Mini Album Class Kit by Jodi Dolbel - Focus on the Action

Here is the full view of the album we are making.....

You can make this album in a few hours just by following some simple steps.....

The best way i find to make these albums

is to gather all your materials before you start.

The best way to do this

is to purchase the WHOLE KIT Here

Its been discounted to $50

and has everything you need to make this album

plus two additional layouts!!!

Just a few hints:

1. Don't commit yourself before you start on the album to the exact photos you want to use. This will slow the process down, trying to fit a photo into the scheme of things that just isn't going to work.
2. or, if there is a particular photo or two that you want to use, start with them first and then work the rest of the album around that photo.
3. There are a number of gorgeous Die Cuts with this kit.  Don't be afraid to cut them up!!
4. Flowers on boys pages are fine!! They can look really awesome and still blokey with the right papers and other embellies.  In this album i have drag racers and bull riders and I don't think having a flower on their pages takes anything away from its manliness!!!
5. Don't be afraid to have stuff sticking out of your album!!
6. DOnt be too concerned about finishing off a page before you move to the next. I always work on the whole album, not page to page.  I do each page at a minimum and then add things when i have the photos positioned and look at the album as a whole to see what else is needed.

So, shall we get started??

Along with your kit you will need:

1. Scalpel
2. Fast drying glue.  I use Helmar 450 Adhesive and have done for years! I love this stuff for making these albums!!!
3. Grey or Black Ink
4. Something to punch holes with
5. Sanding block or sand paper
6. Journal Pen
7. Thiskers, or some kind of smallish lettering for album name.

To Start:

I like to get all my pages covered first. Its much quicker to do the album this way and then we know what we have left to use as embellies.

REFER TO THE PHOTO OF EACH PAGE BELOW TO SEE WHICH PAPERS I HAVE USED. NOTES ON POSITIONING OF EACH PAPER WILL BE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THAT PAGE

• I used the paisley design on the cover. Run a line of glue around the outside of the album page, run glue around the circle and also around the hole for the "flash" and the holes for the rings.

Place the album page on the back of the paper.  Line it up at a corner and an edge so you have the most possible paper left to use for other purposes. Set aside to dry.

• Now go to the second album page and follow the same process.  I used the blue page with the writing. (See picture below).

If your using a paper that has some kind of design on it you might like to use on this page such as the bucking horse page, just move your album page around to make sure you get the whole design on the page.

Or if there is some kind of design on that paper, that you might like to cut out and use as an embellie, position your page around that.

• Do all the front album pages referring to the pictures below.
• When you have glued them all down, go back to the first page and using your scalpel, cut around the shape as close as you can get to the mdf. Cut the circle from the front cover and the flash section. Set these aside as i have used them as embellies later in the album.
• Also remember to cut the hole out for the rings. I use tweezers and put them through and wiggle it around to the circle looks ok.
• Sand all the edges so its all even
• Ink around the edges.

Now go back through and do the backs of the album pages following the same idea, and refering to the photos below.  This process should only take about an hour.

Cover:

Nb:  I didn't write down the exact name of each paper, so just work off the photo to know what to use for each page...

1. Using the awesome MME crepe paper ribbon, run a line of glue around the centre hole in the album cover and just fold the ribbon into place.  Scrunch it up a little as it will fall below the bottom of the album.
2. Position the photo you want to use on the second page so you can see where you can put embellies on the front so they wont be in the road of the photo.
3. I used some of the die cuts and positioned them around the circle. (Don't worry about the other things at that stage, we can go back to that)
4. I added some flowers to the die cut on the right and also added to title.
5. I inked around the piece removed from the "flash" and adhered that to the left under the title.

Cover Back:

1. Adhere a photo to the right of the whole in the front.
2. Adhere three smaller photos to the left of the whole.  If any of the photos go over the mdf, then mount that photo on patterned paper so that you see the paper and not the back of a photo.
3. I cut the top of one of the die cuts that says "The Best of" and then also cut the Forever banner out of another die cut and adhered them to the top of the page.
4. Select one of your MME flowers, ink around the edge and attach a green flower behind it and then adhere this to the page.
5. Journal.

