Sharing Your Story: Recording Life's Details with Mini Books
This book focuses on the real reason why we create scrapbooks, i.e., to record life's precious little details and to share our stories using a rather cute, handy and practical medium, the mini book aka "the mini."
We present proudly, the beautiful creations coming from all of you who have stepped up to this challenge. THANK YOU ALL, for joining. Here are your stories:
I was inspired by Ali Edwards' recent challenge on her blog, something which she's done before, where you capture the daily happenings and goings-on of your life for the week. So that's some of what I did, my mini includes the daily log of what happened to our little family for the past week and a little more.I was also recently inspired by SARK's newsletter about "mad pages". Basically, you write down all the negative, not-so-nice thoughts you have and exorcise them out of your system.Lastly, I was also inspired by Stacy Julian's "here and now" challenge on her blog. You basically capture who you are, what your interests are here and now.
So, that's the process and this is the result. This mini is a daily log of a little over a week in our life, it is a journal where I also wrote some of my insecurities ("am i missing out?") and it also reflects most of my current interests and obsessions -- Alice in Wonderland (there's a really cool Chinese illustration of Alice and the Cheschire Cat on photo # 3 from a journal I bought in Taiwan), rubber/clear stamps, painting, a love for ephemera and my son's huge role in my life.
What materials did you use?
Boy, where do I start. I started by finally using my 4-year-old's incomplete ABC flash cards (he painted along with me). Then I played with some acrylic paint, some old rub-ons and ephemera (beautiful journal pages, Starbucks brochure, air mail sticker from the post office, sticker label from the airport), some stationery/office supplies (a Chinese timekeeping card, Post-its, mailing envelopes, stickers), rubber and clear stamps, ink and pen, and of course my rapidly growing supply of scrapbooking stuff (must... use... more!).
This 6x6 mini-book was created from scratch and it's about a weekend roadtrip my hubby and I took last October 18-19, 2008. It was our monthsary and we decided to go North of Manila to sample some of Pampanga's restaurants. The photos are mostly food shots, highlighting the focus of our weekend trip. Aside from the photos taken during our trip, I've written the details of our experience in hidden journaling tags so we can relive the experience as often as we want.
Materials Used:CS – Bazzil;PPS – Making Memories, Collage Press; Stamps – Hero Arts, October Afternoon, Making Memories, Scenic Route, Basic Grey, 7 Gypsies; Ink – StazOn, VersaFine, Colorbox, Brilliance; Paint – Radiant Rain, Making Memories, Ranger Crackle Paint; Rub-Ons – MAMBI, Daisy D’s; Stickers – Making Memories, Collage Press, 7 Gypsies, American Traditional Designs; Chipboard – Making Memories, Scenic Route, American Crafts; Ribbons – Making Memories, Prima, Others; Pens – Artline, Staedler; Flowers – Prima, Making Memories; Brads, Eyelets, Buttons – Making Memories; Overlays/Transparency –Making Memories, Hambly; Adhesives - Scotch, Glue Dots, UHU; Softwares – CS2, MS Word; Others – Vellum, Zutter Wire
The Process
I started with the photos - picking what to print and setting the sizes. To help me do this, I had to already envision which photos would go together in each page. Once I have that settled, I printed the photos and started on my journaling. I typed the journaling in MS Word using FG Adrian font. I highlighted some words by using different fonts, colors, weights and styles. I set the journaling aside and waited to finish the page before printing. At first, I wanted to put the photos on one side of the spread and the journaling on the other side. However, given the number of photos and the length of the journaling, I figured it would require far too many pages to accommodate anything. So I decided to hide the journaling in pockets and folders instead. I decided to put the pages together first before printing the journaling to make sure that it would fit the pockets and folders. I stamped in almost all pages and layered page elements for dimension using foam adhesive. While I used different patterned papers for this project, I unified the pages by using similar embellishments. I also inked the edges of the papers across all pages. After putting together the pages, I started printing the journaling on vellum, then I cut the printed journaling and adhered them on the inserts. The hidden journaling blocks are my favorite elements in this album. And of course, the photos of the yummy food we tried during our trip.
