GRAPHIC 45 MINI ALBUM

Here is a mini album I made using one 12 x 12" sheet of Graphic 45 paper and three standard business size envelopes.
I LOVE how this turned out!

It's really quite simple. Here is a top view showing the construction. I will give step by step details on how to make one in a future posting. :)

The difficult part is cutting into the FAB paper which I only have a few sheets left of now. LOL Then to cut up in a way that you utilize the best bits for focal points.

The paper is double sided, so the pieces that didn't have enough of a good focal point left on them were turned over to use the coordinating colors. This is a good place to mount a pic or a sentiment, quote, journaling or ?

As you can see from the pics there are some 4 page, 3 page and 2 page spreads using this envelope design. You can just keep turning it over and flipping pages so it's like an never ending album.

I folded up the album and wrapped in an elastic lace that reminds me of the wraps some of these bathing beauties are wearing on their heads to keep the sand and water off their gorgeous locks.

I made a stick pin with a corsage pin, vintage sea shell bead and a tiny blue pearl bead. I stitched on a gorgeous natural blue & cream mother of pearl broken shell bead to the elastic wrap to finish.

I didn't adorn the album much because I thought whoever recieves it might want to have fun adding little treasures of their own. I did add some bling that looks like a wave in the form of rhinestones.

I also added a teeny tiny blue trim to the bottom of one of the pages because the paper cut was just a little bit shy of the edge. Worked perfectly and it kinda looks like little waves too.

Each page top has an opening to slide in a tag for mounting more pics or adding even more quotes, sentiments, journaling etc.

Now I have to make one for me! LOL

Isn't that the way it is...you make something for a gift and you never keep anything for yourself?! : )

Must get into the habit of making doubles.

I would love to hear your comments on my album.

MINI CHRISTMAS ALBUM

I have been happily working on some handmade journals over the past few days.  I'm making all kinds including Christmas, but not exclusive.  I will show you some I have been working on in the next few posts here on my blog.  The ones I am making with BLACK GEL PEN PAPER are in limited supply as I am quickly running out of the gel pen paper.  It is a paper weight for drawing in gel pen, not black cardstock; so the paper is thin like computer/copy paper. 

 If you are interested in purchasing one/more they will be 

FOR SALE

 in my

cathies pARTies

  ETSY online shop 

If you beat me to it & you don't see them listed yet just leave me a note here in my comments.  Leave your email in the comment so I can contact you to see what you want.  I don't publish any comments that contain personal emails, so once I have your contact info your comment will be deleted. 

EACH MINI CHRISTMAS ALBUM IS UNIQUE NO TWO ARE EXACTLY ALIKE

 I have a slide show of my shop on the right side here on my blog too.

Go to the cathies pARTies shop.

Click on the image when you see it in the slide show.

Or

 Click on the name of my shop & it will open up my shop.

You can see the other categories of my shop there.

  Grab yourself a cuppa & do a little relaxed shopping.

  Have fun!

Here are some samples of the Mini Christmas Albums I'm making this year. 

They are bound with wire using my Zutter Bind it All. 

Love it!

^

This pic shows the outside cover of just a couple of them.

^

A couple of inside views.

The little frame on one of the pages I highlighted with gold embossing.

You can actualy slip a little pic into the top end of the frame.

Too Cute!

^

Another pair of inside pages.

The tied embellishments unfolds to reveal a spot for journaling or adding small pics.

The ends of pages are open little pockets to slide/insert tags for journaling or pics.

They are the perfect gift for a creative spirit just as they are, as I have left lots room for creative play

with stamps, various mixed mediums, stickers, embellishments etc.

Plus you can make the tags to slide into the ends.

BUY ONE AS A GIFT FOR YOURSELF TO RECORD SOME HOLIDAY MEMORIES!

MINI CHRISTMAS ALBUM

This is the MINI CHRISTMAS ALBUM I made @ a local scrapbooking store during their recent Christmas Open House with Make & Takes.

It was bound using the UNI BIND system.

 

Now that I have the book made, all I have to do is add pics, journaling spots, embellishments & do some technique work on the pages before I mount everything.

We were a little rushed for time so it turned out pretty good considering. 

We were given a wad of patterned paper & told to choose a sheet for the front & back cover, inside front & inside back. 

Then the remaining papers would be our pages. 

I took the time to arrange the inside pages to a satisfactory extent. 

Now that I see the overall view in these pics I would have liked page 2 to be on the facing side so the margin on the patterned paper would be lined up on the right side of the page like a school notebook instead on near the spine of the book. 

I might have placed the red pages more strategically too if I had more time. 

 They look a little out of balance in places. 

Oh well!

FRONT COVER

INSIDE COVER & FIRST PAGE

PAGE 2 - 3

PAGE 4 - 5

PAGE 6 - 7

PAGE 8 - 9

PAGE 10 - 11

PAGE 12 -13

PAGE 14 - 15

PAGE 16 & INSIDE BACK

BACK COVER

Pretty good size mini album.  Lots of space & pages to add pics, journaling spots & embellishments.

THIS IS A GIFT TO ME! 



