Mother's Day Explosion Box Album

This project was a couple of years in the making (which explains all the retired product used!). The basic box was part of a club project and I knew how I wanted to finish it, but it sat on my shelf waiting for the right time and reason to finish it. I found the reason for Mother's Day and sat down over the weekend to finally complete it. I'm quite pleased with the result.

The box is easy to complete and requires only some scoring (at 4" on all four sides) and four cuts along the score lines. When everything is folded together the lid keeps everything in place.

The Pop Up Cake Die is retired, but I still go back to it when I want a  WOW card. I used the (retired) five petal flower punch along with the Boho Blossoms punch to create the flowers on the cake and on the page.

 The panel on the top right ties shut, revealing an accordion folded mini book to hold current photos of my mom with me and each of her granddaughters.

The back side of the mini book holds two more photos of my mom with each of her newborn granddaughters.

Finally, each of the baby photos conceals hidden journalling written by each of us telling Mom what she means to us.

The flower on the top of the box was created using the Blossoms punch (and a couple others).

Ink & Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Chocolate Chip

My Little Valentine Album



I created this album using the "My Little Valentine" Stamps and the included "Sealed with Love" Simply Sent Kit. Some of the pages are made from the envelopes which can be removed from the album and opened up.



The cover is made from the chipboard that was included in the kit and covered with DSP from the Sycamore Street Sale-a-bration paper pack. The buttons and ribbon are also from the Sycamore Street Collection. I also made use of the "Hearts a Flutter" Bundle for this project.

 

I saw another album made using this method of binding, which allows the pages to be easily removed from the album. I used the inside printed "notes" as tags to slip into these pockets along with the envelopes.

 The last page of the album contains an envelope that flips open to contain more photos and journaling. The entire album can hold more than a dozen photos and has plenty of room for journaling. Now that Valentine's Day is over, I guess I should get to work filling it! Maybe if I start now, it will be ready for gift giving next year!

Even after filling the entire album, I still had pieces left from the kit. I created three more note cards using my leftover scraps to go in the leftover envelopes. Who knew that a simple little kit could go so far?

Thanks for looking!

Artistic Etchings Briefcase Album

The challenge over at A Charming Place this week was to use Black & White plus two other colours on a project. Since I'm heading to Cambodia in a few days, I decided to combine this challenge with a Stamp Camp project we made this weekend. I didn't have time to finish the inside pages yet, but we used two On Board Briefcase pages as covers and envelopes as pages, similar to the idea I came up with for my Carousel Notes Album. To the tag I added a key and heart charm. Check out all the other new accessories I added to my tag!

Want to earn charms for free? A Charming Place is offering a $13 gift certificate right now. See this thread for details. Next month it's my turn to hostess the monthly challenges and I'm going to kick it all off from Cambodia with a travel theme! Check back August 1st to see how you can win charming prizes for participating in the challenges!

Stamp: Artistic Etchings
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Versamark
Paper: Newsprint Designer Series
Accessories: Jumbo Eyelets, 1/8" Taffeta, Pearls, Paper Daisies

Sentimental Journey Envelope Purse Album

Happy Canada Day!!! If you're not from Canada, Happy New Catalogue Day!!! Between the two there is plenty to celebrate. I made this album for a teacher who retired at the end of this school year. I went to school with her son and worked with her closely, so I wanted to do something special. However, I did not have a lot of time. As always I left things to the last minute and had to finish this album in only a few hours. As a result, it doesn't have as much detail as I would have liked, but she appreciated it all the same.

The cards pull out of the pockets to reveal my notes to her. This was the perfect design for an album since I didn't have many pictures to work with. I'm loving the new Newsprint Paper paired with Cherry Cobbler and Vanilla - Yummy!

Stamps: Sentimental Journey, It's About Time (retired), Artistic Etchings (brand new set)

Paper: Newsprint Designer Series Patterned Paper (New), Cherry Cobbler (New), Very Vanilla, Naturals Ivory, Basic Black

Sentimental Journey Briefcase Envelope Album

Every year I make a mini album for the retiring teachers in our school. This year these were both teachers who have been both my teachers and my colleagues - the joy of teaching in the same school I graduated from! It was also the last of the teachers who were there when I was in high school (which suddenly makes me feel really old!). This year I decided to use the same idea as Jan Tink's album since I don't have many pictures to work with. The two pockets were perfect for adding a couple more photos and some written words to the retirees. This album was created for a male. Check back tomorrow to see my purse version created using Artistic Etchings and brand new papers and colors for a female.

