Sheba 6x6 Mini Album

I love making mini albums especially as gifts.  This one was made for my sister's cat, Sheba.  This is the front cover and notice the added paw bling!  The letter, "S" is a piece of cardstock that has been traced with a chipboard letter.  Using a white Galaxy Marker, I traced the outline of the letter.  The remaining letters are Thickers (stickers). 

On the inside cover I added a cute cat poem I found.  Like all my mini albums, I always add a cute little poem.  On the first page, I made a photo frame and added a cute little label.  There's even a tiny little safety pin too. ;)

Because my sister is a girly girl, I added a lot of girly pages to this album.  On this next page, I used a journal card that can either be used for writing or as a photo frame.  The third page was created for a photo, specifically for the cat.  I try to keep my pages color coordinated through out the book.  Sometimes, that can get a little crazy, but I always mark the back of the pages with numbers so I know where they go in the book.

These next two pages are lovey.  I know how much my sister loves her cat, so I wanted to have the 'Valentine' look.  Actually the page on the left is the back side of the page on the right.  

In keeping with the girly look, I added the next two pages with bold colors.  I found the cupcakes on another scrap of paper and cut them out to use as embellishments.  The cute little labels on the left page give a different kind of title look.  The title on the other page, however was from a scrap of paper I had, I simply made my own flags and attached the letters to each one.  It's a fun little layout.

I couldn't forget about Sheba, so I added a couple of cute cat pages to her liking.  With leftover scraps, I created a background using two sheets of paper scraps on the left page.  Notice the cat food? ;)  I added a cute little ribbon on the cat complete with a button to make the cat stand out more.  the next page I kind of goofed up, but I bet you can't see where.  Hint:  Ribbon comes in handy when things don't line up straight.  While I don't always use ribbon, it does come to the rescue every once in awhile.  The cute little sun was cut out of another scrap then I added googly eyes for fun.

The last page I wanted to end in the same color scheme.  I tend to do the first and last pages in the same colors as the inside front and back pages.  I love how the hearts on the last page represent how much my sister loves her cat.  And as always, there's the tag and tag folder I add to all my mini albums.  I try to add a pretty sticker on the folders so there not so plain.  On this one I used a star bling because my sister is so into bling! ;)

And finally the back of the album.  Once I'm done, I finish off with ribbon or cording, add the title on the front page, write my contact and copyright information on the back with a cute little sticker and bind it with my trusty Zutter Bind It All.


This mini album had a total of ten pages front and back.  It only took me one day to complete. 

Creepy Zoo Layouts

"Creepies"  We can't forget the tarantula's!  I thought the background looked kind of creepy, so it became a spider page. ;)  It just so happened that I had the same solid color of rusty cardstock to border the photos.  I added the cute, if that's what you want to call it, black border around the photo frames complete with a spider button.  I hand drew the spider web with a silver gel pen.  The title, "Creepies," was traced around chipboard letters on white cardstock, then colored with a Sharpie pen.  I decided to 'even' out the page by turning the journal tag sideways for something a little different.

"Pics I Took"  I wanted to use the pictures my son took when he was at the zoo, so I created his own page.  The zig-zag cardstock background gave the emphasis of something creepy in the pictures.  
Sometimes, when I'm not sure I how I want a layout to be, I will just drop the pictures on the page and then glue them down.  I like to stagger my pictures too, I don't always like them to in a straight line.  I carefully cut an outline of a former scalloped sticker and gently stuck it under the yellow banner with the title.  I had some black sticker dots that I used to pop the scallops out on the page.  I also free drew an arrow that is next to the title, and added the journal tag.

"Wild Things"  In keeping up with the creepy theme, I wanted to keep the photos my son took.  Not really knowing what kind of layout I was going to do, I just added some paper, a journal tag, a fun bug banner and the rub-on title and kind of threw them on the page.  Then I glued it down and viola!

Zoo Layouts

"Monkey Bizness"  I made up this layout by cropping the photos the same size.  Then using templates, I traced and cut out the title and journal tags.  I made the flags with extra scraps (remember to keep your scrap paper, you can use it in other projects!).  With the dot theme in the background, I carried it out in a colorful strip of scrap paper to divide the pictures and the journal tag.


