Celebrate Spring with Graphic 45 Secret Garden Tag Album Tutorial

Hello, G’45’ers!  When I was a little girl, I spent many happy hours reading books.  I was often sick and confined to bed, but books transported me to many magical and enchanting places.  One of my favorite childhood books was Frances Hodgson Burnette’s Secret Garden.  I loved reading how Mary and Dickon discovered and restored that secret walled garden. While they were busy digging in the dirt and growing flowers, a true friendship blossomed as well.  It’s still a favorite today, and thinking about spring always brings fond memories of this lovely tale.  Naturally, I had to break out my Graphic 45 Secret Garden Deluxe Collector’s Edition papers and create a little tribute to spring.

Don’t you just love this sentiment? “Where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow.”  You could build your life around wisdom like that!  The base of this album is a Graphic 45 Staples 5×7 Kraft Book Box.  I created a shaker top and then decorated with pretty trims and Petaloo Canvas Briar Roses.

Shake Things Up with a Clear Acetate Cardstock Cover

Shake up your design by adding a shaker element to the box cover.  After you create your cover design (but before you glue it to the top of the box) go all the way around the edges with foam tape.  Fill the center with sequins, buttons, glitter, or small chipboard pieces like the ones I used here.  Peel off the liner from the top of the foam tape, place the trimmed acetate on top and press the edges to seal.  I added this pretty rose trim around the edges to finish everything off.

It’s very hard to photograph anything that is covered in clear acetate, but I gave it my best effort!  Those are real lavender buds inside the acetate along with sequins and small chips from the collection .

Altering Metal Staples

I wanted the album to have a real shabby chic feel, so I painted all my Graphic 45 Metal Staples with a coat of “Whisper” Chalk paint from Americana Decor.  When the first layer dried, I tapped the raised edges with Tattered Rose Distress Paint to create custom shabby chic metal accents. Then you can fill the piece with pretty flowers as I did here.

Or tuck a word inside the label holder as I did here. The spine is decorated with fussy cut images from the collection, Petaloo Sage Vintage Velvet Hydrangea and some vintage buttons from my stash.

The box is held shut with a 1.5″ Ivory Crushed Satin Ribbon and bow.   Would you like to see what’s inside?

I thought you might!  Just as Mary’s Secret Garden was hidden behind an old wall, this sweet little tag album is hidden inside the box.  It’s loaded with fold out pages, tiny folios, pull tabs and all kinds of wonderment.

Inside the front cover of the album, I created a pocket that I filled with sweet springtime greeting card.

Oh, how I love this collection!

Secret Garden Tag Album on YouTube

Rather than fill the blog up with dozens of photos, I prepared a very short 3 minute video that you can watch.

Snapguide Graphic 45 Secret Garden Tag Album Tutorial

As you saw in the video, the tag album is loaded with lots of fun fold outs and inserts.  I thought you might enjoy learning how I made the tag album, so I prepared a SnapGuide tutorial for you.

Check out How to Graphic 45 Secret Garden Tag Album Insert by Kathy Clement on Snapguide.

How to Make the Secret Garden Card

If you’d like to make the sweet card that is tucked in the front pocket of the album, I also prepared a SnapGuide Tutorial showing you how to build those layers and create the card.
Check out How to Quick & Easy Secret Garden Card W/Graphic 45 by Kathy Clement on Snapguide.

Secret Garden Tag Album Supply List

• Secret Garden Deluxe Collector’s Edition
• 5×7 Kraft Book Box (tags are inside the book box)
• Ornate Metal Label Holders
• Staples Ornate Shabby Chic Keys
• Ornate Shabby Chic Metal Keyhole
• Staples Ornate Shabby Chic Brads
• Shabby Chic Ornate Door Pull
• Assorted Ivory Ribbons and trims from my stash
• Scor-Tape
• Petaloo Ivory Canvas Briar Roses
• Purple Darjeeling Mixed Blossoms
• Petaloo Soft Lavender Forget-me-Nots
• Mini Clothespins
• Americana Decor Whisper Chalk Paint (if you use an ivory book box, you will not need this)
• Tattered Rose Distress Paint
• Small magnets
• Scoring Tool
• Clear Acetate cardstock
• Cool Tak Clear Foam Tape
• Ivory Buttons
• Sequins

I hope I’ve brought a little springtime into your life today!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

 

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