A Photo Display For College

Since my oldest girl just graduated from high school a little over a week ago, I have been in both a reflective and prospective state of mind.  Last week, I showed you the mini album I made of her senior photos here.  Recently, there was a tutorial on Splitcoaststampers for a Home Sweet Home mini album.  Immediately I knew I wanted to make it and fill it with photos of Emma's favorite things about home.  It was the perfect way to let her know she is loved while away at school for the first time.

I deviated from the original tutorial by omitting the roof and accordion folding the home to make it flat.  That wasn't my intention, however making it 3D with the roof and four sides made it rather large for a shared dorm room (space is precious!).  The revision was not well thought-out, though, because it doesn't actually tie shut now!  The left edges of the project are not tied shut, but it does allow for standing the album up for easier display so that was the bright side of my mistake.

Check out those adorable key charms!  They are from the Bird Ballad Trinkets.  I love how they match one of the designs in the DSP from that suite.

  

The key charms inspired my title for the album (family holds the keys to love).  I had the idea to use my Stampin' Blends marker to write some of the title on vellum, use a black journaling pen to write the same word on the whisper white cardstock, then layer the vellum over it.  I saw this technique years ago in an idea book by my favorite scrapbooker of all time, Rebecca Sower (she gave me freedom to journal in a more unique manner and I forever love her for that).

And here's the inside once untied and unfolded.  Notice the different pattern on the left most panel as compared to the other three panels.  That, too, was a mistake.  I did not pay attention to the patterns as I was making the cuts to the two 12x12 sheets and I should have, because it mattered when I glued them together.  As with most other things in life, though, mistakes are usually not the big deal we think they are, so I continued on with the album.

What will ultimately go in here are photos of her dad and I, Emma and her two younger sisters, and Lily our little dog.  When so much is changing, it's nice to know there are those back home that are rooting for you!  What would you put in an album like this and who would you give it to?

Tips and Tricks:

• Use a grade school art class trick to make symmetrical hearts - fold cardstock in half, pencil in half a heart along the fold, and cut along the pencil line (but don't cut the fold) 
• Use a journaling pen to doodle a frame on the interior cardstock panels.  Perfection not required! 

You Can Make It!

• Free As A Bird bundle
• Ink: Soft Suede (sponged along edges of cover cardstock pieces), Memento Tuxedo Black (to stamp small flowers on cover)
• Bird Ballad DSP
• Cardstock colors: Soft Suede, Whisper White, Petal Pink, Old Olive
• Vellum
• Journaling Pen
• Bird Ballad Trinkets
• Linen Thread
• Braided Linen Trim
• Sponges
• Dark Calypso Coral Stampin' Blends
• rhinestone
• eyelets and hole punch (non-SU!)

Don't forget to order my Bird Ballad Class To Go by June 18

Use Host Code VTFXMJVH

Details found here