"Monkey Around"  Using the yellow background with the stripes give the layout the idea of bars as in cages for the monkey's.  The cute boy and girl monkey's in the upper right hand corner of the page were a pattern I found in the "Better Homes and Gardens: 1001 Full-Size Patterns, Projects and Ideas" book.  I photocopied the monkey's on white cardstock, colored them in with Sharpie pens, and carefully cut them out using scissors and an X-Acto knife.  The little monkey next to the title which is a run-on, is a sticker.  I found a star banner which I used a gold Galaxy Marker to re-dot the dots.  The journal tag is from a scallop template.

"Giraffe"  This layout was from the "Scrapbooks, Etc." magazine.  I used a half circle template, carefully placing the photos inside the circle and cropping it on the edges of the page.  I also used various fun summer banners at the bottom to fill in space.  The giraffe stickers are a Jolee's product.  

"Explore"  Because the photos were dark, I decided to make the background a bright one to bring out the photos.  I found the leafy green paper in my stack of scraps, the word, "Explore" is a rub-on.  Just adding some colorful banners between the bottom photo and the journal tag gave the layout some more color.

"Otter"  This was a fun page in part because I love otters.  I used some of the colors from the background and brought them out onto the page.  Just having the orange frame was enough brightness without over doing it.  I don't like to spend a lot of money on buying chipboard all the time, so I don't use them often.  Instead, I trace patterned and/or solid colored paper over them, like I did on the title to make my own letters.  

Travel Layouts

"Going, Going, Gone"  I read in a scrapbook magazine how to make large object 3D without using up all of your 3D Foam Adhesives.  For this layout, I wanted the sign to be the main focal point so I carefully cut with an X-Acto knife the sign out, traced the sign on a piece of medium sized cardboard (you can decided how thick you want) and glued on the back side of the sign.  Then using the background, I glued the sign with the cardboard attached to a piece of scrapbook paper that was placed on the back side of the background.  Notice how I took pictures of the RV going and going...hence how I got the title! ;)

"Madison, WI"  I found this cute layout in the "Scrapbooks, Etc." magazine.  I made my own flags using color coordinated scraps I already had.  The arrow was traced on some paper, I cut the center of the arrow out with an X-Acto knife and used 3D foam adhesives to pop out the center.  I thought the journal tag was fun and added an extra color to the page.

"Wisconsin"  I also found this layout in the "Scrapbooks, Etc." magazine.  Mostly I just wanted something simple with a little bit of color.  I also found a Liberty Bell die cut at my scrapbook store to go with the theme.  I also traced a bell cookie cutter as the journal tag.  The title was made using a Bazzill Basics Paper Stencil (letters).  This layout was fun and easy.

"For The Record"  I love Echo Park Papers.  And I love the "For the Record" paper pack!  So, I used that as my title page on this final layout for my son's visit from the State Capitol.   I had already used the "For the Record" sticker that came with the sticker sheet in the pack, so I used the insert sheet that comes with the packs.  I delicately cut out each letter and glued them on this neat folder I made to hold the pamphlet.  Making folders to hold special papers is a fun and easy thing to do and is something you can refer back to later.  

"A View From the Top"  I knew immediately what the title was going to be when I looked at these photos.  to keep the theme, I used a solid color in the background followed by a busy smaller background.  I overlapped the photos for a different look.  Not really something I'm used to, but decided to risk it anyway and it turned out good.  The title letters were traced from chipboard letters onto white cardstock and then I used a blue sharpie pen to color it in followed by a black pen outline around the letters.  I have found that using office supplies for embellishments are fun and creative.  

Teacher's Chunky Album

I found this cute little chunky blank scrapbook and thought I'd make it for my son's teacher for Teacher's Appreciation week.  Using scraps I already had, this book was a breeze.

Not only did I want his teacher to be able to journal in the book, but also add pictures from the class or of her own family.  On the second page, notice I just added one quote cut in half to form a section to place a photo.