A Pocketful of Dreams
by Marissa
My mini is about the dreams I had since I was a little girl - dream of having a doll collection, which was fulfilled when my daughter was born; my dream that someday I would be happily married to that elusive boy next door [physically next door! who didn't speak to me until we were in our 20's (long story)]; my dream of having 5 children, but a beautiful pair is a blessing I am so thankful for! my own dream house, going abroad [preferably the USA] to see and feel real snow [which I did, and lots of it!], travel across the USA which I was able to do because of my job in clinical research], see our kids grow up and see their own dreams come true! I am so lucky that most of my hopes, my wishes, and my dreams came true! For sure, there will be a sequel to this mini about the other pocket full of more dreams and wishes and hopes...!
Supplies used:
BG, punch-out [Margo/K-Ology], border puncher [Sunburst/Fiskars], diecut cardstock journaling tags [Classic K Margo], metal tags [Tim Coffey/K-Ology], cut-out flowers from various patterned papers [Rob & Bob, SEI, Berry Sweet/K-Ology], button chipboard [Wild Saffron/K&Co], silver hearts & "Love" accents [Wilton], cream lace with pink roses [JoAnn Fabrics], glue [Scotch]; foam dots [Sticky Doos/Paper Studio] foam squares [Miss Elizabeth - the foam squares are 2x thicker therefore I was able to have some embellishments pop-out more than the ones in the background], star cut-outs [My Mind's Eye], rub-on [Laundry Line/My Mind's Eye], cut-out swril [Rhonna Farrer]; hp Photosmart 375 printer; gel pens; sharpie colored permanent pens
Techniques:
I used simple techniques as my goal was to complete a mini about my dreams within a minimum amount of time. I punched the borders of each 6x6 square - I made the square 7x7 as the puncher takes a little bit more extra space. I cut-out the swirls, flowers, tags from patterned papers, glued them on heavy stock paper 2 or 3 times and cut them again each time to give them dimension. I did a little doodling. I optedh to andwrite most of my journaling and titles so there's a little bit of personal touch.
This mini was a birthday gift to my partner. It presents some of the important events on the day he was born.
Supplies/Materials Used:
I used a children's boardbook and DCWV retro papers to go with the 70's look and feel.
The Process
First, I sanded the boardbook, applied gesso and brown acrylic paint. After all the pages had been painted and completely dried, I covered the front with a patterned paper. Stamped and embellished the title. For the rest of the pages, i retained the 70's look. The events indicated on each page were carefully researched. The last page "Birth Data" were informations taken from the birth certificate.The album made use of distressing, painting, handcutting, chalking and sanding techniques.
Marcie: 2007
by Gracie Ann Tan
This mini album is all about the birth of my daughter, Marcie. All the photos here were taken during January of 2007, the month & year when she was born.
Materials Used
Scalloped Circle album- Scrapbooks Hawaii; PPs- Crate Paper, Melissa Frances, Polar Craft, Itty bitty scrap pads (provo craft), KI Memories; Stickers- Making Memories, Melissa Frances, Pebbles Inc.; Card Stock- The Paper Company; Apple Barrel Craft Paint; Tattered Angels Glimmer Pearl mist; Making Memories flower; Rub-on from Crate Paper; Pink ric rac & plastic bling; Marvy Uchida pen; UHU glue
The Process
At first I covered the chipoard scalloped album with some patterned papers unfortunately I was having a difficult time cutting it to its shape so I painted the rest of the chipoards instead. Since the pages were small & the space was limited, I tried to keep my pages simple.Decorated some with flowers, stickers & rub-ons. I also matted the photos with card stock & patterned papers. Most of my journaling were written around the photos because of the limited space plus I thought it added a bit of design to the page if it was written that way.
