photos of the beach

Pg 25 strip of patterned paper with another quote hanging off the side 

Pg 26-27

Pg 26 is a matted photo on the back side of the quote
It's a picture of my son Andrew & my mom. 
He came down there to drive us home after dad left mom & me for another week

Pg 27 picture of my mom & journaling about her. 

Pg 28-29
Pg 28 - More photos (this time Andrew & I walked to jetty at dawn) & stamping on vellum 

Pg 29 is the largest file folder in the collection with another quote on the cover

Pg 30-31
Inside of the folder - is all about Andrew & I hanging out on Saturday 
He loves walking on the beach at dawn as much as I do

There's lots of flaps & interactive elements

Photo of us together is on the back side of the quote
The photo lifts up to reveal lots of room to journal.

Another pocket holds a card & 2 tags

Last year when we were clothes shopping....
I had Andrew take this tag off a pair of pants in the dressing room because I 
wanted it for a future project lol - had to have the kraft anchor. 
The size pants he bought didn't have this tag
I imagined another scrapbooker getting their hubby or son to snag the tag on his pair lol


Pg 32-33
Lots of photos of my son - love him so much!
He's so good to me... searching for shells & carrying all my beach treasures 

Pg 32 I outlined the cardstock die cut with gold pen to make it stand out.
It's also a great way to write on black if you don't want to use white pen
(I have a love hate relationship with white pens)

note the reinforcements that I put on the pages throughout the book to add
interest, make less likely to rip & it gives a uniform look
In design repetition helps make a cohesive project

Pg 33 opens out several times to reveal photos of Andrew walking on the beach
Embellshments are kept simple cardstock diecuts & some stamps. 
I love the beach theme ones by Prima.  
Hobby Lobby had 2 cute sets $1.99 each
The cardstock is a favorite of mine from Archivers - it's a smooth robins 
egg blue with subtle dark speckles


Pg 34-35
More simple pages - washi tape is a great flat embellishment

Pg 34 - talks about Andrew's expensive taste in houses & cars
Pg 35 morning & night photos of Saturday together

Pg 36-37 

Pg 36 - about the houses Andrew & I would love to own right at the Jetty.
His is a dark colored craftsman style feel
A postcard cut out of Pink Paislee Noel line was in my scrap 
box & surprisingly worked with the rest of the elements
It lifts up to reveal my dream house

Blue & white with lots of windows & porches
I imagine the inside bright & airy with ocean views from every room on the back of the house

Pg 37 is the last page.
The largest pocket in the Memorabilia collection was used
Then I cut a large tag out of white cardstock  to hold the photos & journaling I wanted
to use to wrap up the trip.
Notice I didn't even make it tag looking but works in the simplicity of clean lines


The back cover 

I still fondly remember those days in Destin & long for another trip to the beach.
Here's one of my favorite beach photos - colors were not filtered
It was that beautiful at 8 am

Thanks for taking the time to look at this whopper of a book....