Monday Mini-Album!

     Happy Monday!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Did you get some crafting in?  I had a great time Saturday at the scrapbook Crop that I attended.  Now I can't wait for the next one.  Good thing it's next Saturday!  Usually I don't get to go to crops so close together, but it just worked out this time.  Yipp-ee! 

     Back to the business at hand.  You didn't stop by to read my ramblings, you want to see a project, right?  Don't worry, I have one to show you.  I haven't shared a mini-album with you in a while, and I thought that might be a good way to start the week.

     This is the Paper Bag Album that I made a few years ago after our first trip to Arizona.  We were visiting some family members, and we had a wonderful time.  I wanted an album that was small enough to carry with me and sturdy enough to take some abuse.  This little album has held up very well, especially considering how much it has been carried, handled, looked at, and thrown around.  I knew that it was going to show some wear and tear, so I started off with a vintage look.  That way all the handling and abuse just adds to the charm, instead of ruining the book.  It's hard to believe how many pictures and how much journaling you can put into a few brown lunch bags!

     You can see that I have tags in a variety of shapes and sizes poking out of every possible opening!  Most of the tags have a picture or memento on one side and journaling on the other.  Some of the tags are folded in half, and there is even more on the inside. 

     I picked up maps, tickets, brochures, or whatever information I could find, and used them in my album.  Some of the maps are used as background pieces, and many of the items were cut up and scattered throughout as little bits of journaling here and there.  I used natural desert colors for the book, and if one of the scraps of ephemera that I wanted to use was the wrong color (like the map), then I just scanned it in to my computer and printed it out in a washed out or antique version.

     As you can see in the pictures, I used a lot of interactive elements in this album.  So many things to pull out, turn over, or open up.  People who wanted to could just quickly flip through the book, but if they wanted they could take the time to really enjoy every page and tag.

     I was very happy with the way this book turned out, so of course I took full credit for it on the back.  Hopefully if this album ever gets lost this nameplate on the back will also help it find it's way home.  I think that is always a good idea for a book that is going many places and passing through a lot of hands.

     If you have any questions about anything in this album, like how something was done, or assembly details and such, just ask!  Put your questions in the comment section and I will be glad to answer them as fully as possible.  And if haven't tried a Paper Bag Album for yourself, give it a try!  They can be a lot of fun, they a quick and portable, and very inexpensive to make.  They are perfect for kids too.   Have fun with it!

Bye for now,
Anne