I WILL POST PICS OF THE FINISHING PROCESS ALONG THE WAY AS I

 DISTRESS, USE VARIOUS TECHNIQUES & ADD EMBELLISHMENTS

SO STAY TUNED!

THIS WAS JUST ONE OF 4 MAKE & TAKES THAT DAY.

I STILL HAVE 3 MORE TO SHOW YOU.

CHECK BACK FOR THE OTHER PROJECTS I MADE.

Alice In Wonderland Black Gel Pad

Here's one of MY black gel pads I covered with Graphic 45 Alice in Wonderland Halloween Paper to create a nice little cover that wraps completely around the pad with a closure.

I used decorative paper trim in a coordinating color on each side-end of cover; created using a decorative border punch.

The closure was created using adhesive velcro fasteners that I cut in half.  They are adhered to the end flaps of cover, making it wrap around the pad snugly.

This photo shows the inside view.  Black Gel Pad adhered to back side of Graphic 45 paper.  Here you can see the velcro closure on the side edge of cover.

I LOVE how it turned out!

This one I listed on Etsy.

I have one more I may keep or give as a gift, haven't decided yet.  Maybe I'll use it for a blog give away in the future, never know.

I have another version of a covered gel pad I will post @ a later date when I get the photos/scans done.

I would love some feedback here.  Leave a comment & let me know how you like it.  What your favorite part about it is.  Ideas I may want to use to incorporate in future ones.  Etc. 

Thanks!  : )

HANDMADE JOURNAL RAK I RECIEVED FROM MY PCP SWAP PARTNER

Here is the handmade journal I received from my Paper Craft Planet Swap Partner in the July Challenge try 'Something Different'. 

The challenge was to make a useful journal for your partner that was inspired by the colors in your countrys' flag.

The journal I recieved came all the way from South Africa & the one I made went there. 

I like how she put a notepad into the journal that can be swapped out when it gets full of my  BIG ideas!

I also took note on her constuction of this book, something I can refer to for future projects. 

She personalized mine with my initials monogramed on the front cover.  Oops I think I was suppose to do that too!

Thanks again for the Handmade Journal Ursula and permission to post it here on my blog!  : )

HANDMADE JOURNAL for August RAK @ PAPER CRAFT PLANET

I'm a newer member of Paper Craft Planet, and earlier this summer I joined the Group

'We Love to Send a RAK'.

The July Challenge that I joined was to make a handmade Journal that would represent my Country Flag using my own creative interpretation. It was to be sent to another member who would send you a handmade journal in return.  I couldn't post it sooner because my swap partner would have seen it, and that would spoil the surprise. This is what I came up with, from begining to end result:

I started with color core paper by co'rdinations.  White wash on the front textured side with a red color core.  I used an embossing folder that has the shape of a HEART made up of old fashioned skeleton keys for the center of the flag where normally you would have the Canadian Maple Leaf.  I thought this appropriately represents the Country I love & live in.  After embossing the heart, I sanded the raised embossed heart and a strip down either side to reveal the red color core center. 

 That's my interpretation of the CANADIAN FLAG!

Part of the challenge was to add RIBBON to the Journal in some manner.  I chose to add it to the coil bound spine.  I tied even lengths of peace sign and gingham patterned ribbon in an alternating fashion. 

The inside front cover I used red cardstock and I sprayed it with Adirondak spray, over a 'Tattered Angels' stencil.  I LOVE how it looks. 

I forgot to take pictures of the inside back cover.  There I used a soft reddish pink cardstock in a plaid type pattern.  I made a pocket from cardstock that I printed with the dictionary definition seen in above photo.  It was taken from an old encyclopedia circa late 1800-1900's.  I also used this same definition on the inside first page.

I used a red wire coil to to bind the journal together using my new zutter book binder.  This was one of the first books I made with it.

I was VERY PLEASED with he end result  shown below.

Now I want one for myself!

Handmade Journal

Here's a sneak peak at one of my HANDMADE journals.
I made this one for a certain someone for Christmas this year.



All are handmade by me using various art & paper crafting techniques.
Each one is unique!
I scour various art, craft, charity shops, yard sales &
flea markets for just the right papers & embellishments.

I will also make journals with recycled papers for those
who want to give with an environmental conscience!



This one allows you to keep a record of names you wish to give to.
Whether you make something handmade yourself or buy -
it has pages to keep your Holiday giving organized.
There are separate sections for family, friends & others.
There's even a section for shopping for your HOLIDAY dinner -
including a meal planner.



It's a handy size for putting into your purse and opens nicely for writing down your entries. I have included a pocket with old fashioned closure that you can put receipts into, as well as a library pocket page for you to slip coupons into!



What a unique way to record a Jolly Holiday!

I can personalize the back cover too!

If you want to CUSTOM ORDER one or more for yourself, I will be back
in the workshop right after the Holiday festivities are over.

These are labour intensive, take time and care and
I only make personalized ones on order.

PLEASE order well in advance of Christmas,
so I don't get a rush right before Christmas -
I would hate for you to be disappointed!

send me an email @
cathiesparties@gmail.com