Carta Bella Home Again Boxed Mini Album Project Share
Hello, Friends! Let’s share a cuppa and take a look at this sweet Carta Bella Home Again Boxed Mini Album Project together. This lovely collection has captured my imagination. The ideas keep flowing, the papers seem to be magically multiplying, and I just keep on making. Are you tired of this collection yet? I find the colors so soothing and the patterns so lovely that I think I could keep right on working with it until every last scrap has been used up. This boxed mini album doubles as a home decor piece, which is always nice. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
Home Again Boxed Mini Album: The Box
Have you ever covered a Graphic 45 Book Box? It’s such an easy way to make a home decor piece. This is the old style ivory book box, measuring 7″ x 5″. Layer up some chipboard, ephemera pieces, and patterned paper. Then accent with flowers, ribbons and metal embellishments.
TIP: Chalk paint is a great finish for metal embellishments. This Prima Door Plate was originally brass, as was the key. The thing I love about chalk paint is that you don’t have to prime the base, the paint goes on smoothly, and dries to a lovely matte finish.
Finish the inside of the box with papers from the 12×12 collection. Then add feet. These Tim Holtz Idea–Ology box feet were the perfect finishing touch. I didn’t even have to paint them.
TIP: If you add feet to your box, you must first adhere the spine of the book box cover to the back side of the box cavity. Use 1/2″ Scor-Tape or other strong adhesive for this step.
Home Again Boxed Mini Album: The Album
I built this little album from scratch. The shaker cover took some figuring out.
First, die cut the round frame from the small navy dot print.
Next, die cut a clear cardstock (acetate) circle using my Spellbinder’s Small Standard Circle Die.
Now adhere the clear cardstock circle to the back of the frame die.
Because the sides of the frame are very thin, even 1/8″ foam strips will show around the edges. And we don’t like that. The solution?
Die cut 2 leafy wreaths. Place small pieces of foam strips on the larger leaves and sandwich them together so that the edges are slightly staggered. You will be able to see small bits of the foam, but once you add the flowers and embellishments, they will be hidden.
Here’s a look at the cover details.
Home Again Boxed Mini Album: A Peek Inside
There are 6 pages in the album. Each page has a side pocket with photo mount insert.
Fussy cut the flower cart from the 6×6 pad. Adhere just the bottom edges to create a little tag pocket.
Magnetic flap pages give you a good spot for photos or hidden journaling.
Both the front and back covers have pocket spots.
Home Again Boxed Mini Album Video Tour
You can see all the pages, details and tips for making this project in this short video tour.
I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas that you can use in your own crafty adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
Button Farm Club January 2020 Kit Reveal: Carta Bella Home Again Altered Etcetera Tag & Folio
Hello, Friends! I’m so excited to share my Button Farm Club January 2020 Kit Reveal with you today. This idea has been rumbling around in my head for weeks, and I’m truly tickled with result. It’s home decor, it’s an organizing tool and it’s a folio all in one. I think you are going to love this Carta Bella Home Again Altered Tim Holtz Etcetera Tag & Folio!
If you’ve never worked with a Tim Holtz Etcetera Tag before, you are in for a treat! The tags are made from thickboard: a thick sturdy surface that is perfect for collage, altering and embellishing. The small tag we use in this project measures a generous 5 1/2″ x 10″; a perfect size for home decor. And what collection could possibly be better for home decor than Home Again? The fresh farmhouse vibe, the pretty patterns and the soothing color palette are delightful to work with.
You all know me so well…I like pretty…but I like practical, too. So I designed this tag with a big ole slash pocket to hold an altered notebook. It’s the perfect place to jot down a to do list, menu plans, emergency contact numbers, grocery lists….or a little daily gratitude journal. There’s room to tuck a pen into the pocket, too so everything you need will be right at your fingertips.
Button Farm Club January 2020 Kit Reveal: The Folio
The flip side of the tag houses a delightful tri-fold folio. You’ll learn how to paper piece this adorable little house on the cover…and just wait til you see what’s inside!
This sweet little folio is filled with flips, flaps, pockets, tags and room for loads of lovely family memories.
