enJOY it

So, this was a lot of fun. Remember how I was going to work on it while on vacation? That didn't happen. Not even a little bit. But over the past week, I pieced it all together and am very happy with the result.

My goal was to add something interesting to every page and not phone it in. I usually skimp a bit on details, but this book is a pretty good mix. Some details, but still very true to my style. I used every page that comes with the summer books (except for the white card) and only added one extra piece of patterned paper (on the backside of the front cover).

Before I started, I pulled from my supplies the embellishments that I would be using. They were chosen based on color mostly. It helps me to get everything that could work out and in view or else it's never making it in. Every piece didn't make it in, but a lot of it. I also used my sewing machine & light teal thread to add lots of stitching.

I also spread out all the paper I had collected on the trip so I knew what I had to work with. I ended up using everything shown above except that photo booth strip. I decided to scan it in and manipulate it in PSE (as you'll see below) and I'll be framing the original to hang in my house.

I printed all my photos for the album as I went, depending on what size (eithger 4×6 or 2×3) that I "needed."

When I was sharing peeks on Instagram last week, I got a few requests to do a video walk-through of this album. It's been ages since I shared a video, so I decided to go for it. It's long (almost ten minutes) but it gets the book into "3D" and shares a bit more about my process and how I repeat the same stuff over and over to bring cohesion to my minibooks. I apologize in advance for the bedhead (this was supposed to be my trial run, but it worked out well enough so I went with it) and the garbage man that goes by (twice). I hope you find it helpful though!

palm springs minibook walk through from elise blaha on Vimeo.

Below are photos of all the pages. Please feel free to ask me questions in the comments!

I talk more about how I brought the book together in the video, but here are some main points.

• I create cohesion by using the same size photos – 4×6 that take up the photo page and 2×3, offset to the side of a patterned page.
• I use similar colored embellishments to keep things cohesive as well.
• I stitch around the edges of some pages to add extra detail.
• I wrap labels over the edge of the page because I feel like it "grounds" them better and gives them a place.
• I love stuff sticking out the edges of the book. (This is why I sell them with the scalloped card and manilla tab card!)
• I used the envelope to hold our hotel bill. Someday in the future I'm sure I'll love to know what we spent on this trip.

Buy your own summer book (and then fancy it up all summer or on a trip) here.

Supplies used in addition to the summer book : American Crafts patterned paper, Freckled Fawn and Target washi tape, Elise Joy rubber stamps, Staz-On stamp ink, American Crafts chipboard frames, Studio Calico wood vaneer shapes, labels by Paper Source & Avery + Martha Stewart, flair buttons by Ormolu, American Crafts & Marcy Penner, ribbon by Paper Source & American Crafts, page flaps and tabs by Ormolu & BananaFishStudio, Crate & Barrel mesh star, Smash clips, Office Depot shaped paper clips.

This is project 6 of 27. I am attempting to complete 27 craft projects using 27 different materials before I turn 28 on 02.22.13. You can follow my progress here on the blog or on pinterest. Birthday challenges are my favorite. You can see the 26 Projects I completed while 26 here and the 27 materials I have used so far here.