Two Carta Bella Mini Albums - Well Traveled & Traditions

These are two similar mini albums that I created with the idea of building a kit or a class.  I used the Carta Bella paper because I liked the vintage look and it came in full sets that I could play with.  I left the embellishments fairly simple.

I used alot of similar techniques and concepts on both albums.  The main difference is that while I used the Cricut and other machines for my techniques on the Well Traveled album, I just used my trimmer and score board on the Traditions album.  As you will see the same basic effect can be achieved.

Well Traveled Mini Album-
This album is sized at 6 x 8. For both the front and back cover I trimmed four inches off the bottom to make it 12 x 8. Then by scoring, folding and gluing it in half  it became a 6 x 8 cover.  (I always keep the trimmed parts to make into pockets or mini stacks in the album.  Once I had the cover made I took the letter stickers and heat embossed them with Stampendous Aged copper embossing powder.  To do this I presses each letter onto a Versamark (or other glue) pad and then into a small bowl of the powder.  I used tweezers to hold the letters and  my heat gun to melt the powder.  Some of the orginal color does show through, but I think this makes it look more vintage.  I added a little more interest by tracing over some of the lines on the paper with a copper colored pen and added one of the kit's stickers behind the text.

When you open the cover you can see all the layers and shaped edges I made with the Cricut.  I mainly used the Artiste and Mini Albums cartridges.  I welded the shapes together in Cricut Craft Room so they were the widths and heights that would create this layered effect.  Once I had the pieces cut out I scored them and folded them in half.

 

 After the first layered sections, there are two small file folders that were cut on the Cricut. For these I used plain colored cream and black cardstocks.  They are decorated with the Well Traveled alphabet stickers.  Behind the folders is another page that was trimmed and folded like the cover, but was not glued together, and a pocket was added to the inside.

The next set of pages were made with Core'dinations paper. I welded the pocket watch and gear shapes together in Cricut Craft Room and cut them on the sand-able paper. I then carefully scored the paper so it folded in half. I then used my big shot and largest embossing folder (it still had to go through twice) to emboss the pocket watch half.  Once it was embossed I sanded the paper to reveal the pattern.  Behind the pocket watch is a full page sized file folder cut on the Cricut. Inside the folder is a layered mini stack of paper.

On the inside back cover there is a small envelope cut by the Cricut on cream stock.  The back cover is trimmed folded and glued just like the front.  I really enjoyed making this album and figuring out some new (to me) techniques for making a mini book with the Cricut and some other tools.  When all the pages were folded and I decided on an order for binding, I punched each page seperately on the Cinch (including the smaller items like folders) and bound them with a 1 inch wire.

Traditions Mini Album-
This album is sized at 6 x 9. I used the same technique of folding the page in half I did on the Well Traveled book, but this time I only trimmed three inches off the bottom. On the front I added a title with the matching Carta Bella Traditions alphabet stickers.  In the upper left I added some Basic Grey rub on / bling that I thought worked well with the paper.  I also added some additional flower stickers from the kit.

When you open the book there is a small file folder made with a Basic Grey paper I thought would look good with the Traditions line.  To make the folder I traced a pattern on the edge to make the tab shape that sticks out (and reversed it on other side.) I then hand cut the design. I used my trimmer to keep the edges as even as possible and rounded the corners with a corner punch.  I may not be perfectly symmetrical or lined up on edge. But I like the charm of seeing a bit of the dark red peek through. 

To try and capture a layered look on the first album I cut a single sheet to be about 3.5 x 9 and rounded the non bound edges with my punch.  I then cut about an inch off one end of the folded pages behind it and rounded the corners.  Cutting one side of the folded page shorter reveals the back side of the pattern paper.  This technique could create many more layers.  I added another of the Basic Grey rub on/bling to the yellow page.

I also added mini envelopes. Only this time I made them with my scoreboard (I use the Martha Stewart one) and the envelope attachment.  To add interest, I left one of the sides open instead of the top (or usual side.)  This made a tall thin envelope which I think layers well with the smaller traditional shaped envelope.

 This is a second section of the Traditions album where I created a layered effect. Here I used the 6x6 pad and trimmed three sheets progressively smaller.  I like how the six inch height centers on the page behind it.  This technique looks nice as you flip the pages too.

On the back cover I added a layered mini stack using Bo Bunny Dot paper and some of the new Splash of Color paper.  This time i used brads to attach the stack.  After I had all my pieces I played around with order until I was happy and bound it with the Cinch

I am really glad I gave myself this "challenge."  Its nice to know that I can still enjoy making something pretty with out power or special tools. Al though I think I will hold on to my tools for now.

Materials used:
Cricut Cartridges: Artiste, Mini Albums
Papers:Carta Bella Well Traveled & Traditions, Bo Bunny double dots, Splash of Color, Basic Grey
Inks/Glitters/Paints: Colorbox creamy brown chalk for edging
Other: Basic Grey rub-on/bling