Outstanding Mini Albums

A huge thanks to Women’s World Magazine who is featuring “Outstanding Mini Albums” in one of their articles in the newest issue! I was thrilled when they contacted me last month to interview me for this article. If you read the article, I’d love to hear from you! In celebration, I am doing a giveaway for a copy of my book “Outstanding Mini Albums”. Just leave me a comment here or on my other blog (www.jessicaacs.com) and tell me what your favorite scrapbooking supplies are. A winner will be selected randomly on Feb 10th.

Also, my FREE technique classes are going to be offered again this Spring. The exact date has not been scheduled yet but keep checking back. They will be starting sometime in March 2013.

This is cute little canvas album from Maya Road that I embellished with October Afternoon’s 5 and Dime Collection. For more info and more pictures, make sure to stop by my blog! http://vibrantvalleydesign.blogspot.com/

Tiffany Davis

Tiffany Davis is an energetic 23 year old from Alabama, USA. She started scrapbooking when she was 15 and still loves it. Her shih-tzu, Jada, is her biggest fan. She loves scrapbooking because of the creative outlet it gives her. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to create. When it comes to creating a page, she lets her memories and emotions take over. When she first started scrapbooking, Tiffany was the only person around who even knew what it meant. Most of her friends thought of scrapping as an ‘old-woman’s hobby’. However, she’s managed to teach a few friends and now they’re hooked too! Tiffany is still learning everyday so she’d love to make new friends and learn new techniques. Visit Tiffany’s blog here: http://vibrantvalleydesign.blogspot.com

 

I had been wanting to scrap these pictures for a long time but I just couldn’t find a real reason to scrap a full 12×12 layout. So, a mini was a fun way to scrap them separately.

For more info and pics, make sure to stop by my blog!

Tiffany Davis

Tiffany Davis is an energetic 23 year old from Alabama, USA. She started scrapbooking when she was 15 and still loves it. Her shih-tzu, Jada, is her biggest fan. She loves scrapbooking because of the creative outlet it gives her. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to create. When it comes to creating a page, she lets her memories and emotions take over. When she first started scrapbooking, Tiffany was the only person around who even knew what it meant. Most of her friends thought of scrapping as an ‘old-woman’s hobby’. However, she’s managed to teach a few friends and now they’re hooked too! Tiffany is still learning everyday so she’d love to make new friends and learn new techniques. Visit Tiffany’s blog here: http://vibrantvalleydesign.blogspot.com

 

I kept hearing everyone talking about their “One Little Word” and I was intrigued. What were they all talking about? So I googled it (as usual) and I was inspired to say the least. If you haven’t already, please stop by Ali Edwards’s blog and check it out! Once I read her post, I was so inspired that I couldn’t stop myself from planning a mini album. After much debate (and even changing my word), here is my mini!

Make sure to stop by my blog to check out more pictures and a complete list of products used.  Vibrant Valley

Tiffany Davis

Tiffany Davis is an energetic 23 year old from Alabama, USA. She started scrapbooking when she was 15 and still loves it. Her shih-tzu, Jada, is her biggest fan. She loves scrapbooking because of the creative outlet it gives her. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to create. When it comes to creating a page, she lets her memories and emotions take over. When she first started scrapbooking, Tiffany was the only person around who even knew what it meant. Most of her friends thought of scrapping as an ‘old-woman’s hobby’. However, she’s managed to teach a few friends and now they’re hooked too! Tiffany is still learning everyday so she’d love to make new friends and learn new techniques. Visit Tiffany’s blog here: http://vibrantvalleydesign.blogspot.com

 

With a few different babies being born to friends and family in the near future, I have made this mini album for one of them as a gift. This book was a white chipboard tag album but I used Tim Holtz’s Vintage Photo Distress Ink on it to make it look like it is made of wood. The paper line is Simple Stories Baby Steps. I love Simple Stories… such great lines and colour combo’s… I am starting to use their Yearography to do a Life 365 +1 for 2012.

Nicole Recksiedler

Nicole is from Morris, Manitoba, Canada and has been scrapping for about 10 years. One of her current projects is scrapping her wedding photos….a huge task! She was married one year ago and her photographer took over 1200 photos so just sorting through them is a huge task! She and her husband have no children but they have a sweet little pug named Max, who feels he rules the house!

Nicole works in the office of a bus manufacturing plant but as soon as she gets home she is ready to scrapbook! It’s a great way to relax after a long day (they commute an hour each way everyday to work). She mostly scrapbooks pages or mini albums but has been doing more and more cards. She generally scrapbooks items to give as gifts…most people she knows do not scrapbook so it’s a great gift to give family and friends. Mini albums especially are a great item to give. Nicole is very excited to be a blogger with us and she has some great ideas to share. Visit Nicole’s blog here: http://www.nicole-recksiedler.blogspot.com

Hi Everyone, Carlene here with a super mini album by Leslie of ScrapsofMine.blogspot.com. Leslie created this adorable Ginger Bread Man mini album and I just had to share it with you. If you are still creating mini albums for Christmas, this is a great one to consider! Leslie has also done a video on You Tube which you can find on below.
Ginger Bread Man Mini Album

