PageMaps Teamup - Frontier Layout

 

Authentique is teaming up with PageMaps for the month of July!  For my PageMaps project--I jumped at the chance to work with a 12x12 sketch.  I hadn't done a layout in a very long time & was looking forward to working on one again.  Layouts were the very first thing I started working with when I began dabbling in scrapbooking--so it was nice to go back to good ol' fashioned 12x12 layouts.

For this past Father's Day, I took several pictures of the two most important guys in my life--my husband & son.  I gave them the matching t-shirts seen in the photos as a Father's Day gift & then went on a photo shoot roll!  :-)  I loved many of the pictures I took--these two are just a few of my faves.  I used Authentique's 'Frontier' collection for my layout.  I felt that the masculine theme & colors from the 'Frontier' collection complimented my photos perfectly.

 

Here's the PageMaps sketch that my layout is based on.  I especially enjoyed the elements shown underneath the photos because these could be just about any sort of embellishment.  I ended up using a combination of hexagon, stars & circle shapes.

Here's a close up of my embellishment cluster with all the different shapes.  In addition to the shapes, I further decorated these embellishments by adding sequins, mini spiral paper clips & black ink splatters.

In this pocket I stored several tags made from the leftover scraps plus two journaling cards where I plan to add dates, thoughts & memories about this day from my point of view.

Supplies: Paper - Authentique, Sketch - PageMaps, Punches - Fiskars, Dies - Tim Holtz, Other - Sequins, Mini Spiral Paper Clips

Thanks for stopping by!

A 'Freedom' Start Effect Card

 

In going through my usual strolls on Pinterest I came upon this unusual, yet eye-catching card design. From what I've seen, it's called a 'Star Effect Card'. It's a standing card that can be displayed on a desk or shelf & has a 'star' design which is where I'm assuming it got it's name from.

Card is available for sale in my Etsy shop--The Midnight Kraft Desk.  Feel free to visit if interested.

I've used papers from Authentique's 'Freedom' collection to make the card.

This card was made for Authentique to commemorate Memorial day; however the design of this card would fit in nicely with the upcoming 4th of July holiday as well.  I followed a really great tutorial I found on YouTube for making the card. You can find the tutorial here.

Card measures approximately 5" x 5" inches when standing & can fold flat. It fits into a 6" x 6" inch envelope for mailing.

 

Memorial Day is a time to reflect & be thankful for all the men & women that sacrificed so much for this country. Being a second generation immigrant; I feel nothing but grateful for what this country has given me. Thanks to the opportunities this country offers, I've been able to become the first person in my family to earn a college degree. Not only do I have a Bachelors degree but pursued my education further & I also have a Masters. These opportunities would've exist if it weren't for all those men & women that fought for our freedom.

My parents who are first generation immigrants are now American citizens & they often tell me how even though it wasn't easy for them; they're still grateful for being able to work & earn a living. They became more than what they imagined they could be when they made the decision to relocate back in the early 70's.

 

The two pieces that criss cross in the front of the card can be removed--so one can write a sentiment inside the card if desired.

 

I opted to add a very small pocket inside the card where one can write a small sentiment. 

Supplies: Paper - Authentique, Other - Mini Gold Pocket

A 'Refreshed' Honeycomb Mini Album

 

Here in the North East it's finally starting to feel like Spring.  Well sort of.  We've had a rough start to Spring meaning that the Snow Miser just didn't want to let go this year.  I'm a fan of Spring & Fall.  I love those nice, perfect, not-so-cold & not-so-hot days.  However, this year we sort of went from cold right into just plain hot!  This is where the 'sort of' comes in.  So in honor of the Spring that we didn't really have--I made this honeycomb shaped mini album with the 'Refreshed' collection by Authentique.  If there's one thing we DID have this Spring--besides cooler than normal weather--was rain!

Mini album is for sale in my Etsy shop The Midnight Kraft Desk.  If interested, feel free to visit my shop here.

So during one of my many Pinterest 'stalking' sessions--I ran across this photo.  The author called it a 'Bee Book' & it contains the poem The Bee Boy’s Song written by Rudyard Kipling in 1906.  If interested you can read the entire post here.

When I saw this photo I figured why not turn this into a mini album.  It'd make for a really cute, simple & unique way of storing Spring themed photos.  So that's what I did.  :-)

 

I refer to my version of this project as the 'honeycomb' mini album.  I've used the Nestabilities Hexagon Etched die set by Spellbinders to cut out the base of the mini. 

 

In order to turn this into a mini, I've added gussets to each 'page'.  Each page has a 1/4" inch gusset except for the very top page which needs a wider gusset since it covers the entire thickness of the album.  So the top page has a 3/8" inch gusset.

 

Each page folds out & eventually turns into one big 'honeycomb' design.  I've also added pockets to the mini.  Two are horizontal pockets & two are vertical. Each pocket has it's own honeycomb shaped tag for journaling purposes.

The closure of the mini was made by adhering a small strip of white card stock on the page beneath the top page.  This strips serves as a 'notch' where the top page tucks into.  I can't say I'm 100% pleased with this type of closure.  I think next time I'm just going to keep it simpler & just use magnets as the closure.

