Frozen Mini Album - CraftOnline Creative Team

My granddaughter loves Frozen, so much of her conversations are full of Elsa, she loves Elsa so much so with her 3rd Birthday coming up in November I thought making her her a Frozen themed mini album for her Mum to put some precious photos in would be a lovely gift she could treasure.
 
I set to work building a Frozen themed kit.  I wanted a large variety of snowy/winter items to get that Frozen feel so this became a great way to use those winter products that are geared to people who live in areas with snow.



I started by selecting a range of snowflake dies to create die cuts for my album, selecting some gorgeous Bazzil Bling cardstock and then searching for some papers in blues and that perfect shade of purple.  I added a Kaisercraft purple cardstock to my kit and then some gorgeous flowers and I called my kit ready.  Here is what I ordered (I will put a asterisk next to items I used).

Poppy Crafts Snowflake dies set of 2
Poppy Crafts 5 Different Border dies
Poppy Crafts Snowflake #6 die
Poppy Crafts Ornate Flourish Corner die
Poppy Crafts Snowflake Frame die
Find It Trading Jeanines Art Frosty Ornaments Frame die
Find It Trading Amy Design Christmas Wishes Snowflake Border die 
Poppy Crafts A4 White Cardstock (the 250gsm has been replaced by the 240gsm which will work for this project).
Bazzil Bling Cardstock Glass Slipper 
Bazzil Bling Cardstock Shimmer
Universal Crafts Teflon Bone Folder
Universal Crafts Magnets 
Poppy Crafts Ribbons Blues
Kaisercraft Jewel Cardstock
Disney A5 Build A Scene Frozen
Prima Marketing Moon Child paper flowers 12 pack First Eclispse
Graphic 45 Bloom from the new Bloom range 
Echo Park Winter Wishes Snowy Trees paper
Graphic 45 Kaleidoscope Fantastic Fantasy
My Besties 6x6 paper pack French Blue 
Bo Bunny Double Dot Lace French Vanilla 
Hambly Screen Prints Mini Brocade Overlay Antique Teal
Paper Doilies White Lace 6 inch
Echo Park 6x6 Stencil Winter Night
Fabre Castell Glass Bead Gel
Dorland's Wax Medium 4oz (I used this to seal any glitter covered items on my project)

Items from my stash used.
12 inch Trimmer
EK Success Score Mini Board
Dress My Crafts Sequins Green
Poppy Crafts 6x6 textured cardstock
Poppy Crafts Ribbons Purples
Old Fiskars Border/Edge Punch - This Martha Stewart Frame Border Punch called Daisy Petals matches the punch I used nicely, just follow the straight guide on the design plate to get a stragith edge, you will need the Starter Set to use this punch; or this Martha Stewart 2 in 1 Deep Edge punch might be a nice alternative; or this WeR Memory Keepers 2 Edge Punch Loop; or for something lovely and simple this EK Success Edge Punch Dotted Scallop.

I started by working out sizes to cut the various pieces needed to create my interactive pages, so my finished page would be 6 inches high and 4.5 inches wide.  Once I had figured this out I cut a set and assembled my prototype adjusting any measurements as needed.  I have included the measurement in the video.

Once I had my prototype page set put together I wanted to see how it would look with papers on and I had this idea of creating a journey to Elsa's castle with the Disney A5 Build A Scene paper pad.

So I started by selectively cutting the pieces for my top and bottom flaps so you would enter through them on your journey to Elsa's.
I used this winter forest paper from the pad.








When you open the top and bottom flaps you find yourself at this beautiful mountain scene.
I added the snowflakes to the inside of the top flap to hid my magnet as I forgot to add them on my prototype page before adhering my papers down.






























Then when you open the side flap you find yourself at Elsa's Castle. 
I wasn't thinking at the time and I didn't cut the paper, I just spread it over the flap and scored it, this has caused the page to not open properly, so if you are wanting to do something like this I recommend cutting the paper where the page folds out from.

Here is the video showing how I created my mini album.

Some other features in my album include a Shaker Pocket, which I added to the top flap of what became the front page set.  I really wanted to include a Shaker pocket in some way into this album so that Ev would have some snow to watch fall.
I decorated the front of the Shaker Pocket with some of the gorgeous Poppy Crafts Snowflake Dies.  And I added a border to the inside with the Find It Trading Amy Design Christmas Wishes Snowflake Border die.