Leslie was kind enough to provide a few cute pictures of her mini album as well. I hope you find lots of inspiration from her outstanding creation! Thank you!! XOX Carlene

Carlene Eshelman

Carlene aka PinkScrapper99 has been crafting for over 17 years now. She’s dabbled in just about every craft from beading to paper crafting and you will find a lot of multi- media in her projects. She loves creating things from start to finish, and especially she loves altering old items and turning them back into treasures. Carlene is a self-taught artist who loves teaching and inspiring people. She has owned and operated her own Scrapbooking Studio, taught classes for Cricut, Joann’s, Hobby Lobby and a local craft store. Carlene’s work has been published by Prime Publishing on their website and You Tube channel. You can find her blog at pinkscrapper99.blogspot.com or catch her videos at youtube.com/user/pinkscrapper99

Today the awesomely talented Nikki Sivils is giving away a copy of “Outstanding Mini Albums” on her blog! Jump on over and leave a comment on her blog to win, and check out the fab cards she posted up there today too!

Anytime I add my “lollypop” flowers to a layout I get so many comments on them and people asking how to make them so I decided to do a blog entry here to show just how easy they are to make!

First thing you need is 3 different sized circle punches, pattern paper (you can use 3 different patterns or 3 of the same or even just cardstock) and a paper distressing tool. If you do not have one, scissors work too..

Punch out the 3 circles and then use either your distressing tool or scissors to rough up the edge of the circles. Then crumple the circles so they look worn.

Adhere the medium circle to the large circle and then the small circle to the medium circle. Add a button or a piece of bling to the centre of the small circle and you have an easy, cute circle.

if you want to add some leaves… take a piece of scrap paper and fold it in half, like we use to as kids to make hearts… cut out a leaf shape (only one half of it) along the fold and then crumple it and if needed draw some veins. Below is a layout I did with some lollypop flowers..

I hope you enjoy making these flowers as much as I do… they add a beautiful touch to any layout, card or mini album!

Nicole Recksiedler

Nicole is from Morris, Manitoba, Canada and has been scrapping for about 10 years. One of her current projects is scrapping her wedding photos….a huge task! She was married one year ago and her photographer took over 1200 photos so just sorting through them is a huge task! She and her husband have no children but they have a sweet little pug named Max, who feels he rules the house!

Nicole works in the office of a bus manufacturing plant but as soon as she gets home she is ready to scrapbook! It’s a great way to relax after a long day (they commute an hour each way everyday to work). She mostly scrapbooks pages or mini albums but has been doing more and more cards. She generally scrapbooks items to give as gifts…most people she knows do not scrapbook so it’s a great gift to give family and friends. Mini albums especially are a great item to give. Nicole is very excited to be a blogger with us and she has some great ideas to share. Visit Nicole’s blog here: http://www.nicole-recksiedler.blogspot.com

Welcome to a wonderful Wednesday!

Today I am going to share with you a technique for working with sticky back canvas.  If you’ve never used it, you must get yourself some soon, it is so fun to play with.  I am going to show you how to make a card, but you can certainly incorporate this technique into a mini album by making the sticky back canvas part of your pages.

Here is the card:

To make this card you will need:

Echo Park sticker banner, pink patterned paper.

Sticky Back Canvas

1/2 sheet of Kraft Cardstock

A Stamp Set (snowflakes)

Red Ink (I used Jenni Bowlin Chili Powder)

Clear Embossing Powder

Versamark or embossing ink

A Heat Gun

Red/White Bakers Twine

Scissors

Trimmer

You will start with cutting an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of cardstock in half and folding if for the base of your card. Then, trim a piece of sticky back canvas to 5 1/4 x 4. I pulled the strings that tend to hang off to get a jagged type edge. You can just trim them with scissors if you don’t want a jagged type edge.

Take out your stamp set and have it ready to stamp on the canvas, here is one of my stamps:

Plug in your heat gun and have it ready.

Place your sticky back canvas on a sheet of scrap paper. Place your snowflake stamp in the embossing ink and then stamp it on the canvas. You can do this several times and then quickly sprinkle a good amount of clear embossing powder over the images. Pick the canvas up and tap to remove excess powder. If you have several different snowflake stamps, take turns using them and sprinkling the embossing powder. NOTE: You don’t want to leave the embossing ink on the canvas long before sprinkling the embossing powder or it will dry.

Here is what it will look like with one stamp:

Here is what it looks like once you have stamped the entire canvas and sprinkled the powder on:

Once you have the canvas covered with stamps and embossing powder, heat up the images. You will see the powder raise and melt. The snowflakes become less apparent:

Now take your ink and either a make up applicator wedge or Tim Holtz Distress Tool and apply ink starting with the edges of the canvas and working your way in:

Once you have ink covering the entire canvas, take a paper towel and rub the snowflakes to remove the ink from them. They will become more defined.

Heat the canvas with your heat tool to dry it.

Once cooled, remove the adhesive off the back and place it on your card base:

You now have a card base ready to embellish.

I took my stamp set and stamped a frame on the sticky back canvas.

Next, I stamped JOY inside the frame.

