Be Inspired: A Mixed Media Mini

For the month of April, Pink Paislee is hosting a

CRAFT-N-CONNECT EVENT

where fans can get involved with the Color Crush Challenge

and a chance to win a $100 Prize Pack!

--Check out the details here-- 
The Design Team has been given a 'free-for-all' theme for the month;
you'll be delighted to see all types of projects made with all sorts of Pink Paislee goodies!
In conjunction with the projects, you will also learn some fun facts about the team members.

 I wanted to share the kind words that Rebecca Cross posted with my project today:

“Today we get to introduce you to Shellye McDaniel who is also another new member of our team for 2013. We were totally wowed last year when we saw Shellye’s City Sidewalks Canvas project and she immediately got our attention!  Her style is colorful, whimsical and she has a way of making every project look absolutely perfect.  I am also seriously impressed with her paper sewing skills and the way she makes everything look 3-D. I love admiring all of her dimension and well….perfection!  Shellye represents several other manufactures like us but we always get the feeling she only works with us which is a talent in and of itself!  We don’t mind sharing her talents and we are just so thankful to have her creative and colorful style on the team.  Thank you Shellye for always being so cheerful, enthusiastic and eager to show us new ways to use Pink Paislee products. If you ever want to show me how to sew on paper my door is open! – Rebecca”

 With each Design Team's posting day, Rebecca has written something special about 

each person.  I can truly say that reading it made me teary eyed :)

I love the special touch that this gave to every individual and I've learned quite a bit about

my fellow team members along the way!

For my Craft-N-Create project, I chose a paper bag album.  But this is a little different than the paper bag albums that I did years ago...this one adds just a little something extra to make it even more fun.

While away at a scrap retreat I was introduced to a very fun and unusual style of mini album.  

I thought to myself “I could do that by mixing this with that and that with that.”  In the end I brought together flat brown paper sacks (5×8) (from Curtsey Boutique @ Etsy) and manila coin envelopes (3.25 x 6).

 I layered the two together and alternated the pieces so that the album would have an open end, closed end, open end, etc.; fold each piece in half and group together.  Next I wrapped a 6″ doily around the spine so that it would show on both front and back covers; add a bit of adhesive to hold in place.  Finally, I machine-stitched down the center.  I spritzed a little of the Chartreuse Color Shine over the front cover and then began to decorate with all sorts of elements from the Cottage Farms and She-Art Collections.

 The glittered butterfly from the Hope Chest Collection made such a nice addition too!

 

 When designing a mini album, I always start with the focal point of the cover…something that will make a nice statement and pull the viewer in.  Once I have decided on that, I begin layering and clustering small embellishments, tags and tabs that can be tucked in, as well as raised up on foam dots.  I really enjoyed using several dies and punches to create unique flowers and vines from the Cottage Farms papers.  

And they say that good design includes a pop of black, so I rubbed on a couple of borders from 

Christy Tomlinson’s She-Art rub-ons.

 For the coin envelope pockets, I tucked in a standard shipping tag that I had stamped and distressed.  

I just love the staggered look that this creates, plus it’s functional.  The 6×6 paper pack came in so handy when I set out to prepare the inner-pages of the album.

 For each page, I used a journal card for the small photo mat or as a spot for journaling.  

The beautiful butterfly motif on each card really does the work for you…just add a button, 

a sticker or some rub-ons and you’re done.

 

 And don’t forget all of those fun Artisan pieces that can be colored to match your theme!  The Chartreuse Color Shine brought life to the chipboard arrow…the green matches perfectly.

In the end, this little mini makes a big statement!  It may look hard to make, but it’s quite easy.  Let pre-cut pieces and journal cards do the work.  And keep in mind that you will want just a few chunky embellishments so that the album will close easily and lay as flat as possible.  Make it shabby or keep it clean-and-simple…the possibilities are limitless!

So, don't forget...the Color Crush Challenge ends April 30th...I hope that you can play along :)

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