What We Love About You
by Mia Montalvan-Castrillo
This is a joint effort mini album with my daughter Nadine. We created it as a gift to my sister. Journaling is about why my daughters are crazy over her. For the album, we used ID plastic covers, put them together with ribbon and inserted the mini layouts inside. We had pictures developed in really small sizes (4 pictures in one 3r size) so it would fit the album and there would be space for journaling.
Journaling:
You teach us
You buy as chips
You take care of us
You take us to the movies
You give us a bath
You make us laugh
You love us
Materials: ID plastic covers, cardstock, Fancy Pants patterned papers, Prima flowers, Autumn Leaves flourish stamps, Colorbox ink, Staedler pen, ribbon, Corner Rounder puncher.
My Songs For You
by Phylline Comia
This mini is entitled My Songs For You, a valentine gift for my partner. The theme is about the songs that are memorable to us, simply because its lyrics convey the sentiments we have.
Materials Used and The Process
Papers were mostly from the Basic Grey Sublime and Fusion line. Flowers from Prima. For the cover, I used a cd, printed a cd cover and AC rub ons. The alpha chipboard are from BG also which I embellished with red glitters. The musical staff was created using thin wire, while the musical notes and the G-clef is a clip-art and handcut. I used sizzix alpha dies, various stamps for the page titles. Every title page is a song title. The song lyrics are in the inserts that resemble a cd. A red ribbon was inserted in the front cover to bind the whole accordion album. The accordion album was created using stamping, distressing, inking, handcutting techniques to name a few. But most of all, i entailed a lot of love and passion to come up with a personalized album for someone you truly care about."
The Perfect Gown
by Ching Phillips
Preparing this Mini Album afforded me an opportunity to unfold publicly, what our niece went through, privately in selecting her favorite wedding gown. I watched her go from apprehension to strong sense of confidence that she had made the best decision in choosing the Perfect Gown !
Materials Used:
Westrim Crafts Board Book (6 1/2" x 6 1/2"), 16 pages (3 with windows); Prima pattern papers (The Breathe Paper Collection) and flowers; Me&My Big Ideas pattern papers; DCWV pattern papers and cardstocks; The Paper Company cardstocks and vellum paper; Making Memories brads and clear flower; Colorbok flavia alphabet stikers, chipboard flowers, frames and tags, Provocraft decorative scissors; K&Company photo corners, die-cut tags and chipboard letters, Fiskars threading water and heart border punch; Martha Stewart daisy lace border punch, flower stickers and ribbon; Elizabeth's photo corners and frames; Scotch liquid glue; Computer journaling; Ribbons; Fibers
The Process
Since the board book is a neutral colored paper, I covered each page with different types of patterned papers. I reinforced the pages, which have windows, with chipboard frames, decorative borders and ribbons. I embellished the pages with wallet size photos, matted with cardstocks and attached different shapes of photo corners; decorated with silk, satin and twill ribbons, colored fibers, die-cut tags, chipboard and prima flowers and brads, sticker letters and paper borders; added computer journaling Printed on vellum paper, matted in cardstock with decorative edges.
Please visit our gallery to admire each page and details of these mini albums. Here is the link to our gallery: http://bookoto.com/gall/
We will be announcing the winner of our special autographed copy of Ali Edwards' "Sharing Your Story" very soon. So please stay tuned!
THANK YOU!
Thank you to all who took this exciting challenge.
Alby re-discovered card-making about a year ago. As a child, she dreamed of working for a big commercial cardmaking company. She enjoys the process of creating the cards. But more than anything, she loves how her cards bring smiles to the people she gives them to. At last, her dream that’s long been forgotten has come true. No, she doesn’t work for card companies. Her cards are lovingly made by her own hands. And when one takes time and effort to make a card from scratch, there is no need for fancy words. The receiver knows that he/she is loved.
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