Knowing his teacher had a son and a daughter, I incorporated color schemes in boy and girl if she wanted to add their pictures.  If not, then she could either journal or place class photos there.

This was the teachers book, so I also found out her favorite colors to add to the book.  Adding a personal touch is always fun.

I made a girly page for either the girls in her class or her own daughter.  I love these two pages.  They're simply and sweet, but not too girly.

On these two pages, I made them boyish for the same reason as the previous pages.  I also love these pages because they're fun.  The splotches of 'dirt' are rub-ons!

I couldn't forget to add the school touch.  I created the look of a file folder on the left page where his teacher could either journal or place a photo.

I just had to add our school colors and actually had some leftover scraps.  The page on the left could be a journal page and/or a photo.  

Another boy and girl page just for fun.  The flower on the right hand page was made by tracing paper over a chipboard flower, cut out, and I sanded the edges for more depth.

The last page, I made especially for the teacher.  She could use her imagination and use it for whatever.  And like I do on all my mini albums, I used a template and made a folder with tag.

The back of the chunky book with my name and copyright information.  

Later, I heard my son's teacher loved her book and said it was one of the best gifts ever!  I'm sure they get tired of getting coffee mugs. ;)

Bailey's Story 6.5x6.5 (Mini Album)

"Bailey's Story"  I make a lot of mini albums for animals.  Our newest member, Bailey the cat, came to us from a family who was moving away.  I decided to make them a book about their beloved kitty's new life.  I used Zutter backboards for the front and back covers and bind all my books using a Zutter Binder.  


This is the inside cover and first page of the book.  I always use a poem inside the front cover.  This one is called "The Album."   For the first page, I used a castle theme because Bailey originally hails from England.  Then I have a picture of her new home in the upper right hand corner with a state sticker from Karen Foster Designs.  

The following pages pictures of her new family.  First, her people family.  The "my new family" title are Thickers (stickers) and then the other two cats that live with her.  Sugar is on page three, he's our troublemaker as stated on his page.  

Page four is her sister, Gracie.  Gracie ended up being her new best friend.  The frame is a decorated chipboard frame.  I like to add some dimension to my pages instead of always using flat pictures.  Page five, on the right, is the fish.  When Bailey first came to live with us, she enjoyed watching the fish.  Again, I used a decorative chipboard frame for fun.  

Page five and six are about Bailey and how she is doing in her new digs.  I decided to have some fun with these pages.  Being a prim and proper kitty, I thought she was more into bling that my other cats.  I used a fun bling cat sticker on the journal card, "5 Things I Love."  

I had to incorporate our son who dearly loves Bailey on page seven.  Since they were having a playful time, this became the title of this page.  The next page is of Bailey posing for her photo shoot.    With some of the scraps leftover from the cardstock background, I cut out some of the flowers and added them to the pictures for fun embellishments.

On page nine, I had a little fun using a girly papers and stickers.  The title, "Girl" was from a die cut sheet.  I already had the journal tag and thought it would be fun to add her signature. ;)  The next page is of Bailey and her sister, Gracie spending sisterly love together.  I especially love this page because we thought Gracie wouldn't like Bailey, but in the end they became best friends.  

With page ten, I also kept with the girly theme.  I also used another decorative chipboard frame to add depth.  The title, "Beautiful" was cut out from a previous sticker.  To do this, I stuck the sticker down on green cardstock and carefully cut around the words, then glued each letter down on top of the pictures.  It's a great way to use the extra sticker scraps!
On page eleven, I found a cute picture of our son with Bailey.  I actually had die cuts that matched the background and overlayed them around the photo.  The journal tag was cut out using a template and outlined with a yellow sharpie pen.

I had to add a couple of photos of Bailey watching, "Fish TV."  This was a fun page as well.  I used some Jolee's stickers, a die cut and a fun label to make this page.  Another girly layout on page thirteen even though Bailey doesn't look too happy.  But adding the crown (it was a brad and I cut off the tabs and hot glued the crown on the picture) on her head made her look less unhappy.  On the journal tag, I used Cat's Eye Pigment, color Burnt Copper to ink the edges.  