Stamps: Sentimental Journey, It's About Time (retired), Define Your Life
Paper: Sahara Sand, To the Nines Designer Series Specialty Paper, Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip

Love Word Album

Deal of the Week!

I love this week's deal. This week only you can purchase the Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware for only $26.99. That's over 30% off the regular price of $41.95!

Orders can be placed through me or online through my business website (click the 24 hour shopping button on the top left of this page)

I used the Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware on the following project. I apologize for all the retired elements in this album (as well as for the fact that the album itself is not Stampin' UP!, but rather purchased a long time ago at the local scrapbook store). With the exception of the album (Bo Bunny) and charms (from A Charming Place), however, everything else is Stampin' UP!. I started it back in January with the intention of displaying it for Valentine's Day. Obviously that didn't happen and I finally put the finishing touches on it this week. At this rate it will be another month before I get pictures added, so I decided to post it as it is. Enjoy!

The scallop envelope makes a great pocket for holding photos or journalling. The paper pieces on the back of the "O" and on the "V" pages also pull out for hiden journalling or additional photos. I've also created pockets in most of the other photo mats in the album in case I decide to add more pull out elements later when I add my photos.

The last page wasn't really a part of the original album, but I wanted the "E" to stand out a little more. I covered the cardboard backing that came in the package and instantly had another page.

Supplies Used:

Stamp: Love You Much

Ink & Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Vanilla

Accessories: Big Shot (Dies: Birds & Blooms, Tulipe), Felt Flower Fusion 2, Pretties Kit, Small Hearts Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, Jumbo Grommets, Jumbo Brads and more!

Disney Autograph Book

We will be going on another Disney Caribbean Cruise, where there is an entire night devoted to Pirates in the Caribbean. You can guess how excited I was to see the Rockabilly Designer Series patterned paper in the new catalogue! The whole package is perfect for all those pictures that I took last trip and all the ones I know I will be taking! The girls love collecting autographs while on the ship, so I made them a new chipboard autograph book to take along. I used my Big Shot with the new Billboard alphabet die, as well as Rockabilly paper, and punched circles from the new Taste of Textiles black paper. Before we go, I'll tie a sharpie to the ring with ribbon so it will be handy when they need it. To make your Billboard letters stand out more, try layering several together to create a chipboard letter look as I've done here.

Purse Album

Let me begin by saying, I'm sorry for how long it has taken me to post these instructions. I am now in the swing of things at school and am getting used to the routine once again. Time is limited, but I am trying to squeeze in some stamping time in between marking time and family time! I had originally planned to post the instructions for this album as a step by step tutorial, but this post has been in draft mode for a long time now and it's just time to get it done! If you have any questions, or need additional images, please feel free to email me.

The design for this purse is loosely based on an album I've had in my stash for awhile combined with one my upline, Crystal, showed me. I like the fact that it holds nine 4x6 photos (although I cropped 1/4" off my photos). I made the original for my horse lovin' daughter several months ago using the now retired Rose Cottage Simply Scrappin' Kit and Cherished Memories Rub-ons.

To create your album:

• Cut one piece of textured cardstock to 12"x10.5"
• Score both of the long (12") sides of your cardstock at 2 3/8" and 2 7/8"
• Score one of the short (10.5") side of your cardstock at 2 3/8" and 2 7/8"
• Score the other short side of your cardstock at 2 7/8" and 3 3/8"
• Cut along the inside score lines to where they intersect the other inside score lines on all four sides of your cardstock.
• Round all the corners
• Fold the flaps in to create your purse.
• Punch two 1/2" circles
• Use a brad to attach one of the circles to the centre (close to the bottom) of your upper flap.
• Use another brad to attach the other circle to the middle of your bottom flap
• Tie a string around the brad on the underside of the circle and use this as a closure.
• Punch a hole on the very top of your purse about half an inch in on both sides. Thread a piece of ribbon through the holes and tie knots on the inside of the purse to create your handle.