I cut it out and trimmed off the right edge and added it to my card.

I then added the sticker banner, a cut out heart, an asterisk wooden piece and bling.

Tie bakers twine around the spine of the card.

To finish I gave it a light spray of Calico Shine and now it’s ready to give this Christmas!

Products used:

Kraft Cardstock: Bazzil

Sticky Back Canvas: Ranger

Stamp Set: Ippity Stamps (division of Unity)

Ink: Jenni Bowlin Chili Pepper

Sticker Banner: Echo Park

Patterned Paper cut into a heart: Echo Park

Asterisk wooden piece: Studio Calico

Bling: unknown

Red/White Bakers Twine: The Twinery

Shine Spray: Studio Calico Calico Shine Spray

I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow, filled with fabulous food and loved ones.

If you create using the technique be sure and link it back here so we can all enjoy your creations!

Happy Wednesday!

Amy Sotolongo

Amy Sotolongo is a junior high special education teacher by day and a creative soul by night. She loves scrapbooking her photos and recording the stories! She has been scrapbooking since 1997 and never plans to quit. She has a love for mini albums and teaches them on a regular basis at local scrapbook stores. She currently designs for The Paper Bakery, Papercrafts TV and I (Heart) Ippity. Besides crafting, Amy loves to bake yummy treats and travel with her husband all over the world. She is an avid sports fan and loves attending Dodger games. Visit Amy’s blog here: http://www.abstractsmixedwithextracts.com

Hi everyone. Happy almost Thanksgiving! I’m sure most of you are in the Thanksgiving spirit, madly buying ingredients for Thursday’s big spread & prepping for a day with family & friends. I did my grocery shopping yesterday & it was a mad house (granted I took all 3 kids with me!) but I got everything I needed & only had to hit two stores. Phew, that’s done!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I created this mini journal called ‘thankful.’ For those of you that know me, you know that I love composition books. I love to decorate them, I love their size, the lined pages, the cost $1, the hard cover, so many things. They are a perfect way to document something special & keep it in one, pretty place.

So this time, I created this ‘thankful’ journal, but instead of leaving all the pages inside, I cut a rectangle out of ALL of the pages & made a secret compartment inside called a Hollow Book. And then in that compartment, I put a tiny little, simple mini of a few words from all 5 of us. That little mini I can replace every year with new little sayings from everyone.

The secret compartment was very easy to make. I Googled it & found this easy tutorial – http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Hollow-Book

I created the Hollow Book first. The process has a few simple steps to it, but the glue needs time to dry a few times so you can walk away from it for a while before embellishing.

I decorated the book with paper & then created the mini book inside out of index cards. I love those, too. I decorated the project with the Echo Park line of papers called Life is Good. The papers & embellishments were perfect for Thanksgiving with the browns & pinks & the stickers of words about family, togetherness, flowers, love, laugh, etc. So sweet.

I did a little bit of sewing. I first sewed two horizontal pieces of patterned paper together (do this three times – once for front of the book, once for the back & once to create a pocket on the inside front cover.) Then I traced the 5 stencil onto patterned paper, cut the insides out. Placed another sheet of a different paper behind it & then sewed it all onto the first sewed sheet. I adhered these sewed sheets onto the composition book with Modge Podge.

After that dried, I measured & then cut out a sheet of paper to cover over the inside pages of the book, leaving the secret compartment open. Glue one piece into the inside of the secret compartment, another onto the inside cover only glued around the ages to make a pocket & I was done with the prep.

Some little things I added: Inked the whole book & mini with Tim Holtz Tea Dye Distress Ink, spritzed it all with Tattered Angels Chalkboard Firefly Glimmer Mist, covered the spine of the book with gold Duck tape, smudged gold Stickles around some of the letter & flower stickers for some sparkle, rhinestones of course (I live in Texas, everything here sparkles!)

After the book was complete, I cut 6 index cards the size of the secret compartment inside of the book. I stuck them together with small pieces of paper, back to back. I then inked them, added some fun stickers & more Stickles & rhinestones. I had each one of my kids write what they are thankful for on a card with their name on it, as well as my hubby & me.

Set that little min inside the book, tie it all up with ribbon & it’s a perfect, personal item for your Thanksgiving table. Enjoy!

I’ll post a few more pictures on my blog at itsmesunday.com along with new projects I’m always working on. Stop by & say hi!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Sunday

Sunday Grennan

This is Sunday, otherwise known as 24 hours, halfweekend, or ‘Sun’ to her besties. She is: the proud (sometimes too proud) Mommy to 3 crzy, spunky, loud kids and one boxer dog – Riley 11, Sidney 8, Karic 6 and Scout the Boxer, 5; wifey to her amazing husband and best friend – Shawn; & an all around super creative, silly, energetic & happy person. Sunday finds funny things just about everywhere, loves to take photos of it all & save them for who knows when. Besides her 3 kids, she indulges in scrapbook arts, extreme crafting, art supplies, writing, designing, birthday cake & cookies-n-cream froyo with snowcaps on top, a bikeride on her beach crusier, a fabulous pair of jeans or a date with her hubby.