The waterfall feature will house (18) 4″ x 4″ photos. And the other photo spots are designed for photos ranging in size from 4″ x 6″ to 3″ x 5″. And, if you add a little bulldog clip to the sides, the folio will stand upright so you can display your beautiful family photos.
I think this would make a wonderful bridal shower gift, house warming present, birthday gift and…Mother’s Day will be here before we know it! The color palette almost reads as a neutral, so it would go with almost any home color scheme.
YouTube Video Tour
To help you get a feel for the flow and function of this lovely kit, I’ve created a very short YouTube tour.
What Comes in the Kit?
As always, you will receive everything you need to complete this project with the exception of your adhesive of choice and Distress Ink, should you choose to sponge a little on the edges.
Tim Holtz Small Etcetera Tag
Carta Bella Home Again Collection
1 sheet 12 x 12 Journaling Cards
1 Coordinating Solids Pack
1 6×6 Paper Pad
1 Chipboard Phrases
Little Birdie Heleen Amor Mio Flowers
Bay Leaf Seam Binding/2 yards
October Afternoon Buttons (blue/3 per kit/small, med, large if possible)
Farmhouse Small Notebook
2 pearl stickpins
Full color printed tutorial with easy to follow step by step instructions.
The price of the kit is just $39.99, which is a great value given the contents! The tutorial will give you some new techniques that you’ll be able to use in other crafty adventures as well.
The kit is available now at The Button Farm Club. This is a limited release, and I expect it to sell out rather quickly because it is so stinkin’ cute!
For those of you who have been asking for more card tutorials…stay tuned. There’s a birthday card kit in the works even as I write this. It’s going to be really, really cute!
I have spent a good bit of time imagining kits for 2020…and I am so excited to share them all with you as they are released. 2020 is going to be a year that just overflows with creativity. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement in this venture. If you have kits that you’d like to see in 2020, please let me know, and I’ll take them into consideration.
Farmhouse Style Queen Bee Mini Album with Ephemoire Digital Designs
Hello, Friends! Let’s add some sweetness to your weekend with a Farmhouse Style Queen Bee Mini Album made with digital designs from Ephemoire. As a tea drinker, I love honey. And as a honey love, I love bees! And as a country girl, I love farmhouse style. So why combine all these loves together in a scrumptious, made from scratch mini album?
I wish you could hold this 5 3/4″ x 7 3/4″ x 3″ album in your hands. With its warm honey hues, rich textures and buzzing bees, it may just be my favorite mini album of all time. Let’s look at the details, shall we?
Queen Bee Mini Album: The Shaker Box
It is a well known fact that I love a shaker element. I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate them into my work. And in preparing the Tim Holtz Lace Frame for this shaker box, I stumbled upon a new technique. Here are the steps to follow in case you feel like putting on your mixed media boots.
Begin by inking the inside and outside edge of the large oval shaker frame with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.
Next, use a mini blending tool to apply Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide Ink randomly over the face of the frame. Follow this up with a generous application of Wild Honey Distress Oxide Ink.
Now, spritz the surface of the frame with the Distress Mister and let the Oxide Ink work its magic. Dry thoroughly with a heat tool.
Then, apply a nice coat of Versamark Embossing Ink over the entire surface of the frame. Place the frame on a large sheet of clean paper and cover with Seth Apter Vintage Beeswax Baked Texture. Press the embossing powder lightly with your fingertips, then let the excess slide off onto the paper and put it back in the jar. Heat emboss. Repeat.
Now the real fun begins. Apply Vintage Photo Distress Oxide Ink directly to the surface of the frame. That’s right, just swipe the pad over the frame. Spritz with water to activate and heat dry, using a clean paper towel to dab up any really big puddles of ink.
The most amazing thing will happen as you heat emboss. The Vintage Beeswax will sort of open up and swallow the ink, then seal over as it cools. So the ink goes from the surface to a lower layer. It’s really, really cool, and you’ve got to try it if you love to play around with embossing powders!
Repeat the above step, but use Walnut Stain Distress Oxide Inks this time. Yummy!
