Artbooking Made Easy: Top Secret Mini Albums

I have always loved any way of preserving memories, and keeping a journal is certainly one of the best ways to make precious memories last. But for many of us, journaling began back in the days of diaries that had a lock and a key in order to protect the secrets hidden within. Keeping secrets seemed so important as a child! But the secret is out on today’s episode of Artbooking Made Easy, which features the top secret mini album keys on pages 42 and 43 of the Artbooking booklet.  

There are so many good ideas here to inspire you when working on your own projects! All of these techniques can be altered and adapted to fit your skill level and your specific projects.

Let’s first take a look at the “I Adore You” page. Even though the keys are designed for a mini album, you can still use them on any layout. Here, for example, the folder cutouts from page 42 become perfect photo mats. They were just scaled down to 6 ½" using the Real Dial Size, and then cut in half where they would normally have been folded to make a folder.

This alphabet overlay is adorable just by itself, but Carlie showed us how it was incorporated into the title of the page by cutting out the overlay in several different colors and then using the letters to create the "I Adore You" title. Contrasting colors can create really eye-catching details. The layering technique was also used on the “approved” stamp. Layering different colors gives it a whole new dimension!

My favorite element on this page is definitely the ruffles placed underneath the word “adore.” This is such a terrific technique that can add more dimension to your projects. To create these ruffles, all you need is a bone folder for those precise folds. For the red ruffle, score your paper at every ¾" and every ¼". You could use either glue or, like you see here, machine stitching to keep it folded down together. To make the yellow accordion ruffle, you just score the paper every ¼".  These ruffles would be a great way to dress up any project!

Notice also how the artist has added a fun detail in the hand stitching around the edges with these chevron arrows. With the stitching guide, it’s simple to do running stitches or zigzag stitches, but let your creative juices flow and see what other stitching patterns you can create.

Now, speaking of diaries, this mini album is the perfect size to document a personal journey, a favorite vacation, or just life’s everyday details.

As Carlie showed us in the video, this little pocket on the front cover is found in the top secret keys, and it’s the perfect place to tuck away all those items that you don’t want seen. Throughout this mini album, different pockets and pouches found on these keys were used to store movie stubs, concert tickets, and other sentimental mementos.  

I can’t get enough of embossed paper! (Which reminds me, there are only a few days left for our February “Embossing is Boss” promotion!) It adds just the right amount of detail to otherwise plain paper and requires hardly any work at all. But always remember, to avoid tearing or warping the paper when embossing, load the paper with the grain and not against it into the embossing folder and make sure that the width of your paper doesn't exceed the edges of the folder.

This simple technique always catches my attention! Here, the artist first stamped the letters from the Framework Alphabet stamp set with the pigment inks. You’ll want to use the pigment inks for this technique because although they require a bit more drying time, they are thicker than the regular stamp pads and won’t smear when you use the blending pen overtop. Once the ink is completely dry (you can heat set it to speed up the process if you'd like), use the blending pen to fill in the color from bottom to top. You want to start with the lightest color and then go over it with darker colors to create this fun ombre effect. Try experimenting with different stamps and ink colors and see what you can come up with!

I love the elements on this page. One of the overlays on page 42 is shaped like a page out of a notebook, and one of the stamps that comes with the Artbooking Collection (My Acrylix^™ Take Note) includes the notebook-page lines for a 4" cutout. There are two different overlay cutouts, one cut at 4" and one at 5 ¼", Real Dial Size. The top one was stamped with the notebook lines and used as a journaling card. The bottom one was stamped with a mini stamp and used as a background piece. It goes to show that you can use the same shape in different sizes and colors together to create a unique, eye-catching page.

I hope something on one of these two pieces of artwork has inspired you. Now go and take that inspiration and incorporate it into whatever you’re working on right now! And if you don’t have the Artbooking cartridge yet, here’s your chance! Leave a comment here, on YouTube, or on our Facebook page about the best secret you’ve ever kept—a surprise, an announcement, or just some good news—for a chance to win your own Artbooking cartridge! I’ll announce the winner next Monday.

Recipes

My Life Mini Album:

Z1906 Cricut^® Artbooking Collection (cutouts and stamps)

C1575 My Acrylix^™  True to Life

D1572 My Acrylix^™ My Life

D1580 My Acrylix^™ Catch You Later

M1026 My Acrylix^™ Dotted Love

E1027 My Acrylix^™ Framework Alphabet

C1581 My Acrylix^™ Inspiration Flourishes

C1574 My Acrylix^™ Believe in Yourself

X7177B Skylark Paper Packet

Z1849 Bronze Shimmer Trim

Z1853 Aqua Dots

Z1918 Teal Shimmer Trim

Z1921 Baker’s Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment

Z1925 Chevron Embossing Folder

Z1928 Durables Triangle Studs

Z1933 Ruby Chevron Washi Tape

Z1934 Flamingo Dots

3174 Blending Pen

Colors used: Lagoon, Colonial White, Sweet Leaf, Juniper, Smoothie, Outdoor Denim, Blush, Chocolate, Desert Sand, kraft

I Adore You Page:

Z1906 Cricut^® Artbooking Collection

D1574 My Acrylix^™ Take Note

B1431 My Acrylix^™ Reel Life

C1575 My Acrylix^™ Labels

X7181B Jubilee Paper Packet

Z1921 Baker’s Twine Neutral Metallic Assortment

Z1931 Honey Triangles Washi Tape

Z1806 Green & Blue Epoxy Bubbles

Z1753 Sparkles Brown & Tan Assortment

Z1852 Stitch Guide

Z1204 Bone Folder

Colors used: Topiary, White Daisy, Cocoa, Honey, Cranberry, Indian Corn Blue