To create the inside pages:

• Cut two 12x6" pieces of cardstock
• Score both at 3", 6", and 9"
• Accordion fold both pieces and attach the two pieces together creating a five panelled strip.
• Glue one of the end panels to the inside of your purse.
• Embellish as desired.

I like to cover the backs of my brads with strips of patterned paper or stickers to keep them from scratching my top photo. My seven year old daughter joined us for Stamp Camp this year and made her very own purse album (pictured below). She was so proud!

Mini Album in a Box

Last month one of my club ladies was looking at a box of 3x3 cards that I made almost a year ago using instructions I found online. She asked me if we could make the same thing at club this month. Several people in my other club group requested a mini album for our final meeting. I decided to combine the two, tweak the measurements a bit in order to get two boxes out of one sheet of cardstock, and the Mini Album in a Box was born.

Mini Album Box

Supplies:

1 - 7.75" x 5.5" piece of solid cardstock

1 - 3" x 3.5" piece of patterned paper for the lid

1 - Scallop circle (embellished)

1 - brad

Score your solid cardstock along the short side at 3 3/8" and 4 3/8". Rotate your cardstock and score the long side at 1" and 4.5"

Cut along the short score lines to where the lines intersect. Do the same to the other side. This will create flaps for your box. Glue everything together to create the box.

Score the patterned paper along the long side at .5" and 1.5". This will be the lid to your box. Fold along the score lines and glue the smallest section to the outside of the your box to create the lid. Round the corners of the front of the lid.

Pierce the centre of your scallop and use the brad to adhere it to the box. You will need to pierce the box in the centre, just below the flap (make sure not to pierce through the lid). The lid will tuck in behind the scallop, holding everything in place.

Mini Album

I created my album by accordion folding a 3x12 strip of cardstock (scored at 3", 6", & 9"). I added another panel to mine by adding an additional 3x6 (scored at 3") piece. This way my club ladies had the choice of making either three 3x3 cards or the mini album.

Carousel Notes Envelope Album

As some of you know, I have been working on this project since my preorder of Carousel Notes arrived months ago! I created a similar album about a year ago while playing around with some square envelopes. It is super easy to create and I loved making all the pull out pieces and pockets. I still have room for a couple more pull out pages, which will probably contain more journalling later - one can fit into the spine of the book and one can pull out of the very last page.

To embellish my book, I used Stampin' UP!'s designer series Afternoon Tea paper, as well as the matching Love Birds rubons, new Hodgepodge Hardware and flowers from the Pretties Kit.

I cut the envelope to form a pocket for the carousel note on page one. The photo on page two also slips out of the pocket.

Page four was also cut down slightly to create the pocket for the carousel note.

One of the envelope flaps will be left when you create the album. I sandwiched this flap with two matching pieces of Wild Wasabi. To create another hidden pocket, I used sticky strip on only three sides and slipped a tag inside. One side of the tag contains journalling and the other contains a photo that I loved because it shows my girls' personalities, but that wouldn't normally make the cut after a photo shoot.

Here's how to create your own Envelope Album:

You will need to start with three carousel note envelopes. Begin by folding the flap of one of them backwards. This will be your middle page.

Next, moisten the adhesive on a second envelope. Insert this flap into the envelope that has the flap folded back (your middle page). You will want to add more adhesive later to make your album more stable. This album will be your cover/first page.

Close your book. Turn it so that the middle page flap is facing you. Moisten the adhesive on the last envelope and insert it into the pocket between the pages at the spine of the book. This will be your last page.

As I mentioned earlier, I cut down the envelope pockets slightly to make my carousel note pages easier to take in and out. I reinforced these spots on both sides to keep the book stable. I also added adhesive to the flaps where needed to make everything sturdy.

Edited to add: The completed album pictured above includes a fourth envelope for even more pages. To add another two scrapbook pages to your book (like the one I did originally) add the following steps:

Fold back the flap on a fourth envelope, but do NOT moisten the adhesive. Instead, insert the fourth envelope into the flap that is exposed in your album and reinforce with adhesive. Your flap will still be between the last two pages of your album, but you will have additional room for scrapbook pages.