how to create a pre-made album

Hello! I just finished a pre-made album I am excited to share with you. The album is part of my stash that was waiting to be used for the perfect project. The ProjectLife Cards are available at Michaels. I used the Gold Foil kit as well as the 6x8 Memory Planner Paper pack. They were just made to go together.

This album, like most all my mini albums, begins with a cover page. The Bazzill Clear Paper (not available right now) was used to be the intro to this album for a bride to be.

The die cut is from the Wanderlust Collection. Cut out with American Craft white cardstock and then sprayed gold with my favorite Rustoleum Metallic Gold. The heart is from Pink Paislee's Solstice Collection. Oh...and that texture paste...new from Heidi Swapp. Found at Michaels along with the rest of the Mixed Media set.

When I am creating a gift album for someone else, I am thinking about keeping it very do-able for them. I want it to be a place where they can simply slip in an Instagram photo in any of the pockets, or journal on a card whatever is on their mind.

For this to work a few things have to be part of the mix: colors should be kept to just a few different hues. The embellishments need to stay uncomplicated. And the pages need to follow a pattern, or a sketch if you will.

This album does just that. The colors are mainly three: soft pink, soft teal, pops of gold foil, and that is all pulled together with touches of black and white.

The embellishments found here will be hearts, gold as well as paper punches, some Art Screen phrases, and then little tags on the edge of almost every page.

This page is a good example of the first two elements: the colors are all represented here. There is a touch of gold foil; a simple embellishment found with the 'mr. & mrs.' . art screen;  and a white and black polka dot flag.

Here is the pattern or page sketch that I followed for this gift album: the first page is a 4x3 pocket page with 4 pockets. 

Remember to make pretty the back side of the pockets too.

The next page protector includes 2-4x6 pockets. 

And then the last page in this pattern is an 8x6-inch page. This page is actually more of a traditional scrapbook page. 

After that, the sketch of pages starts all over again.

It takes some planning to get this to work in the direction I wanted it to work. But once I was started, once I had that color, embellishment and sketch plan in mind, I just went to the creative play of it all and had a blast putting this together for the bride to be.

Next time you are needing a heartfelt and handmade gift...

Gather all the supplies you need which includes color, embellishment and a sketch.

And then...

...enjoy the process.

I would love to know what works for you when you create gift albums. And if you have one out there, I would love to see it. Please tag me on Instagram @jamiepate.

Blessings my friends...will be sharing more pocket ideas next week with you.

Bye...