Mini albums

I had taken some pictures of our girls day out at Busch Gardens and decided to use Joan's (Paperlicious)

take on a mini album. We got together last night for dinner and I had two of them for prizes!

This is the smaller one. I wish you could see it IRL - upon completion of the tag I sprayed it with a home made sparkly silver mist. the tag is the top of the belly band that holds the album closed.

 The girls just loved both the albums and I am sure to be making more.

I did not go to the store and purchase coin envelopes or tags---I made my own.

Details will be at the end of this LONG post!

Now for the bigger one--just wait more pics as you scroll down!

OK, so the Wild Things are not US -- it's all the animals that we saw that day!!!!

This is Frank one of the chimpanzees. He is fifteen years old!

There was a female in there also, Patsy, she was forty-eight years old!

We saw hippos, ostriches, zebras, water buffalo, alligators, elephants,  kangaroos, wallabies, an albino kangaroo, flamingos, rhinos, chimps, an ice show (skating), and a Cirque de Soliel
like performance that was awesome!
Back to the albums!!!!!!

On the smaller book I used No. 10 envelopes and cut them to 3 1/4 x 4" and sewed the side openings closed. You should get three 'pockets' from each envelope.
This smaller mini measures 3 1/2 x 4 1/2" with 1/4" deep ends.
I did not have any coin envelopes and made my own little pockets. The book covers were also stitched, obviously before I adhered the pockets into them.
For a complete tutorial Joan sent me to a video from Paper Wishes...HERE.
I used some green ric rac that was literally laying around (on my desk).
My tags were made from SU Natural Ivory---2 3/8 x 4 1/2, then stamped with some WMS stamps,
and a reinforced ring to make them look like a real tags!
On the larger book--

I used regular envelopes No. 6 3/4 that measure 6 1/2 x 3 5/8", sealed them and cut the one end off to measure 4 x 3 5/8" and sponged all edges on both sides with Weathered Wood.
This album measures 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" with 1/4" deep on both ends for room for the envelopes and tags.
Both albums took 11" belly bands to hold them closed.
I made sour cream containers and inserted a ticket into each one. My friends picked their own container and then one of them picked and a winner was born...second album...ditto the first...and two winners!!

They each kept the containers to hang on their trees! I left them simple for two three (or four five good) reasons. One: I never dreamed they'd keep them and why personalize them if the tickets were in there. Two: I simply ran out of time.
My DSK had come over and I grabbed the opportunity to have him help me get some Christmas storage containers down and that led to cleaning out the garage which took time away from the party planning treats!
My friends loved them in the end and that was all that mattered!
I made chocolate covered Oreos for one of our desserts and quite honestly that took longer than I had planned, too!
A big thank you to my friends that support my joyful paper crafting habit  by simply loving the things that I make them.
Thanks for coming by and
I hope that every one is having a very safe and happy holiday!

RX

STAMPS: WMS, Verve, Inkadinkado, SU French Script

PAPER: SU

INK: Distress Ink refills for the MC label, gold, Cajun Craze, Sage Shadow, True Thyme, Soft Suede

          Handsome Hunter, Pallette Noir, shimmery mist in silver, Black Soot, Ant. Linen, Tea Dye

TOOLS: Verve's Cut Above Scalloped Tag, sewing machine,  1/4" and 1/2" hole punches, Cuttlebug for the 

           dies, SU Embosslit 'Stem", stapler, craft mat, 1" hole punch, Tim Holtz foam applicators

INCIDENTALS: ribbon, brads, mesh for the gold dots, tickets, silver heart charm, floral wire, ric rac,

          envelopes, cotton off two Q-tips, assorted eyelets

We had great fun at Busch Gardens and a marvelous time at our Christmas party!