Page 2 Front:

Nb:  This is the page that you will see through the front of the album, so your photo will already be positioned.

1. Add a film strip of smaller photos, mount them and adhere to page.
2. Adhere a half a large green flower behind the "sweet" die cut and adhere to the top of the page.  Place other flowers around this.  Add a MME flower.  Make sure you put some brads through each flower.
3. Adhere the other half of that green flower to the side of the film strip with a brad through it.
4. Journal.  (Add the flourish later)

Page 2 Back:

Nb: This is one of the pages where we have used the decoration on the paper as part of the page. So make sure when covering your pages adhere with the "Celebrate" to the left so you can place photos around it.

1. On this page i have added the piece cut from the front of the album. Ink around the edge and adhere.
2. I have also mounted both these photos on Patterned Paper as the bike photo is slightly over the mdf.
3. I have cut the decorative edge from one of the die cuts and adhered it below the celebrate.
4. Place brads through the flowers and adhere, and also add a MME flower.
5. I have placed a die cut over the green flower at the top and adhered to the top of the photos.
6. Journal.

Page 3 Front:

Nb: This is one of the pages where we have used the decoration on the paper as part of the page. So make sure when covering your pages adhere with the bucking horse to the left so you can place photos around it.

1. I have used some of the spare pieces of the paper with the ricrac edge and mounted one of the photos on a piece of that.
2. And i have inked the edges of other left over pieces and adhered the to the page where they will stick out from the photos.
3. Place a brad through the tag die cut and adhere to the page. Because this sticks out over the edge, you can mount it on PP or just run a heap of ink along the back of it.
4. Journal.

Page 3 Back:

1. I have mounted the photos on this page
2. I have also used one of the decorations on a piece of pp as an embellishment.
3. Adhere the cut out embellishment to the left of the page. Adhere your main photo over the top a little.
4. Adhere a film strip of smaller photos below it.
5. Adhere a die cut 
6. Add some flowers with brads.
7. Journal.

Page 4 Front:

  

1. Adhere the You and Me Die cut to the page.
2. I have tucked one of the cut off lost and found edges just under this die cut.
3. Adhere main photo.
4. Mount a film strip of smaller photos on PP as they stick out from the page.
5. Add some flowers to the page with brads.
6. Adhere a die cut circle to a green flower and adhere to page
7. Journal.

Page 4 Back:

1. Don't put anything on the back as i find it just gets ruined.  Just use the really glittery paper and it will be pretty enough on its own.

IMPORTANT:

Now just look at the album as a whole and see what else it might need.

• I have added some ribbons along the top through the flash whole and then run lengths of the twine around and around and tied a bit bulky knot.
• Place pages on the rings and tie ribbon around them.
• I have mounted the left over of the die cut where we cut the top of it and added some flowers and hung that from the rings on twine.
• Using your blue flourish, cut this into 4 section so they look like they were meant to be that way and add two to the front cover, one to page 2 and one to page 4.

So how does it look?

This should only take a few hours......

A perfect present for someone special!!

Now the layouts:

These are very simple designs used from the left overs:

Party:

1. Cut the banner from some of the left over paper.
2. Adhere three photos along the edge of the left over ricrac paper.
3. Place the die cut Party under the photos on the right.
4. Add some brads
5. Place some flowers on the bottom left.
6. Journal along the banner...
7. Done!!  A 30 minute layout!!!

Boy:

1.  Cut a length of left over paper about 2cm by 25 cm.  Journal around the edge and adhere to the right edge of layout about 2 cm in and centre vertically.
2. Cut another piece of left over paper about 23cm by 13cm. Punch an edge.
3. Adhere to layout about 1/2 cm from right edge and about 1 1/2cm from bottom edge.
4. Add the photos
5. and the Die cut title.
6. Add some flowers
7. Journal.

So there you have it, two layouts and a mini album  all in one day and for the bargain price of $50.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog class.

If you would like to see more, or something from another designer, please feel free to leave a comment and we will do our best to accommodate your wishes...

Thank you

Jodi