The next page, I wanted to add Bailey's Christmas photo. Because she got a toy mouse, I included a sticker of a mouse to the page. I also added the Santa hat on her head.  On page fifteen, I couldn't help but show her helping me scrapbook.  The journal tag, "Craft Projects" went well with the theme.  I also added a cut paper flower with a yellow button.

On page sixteen, I had taken a few pictures of Bailey playing in the yellow play tubes.  She had so much fun with those tubes and the background paper I used gave it a fun look.  I added star buttons for fun. The next page is of Bailey sleeping.  Using a Bazzill Basics Paper cat template, I spelled out the word, "Cat Nap."  The bottom tag with the cats, I used embroidery thread to make it stand out. 

Spending time with her cat family, Bailey's next page was fun because I used the button theme to make the page.  Notice that I used different shapes and sizes of buttons.  And carrying on to page nineteen, I added a "Cute as a Button" title spread.  The I love you was a die cut I already had.  My son found the England flag at the scrapbook store in which I added Bailey's former family's names.  

The final page, I found a really cute cat poem called,
"My Cat."  I wanted her former family to know that she would be well taken care of and that she loved them forever.  I also had this cute little heart shaped frame and found a nice picture of Bailey to put it in.  With the inside back cover, I always add a journal tag and folder.  On the tag, I write a little something to the receiver.  On the folder (I use a template), I added a bling heart sticker.  

On the back page of every book I make, I always add a little sicker and my name and copywrite information.  
Before I bind my books, I always cover the front and back hardcovers with decorative ribbon using a hot glue gun.  When that's dry and the title is in place on the front page, then I bind it.  These books are a great craft project and many of my recipients have been please to have received one!

Winter Layouts

 "Dam Sledding"  Sometimes it's hard to think of a title.  On this layout, however, I knew right away what my title would be.  Since my son was sledding down the dam, that was going to be my title, a little appropriate, don't you think?  I used photo slides for the frames on the smaller pictures.  I covered each one using scrap paper I already had, used an X-Acto knife to cut out the centers for the pictures.  The mittens were from a die-cut sheet.  I simply added embroidery thread around the cuffs and an extra piece of white thread to make them look like they were attached together.  I found a sled and the word, sledding sticker.  I traced around chipboard letters creating the word, "Dam" and colored it with a silver sharpie pen.  



"Snow Play"  To give the trees more dimension, I used a thin black pen to draw lines around the inside of the trees.  I used Coredinations CoreColor Grey and sanded it down to give the effect of dirty snow, added a snowflake background around the journal tag and added the title.  Instead of using snowflakes, I had some chipboard scraps that I glued to glittery paper and cut out, then I added the gem stones for a fun embellishment.

"Snowy Day"  For this fun layout, I again used the photo slides, painting them with Chunky Glitter Glue Stars Galore, to use for the far away photos.  I used a glittery cardstock, however I would recommend using a hot glue gun to adhere your photos because they won't stick using regular permanent glue runner.  Using the remnants of the paper from the "Dam Sledding" photo slides, I created a mountain hill with the paper.  The blank spot allowed me to add the fun journaling tag.  The title stickers were a little bland on the glittery paper, so I colored them with a white Galaxy Marker which gave  the title a snowy effect.  Adding fun vellum stickers made the layout more fun.

Water Layouts

"Keepin' Cool" I wanted to capture the pretty blue background, so I used a dirty blueish background.  With some scraps, I added borders around the bottom pictures along with buttons for the embellishments.  I couldn't find the right journaling tag, so I drew a rectangle for the story.  I also added a decorative wave using a template and embroidery thread to top it off.

"Memories Like This"  Using the left over side of a previous decorative paper, I added the blue side with one photo.  I used embroidery thread to stitch around the shape to give it a 3D look.  With the journal card, I used Cat's Eye Sapphire Silk Blue Pigment to ink the edges to make the card blend in with the blue.  The background kind of looks like the rocks in the photos.