Smiles Mini Album Tutorial

Hi everyone! Today I have a mini album to share, but the techniques and designs can also be an inspiration for cardmaking or art journaling. I was in the mood to remember the sunshine and fun of summertime. 

I used the Simon Says Stamp September Card Kit to create this and also a bunch of dies and stamps by SSS. The kit is sold out, but you can get most of the individual parts separately instead. I don't use patterned paper that often, but I loved the Let's Wander papers by Vicky Boutin included in the kit and thought they would be perfect for a mini album featuring some photos from this summer. The tiny envelopes are also so cute and contain extra journaling. 

Start by cutting two covers from Sizzix Little Sizzles matboard 6x 8in. I used all the patterned papers from the kit and also cut pages from SSS cardstock. Some of the cardstock colors I used were included in the kit. The SSS cardstock is heavy and perfect for pages. I also used some kraft cardstock. I couldn't find the Let's Wander paper pad by Vicky Boutin in SSS now, but you can also use her beautiful Storyteller 6x8 pad or Color Kaleidoscope pad.

Round the outer corners of the covers and all the papers.

Die cut Sending Smiles from Peacock Teal cardstock and the mat from kraft cardstock.

The Just Miss You set is full of great sentiments, perfect for these times. The heart balloon and the little people are so cute. I stamped them and the clouds on kraft cardstock. Some where stamped on the album pages too.

The images were colored with Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils, using colors that coordinated with the patterned papers.

I used left-over cardstock to die words, hearts, circles and flowers.

Punch holes with a Crop-a-Dile and bind with rings. I kept the cover simple, with just the sentiment, an envelope and some stamped images. 

Sending smiles is a perfect sentiment for cards, but I thought it fit here too, even though I am keeping the album for myself. It is full of smiles.

On the inside cover I added some journaling cards, another envelope and a Daisy Stem. I am going to add most of the journaling a little later, when I have all the photos I want to include here. I didn't print all of the photos at home, since I prefer to use a professional printer for photos.

The whole family were able to be together for a couple of weeks this summer, which was precious. We hadn't seen each other since Christmas. I really like the Chunky Happy die. The sentiment was stamped on a left-over strip of patterned paper.

We took the yearly photo on the beach with all the cousins in their beach chairs. 

I always take a photo of just the chairs too. The oldest cousins are starting to get too big for their animal chairs. 

The Thankful For You die came from the latest Make Merry release. The windows in the photo strip are perfect for small sentiment stamps.

Swimming on a slightly chilly day. Most of the photos were printed in black and white, but some are in color. 

I like the texture of the colored pencils on the kraft cardstock.

You are special comes from the SSS Laugh In Flowers set. The sentiment stamps in that set are the perfect small size to add here and there.

Our favorite beach is basically never crowded. Some of the pages are still blank, since I am waiting for more photos. I have extra embellishments in a little ziplock bag so that they were be ready when the photos get here.

You are my sunshine comes from the Hello Sunshine set.

I like taking photos of little details on the beach, and the smaller cousins love to play with boats. 

The hearts come from the SSS Clipping Heart.

I recently got the Because of You set, with great sentiments around the word 'you'. The big sentiment was stamped with the SSS High Dive ink.

I like vintage bikes and this one is at a favorite cafeteria. Every year, I find the bike at a new place and photograph it. Happy Day comes from the Laugh In Flowers set.

The cousins played a lot of Monopoly. 

The yellow Circle Loops die cut from Sunshine cardstock placed here and there add a nice touch. It is one of my favorite dies.

We had the most gorgeous sunsets this year. 

Sentiment from Laugh In Flowers.

This photo is one of my favorites from the summer, taken during an evening walk. I kept the page simple with just a sentiment and an envelope.

The papers are perforated and I used some of the left-over strips here and there in the album.

Two of my favorite cookies that my Mom bakes.

One die cut heart and one stamped and colored heart.

Two of the left-over journaling cards were added to the back cover. I can also easily add more pages to this album if I want to.

Thank you so much for stopping by here today!  

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Autumn Postbox Tutorial

Hello crafters! We have started getting frosty mornings now, winter is coming. Here comes the tutorial for the autumn postbox that I posted earlier in the month.

I posted this postbox as a part of the blog hop for Eileen Hull's two new dies, of which the Postbox is one. This is a very quick and easy project and perfect as a gift for someone. It can also hold a little gift and the slot is meant to fit a gift card. It also works great as a money box, which is what my son is using it for.

Start by die cutting the Postbox from mat board. The entire box is just one piece and the die both cuts and scores the mat board, making assembly very easy.

Stamp the box with the Simon Says Stamp Wood Planks background stamp using two shades of brown Archival Ink. I used Ground Espresso and Vintage Photo. For more inspiration on the Wood Planks stamp, check out my Old Spooky House tag and Nature Vintage Sketchbooks.

Ink the box with various shades of Distress Ink. Mat board takes ink beautifully.

To assemble, place a strong adhesive along the two flaps, as shown here. 

And then assemble. Super easy and quick. This box would be great for a kids' craft project.

I used flowers from SSS Anna's Flowers. Ink with two shades of Distress Ink, mist one to three times with water (depending on the size of the stamp) and stamp on watercolor paper.

Cut the flowers out and shape them slightly with a pencil or a bone folder. Adhere to the box. There are also a couple of labels from Tim Holtz Field Notes ephemera. The stamped sentiments come from SSS Anna's Flowers and Laugh in Flowers.

Tie the box with twine or use Velcro dots. Add pearls to the flower centers.

The sentiments were stamped on cream paper with Ground Espresso Archival Ink, cut into strips and inked around the edges.

Gift cards, a little note, small photos, or money can easily fit into the slot. 

I left the back plain. You can see the joint between the stamped impressions at the bottom. If you overlap the impressions slightly, it won't show.

When open, the box looks like this.

This is a fun, quick and sturdy box that can be used for a long time. 

Thank you so much for stopping by here today! Stay safe!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.