Online Crop January 26-February 1, 2015

It is coming!  Over at Scraprageous Messageboards (link: http://scraprageous.freeforums.net/)

 Check out the main thread for challenges.  The theme for this crop - 2015 - A year to complete a challenge!

You can pick your own challenge - then complete it!  It is that simple. 

• Some may be small challenges - ex: create a waterfall card
• Some may be large challenges - ex: complete a project 365
• Some may be somewhere in between - ex: use my stash to create a mini album
• There are lots of others - learn to create swaps, try out some tags, make a paper bow and more!

Whatever your challenge - our crop can help you with inspiration.

How to participate?

• Sign up as a member (if you haven't yet)
• Make sure you have a photo sharing account (Flickr, Photo Bucket, etc - there are lots - even using your own blog to upload photos then post on the site).
• Participate!  You must post photos of your projects to participate.
• Feel free to chat things up
• Swaps have gone on hiatus until after the first part of 2015, but they will be back by spring.  Our hostesses needed a well deserved break for a few months.  If you are interested in becoming a hostess, contact me via scraprageous@gmail.com.  

That is it - just come on over and have some fun.  The only other rule - everything must be created new as of the start of the crop.  See you soon!!!!!

Time to start

On my new mini album, that is!

After adding the 8 new sheets of paper from the Counterfeit Kit Challenge (I measured wrong and needed this size for my photos - so glad I placed a few on my first page to be sure before making a large number of pages), I started making some double sided library pockets.  I hit my stash for this paper - I tend to buy a lot of a design when I like it, so I had enough left for 8 sheets.  These will be my pages.

 The next two photos show the back of a double sided library pocket with an insert (brown) for additional photos.  I think I have almost 200 photos to include, so only my favorites will go on the outsides, the insides of these pockets are for the short stories from the side trips we made.

 Sometimes I mess up and have a bit of an area left at the bottom of a pocket from the second flap,  Once adhered, I just trim off the excess.  After inserting the binding, no one will see anyway, but I still like to trim the edge.

 So - two double sided library pockets with inserts.

 A single, double sided library pocket with an envelope with large flap on the front and another double library pocket on the back.

 Two double sided library pockets with front short flaps and back large flaps with band to use as an anchor for two particular photos.  An advantage when putting a mini for yourself together - you have a basic idea of a few of the photos you want to include/highlight.

 Another single, double sided library pocket with a miniature library pocket on the front.  I may add more to this pocket, but wasn't positive yet, so kept it simple.

 Finally, rounding out my 8 main pages, two double sided library pockets with tag pockets on the front.  One of the two has equal size tag pockets, the other has a narrow pocket and a regular pocket.

So - where did I learn to do these?  How did I create?  Well, the library pocket is a conglomeration of many, many sites.  It is one of my favorite pieces to use and I used to buy or create by printing out patterns, tracing to pp, then finally folding.  It got to a point that I did create a step by step set of instructions you can find if you want to know how I create them.  I am sure it is very similar to many other sites, but I was tired of always looking up every dimension and now there is no need!  Plus, I love swapping scrapbook items, by getting the instructions ready, everyone over in the swap at Scrapbooking Fun.Biz can create them just as quickly if desired.

The library pockets are one of my favorite pieces to use, along with the narrow envelope I have on one of the pages.  The narrow envelope is basically  from an envelope I used in a project, liked and couldn't find in the right color, so used it as a pattern and make them when I need them.

For the bindings - I watched ustream and you-tube classes and bought various tutorials from Kathy Orta and Laura Dennison.  I have practiced many of their albums (love Kathy Orta's build a page system) and have given away many as gifts.  (though the fairy box by Laura Dennison is still only partially completed - I keep running out of the clear acryllic I am using for pages - maybe I will finish this year :)

I started with various techniques they taught, and now create my own designs.  The Giraffe Double Mini Album (you can find it in December Archives on this blog) is the most complex I have done without a pattern.  I started with some pocket protectors the individual wanted me to use and a Giraffe hanging she had found and went from that point.   I only have a few photos shown - it takes 45 to display all the pages/flaps/etc..

After all the work of the Giraffe album, I realized I cannot remember where I learned how to make various items (there are more blogs and you tube videos, but I cannot remember them all) and so I don't give out patterns for my books as I cannot remember who to credit with the original technique.  I know I have altered from what has been taught, but it would feel a bit like plagerism if I printed them on my blog.  Sooo - I strongly encourage you to visit their sites, try out the tutorials/patterns and enjoy your journey.  I know I have enjoyed many hours of learning and creating and hope you enjoy your time as well.

A new mini!

Inspiration from both the Paper Phenomenon and Following the Paper Trail blogs.  I used techniques that I learned from both Kathy and Laura to create a mini the way I need it to be.  Still adding embellishments and photos (It holds a lot - that is what I was going for!!!).

Stack the deck binding and the chipboard cover (aka cereal boxes for this one) using the 1/4" gap and tyvek (also known as old feed bags around here) are two of the techniques as well as the build a page idea.  Only built the pages for my books.  Some of the build a page add ons remind me of pieces from a paper bag album.


One other note - I don't have a card for my camera right now - with kids all over the US right now, my cards are traveling, so these cell phone pics are the best I can do currently.  Planning on buying another card, but won't be until shopping day.  I still am not sure how I get some good pictures and others look not so hot.

So, on with the album:

Cover - I did discover that even though using my xyron for sticking large sheets of paper is great for some altered projects, I didn't care for it for making the covers.  It is more work, but I like using the Scor Tape much better.  It seems to give a smoother finish for parts.  It could be the weight of my cover paper that caused my issues (DCWV Safari Chic), so I am not 100% sure on the above statement, but I know I like Score tape.

One of my first inside pages - it doesn't look like it here, but there are two flaps on this page.  One is a 1/2 width full size flap with a tag for some memorabilia and the other opens from the base.

This is one of my favorite pages - though the slant pocket still needs it's tag added (I ran out of the cardstock, so I guess I will just 'have' to shop ROFL).

 Another one that was fun to create for some little tags I have to save - there are two little flaps - each with a pocket at the end of the yellowish page.  The plaid is a standard type page with a single flap.  All six pages in the album have a large pull out tag to hold photos.

My back cover.  The crease drives me nuts, but doesn't show nearly as much IRL.  I was able to flatten it out a bit, but as this is an album cover from my stash, getting another piece out isn't an option.  However, as it is the back of the book I don't think it will be much of an issue.  Actually, unless the book is at the right angle, no one else has seen it.  Imperfections are just the opportunities for creativity anyway (no, I don't remember original author of that quote, but it is true), so can't wait to see what ends up on the back.

Thanks for looking.  It is to be a hot one here, so I am picking photos and embellishments from my stash and plan to enjoy myself while doing laundry and completing my mini.  I keep making them for others so it has been fun to try one for family.

As I finish embellishing, the photos can be viewed over at www.scrapbookingfun.biz.

Have a wonderful day!Scrapbooking Fun.Biz