Sofia, Bulgaria Mini Album

Here is the mini album was made for Crop & Create in Cornwall Canada a couple weekends ago using my Pick-Me-Up collection!

Check out the flip through so you can see how it looks "in action":

ASSEMBLING THE ALBUM BASE:

1. Trim a 10.25 x 7” piece from the bottom right section of the Floral Transparency Paper so that when it’s folded in half the flowers are along the right and bottom edges. Place it flower side down on the table.

2. Trim a 10.25 x 7” piece from the aqua sailboat Paper 22, fold it in half, open it back up, and place it boats side up on the floral transparency paper.

3. Trim a 10 x 5” piece of the colorful striped Paper 16, fold it in half, open it back up, and place it B-side up (with the pink hearts).

4. Trim an 8 x 4” piece from the bottom right side of Paper 01 (with the different journaling cards and patterned strips), fold it in half, open it back up, and place it sentiments side up (yellow B-side side

down).

5. Trim a 10 x 7” piece of Paper 19 with the colored frames, fold it in half, open it back up, and place it colored frames side down (B-side pink stripes side up).

6. Use a 6.75” circle template to trace and cut out a circle from the yellow colorful circles/B-side dark blue stripes Paper 15, fold it in half, open it back up, then place it B-side blue stripes side up (yellow side down).

7. Trim a 12 x 6.5” piece from the floral Paper 02, score it at 4”, 8”, and 11.5”, then fold the right edge back to create a small flap (glue it down), then fold the right flap over and fold the page in half. Open it back up and place it on the pile with the pink polka dot side up (although the floral side will be up on the right half because it’s a flap folded over).

8. Trim the top section of Paper 01 so you have the row of four cards, then fold it in half so the yellow B-side is on the inside and the cards are showing. Fold it in half again then, open it back up halfway, then place this folded page on the pile with the “say cheese” camera and blue “hello sweetness” side up and centered.

9. Trim off the binder ring holes edge of the 6x8 pocket page transparency and place it on the pile long-ways so that when folded in half each side is a 2 x 3 pocket grid.

10. Gather the pages together and arrange them so they’re centered and together in the crease. Place the album into the crease of an open book and then use a template to pierce holes at the marks.

11. Thread a needle and then starting at the top hole, stitch the album together weaving in and out of the holes.

12. Once you’re back at the first hole, tie the thread ends into a double knot and trim the excess. Your album base is finished!

EMBELLISHING THE ALBUM:

1. On the cover, to make the title, trim a 3/8” strip of cream cardstock, place Mini Thickers to make the words, and then adhere them onto the bottom right side

2. On the inside cover, use a ruler and black pen to draw lines on the bottom right corner the write an introduction. Trim a small piece of the blue/yellow floral paper strip found on Paper 01, tear off the bottom edge, then adhere it below the journaling. Apply a cross stitch border Rub-On above the paper and a flower Rub-On above the journaling. Adhere a “story time” die cut from the Journaling Spots to the left.

3. Adhere a full 5x7” photo on the left side. Trim a piece of the rainbow stripes packaging material included in the Mini Thickers and adhere it to the left edge. Trim off the rainbow colored hearts barcode strip from Paper 01 and adhere it next to the rainbow striped paper. Apply a yellow frame / “happy” Rub-On to a blue frame fussy cut from Paper 19 with all the colored frames, adhere that over a moth edged Journaling Spot, then adhere the entire piece to the white space of the photo.

4. On the right side, stamp a caption using Alphabet Stamps and black StazOn ink onto a “notes” tabbed Journaling Spot then adhere it to the page.

5. Write journaling around the edges with a black pen on the left page. Trim another piece of the same pink heart paper, fold it in half, then cut out half hearts so when they’re opened they’re full hearts. Cut four larger and eight smaller hearts (set aside one larger heart for later) then adhere them at an angle across the page, letting the edges bend up for dimension.

