December Mini Album Tutorials and Challenge

Welcome to our final challenge of the year, our December challenge at Mini Album Makers.  We are pleased be joining you again with a brand new challenge.  But first, we would like to thank our dear Tracey for her time with us on this team.  We wish you all the best Tracey!  And now, the winner of our November Challenge, winning a Paperbabe Stamps £20 GC to spend in the Paperbabe Stamps Etsy Store.  

Our winner is Alison Bomber of Words and Pictures with entry number 1!  She shared a wonderful mixed media/upcycled journal project with us.  It's exquisite Alison!  Please email Autumn at teamclark@rocketmail.com to claim your prize.

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And now let's see what our design team has to share with you this month...

Jennie

As the Christmas/New Year Holiday Season is nearly upon us I have made a cute little book which will be used not just this year, but in future years, to record our memories of the season. I have a short step by step tutorial on my blog so do please join me if you would like to see more.

Anne

I love planning for Christmas, and even though I do less and less each year I still like to make a planner to keep Christmas gift ideas, and my all important card checklist.  You can see more on my blog HERE.

Inna

Hello friends!  I had the opportunity to decorate my workshop and I decorated the folder for stencils.  It was an ordinary stationery folder ...  I recorded a VIDEO process for you.

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Our generous prize sponsor for this challenge is Lindy's Stamp Gang offering one lucky participant a $25 gift certificate.  So join in for your chance to win!

Website - https://www.lindysgang.com/
Blog - https://lindysgang.blog/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/lindysgang/

Our challenge follows a few simple rules:

Any Handmade Book Goes.  Enter any form of handmade mini albums, scrapbooks, journals and book arts.  Our focus is on completed works, so no layouts or journal spreads that are not part of a complete handmade book project.  You do not have to provide a tutorial, but we wish you would.  Feel free to use one of the DT tutorials to make your project and give proper credit where due.  No back linking allowed.  You must add our badge to your post and link to our challenge to be eligible to win the prize.  Combine with any other challenges as applicable.  Please limit to entering 3 (three) handmade books per month in our challenge.  Permalinks only and no back linking.  Share the love by visiting and commenting on other entries.  Please become a follower.  That's it - have fun!

* Make sure to add our badge to your post *
and link back to our challenge. 

*GET SOCIAL*
Submit your entries to our Facebook page for extra love.
Tag us @minialbummakers with your entries on Instagram for a repost.

Please note: This is a public blog and by linking your project you agree to have your name, blog link and the creation you linked shown on this blog and other Mini Album Maker Challenge social media sites. If you do not agree to this, please do not join in the challenge. Also, remember that any comments and/or linked projects left on this blog will be visible/clickable by third parties as this blog is public.  Email addresses are required for entry by InLinkz and accessible to this blog's moderators.  Your email address may be used to contact you regarding your entries.  We will not share your information willingly for any other purposes.  (This was posted to be in compliance with the new GDPR law that will soon become effective in the EU, and will also apply to blogs located in the US if blog visitors reside in the EU.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

November Tutorial - DT Soulmate Journal by Tracey

Hello Creative Friends!  It's Tracey here today sharing my DT Soulmate Journal tutorial.  A simple concept that keeps my Paperbabe Design Team templates and techniques in one place and close to hand with the aid of Eileen Hulls Pocket Notebook Die. 

Here's those simple *How to do's* a tiny bit of measuring and lot's of pictures. 

Cutting four mountboard covers from Eileen Hulls Pocket Notebook scoreboard Die I first glued two pieces together at the spine expanding it's width to expose four holes to thread elastic anchors through later.

The remaining covers are folded at the first hole glued onto each edge and then folded at the third hole. The large cover is then folded in on itself. This creates the journal cover similar in design to a dust jacket *See pic below*.

Now to make use of past DT samples and cards that will later become pocket pages.

Cutting up sections of all shapes and sizes I played with the design gluing each piece to create a patchwork design onto two A4 pieces of card.

Four patchwork panels are cut to fit the outer surface of the pocket notebook.

With faux pen stitching and enamel accents traced around the patchwork design, black gesso and gilding wax hide those white areas and edges. With elastic threaded through the spine to anchor pockets and sari ribbon to keep it held tightly closed, the outside cover is now complete. 

Rice paper decorates the inside along with two measured pockets, cut and scored they are glued into place close to the centre spine edge. 

These pockets keep stamps, templates and work in progress contained.

Hinge clips are attached with a split pin, on each folding side. 

Here is the inside with hinge clips and pockets before the pocket pages are added.

Now onto those pocket pages, created by simply using A6 cards all held in place by those coloured elastic anchors. 

This card is cut at an angle creating a unique pocket design, with a large attached eyelet it's tied with metallic string and can be opened any time.

Next door lies a similar designed pocket but this one does not open.

Punched holes and blanket stitch holds this pocket page secure. With the top edge open it allows stamped words to be concealed for a quick reference when looking for a quote or sentiment.

Acetate attached on the reverse reveals my eye and skin tones swatches.

Folded paper scraps with punched holes are glued top and bottom of the pocket. 

Acting as an alternative way of holding my Paperbabe Stamped and coloured images.

There's plenty of room to hold past, present and favourite creations.

Folding the cover conceals the contents yet reveals the patchwork sections that each share a technique using Papebabe Stamps and Stencils.

Closing the notebook Sari ribbon holds it all together, keeping my Soulmate Journal and it's contents safe until we meet again.

Many thanks to Kim Costello @Paperbabe Stamps for 

Sponsoring Mini Album Makers November Challenge and a huge 

Thank you to you all for taking the time to pop on over, 

put up with my ramblings and take in the pictures.. 

