So. As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve been obsessed with papercrafting mini albums the past couple weeks. I go through crazy cycles with my art, going from painting obsessively, to dollmaking, to sewing patches for textile journal covers, to papercrafting, to clay, to drawing, to… yeah. Like that. I always go back to drawing/painting somewhere in the midst of it all, but I take wild detours a lot.
Here’s my current obsession: Mini albums. I’ve been haunting Youtube getting ideas for page construction and cool additions, drooling over paper stacks and all that. Such creative people out there. Did I mention that I’m working on my own series for mini albums? Yes. I am. Based on Book of Shadows themes. It’s going to have custom papers and instructions for assembling your own cool BoS from the pages you can make. I’ve started working on the first set. I’ll give you a sneak peek soon…
In the meantime here are a few of the goodies I’ve been working on. First up, I gave in and tried out TP mini albums because they actually look pretty cute and not all gross like my mind was conjuring up from the name. Now I regularly save and iron all our TP tubes for making into little albums because they’re pretty quick and easy to put together a little something. I’m actually saving wee albums in a box now so I have things to tuck into gifts. lolĀ And I discovered that the Kleenex boxes at work with the pretty designs on the side are the perfect size to make covers for these. Score!
Next up is a portfolio-style mini album, which is unfinished. I’ve only added the papers to it, but I’ve done no edging, decorating, etc to it yet. I call it the Stained Glass Roses Portfolio. It has paper from DCWV’s “Once Upon a Time” stack. One of our faves. I used 2 pages of the 12×12″ to cover this, and have only a bit left. I haven’t decided yet on the exact decorative elements to add yet. And the design is made from a file folder, but I’m going to adjust the measurements next time so the front flap goes all the way across. It originally did, but I had to adjust my allowance for the gusseted pocket in the middle to fit better, and that ate up space from the side. Alas! The original design I modified is by Paperkitz on Youtube, and the item was called PJ’s Portfolio. It was meant to be made from a single sheet of 12×12″ cardstock, as part of her series.
Last for now, but certainly not least, is the cover of the album I’m working on for myself and Phrixy as our ‘us’ album. We plan to put our wedding photos in it, and other things. Somehow we don’t take a lot of photos of ourselves so it’ll last a while. Especially with all the flip outs, pockets, tag spots, etc I’m including! Now we just have to organize to get our pictures printed out… The whole thing is not done, and the flowers and leaves on the cover will get some ink and whatnot. This is just how it looks at this point. After weeks of hard work, I just need a rest before I continue. Plus we’re expecting our box of awesome supplies in the next few weeks, so I’ll wait and see what I might want to add/use first. Oh, and the yellow is from the light. I tried to adjust it in Photoshop, but it’s still way too yellow in the picture. Sorry. I need to sort out how to fix that!
What am I doing now? Thinking about a first time baby gift for my cousin Joe, and contemplating making ornaments for all the kids of my cousins for this Christmas, a cool gift for my bestie, Jeanie, and something of course for my lovely wife. And a crafty donation for the WCC Yule Auction.