 

Here's a photo of the mini when completely open.

Supplies: Paper - Authentique, Embellishments - Authentique, Dies - Spellbinders, Other - Glitter Washi Tape 

Find below a video showcasing this mini.  It's easier to display in a video versus photos.  

Enjoy & happy Spring!

An 'Accolade' Criss Cross Accordion Pocket Mini Album With Tutorial

 

Am back today with a much promised tutorial for Authentique.  I was finally able to put together the tutorial for creating the 'criss cross' accordion pockets originally seen in my 'Jubilee' mini album shown here.

For this tutorial, I've used the 'Accolade' collection by Authentique which is a graduation themed paper collection.  I myself am a fan of graduation themed projects.   I love the overall sense of accomplishment one receives when finally earning that degree.  It's rewarding at all levels; rewarding for the one who's graduating & rewarding for their loves ones who can witness such a fabulous & enriching life achievement.

This mini album is available for sale in my Etsy shop, The Kraft Nook.  If interested, feel free to visit my small shop here.

I kept the front of the mini to what I consider to be 'gender neutral'.  I chose instead to decorate it with a cut apart from the collection that consisted of a saying that I felt went well with the overall theme of this mini.

 

With this mini I did include a closure.  I felt that the 'Jubilee' mini needed a closure since the tags tend to fall out from the right end of the mini album if handled a certain way.  So I added a simple ribbon closure.  This keeps everything stored inside the mini right where they belong! 

 

This mini measures 6 1'4" x 4 1/4" inches & has a 1" inch spine.  Both covers & spine are made out of medium weight chipboard.  

 

The inside of the mini has seven 'criss cross' accordion pockets that hold seven large tags.  Each large tag measures 6" x 3 3/4" inches.  I've also included several cut aparts from the collection.  Since the pockets are accordion style, they do expand & allow for extra items to be stored inside them.  Each pocket can hold photos, inserts & other memorabilia in addition to the large tag. 

The pockets measure 4" inches wide--in addition to the large tags, you can store free standing 4" x 6", 3" x 5" inch & wallet sized photos.   Only the 4" x 6" inch photos would probably need to be trimmed by an 1/8" of an inch to comfortably fit into the pockets.    

 

Find below two videos.  One is an overview of the mini & the second video is the tutorial showing how the 'criss cross' pockets are made.

Supplies: Paper - Authentique, Dies - Impression Obsession, Other - Glitter Washi Tape, Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by & enjoy!

 

A 'Jubilee' Criss Cross Pocket Accordion Mini Album

 

For today's post I have a belated Easter themed mini album made with the 'Jubilee' collection by Authentique.   I'll admit that I was in a time crunch to create this project.  I had other projects in mind to make but life simply got in the way & before I knew it, I had to have a project ready for today's post.  This mini album was my answer to a time crunch--I literally made it in two hours!  It's quick, it's easy & is capable of holding a good amount of photos, journaling & memorabilia.

Mini album is available for sale in my Etsy shop, The Kraft Nook.  If interested, feel free to visit my small shop here.

 

The mini measures 6 1/4" x 4 1/4" inches with a 1" inch spine.  The covers & spine are made out of medium weight chipboard. 

 

The inside of the mini album is composed of seven 'criss cross' accordion style pockets.  Each pocket can hold a large tag, photos, inserts & other memorabilia. 

 

The pockets measure 4" inches wide--in addition to the large tags, you can store free standing 6" x 4", 5" x 3" inch & wallet sized photos.   Only the 6" x 4" inch photos would probably need to be trimmed by an 1/8" of an inch to comfortably fit into the pockets.   

 

Each tag measures 3 3/4" x 6" inches.  In addition to the tags I've also inserted a couple of cut aparts from the collection & little booklets that I've made also using the cut aparts from the collection.

Supplies: Paper - Authentique, Embellishments - Authentique, Other: Flowers - The Kreative Korner, Resin Easter Egg

Below is a quick video showcasing the mini.  Enjoy & thanks for stopping by!

A 'Sweetheart' and 'Shamrock' Slider Waterfall Mini Albums With Tutorial

 

Lately in addition to being on a mini album kick--I've been on a waterfall one as well.  The waterfall technique has been around for ages.  As far as I can tell it's one of the oldest ways of being able to store multiple photos in a decorative way.  While scrolling through Pinterest I came upon a couple of photos on waterfalls that weren't the standard rectangle or square shapes--they were in fact--hearts.  So I took on the challenge of creating a slider heart shaped waterfall.  After a few bumps on the road, I managed to come up with a slider heart shaped waterfall & figured out that the same approach could be used to create a waterfall in any shape really.  As long as the shape being used has some sort of 'anchor' that can be attached to the slider mechanism--it can be used.

 

My first project was this Valentine's themed mini made with Authentique's 'Sweetheart' collection.  It's a simple mini designed so that the heart shaped waterfall is the primary focus.  

 

The album measures approximately 8" x 5 3/4" inches with a 3/8" inch spine.