I love how the album looks when you first open it.  I think Miss E will love the interactivity.

Here is how the third page set opens out.  I used the Hambly Screen Prints Mini Brocade Overlay Antique Teal on the side flap, it looks pretty cool in person.

And how gorgeous is that B side paper from Graphic 45 Kaleidoscope Fantastic Fantasy?  Isn't it just perfect for Anna?











After calling my project finished I decided to go back and add some snow to the front cover using the
Echo Park 6x6 Stencil Winter Night and Fabre Castell Glass Bead Gel, I love the results.  It looks like Anna is reaching up to the falling snow now.

I hope this project has inspired you to create something.  If it has please let me know, I would love to check out your work.

Sleepy - Scrapping Fun Kits Design Team

I wanted to make a quick mini album with the papers in the June 2019 Kit so I had some fun watching a few quick mini album videos on YouTube and decided I would go with a Wallet Mini Album that My Sister's Scrapper shared in 2016, as I feel like it could be used as a really cool card as well as a gift.

I selected some cream cardstock as my base to pull in the cream components in the kit and followed her instructions, gluing my fold out pieces with Helmar Acid Free Glue.



I adhered magents with Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive before adding my papers with Helmar Acid Free Glue.

To decorate my top flap at the front I added the cream trim from the kit with Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, folding the ends around to the back.  I then added the Sleepy die cut as my title and created a little cluster with 3 of the flowers in the kit and the last button that I had left over from doing the bay album for my friend that I shared the other day.





When covering the back of the top flap I added to layers of cardstock between the trim so when my paper went down it would sit fairly flat. 

I adhered all layers down with Helmar Acid Free Glue.

I added some white cardstock to represent where photos could go and added the elephant papers to the other sections.









I love how it turned out.

If you would like to order one of these kits head to the Subscription Tab and fill in the form.

Baby Boy Mini Album

Late last year my friend welcomed a precious baby boy into her family and I wanted to make her something she could treasure so I decided to make a 6x6 mini album for her sweet boy.
I filmed a flip through before delivering it but I was delayed in editing it and typing up this post so I decided to just wait until the kit that the adorable Giraffe I used on the front cover was revealed to share it with you.

The Giraffe was the only kit item I used on this project as at the time it was the only component I had avaiable but it was absolutely perfect for the cover of this album.

So if you want to watch the flip through here it is.

As is so often the case my decisions about where embellishment go is decided by my mistakes.  A error on the spine helped decided how the embellishments would be place on the spine. 
I think it turned out really cute.

To see the rest of the album check out the flip through video as photos just don't do it justice.











Items used to create this album
Scrapping Fun Kits June 2019 Kit
Kraft cardstock
Echo Park Sweet Baby Boy Kit
Helmar Acid Free Glue
Stickmaster Heat Resistant Tape
Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive
Twine from my stash
Dress It Up Embellishments Adventure Awaits

And as I was time poor and hadn't created a mini like this since I stopped tutoring in 2015 I decided to utilise this fantastic tutorial from Your Book Of Memories that has all the measurements ready and all the math done. 

Halloween Upcycled Mini Album - CraftOnline Creative Team

While I was experimenting with my Distress Oxides the The Stickmaster Heat Resistant Tape was there on the back of my desk and I was inspired to put what I was doing away and instead create a mini album like the one I made for Earth Day this year.  Since it is heat resistant I wanted to see if it would survive a summer in my home and I thought I should make the same style I made for the Earth Day album so I can make a true comparison, I will also make a Christmas themed one with the tape I used to use to make a fair comparison.
I am excited to see the results of my test next March.

Items used
Fancy Pants Designs 6x6 Spellbound
The Stickmaster Heat Resistant Tape
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Carved Pumpkin
Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Trimmings Halloween 6 pack
Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Trimmings 2 pack black and orange
Jolee's Boutique Dimensional Stickers Moveable Skeletons
Jolee's Boutique Gauze Ghosts (no longer available)
Silhouette Curio
Helmar Acid Free Glue

The Halloween supplies I ordered to make a card for my friend made decorating this mini so easy, the 6x6 pad was perfect for a quick crop and glue down.
I also die cut a few Halloween items with my Silhouette Curio that I bought from CraftOnline last year.  Having a pile of die cuts that suited my theme ready to go really helped the creative process.

Here is the unboxing of the supplies.

Here is a process video of how I made this album.