Queen Bee Mini Album: The Spine and Back Cover
The rustic feel of this album cover makes me so happy. First you have the natural canvas layer…which is really cool all on its own. But then I added burlap, a vintage lace handkerchief, and a linen panel…and giant wood buttons???? Stop already! These photos are good…but they don’t begin to capture the true beauty of this album.
Queen Bee Mini Album: A Peek Inside
The inside of the album is black, white, cream and gold with pops of red. I dug through my stash of specialty papers to find the faux embossed leather paper that you see here. All the patterned papers are digital print outs from Ephemoire. Aren’t they gorgeous?
The album has pretty to look at pages, photo mount pockets, and little folios tucked in. It’s a very fun album to flip through.
I dug through my textile bin to find special vintage treasures that just seemed to be in waiting for this album. Washi tape is used throughout to create borders.
This is my favorite page in the album. A vintage handkerchief, folded and bundled together with gold crochet thread and topped with a sweet little bee. Stitch the vintage button through the folded hankie to hold all the layers in place. I also love the little vintage ticket, which is an ephemera print out, topped with a vintage safety pin.
I topped laser cut lace paper with a lovely printed border and more ephemera bits from kit. The cute little plaid guest checks in the slash pocket are actually folios. And I tucked in a honey dipper, just for fun.
Queen Bee Mini Album Tour on Youtube
This mini is so loaded with goodness that I had to create a project tour to share it all with you. You’ll get to see all the pages, and I’ll share little tips that you might find useful in your own crafty adventures.
I hope I’ve inspired you to get your craft on this weekend. If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a joyful and creative weekend!
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album for Frilly & Funkie
Hello, Friends! Today I have a Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album to share with you. It’s the start of a brand new challenge over on the Frilly & Funkie Blog, and our lovely hostess Sara Emily has chosen a wonderful theme for us. Can you guess what it is? OK, I’ll help you out! Here’s what Sara Emily has to say about this fun challenge.
Challenge Theme: Home, Sweet Home
Whether your house is grand or modest, neat or messy, there’s no place like home. Houses get bought and sold, but home stays with you forever. For this challenge, I would like to see how you interpret what home means to you on your vintage or shabby chic project.
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: Home is Where the Tea Kettle Is
You just never know when or how or where inspiration will strike. For this challenge, I was breaking down a box of Trader Joe’s Irish Breakfast Tea. It comes in a nice big box with LOTS of tea bags for this tea drinking girl. As I was about to toss it in the recycle bin, I realized it already had a really nice area that would be a great spine on a mini album. And that’s how it ended up as the album base for this project.
The finished album measures 5″ x 4 7/8″ with a 2 1/2″ spine. I paired up Stamperia Patchwork papers with the Tim Holtz Elegance 3-D Embossing Folder and a supporting cast of mixed media goodies for this production number. Let’s take a look at that process.
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: Step One/Preparing the Base
Sadly, I forgot to take a photo of the original tea box. Thank heavens I found a photo on the internet.
Begin by carefully opening the box. Cut off the left and right hand side end panels. Then fold the box flat, and cut off one side along the scored lines.
Flatten the box and trim to measure 5″ x 4 7/8″. Be careful not to cut off the one box side, as that will become the spine on your mini album
Now, lightly sand the entire surface of the box, front and back. This will help it to accept accept a coat of paint later.
Use a damp sponge, baby wipe or paper towel to wipe any dust from the box surface.
Next, place the box in the Tim Holtz Elegance 3-D Embossing Folder. You won’t be able to fit the whole thing in there, and will have to run it through your machine following the sandwich recommended by the manufacturer.
Keep shifting the position of the box until the entire surface has been embossed.
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: Step 2/Mixed Media Mayhem
Now that the box is embossed, it’s time to pull on your Mixed Media Boots and get messy!+
First, paint the album base, front and back, with grey chalk paint. If you don’t have grey chalk paint, just use Pumice Stone Distress Paint. A light layer is fine. Heat dry.
Next, dry brush the embossed areas of the base with Antique Linen Distress Paint. This layer will act somewhat as a resist to the Distress Oxide Ink layer that comes next.