6. From the Cut Apart Vellum Paper, cut out the “sunshine on my mind” sentiment then adhere it onto a piece of cream cardstock and fussy cut it out. Place strong adhesive on the left, bottom, and right edges then add it to the right page to create a pocket. Apply a “stay golden” Rub-On underneath. Staple a piece of crocheted Ribbon through the hole of a “slice of the good life” Journaling Spot tag and add it into the pocket. This is where I keep all of the extra 2” square photos. I backed the pictures with cream cardstock and wrote captions on the back.

7. Cover the left page with a 4” square photo and place Mini Thickers on the white space to create a title or caption.

8. On the right page, fill in the frames with things! The “my happy place” is fussy cut from a strip on Paper 01 with all the cutupables. The flower is fussy cut from the floral Paper 02. The sneakers are fussy cut from a journaling card on Paper 01. The yellow bow is a Rub-On. The “LOVE” is a Rub-On. Write journaling in a larger frame. The two flowers at the bottom are fussy cut from the Floral Transparency Paper. The tiny flowers on the bottom right corner are Rub-Ons.

9. Adhere a 4.5 x 7” photo on the left side, so a strip of the patterned paper underneath shows on the left edge. Fussy cut a “let’s get it girl” from the Cut Apart Vellum Paper, adhere it onto cream cardstock, fussy cut it out, then adhere it to the white space of the photo. Trim a piece of colored hearts paper from Paper 01 and adhere it under the sentiment.

10. Edge the round page with a Mini Thickers caption. Write journaling on a watermelon Journaling Spot and adhere it sideways so it matches the curve of the page.

11. Fussy cut a frame from Paper 19 and stamp “BEAUTIFUL” on it using Alphabet Stamps and black ink. Write “views” underneath – or choose your own sentiment to stamp and write! Trim a 2 ¾ x 3 ½” piece of the pink ledger B-side of Paper 20 and then round the left corners. Adhere the stamped frame on top and the entire piece to the left page. Fussy cut a frame from Paper 19, trim it in half, and tuck the left half under the left side.

12. Round the right corners of a 2 ¾ x 3 ½” photo and adhere it to the right page. Adhere the right half of the fussy cut frame from the left page under the right side of the photo.

13. Write journaling on a red notched Journaling Spot and adhere it to the left page. Apply a flower Rub-On to cream cardstock, fussy cut it out, then tuck it under the top notch.

14. Leave the sentiment card page as is.

15. Inside the sentiment card page, write journaling on a tomato Journaling Spot and adhere it to the left side. Apply a plum Rub-On next to the journaling. On the right page, adhere a photo 2 ¾ x 3 ¾” photo.

16. Leave the “say cheese!” page as is, or consider adding embellishments or captions into those little frames. Get creative!

17. Add a 2” photo to the top right, left middle, and bottom right pockets. Write journaling on a Journaling Spot and place it in the top left pocket. Apply a moth Rub-On to a frame die cut (trim off just a bit of the “clothespin” so it’ll fit) and add it to the middle right pocket. Write journaling on a Journaling Spot and place it in the bottom left pocket.

18. Place a 2” square photo in the top left, middle right, and bottom left pockets. Adhere a jJournaling Spot back-to-back with the card in the top right, journal on it, then staple it in place. Adhere a frame die cut back-to-back with the frame in the middle left, apply a butterfly Rub-On to it, then staple it in place. Adhere a journaling card back-to-back with the card in the bottom right, journal on it, then staple it in place.

19. Place a 2” square photo in every pocket except the middle right. In the middle right pocket add a 2” square journaling card and place “SCENIC” Mini Thickers on top. Staple it in place. Fussy cut a blue heart from Paper 01 and add it above the “I”.

20. Fill every pocket with a 2” square photo. Apply three tiny flower Rub-Ons to the top right photo and three more tiny flower Rub-Ons to the bottom left photo – both on the outside of the pocket.

21. Write journaling on the right page “hello sweetness” journaling card. Adhere a tab die cut and stamp three asterisks on it from the Alphabet Stamps.

