Andorra Mini Album

This project actually started out as a layout and then eventually evolved into a mini album! It documents our day in the micro country of Andorra and I used my Truly Grateful collection.

Here is a video of me talking & flipping through this mini album:

So how did this start out as a layout? I used my Textures Background Stencil cut file which has a 3x3 grid of different patterns - 9 designs total - and scraped white modeling paste through each section onto a sheet of smooth white cardstock. Then I used Altenew ink sprays to color each of the 9 sections. I fully intended to use this as a layout background, but it was just too bright and colorful which I didn't think was possible lol. I set the background aside and it sat under a pile of layouts for many months. As I was cleaning up about a week ago I came across the background and had a burst of inspiration to cut it up into circles and turn it into a mini album! I'm so glad I didn't throw it away! Here is a photo of the circles and patterned paper pockets stitched in place:
The finished pages:

One of the last things I did for the album was create a rainbow of mini patterned paper tassels - you can watch the tutorial for making them HERE. I looped the tassels onto a rainbow of ribbons from my stash and tied them onto the binder ring holding the album together for a fun and eclectic finishing touch.

For the cover, I used the mini version of the rainbow Paper 08 found in the 6x8 Paper Pad and cut it to the same size circle I had cut the rest of the circles into - a little smaller than 4" across. I found coordinating colors of floss and hand stitched between each segment for texture. I painted one of the wood veneer hearts found in the Mixed Embellishments with white acrylic paint and used a glue dot to attach it to the center. The "ANDORRA" title is made with Thickers and I added a flower (either from the Floral Die Cuts or fussy cut from Paper 15) above the letters. I bought a grommet set off ebay (oh how I wish I had saved all my eyelets from back in the day!) and attached one to each page through which I added the binder ring. The metal grommets keep the pages from tearing. I glued white ric rac around the back edge and then machine stitched around the edges.

I only decorated the back of two pages in the album - this first one has journaling which I copied and pasted from our blog post recap of Andorra, changed the font to Remington Noiseless, sized it to point 8, printed it out, trimmed it into strips, and adhered them in place with liquid glue. A little heart Puffy Sticker at the top finishes this simple page.

This album came together super quickly and easily with the tone-on-tone technique! I grabbed embellishments to match the color of the mixed media background and went to town. But first, I turned all 9 round mixed media pages into pockets: I found coordinating colors of patterned papers from Truly Grateful, cut them into same-sized semi-circles, and machine stitched around the edges with a similar color of thread. I placed the semi circles onto the mixed media circles at different angles and stitched around the circle which completed the pocket. Some pages are more interactive and the photo/s comes out of the pocket like so:

On this page the 2" photo is glued onto the background. I have a tutorial showing how I create and print mini photos HERE. Since the background was mint I found lots of mint embellishments that I thought fit the page.

Again this photo is glued onto the background so it's not interactive, but the pocket is there! I added more journaling strips to tell the story of our adventure. I used a whole bunch of different blue embellishments: a Wooden Button, "Magic", a star, and a polka dot Epoxy Sticker, a flower and leaf from the Floral Die Cuts, and a bird Puffy Sticker.

Purple is the name of the game on this page!

There were a couple photos that I wanted to showcase so I trimmed two 4x6" photos into the 4" circles and stitched them back-to-back to insert into the album. I decorated the edge with flowers and such and stitched around the edge again.

I used a tab punch to help make pulling out the photos from the pockets a bit easier.

Couldn't help but make a sequin shaker page since there are coordinating sequins in the Mixed Embellishments! I trimmed a page protector into a circle and began stitching around the edge. Before going all the way around, I poured in the entire package of sequins and then finished stitching it closed. I added an Epoxy Sticker phrase on top.

I utilized the pocket on this page and tucked a photo into it. There wasn't any golden yellow on the mixed media background, but there was yellow in the photo so I added some golden elements to this page. You can see the hearts stenciled onto the background peeking through the embellishments.

Another pocket page! I was able to add three photos on this page - a tiny one on the right side and two square photos attached back-to-back tucked into the pocket. Along with lots of blue embellishments because the background mixed media was blue.

Here is another view with the other side of the photo that tucks into the pocket.

Pretty in pink! And purple :)

Here are the two photos that tuck into the pocket with patterned paper punched tabs at the top to help take them out and put them back in the pocket.

My biggest problem when making mini albums is needing more space to add all.the.photos. I take hundreds and hundreds of photos when traveling and it's really hard for me to narrow them down. So I created a little photo flaps page to insert into the album. I printed 1" photos and machine stitched across the top edges only so they bend up and underneath each photo I wrote a caption.

I sandwiched a piece of patterned paper trimmed with decorative scalloped scissors between the photo flap pages for interest and machine stitched around the edges to attach all the pieces together. Maybe one day I'll trim off all the excess thread ends, I know it drives some people crazy (sorry!), but I like the whimsy and unfinished look they add.  For now :)

On the last page I tucked a slightly larger photo of our family in Andorra into the pocket. We tried to take a family picture at every place we visited. The background was an aqua color so I added lots of aqua things. And done!

I loved making this spur-of-the-moment album for no real purpose other than I felt inspired to turn a flopped layout into a book! I'm glad I held onto the mixed media background instead of throwing it away like I initially wanted to when it wasn't turning into what I had envisioned initially.

I hope this project inspires you to create a round mini album with mixed media backgrounds, pockets, stitching, the tone-on-tone technique, tiny patterned paper tassels, and little photos using my Truly Grateful collection! :)

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you again tomorrow!

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper, embellishments, Thickers, stickers, sequins, wood veneer, wooden buttons: TRULY GRATEFUL; Embroidery floss: DMC; Die cut machine: Silhouette Cameo 3; white acrylic paint; white cardstock; modeling paste; Sewing machine: Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark; Font: Remington Noiseless; Stencil/cut file: Textures Background Stencil by Paige Evans