When the paint is dry, apply Picked Raspberry and Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide Inks with a blending tool. You don’t have to cover the entire surface as we will be coming back in with more colors.
Once you’ve laid down the amount of color that looks good to you, spritz with water and let the ink move around a bit. Then heat dry.
Repeat this with Twisted Citron and Spiced Marmalade Distress Oxide Inks.
Follow this process for both sides of the album cover.
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: Rosy Gold Accents
The top photos shows what my album cover looked like after I had finished applying the inks, spritzing and heating. While beautiful, it was brighter than the finish I wanted for my album. I also wanted to add some metallic accents. So I tapped on some Rose Gold Mixatives using a felt pad and blending tool. That’s the bottom photo. Pretty, but still brighter than the finish I was going for.
To remedy this, dry brush the entire cover a medium coat of Ivory Chalk Paint. Let it sit for about a minute, then spritz with water and lightly wipe the surface with a paper towel. I repeated this process until I reached the level I was happy with. Then I coated the entire cover, inside and out with Clear Gesso to seal everything. I’m very happy with the final result!
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: Cover and Spine Details
Now tear some images from the Stamperia Patchwork pad and layer them up on the cover. Not too many, though! You want that glorious mixed media background to be seen.
TIP: Lay the edge of a ruler along the area of paper that you wish to tear. Then pull up along the ruler edge. This leaves a nice distressed edge, but gives you better control over where the paper will tear. I use a metal ruler, and place it upside down on my paper for better control.
Layer on some flowers and metal embellishments to add texture and dimension.
This brass door plate and door knocker are both Graphic 45. I had them in my stash from my time on the team. They have been aged with Cracked PIstachio Distress Paint and Seth Apter Mediterranean Baked Velvet Embossing Powders. More about that in the video below.
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: The Closure
The closure for the album is made with the left over side from the tea box. Alter it just as you did the cover. Measure it, and score flaps on the ends. Adhere one flap inside the cover. Punch two holes in the other flap, and add grommets. Line this up with the cover, and repeat the process. You will loop jute cord through these holes and tie a bow to close the album. Simple, but effective.
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: Staggered Pages and Simple Binding How To
Create staggered pages and a simple stacked binding for your album by following these steps:
First, cut (3) 11″ x 4 3/4″ panels of 85 pound kraft cardstock.
Page 1
Score on the long side at 3 3/4″ , 6 1/8″, 9 7/8″
Fold the small flap on the right hand side to the back side of the panel
Page 2
Score at 4 1/4″ 6″, 10 1/8″
Fold the flap to the CENTER of the panel
Page 3
Score at 1 1/2″ , 5 5/8″ and 6 3/8″
Fold the Flap to the back side of the panel
Now you have 3 pages with center spines of varying widths.
The first page has the widest spine at 2 1/4″
The second page has a 1 5/8″ spine.
The third page has a 3/4″ spine.
Stack the spines together so that they are evenly spaced on both right and left hand sides. Adhere.
This is the simplest way to create a book binding that I know of. Now you can decorate your pages however you desire. This is always the fun part
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: A Peek Inside
NOTE: if you are short on time, just scroll on down and watch the video walk through. But if you want tips and details on how I put these pages together, read on.
The inside cover is a simple book plate. Again, I did not wish to cover up the mixed media background.
The first page is an accordion pull out page. Cut your paper 12″ x 4 5/8″. Score every 3 5/8″. Adhere the small flap under the base page. Add the altered butterfly as a pull out tab.
Computer journal quotes and lines of poetry about home, then tear out and add to the album as you like.
The next set of pages is a collage page and a fun fold down flap. To make this, cut out the tall house from the paper collection. Score and fold.
The next set of pages is a pocket with tag insert and a flap page. Create a tuck spot on the flap page by adhering just the bottom edge of the Tim Holtz Paper Dolls to the page.
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: The Pop Up Page
This pop up page is my favorite. Fussy cut along the tree/house line of a 12″ wide page. Adhere about 1″ of the page on the right hand side of the album base. Now, fold your paper so that the back side ends up on top. Place adhesive here. Close the book. Instant pop up!
TIP: Practice this before you add the final adhesive. You can hold things in place with a paper clip. Adjust where necessary. Once you have it as you like it, add glue.