22. Depending on what your mini album is about, write “someone’s” above “home sweet home” with a black pen.

23. On the right page, cover the seam of the edge with pink ric rac or other Ribbon. Adhere a 2” square photo onto a rolodex Journaling Spot then tuck it under the edge of the ribbon. Apply a flower Rub-On to cream cardstock, fussy cut it out, then adhere it above the photo.

24. Open up the flap and add a “life is good” journaling card from Paper 01 to the right side. Apply a purple moth Rub-On to cream cardstock, fussy cut it out, then adhere it above the butterfly printed on the card. Staple two 2 ¾ x 3 ¾” photos at the top then adhere them to the left page. Apply a trio of heart Rub-Ons to the white space of the top photo. Cut out an “XOXO” sentiment from the Cut Apart Vellum Paper, add it to cream cardstock, then add it to the white space of the photo.

25. Apply all of the button Rub-Ons included in the pack to the polka dots printed on the patterned paper at the top.

26. Lift up the top photo and add a stamped caption using the Alphabet Stamps and a fussy cut “love” from Paper 01.

27. Adhere a 2” square photo to a floral edged Journaling Spot, adhere this onto a different floral Journaling Spot, then adhere the entire piece to the bottom of the left page.

28. On the right rounded page, add Mini Thickers to create a sentiment or caption, placing each word on a new line.

29. Use a circle stencil to trim a 5x7” photo into a half circle and adhere it to the left page.

30. Trim scraps of patterned papers into 1 ½” squares then freehand cut “WANDERLUST” from them. To help the letters stand out from the busy background paper, use a white pen and outline each letter before adhering them with dimensional adhesive to the right page. You could also try using a black pen for a different look.

31. Adhere a 5x7” photo to the left side. Fussy cut “FAMILY” from Paper 01 and add it to the last pink paper hearts heart cut previously. Adhere the piece to white space on the photo.

32. Cover the right page with a 4” square photo. Cut out “favorite moment” from the Cut Apart Vellum Paper, back it with cream cardstock, then adhere it to white space on the photo. Stamp the date with black ink on a pink label die cut and adhere it to the top right edge.

33. Using the “+” stamp from the Alphabet Stamps, stamp them inside the circles printed on the yellow paper, scattered down the left edge. Use a ruler and black pen to draw lines, using the tiny white dots in the middles of the circles as a guide to make the lines straight. Write journaling on the lines.

34. Add a 4” square photo to the right page, aligning the left edges. Use the Alphabet Stamps to stamp “ADVENTURE” with black ink on a floral pennant Journaling Spot then adhere it to

the top right corner.

35. Write journaling on the yellow flower journaling card fussy cut from Paper 01 then adhere it to the left page.

36. Add a 2 ¾ x 3 ¾” photo to the middle of the right page then apply an “I love every little thing about you” Rub-On sentiment above. Cut the frame Rub-On in half then apply the halves under the left and right edges of the photo.

37. On the last page, again depending on what your album is about, apply the “there’s no place like home" Rub-On to the bottom edge then fussy cut out the edge of a frame from Paper 19 and write “but in the end,” on it with a black pen; adhere it above the rub-on.

38. Staple a piece of ribbon to the front and back covers then tie them together to keep the album closed.

I hope you are inspired to create a mini album using the Pick-Me-Up collection!

SUPPLIES: PICK-ME-UP: Paper 01, Paper 02, Paper 15, Paper 16, Paper 19, Paper 22, Floral Transparency Paper, Cut Apart Vellum Paper, Mini Thickers, Rub-Ons, Journaling Spots, Alphabet Stamps; TURN THE PAGE: Ribbon, 6x8 Pocket Page Protector; White Thread; Cream Cardstock; Piercing Template; adhesive (regular and dimensional); paper cutter; scissors; fine tipped scissors; journaling pen; ruler; mini stapler & staples; acrylic stamping block; black StazOn ink; needle; paper piercer; binder clips (to hold album open as you’re working on it); an old book to use as a piercing tray; corner rounder; white pen; dark blue ribbon; roller date stamp