Mini Album/Journal.

 Handmade journal/ mini album

next DT project for The Mad Scrapper

oh I love a mini album.

I love it when I get some packaging like this, it's the perfect size and already in the perfect shape for a mini album, one of my favourite things, I love them for an event when you have quite a few photos to document, there is an end to it so it becomes complete.

 

For the outside and inside I cut the pieces for the flat surface and attached them with a strong double sided tape and then cut the spine pieces, measured and scored where I needed the folds to be but made sure they were wider so they overlapped the main pieces, on the front panel I added the extra red coloured strip just to add a bit of interest, again fixing the spine covers in place with a strong tape, right up to the edges so there will be no lifting.

I distressed all-round the edges of the book with a sand paper block, it just softened the edges a bit.

I added my elastic for my inner pages by punching holes and threading the elastic through and back again, tying a knit at the bottom.

The pages are just 12x12 cardstock cut to size and folded in half, they then tuck under the elastic, you can add more pages as and when you need or add different sizes for more interest, the pages can be removed to work on for ease and then added back in when finished.

For the outside design I cut some of the pieces from the playing cards sheet and layered them up with my metal leaf, die cut flower, embellishment cluster and my title. I used 3d foam pads and gel mediums for my glues adding height to the design.

Lastly, I splattered using the oxide ink watered down and using a paint brush to splatter.

On the inside I cut a pocket and with a strong double-sided tape I fixed in place, i then did some fussy cutting from the splendor sheet and glued it in place just poking out of the pocket, i made myself some little tags and cut some elements from the playing cards sheet and tucked them in the pocket, you could add another pocket on the inside back cover the add more bits and pieces from the set so they are to hand when adding to your mini book, embellishments ready to go.

 

products used.....

Paisley and vine papers

Pathway https://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/paisley-vine-pathway

Nature https://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/paisley-vine-nature

Playing cards https://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/paisley-vine-playing-cards

Splendor https://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/paisley-vine-splendor

Distress Oxide , Festive Berrieshttps://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/distress-oxides-ink-pad-festive-berries

from my stash I also used ....

Bramble Fox Perspectives

Embellishment cluster

Metal leaf 

Flower die cut piece

Scrapbook Layout-Free Spirit

Free Spirit, Scrapbook layout.

 

 I do love flowers!

This page is of my granddaughter Mia at my son's wedding a couple of years ago, I have titled it Free Spirit because she is just that!

 For this page I just loved the main background sheet so didn't feel the need to add to it which I quite often do its beautiful.

So, I could get straight into my layout without waiting for back ground dry which I normally have to do when I have been playing and adding texture.

  

  

Lots of layering on this page, firstly I cut strips of 3 of my papers not too important on the width but ranging from 2" wide down to 1" wide and 10" long down to maybe 8" long so that they can layer at different levels.

Two of the strips I cut points in the bottom like you would on the end of a ribbon to stop it fraying. i distressed all the edges of my strips , you can use a craft knife, dedicated distress tool, or an open pair of scissors (being very careful)

From the playing card sheet, I cut out 3 of the journaling squares and distressed the edges of these too.

I mounted my photo which is 4"x6" onto one of the papers, this can depend on your photo as to which one you use.

I then played around and decided on where I wanted them all to go, using the photo to move things around and work out the spacing. at this point I take a photo so I can look at it as I stick them all down as it is so easy to forget where I wanted it all to go! you could even put light pencil markings if it helps when placing.

I then added my photo using 3d foam pads at the bottom but not at the top to level things out as the top was slightly higher off the page.

I didn't glue or put my 3d foam pads too close to the edge of the photo as i wanted to be able to tuck things under the edge of the photo.

 

I then did some fussy cutting from one of the sheets and cut some die cut leaves and flourishes, I decided where I wanted them all to go and layered them up using a mixture of 3d foam pads and gel medium as my glue, tucking leaves and flourishes behind the layers of my strips and journal squares.

My title was one of the cut apart pieces from the playing card sheet that I cut with a round punch and distressed the edges.

I then added my flowers and my title. 

Lastly, I covered my photo and splattered with the oxide ink pad watered down a little to allow me to pick it up with a paint brush.

products used.....

Paisley and vine papers.

             whimsy- background sheet- strip

             splendour- fussy cutting- strip

             nature- strip

             playing cards- journaling squares- title

49 and market flowers- scarlet

distress oxide- festive berries- for splatters

round punch 

leaves and flourishes dies 

Scrapbook Page Layout.

My First design for Janine at The mad Scrapper

Happy to be playing again and these papers are just lovely and bright, although hard to find something to match up to this set of photos, nothing is as bright as these photos!!

Using the Blue Fern Studios ,Paisley and Vine modern collection.

 

  

Sometimes I can just pick up a base sheet and go with it and other times I have to add, this is one of those times, I felt I just needed to add to it and as the photo is of making a mess, I needed a bit more of a messy back ground so I started by adding some stencilling through a circle stencil and using a green ink and a sponge.

I went over again using 2 stamps that help to create backgrounds, sort of splatter designs, you could do just the same by actually splattering, i used a

I loved the diamond sheet from the collection and used them as diamonds, I cut a strip off as a base cutting the diamond shape and also cut a few of the actual diamonds separately. I inked the edges of the diamonds just to help them pop off the page as the colours are very closely matched.

I cut some more strips from the different papers from the collection and added a little stamping for interest, used a punch for the heart circle and to make the arrows all from the papers in the collection , I made a little camera embellishment with a stamp onto a scrap of one of the papers, again I inked the edges to help them pop and make them a little grungier as it's not a clean page and it definitely wasn't a clean day when taking these photos. 

putting it all together, I layer all my elements on the page moving around until I am happy with the design, I find this is the time to take a photo to look back on as I fix everything in place because I am very likely to forget where it all goes.

I started with the strips at the bottom and then added my photo which I added using 3d foam pads so that it lifts it off the page a little and allows me to tuck bits behind so remember not to go right to the edge with the sticky pads or you won't be able to tuck things behind.

Next it was the separate diamonds tucking under here and there, the arrows, I double mounted the 2 on the left, the photo and heart on the right and the title on the left with the diamond tucked underneath.

I ended up by covering my photo and splattering with the same ink that I used to edge my pieces, I watered it down a little on my glass mat so allow me to splatter with it.

Items used....

Paisley and Vine papers - Whimsy, Pathway, Splendor and playing cards.

Distress Oxide, Faded Jeans.

Distress oxide, Mowed Lawn.

Camera stamp

splat stamps

arrow stamp

circle stencil

arrow punch

circle punch