Emily's Travel Journal-Portfolio

It has been such a pleasure putting this Journal/Portfolio together for my friend Emily, who is off to Kenya to help build a school for the "Free the Children" Project... As a recently retired teacher it's so easy to see why she feels such a compassion for these young people..

The foundation of this 8.5"x11" book is corrugated cardboard backed with burlap and seriously Mod Podged ( I just LOVE that stuff)... lots of distress inks by Tim Holtz, Glimmer Mist..copper embossing powder and all treated to give it that aged and grungy look... The pages were left blank ( other than some random travel quotes) for Emily to journal or sketch..Pockets on the front, in the middle and back for "stuff"... she's promised to come back and show me how she filled it with thoughts, stories, pictures and memorabilia her latest adventure!!

Jaelin's Halloween Album - in a Box!!

Okay, Okay.... I know it's not Halloween.. but since I will be in Italy from mid July until Mid October.. I needed to post this a wee bit early for my Grandaughter Jaelin so I can arrange to have a friend mail it to her for her birthday in September..

There is a TON of dry and wet embossing in this 4"x4" mini..I finally broke down and bought some Nestabilities... will my addiction ever end..???

This was a SUPER fun album to create and for something so small... there is an incredible amount of space for photos and journaling...it was just as much fun making the box to sit the album in, so it could be stored more easily...

If I get some Nonna Debbi time this summer I will see how big that learning curve really is on making videos... will keep you posted..!!

Joey-Stephanie's Wedding Album

This is a Gatefold Paperbag Mini-Album.. and these are two of my most favorite people..they are sooooooooo cute!!.. I must have sorted through 300 pictures for this album, of course there was a lot of space for them... but sheesh...I need to invest in 3M and HP... they make a killing on the adhesive and Photo Ink...!!

All papers are all from EK Success - I Do Collection..

The Die Cuts are from Cricut's Wild Card Cartridge..

Lettering is from Cricut's Stone Script Cartridge..

Album Cover's Roses were handmade from the above Paper Collection..

Laces are Generic...

Nancy's Anniversary Mini-Album...

I just love Mini-Albums.. they are so much more fun and inter-active than regular Scrapbook Albums... and there is more of a freedom and diversity to this craft.. When my Sister-in-Law asked me to make an Album about my Niece's Anniversary Cruise, I was delighted!!

But where to start..? I was already stuck.. hmmmm...

As fate would have it.. I was sipping on a large Diet Pepsi from KFC.. and as I flattened out the cup to put in my recycling bin.. the shape spoke to me.... "cover me in Burlap.. and you will have a mini-backpack".. yupp.. it was just that simple!!

I used 3 cups.. clean.. (thanks Isobel).. to allow for their 3 ports of call and all those dress-up photos.. used my Coluzzle Library Pocket Cutting System to hold the shipping tags and journaling spot.. Ranger's Vintage Photo Distress Ink .. and LOTS of ModPodge.. then bound it all up with my Zutter Bind-it-all...

I kept the embellishments and decorating simple so that the book could close easily..as pretty and tempting as they may be... they also can take away from the look of the project, once they start to tear or fall apart...

A lot of time time is spent sealing and strengthening everything so that the mini-album will hold up over the years...

Maybe one day..I will learn how to make vids and post them to YouTube.. but for now.. here are some of the pics...