Wishing you all much creativity, 

Hugs Tracey xx

November Mini Album Tutorials and Challenge

Welcome to our November challenge at Mini Album Makers.  We are pleased be joining you again with a brand new challenge.  But first, the winner of our October challenge, winning the full new set of PaperArtsy Mini Stamps by Seth Apter...

Our winner is Deonna B, with entry number 10!  She shared this amazing mini album filled with the history of her Great Grandfather.  We love it Deonna!  Please email Autumn at teamclark@rocketmail.com to claim your prize.

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And now let's see what our design team has to share with you this month...

Jennie

I recently needed a largish notebook to record my spinning, dyeing and knitting exploits and managed to put this bound book together really quickly following a workshop I attended during Shetland Wool Week. A book with a purpose! If you would like to see how and why it came together and to view the inside then do join me over on my blog.

Anne

My project this month is a fabric covered Diary.  I used a mask and stamps from our wonderful Sponsor this month, Paperbabe Stamps.  You can find out more on my blog here.

Tracey

As a proud member of Paperbabe Stamps Design Team I'm over the moon to see they are this months sponsor. Using Eileen Hull's XL Pocket Notebook Die I've created a Design Team Soulmate* As I am November's Tutor I'll be revealing what's inside and sharing how it came to be HERE @Mini Album Makers on Thursday, 14th November. 

Inna

Hello friends!  My project this month is a notebook. I made a cover for this notebook and recorded a video tutorial for you.  You can find out more on my blog.

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Our generous prize sponsor for this challenge is Paperbabe Stamps, offering one lucky winner a £20 gift certificate to the Paperbabe Stamps Etsy Store.  So join in for your chance to win!

Our challenge follows a few simple rules:

Any Handmade Book Goes.  Enter any form of handmade mini albums, scrapbooks, journals and book arts.  Our focus is on completed works, so no layouts or journal spreads that are not part of a complete handmade book project.  You do not have to provide a tutorial, but we wish you would.  Feel free to use one of the DT tutorials to make your project and give proper credit where due.  No back linking allowed.  You must add our badge to your post and link to our challenge to be eligible to win the prize.  Combine with any other challenges as applicable.  Please limit to entering 3 (three) handmade books per month in our challenge.  Permalinks only and no back linking.  Share the love by visiting and commenting on other entries.  Please become a follower.  That's it - have fun!

* Make sure to add our badge to your post *
and link back to our challenge. 

*GET SOCIAL*
Submit your entries to our Facebook page for extra love.
Tag us @minialbummakers with your entries on Instagram for a repost.

Please note: This is a public blog and by linking your project you agree to have your name, blog link and the creation you linked shown on this blog and other Mini Album Maker Challenge social media sites. If you do not agree to this, please do not join in the challenge. Also, remember that any comments and/or linked projects left on this blog will be visible/clickable by third parties as this blog is public.  Email addresses are required for entry by InLinkz and accessible to this blog's moderators.  Your email address may be used to contact you regarding your entries.  We will not share your information willingly for any other purposes.  (This was posted to be in compliance with the new GDPR law that will soon become effective in the EU, and will also apply to blogs located in the US if blog visitors reside in the EU.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Mini Photo Wallet Tutorial by Jennie Atkinson

Hello Jennie (Live the Dream) here with you today sharing how I made my little photo wallet with flaps and pockets for journalling or adding more photographs.

I never tire of making a wallet or mini album from a single 12 x 12 sheet of cardstock or patterned paper and this is one Shetland Scrapbookers made many years ago and has been a great staple and extremely popular - wheeled out most years for one of our meetings!

This is a photo heavy post but I am sure you won't mind! I am using cardstock so you can see how the wallet is made, but it works best with good quality pattern paper. Also my apologies for such a filthy mat! ..... I thought it was quite clean .....

Score the 12 x 12 sheet at 4" and 8".

Then turn the sheet 90 degrees and score at 3", 6" and 9".

Cut the piece from the top as shown - ie 9" x 4" but do not discard.  (This is the same piece of paper! the light must have changed considerably in the craft room!)

Turn the sheet over so the inside is facing you.

Then fold the bottom layer up.

In order to allow the wallet a little "ease" you need to trim about 1/4" off the right side edge.

It is not very clear from the photograph but also for a little "ease" it is helpful to score a 1/4" spine in the top flap.

I also like to cut a little half circle in the middle pocket using a punch. It makes it easier to get the journalling card out and looks quite neat!

So now everything is ready to stick together. I have used thin red tape on the two outside pockets.

Using a bone folder to create a good crease, fold the right hand pocket over.

Then the left hand side pocket to meet the middle.

Then fold the flap over - this will be the back of your paper.

Take the piece of card you cut from the top of the sheet at the very beginning and create two journal cards by cutting on the score line.

The larger piece with a little trimming fits neatly into the middle pocket.

For the cover band cut a strip of card 9.5" x 1.75" and score at 4.25" and 8.5". The little 1" flap at the end can then be glued to create the band.

The band sits neatly over the left hand side of the wallet and the small journalling card sits neatly underneath.

I hope all that makes sense. And here are a few photographs of how I decorated my pages. Look for small stamps which can be used for little collages. I also had a sheet of vintage stamps which worked well with these photographs of my parents. The photographs are rather small for a 12 x 12 layout but just perfect for these little pages.

Thank you for still being here! I hope this little wallet and tutorial becomes a favourite for you all as it is with us. We have no idea who in the group found it or where but it looks fabulous in either vintage or modern papers and also allows the use of smaller photographs or where one has to crop heavily to get the best part of a photograph. I have enjoyed being able to share it with you.

With best wishes to you all for a great crafting week!

Jennie x