New Paper Bag Album

Just finished a new paper bag album for a swap over at swap.bot. The theme was "nature". I used 2 bags split down the gusset and covered with card stock to form pockets. A third bag with handles was also split along the gusset and added to make the cover. You can see my inspiration in the background of the picture (the side yard between our log cabin and Spider Creek that runs through our property).

There are four large pockets formed with the split bags and additional smaller pockets that hold tags.

This is the first spread in the album. I used the Tim Hotlz bird cage die cut along with lots of different flowers and leaves mostly punched using McGill punches.

A close-up of the bird cage page. I really like the way it turned out. This was the first time I'd tried using so many different small pieces on one page. Some Stickles add a little shine & glitz.

The next spread shows the smaller pockets and embellished tags. The butterfly is a Sizzix die featuring a solid butterfly and a matching one with cut-outs. I left the cut-out wings free to give the image some dimension.

A close-up of some of my tags. I cut them out using a Tim Holtx die cut - love the size - just right for a small photo and some journaling. I created mats using Spellbinders Nestabilities, and left the backs of the tags plain for more photos or journaling. The small butterfly is a punch I've had for ever. I think it came from Hobby Lobby and was made by the Paper Studio.

I used Spellbinders Nestabilities again to cut a mat for the page. I embellished it with more punched flowers and a little glitz from the Stickles.

Large rectangular tags slip inside the bag pockets and are simply embellished with a paper mat and silk flower accented with a bit of Stickles and a pearl button. This gives a nice space for some 4" X 6" pictures.



I hope my swap partner will enjoy adding her special photos and memories as much as I enjoyed making it! Thanks for stopping by - take care until next time.

Tag Pictures

Hi everyone!
I'm posting pictures of the tags in the Persnickety #3 album. Just wanted you guys to see how we've done the interior tags for the large bag pockets and the cute tags we cut using the Spellbinders Nestabilities Label #14.

The first tag in the album is made using a vintage reproduction of a lovely lady. Her picture can be left as is or your favorite image could be mounted on the 3 1/2" X 4 1/2" tag. The back has a journaling stamp in StazOn Timber Brown. Two different sizes of the Nestabilities Label #14 were cut and distressed using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tattered Rose. A journaling stamp in French was applied to the smaller label using Timber Brown.

The page on the right of the two-page spread was embellished with a Sizzix Bigz Die - Flourish, Floral w/Leaves. I thought the black flourish gave the page a classic look.

The next spread shows two of the tags designed for the bag pockets. The tag on the left is embellished with a hand-cut boarder using the Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch. Two tags from the Spellbinder's Shapeabilities Blossom Tags and Accents were distressed using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Soot and layered along with a straight paper band. The flower was hand punched, layered and accented with a dot of Stickles. The tag on the right features a pocket with a tag cut using Label #14. An image of the Eiffel Tower is stamped using Timber Brown. Label #14 was used in two different sizes along with a simple straight band to embellish the page. All were distressed using the Soot ink.

There is so much more to setting up an Etsy shop than I ever imagined. I think Katie and I are almost ready to post our first paper bag album for sale. Trying to figure out shipping, taxes and shop policies has been an education in itself! Keep watching for the big announcement! 'till next time - Ann & Katie

Sneak Peek!

I'm doing something a little scary - posting pictures of a piece in progress. This is the album I've been talking about using a 12" x 12" piece of card stock folded and glued instead of a paper bag with card stock on it. The fold creates a pocket for more tags and you guys know how I LOVE tags! I'm also trying a little different approach to assembling my book. I'm still using the hinge with a quarter inch gutter to give lots of room for embellishments, but I'm gluing it inside the pocket (formerly the paper bag), before closing the paper to form the pocket. Clear as mud???? I'm planning some youtube instructional videos soon and I'll show how I'm doing this.

Even without the cover, the bound edge looks clean and neat. The picture showing the pocket isn't as expressive as I had hoped, but hopefully, you can see where the pockets are.

I'm also adding fold-out pages, connected with simple folded hinges without any gutter. I'm using a Martha Stewart edge punch to add a little pizazz. These photos show one spread as all the pages are opened.

Of course the pictures didn't load in order, but you get the idea.Some day I'll take the time to learn more about uploading pictures. For now, I'm enjoying creating too much!

I'd love some feed-back on this album. As a work-in-progress I can always use some constructive criticism. I'd like to list some mini albums using this construction in Katie's & my Etsy shop. Any suggestions? Would you be interested in an album that is constructed like this? If not, what would make it more appealing? What colors/themes might look good in this style album? You guys are my "finger on the pulse" of the art-buying world :) Thanks for stopping by!

Paper Bag Albums

I just had to share pictures of the paper bag albums my daughter & I have been making. She & I worked on the design details together, then we created three more using the same paper pack (Persnickety by the Paper Studio - Hobby Lobby) along with some black, white & maroon solid cardstock from an unknown company - I buy things everywhere - if it doesn't have a name on it, I'm just out-of-luck

We used six white paper bags (lunch bag size) to create the base of each album, giving lots of space for pictures & journaling.

Each of the six big pockets hold a tag that measures 5 1/4" X 6". They are designed to be used as-is by folks that don't scrapbook (or want a hand crafted gift but don't have time to create) as well as leaving plenty of space for you scrapbookers to personalize the album with treasures from your stash!

Thirteen smaller tags are tucked invitingly under belly bands and in pockets. Two are even hiding inside a pocket on one of the large tags. Many edges are delightfully shaped along one side with the Martha Stewart Doily Lace Edge Punch. When we were designing this album the papers just screamed "Paris!" So we allowed the album to sweep us away as it grew a personality of its own. You'll find stamps of the Eifel Tower, reproduction prints (from public domain sources) including lovely ladies and old-fashioned postcards. Paper flowers adorn some of the pages. These were hand punched from coordinating paper, layered and distressed using Tim Holtz Destress Inks. Stickles, glimmer mist and vintage buttons add to the album's charm.
The cover was created using heavy mat board for a strong, lasting cover that will protect your precious memories for many years to come. Ribbon and silk flowers with a vintage button center form the closure.

One of these albums would be a perfect gift for someone special, yourself included! There are only four available. The outside covers are the only difference, the interiors are as identical as any hand created piece of paper art can be.

Persnickety #1 features a brown binding with intersecting lighter lines forming squares. The flower closure was created with a green base topped with a hot pink blossom sporting fun navy spots and a vintage pearl button.

Persnickety # 2 sports the same brown binding as #1. The flower that adorns this album has a green base topped with two layers of soft mauve petals and a vintage pearl button closure.

Persnickety # 3 has a lovely dark brown binding with tiny pink polka dots. A beautiful green base along with two layers of hot pink petals accented with the fun navy dots and yet another vintage pearl button create the lovely closure on this album.

Persnickety # 4 has the same lovely binding as featured on #3. The flower closure adorning this album has a green base topped with a single soft mauve blossom and vintage button. I'm having difficulty getting a picture of # 4 to download. With my luck I'll publish this post only to have a half-dozen copies that I'll have to try to edit out!

The buttons on these albums came from my grandmother's button box that I played with as a young girl many years ago. I've decided it's better to get them out and use them where their old fashioned charm can be shared than to leave them on the shelf in an old tea biscuit tin. I am saving some for my grand daughter who loves to play with grandma's buttons as much as I once did. I'm setting up an ETSY store to sell these albums. I'll post the url for it soon, so check back!