for the love of a mini album

my newest mini album


Today I have the fantastic honor of sharing the newest of mini albums in my mini album collection.

Ya might wanna grab a favorite bev. As this little book is packed full of eye candy. And a few images below. But here's the thing...while the mini is formatted with pages and interactive flips and plenty of open space, I have not even decided how I am going to use it yet. But it is sure awesome to have this book at the ready.

Firstly. Let's get down to a few details. This mini album was crafted from a paper pad by the Park Lane Collection available at JoAnn Stores. 

What is so cool about this collection are the papers that are offered in this pad. As noted, inside includes foil, embossed, vellum and textured pages. As a matter of fact, the pattern used for the cover of my mini album feels like fabric. It's a canvas of sorts. It is just so beautiful. You have to see and feel it to appreciate the beauty found on that cover page.

The mini is about 5-inches wide by 6-inches tall. This is a great size for a mini album library. Any size photo will fit these pages from 4x6 on down.

As the front cover is open, you can see how I used a hidden binding technique to bind the pages. Here's the trick on this (it needs a video, eh, girls?): after all the pages were bound together, it was then that the cover was attached. The canvas paper cover is only adhered at the back...so the coiled and bound pages basically sit inside the cover. It's just a great way to have a hidden bound book.

One of my personal challenges for creating with the Park Lane paper pad was to use as much paper embellishing as I could. That said, Maggie Holmes Sticker book, also found at JoAnn or HERE, can be found decorating this book. Along with my perennial favoritist phrase stickers by Tim Holtz called Small Talk.

Some of the pages are matted with white cardstock. But again, that 'not sure exactly what I am doing with this mini album' is making way for these pages to remain blank for now. And that's totally OK. I found so much joy in just crafting this album. I almost don't want to put anything in it.

The tabbed page, that is part of a page full of tabbed cut-aways. I added it to the book sideways. And then added a vellum pocket to the top of it. The tag is made from the Park Lane paper. I was thinking of adding a photo to it and trimming it out to the size of the tag.

By trying to stay mostly with pattern paper embellishment this caused me to get creative with die cuts and my Evolution Die Cutting tool. Plus, the simple circle punch. I like having circle shapes on my pages, with labels and die cuts layered over and under.

Here's another example of circle embellishments. This larger pattern circle was also die cut with THIS set. This time the circle was made larger and then punched to be added to the book making the circle it's own page. The heart was hand trimmed. The rest of the layering is from the Sticker Book.

When crafting mini albums, be sure to add differing size pages to the mix. It just makes it interesting. Plus allows the other patterns to show forward. I love how the Park Lane Patterns mix so subtly together. It was really a draw for me to choose this paper pad in particular.
Oh...and TAGS? Yeah. I may be a little addicted. Not sure I added enough tags into this book. Oh well. There's always next time.

Another page with a cardstock mat. It's just kind of good like it is, isn't it? It was important to me, as I actually have a daughter in mind I would like to give this too, that the sentiments be upbeat and positive. Think I accomplished that.

my newest mini album



This may be my favorite page. Using a Neutrals Cardstock Paper Pad from JoAnn Stores I crafted this page. What I love about this page though? The floral cut away. Using small scissors I cut this piece from the pattern paper. Added a metal rimmed tag, plus sentiment, and ta dah! A page with lots of pattern and texture and a great encouragement all in one.

The left side of this page is a small accordion book. It pulls out with extra real estate for plenty of photos.
The right side is a 4-window pocket page I literally had laying around here. I added sequins and words from the Paper Pad plus a label and die cut flowers. It's purpose? To be pretty.

This time the interactive pocket was made from one of the circle dies. After cutting the pattern paper, I eyeballed where the tag would fit inside. The double sided tape (I love this one found at JoAnn Stores) was placed in such a way under the circle that the tag would still slide in easily. A great way to use shapes to make pockets.

This page uses one of the tabbed cut-aways found in the Prairie Primrose paper pad. I just folded it along the long edge so it would fit in the parameters of the mini album.

Last page in the mini album. I can see myself journaling my heart on this matted page. A label, a phrase sticker, and a few die cuts wraps up the embellishment.

In retrospect, I really don't think this mini album has a wow factor because of well placed embellishment. I really believe the Park Lane patterns and quality of paper gives this little book it's wow factor. Working with a paper collection truly takes the guess work out of creating a congruent little book. It's almost a no brainer. That, and a little bit of love and thought. And that's all you need.

This is a personal blog. All editorial content and projects are intellectual property of jamiepate.com I do receive financial compensation and material product from American Crafts to develop my craft posts, but all ideas and opinions are my own. 

American Crafts - Sticker Book With Foil Accents - Maggie Holmes
Scrapbook.com

Hero Arts - Infinity Dies - Nesting Circle
Scrapbook.com

Jumbo Decorative Die Set - Nested Tags
Scrapbook.com

Advantus - Tim Holtz - Idea-ology Collection - Small Talk
Scrapbook.com

Heidi Swapp - Color Fresh Collection - Memory Planner - Mini Scissors
Scrapbook.com

Becky Higgins - Project Life - 4 x 4 Page Protectors - Instagram with Four 2 x 2 Inch Photo Sleeves - 10 Pack
Scrapbook.com