Picture-a-Month mini book by Julie

Hi everyone!  Today I'd like to share a little mini book I did that was both super fun to make AND really, really hard for me.  First, the really fun part...the cover.

This is a 5.5" x 7" chipboard book.  You could use whatever size you have on hand...I just kept it a little smaller because the idea behind the book is to add one photo per month.

First, I painted the album...except for the front and inside covers...which I covered with paper.

I used Now & Then: Collage for the front, and Floral for the inside covers.

I used lots of Now & Then die cuts, stickers & chipboard pieces on the front.  I had found a pair of really cool vintage earrings at the thrift store...and I wanted to use one as my flower center.

I paint spattered my flower layers.  A handy way to do this is with an old toothbrush.  Just dip the bristles in a little bit of paint, and use your thumb to spatter the paint.  (This requires a teeny bit of practice.  Maybe the first time you try, don't use your actual project...and make sure your cats are nowhere close by.)

I have to tell you.  Mini book covers are my favorite thing to make.  The inner pages are harder sometimes.  And THESE inner pages were just awful!  AWFUL!

Wanna know why?

Because I had to leave them simple.

I want to add a photo for each month next year.  And if I embellished the heck out of the pages, there'd be no room left for the picture.  So I purposefully left them simple.

Oh my gosh.  Seriously.  I can't stand it.  Poor little big fat bird is just SCREAMING for some doo dads. 

This is killing me.

My only comfort is knowing that next January, as soon as the photo is down...it will be sparkly and dooded up. 

February and March.  I used the chipboard month pieces for each page, along with some stickers and die cut pieces.

See?  I couldn't help it.  I added a little more on these pages.

I chose a patterned paper from the Now & Then collection that went along with each month...and TRIED not to add too much.  :)

Can't wait to add pictures next year!

my blog :)