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album: More Pages
This flap and flip up page is easy to make. The flap on the left is the one you scored onto the base. Create a turn tab with a circular element cut from the paper pad. For the flip up page, tear your paper with 1/2″ extra on the top. Score this and adhere behind the base page. Then tear paper from the collection to make the little house icon.
The final page is another flap page. This time, adhere the image to the scored flap on the base page. Then cut or tear paper that is the width of the page plus the back side of the flap. Score, fold and adhere as you did with the pop up. Fussy cut elements from the paper collection to decorate the page, and the inside back cover.
Phew! If you hung with me through all of that, you deserve a cookie!
Stamperia Patchwork Mixed Media Album Video Tour with Tips
Now it’s YOUR Turn
What does home sweet home mean to you? You are cordially invited to create your own vintage or shabby chic home themed project. Then link up on the Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog before 11:55PM EST on Tuesday, July 2nd.
The winner will earn the chance of a Guest Designer spot at Frilly and Funkie, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. In addition, the Design Team will select three further outstanding entries and those creators will receive a Top Pick badge to display on their blogs!
I can’t wait to see what you make!
A Fond Farewell
I need to let you all know that this will be my last Frilly and Funkie Challenge. Being on this team for the past 3 1/2 years has been pure joy. I love my beautiful and talented teammates, adore Linda, the owner of The Funkie Junkie Boutique, and have grown in my art during my time here. But my work schedule has become a bit unwieldy as opportunities with The Button Farm Club have opened up for me. ( While I don’t sleep a lot, I do need to get at least a few hours a night.) So the difficult decision to step down from this amazing team had to be made. My deepest love and gratitude to Linda, Jenny, Cec, Maggi, Suzz and Sara Emily for inspiring me with your beautiful artwork. You are the BEST!
I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas that you can use in your own crafty adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
Amazing Paper Grace Adorned Note Pads with Simple Stories Simple Vintage Botanicals
Hello, Friends! I’m back today with another Amazing Paper Grace Guest Designer project. Today, I’m featuring the Vintage Treasures Adorned Note Pads Dies. So often we need a quick, affordable, yet beautiful gift. These dies are just the ticket!
There’s a lot to love about the Adorned Note Pads dies. Measuring just 3 1/4″ x 4 1/2″ this little beauty is the perfect size to tuck into a purse or travel bag. The notebook base die has a sweet little scalloped edge and creases all the fold lines for you when you run it through your machine. Yu also get a trio of little flower dies, which I used to adorn the cover. A smaller frame die cuts a perfectly sized mat layer. So Becca really thought of everything when she designed this lovely die.
A 3″ sticky note pad fits perfectly inside . And look a the cute little pen/pencil holder! That die comes with the set, too. This is such a handy little notebook to have on hand when you are running into the grocery store for “just 3 things” but then you get inside and can’t remember what you came in for and you end up buying the entire store. So I guess it’s a money saver, too! Becca has a tutorialon her blog showing you how she put this notebook together so you can check that out to see how it works.
Amazing Paper Grace Adorned Notepads: Another Thought
As I made the first notebook, a thought popped into my head for another way to use this fun die. Why not turn it into a tea bag caddy? So I did! As you can see in the above photo, I simply flipped the die on its head, adding the scallop at the top. Then I created a simple ribbon belly band added flowers and had the cutest little gift!
I used the pen/pencil holder die to create this little shaped pocket. Then I tied one of my cherished vintage Italian Demitasse spoons to a pretty tea bag, added a honey stick and tucked it inside. How fun is that?
This would make such a sweet little thinking of you or get well gift. And it would also be stunning used in a place setting for ladies’ luncheon. I can see lots of wonderful ways to use the Vintage Treasures Adorned Notebook, can’t you?
This is my final APG Guest Designer post. What an honor! I’ve had the best time working with these gorgeous dies, and I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas that you can use in your own crafty adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
To view my other Amazing Paper Grace Guest Designer Projects, click HERE.
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheerio,
kathy
Vintage Treasures Amazing Paper Grace Adorned Note Pad Supply List