 

Base of mini is made with 110lbs black card stock. It opens up to reveal three full length pockets & a heart shaped slider waterfall. Inside the pockets are several tags/booklets ranging in sizes from 7" x 5" inches to 3 3/4" x 3" inches. The bottom of the mini is what gives this album it's name. It's a heart shaped waterfall. These hearts can hold wallet sized photos with no cropping needed. Mini has a magnetic closure.

 

This mini is available for sale in my Etsy shop 'The Kraft Nook'.  Feel free to stop by if interested.

 

Soon after creating the Valentine's themed mini, I created this St. Patrick's themed mini with Authentique's 'Shamrock' collection.   I had shamrock shaped die cuts that I wanted to use & try out my theory that different shapes could be used to create a waterfall.

 

I was happy with the end result.  First because it proved my theory & second because it turned out to be one cool looking shamrock shaped slider waterfall!  

 

I followed the same design as the 'Sweetheart' mini album--although this project turned out to be smaller in size.  It's the size of the template being used for the waterfall that determines the overall size of the mini.  

The album measures approximately 7" x 4" inches with a 3/8" inch spine.  Just like the 'Sweetheart' mini, the base of this mini is made with 110lbs black card stock. It opens up to reveal three full length pockets & a shamrock shaped slider waterfall. Inside the pockets are several tags/cut aparts ranging in sizes from 3 1/4" x 6 1/4" inches to 3" x 3" inches.

 

Since the shamrock has such a unique shape, I added circular photo mats to the center of each shamrock.  These photo mats can hold circular photos measuring approximately 2 1/4" inches in diameter.  This mini was also for sale in my shop 'The Kraft Nook' but has already been sold.

I've created a tutorial on how to create slider waterfalls in any shape.  You can find the tutorial below.  As always, you can find this & all my other tutorials on my 'Tutorials' page right here on my blog.  Enjoy & thanks for stopping by!

An 'Alpine' Faux Tag Mini Album

 

Happy belated New Year crafty friends!  Phew, I took a bit to post on my blog there.  I suddenly realized that I hadn't posted since October!  What!?  Where has the time gone?  Or better yet, where did 2017 go?  Somebody needs to invent a time machine pronto!  :-)

For today's project, I bring you a 'faux' tag mini album made with the wonderful Winter themed 'Alpine' collection by Authentique.  This mini can be stored as shown in the photo above or it can be folded out & displayed on any shelf or desk.  It has several tags that can be used to store photos and/or journaling. Mini album measures 8" x 4" inches when closed.

Mini album will be available for sale in my Etsy shop 'The Kraft Nook'.  Feel free to visit my shop if interested. 

 

I refer to this as a faux tag mini album, because the pages are not actual tags.  I made the pages to resemble large tags by using a label die by Spellbinders to cut one tag as a template.  From this one tag I traced the top design onto the rest of my pages & hand cut them out.  Finally I trimmed the bottom off since the die used creates the same design on both the top & bottom.

 

Once my pages were made, I joined each page with a strip of card stock & left a 3/8" of an inch gusset in between each page so that I could add some dimension to my pages & also to allow for room since the photos have yet to be added to this mini.

 

Each page is staggered in length so it gives the mini a cascading effect.  How cute are the llamas in this collection!  My fave!

 

Supplies Used: Paper - Authentique, Dies - Spellbinders, Other - Fabric Flowers, Mulberry Paper Flowers, Burlap Ribbon

The mini is held closed with a piece of burlap ribbon.  Below you'll find a video showcasing this mini.  It's hard to photograph all the details--so the video gives a much better look at how this mini works & was designed.

Enjoy!

 

A 'Tricky' Tri-Fold Halloween Mini Album

 

For this Halloween project, I decided to go back to an oldie but goodie.  A tri-fold mini!  I've been making these on & off for several years now.  They are quick & easy to make & are really cute & unique keepsakes.  They can also hold several photos all depending on how one decides to use the mini.

Mini is for sale in my Etsy shop The Kraft Nook.

With Halloween just around the corner, I made this Halloween themed tri-fold mini with Authentique's 'Tricky' collection.

The mini measures 9 1/4" x 3 1/4" inches and has chipboard covers. This time around, I decided to use an elastic ribbon belly band as the closure for the mini.  For my older tri-fold minis, I've used basic ribbon--but this time I decided to use something different & even easier to take on & off.

This style of minis consist of three different rows with a total of twelve 3"x 3" inch panels in the front & twelve more in the back.  However, only ten of these panels can be used to store photos in the front & four can be used on the back.  This is because of how the mini is adhered to the covers.

 

I've included a pocket in the back of the mini with a journaling card which is actually one of the cut aparts from the 'Tricky' collection that I've trimmed down to size.

The embellishments for this type of mini need to have very little dimension since this is a flat mini with no gussets.  I've added a couple of Halloween themed stickers to decorate the mini.

Supplies Used:  Paper - Authentique, Dies - Sizzix Tim Holtz, Other - Chipboard, Fabric Flowers, Elastic Ribbon

 Below is my tutorial for this tri-fold mini.  It was made a couple of years ago--but the steps haven't changed.  This is the sort of project that doesn't seem to go out of style.  Enjoy!