I love how this mini album turned out and can't wait to give it to me friend.

Why not give making a upcycled mini album a go, they turn out so cute.
I will have another post later in the month with my decorating of the cover of my October Daily and experimenting with that gorgeous haunted house stamp, so if you haven't subscribed to my blog and YouTube Channel yet make sure you do so you don't miss out on seeing that post.  :)

Earth Day Upcycled Mini Album - Helmar Creative Team

I am so excited to be sharing my first project with the Helmar Creative Team with you.

I wanted to do something with my boys for Earth Day and decided I needed a mini album to record the memories in but I wanted it to be as environmentally friendly as possible so I decided a upcycled album was the way to go.

I love making mini albums but haven't made one in a long time because no matter how high quality the tape is I use due to the climate here the stick gives way due to the weight so I have wanted to experiment with using Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue to create a mini album and it was not only easier to do but the hold is much stronger than the strongest tape I have used in the past.

Supplies needed
5 Toilet rolls
1 sheet of Kraft cardstock
Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue
Digital Papers Earth Day and Embellishments from Pixel Scrapper printed on 160gsm paper
Earth Patch from the Scrapping Fun Kits April 2018 Kit
Assortment of Burlap trims and twine
Green Lace from the Scrapping Fun Kits St Paddy's Kit
Trimmer
Hole Punch
Score Board
Assorted green alpha stickers

As there can be a variation in toilet roll sizes I have included instructions for getting the best sizing for your rolls.
Flatten out your toilet rolls, you can do this with a iron, running them through a Big Shot or similar die cutting machine or with a bone folder and then put them under something heavy.


Measure the inside measurement of your toilet rolls, cut a strip of Kraft cardstock slightly smaller, this will form your Hidden Hinge Binding.


Cut 5 tags from Kraft cardstock slightly longer than your toilet rolls and punch a hole in the top.  Tie twine in the holes.

Cut 4 cover pieces to be long enough to cover your tags and slightly wider than your toilet rolls.
Save your scraps you will use one of them for the outside of your binding but we will wait to cut this once the binding is attached to the covers to be sure of the measurements.

For the Hidden Hinge Binding System piece make your first score mark at 1.5 inches then do this pattern - 1/2inch 1/2inch 1/4inch 1/2inch 1/2inch 1/4inch 1/2inch 1/2inch 1/4inch 1/2inch 1/2inch 1/4inch 1/2inch 1/2inch  leave a 1.5 inch flap and trim off the excess.

You need to glue the 1/2 inch sections to each other, this will form the flap you attach your pages to, leaving the 14 inch sections with no glue on.  Once glued together fold the flaps in each direction to ensure easy turning once the pages are attached.

Attach a cover piece to each 1.5 inch piece ensuring the line up with each other.  Then apply glue over the inside surface of the cover and attach the other 2 cover pieces on top with the 1.5 inch flap sandwiched in the middle.  This will give stronger bond for the binding and a thicker cover.  Note my flap is smaller in the second pic due to a error I made on that side.

Now for the spine.  Measure the finished width of your binding and covers and add 1 inch cut a piece of scrap the the height of the covers and this measurement your just made.  Score .5 inch in from each side.  Apply glue to the spine, attach the .5 inch flaps to your covers and the middle part to your binding.  You will need to press the various spaces together until things are holding well.  Set aside to dry.
Now work on your pages (toilet rolls) measure the length of the rolls and the width, double the width and add 1/2 inches.  Cut papers to these measurements.
Apply glue to the back of the paper, lie them down glue side up, put the toilet roll in the middle, fold the top and bottom of the papers over the toilet roll to cover.  Repeat for all 5.



Once your cover and spine are dry, cut papers chosen for the covers a 1/4 inch smaller than the cover and adhere with Helmar Acid Free Glue.  Make sure you are working on the outside of your covers when using what you want to be your cover, I got muddled and my front cover became my inside of the back cover.
Use the Lace or Ribbon you have chosen to cover the spine, adhering with Helmars Professional Acid Free Glue, this helped strengthen my spine.


Attach pages to your binding starting with the last page and working forward, by applying glue to both sides of the binding flap and sliding the page over the flap, apply pressure for a few moments until it is holding well.

Decorate covers and pages with printed embellishments, alphas, Earth patch and burlap trims.

Insert tags into your pages.

 Now your album is ready to add photos and journaling.