What are Albums, Mini Books, Folios, and Journals

(c) 2015 P.Lynne Designs
A mini book I created in 2012

(Warning:  The following activity may cause you to cry in happiness, do lots of ahhs and oohs, joys of laughter, and may spark that part of your brain that has not been active since you were a child.  Proceed with happiness. J )

Hello,

I am starting to make more mini books and journals.  I think they are fun and can be as interactive as you make them.  Today, before I give you what is called a cross posting of journaling, both from a writer’s view and a scrapbooker’s view, I want to give you an overview of the differences between all these books.  

First of all, I think it is important that you know the difference of these books (also called scrapbooks) in terms of size, content, and elements in each of these books, so you can determine for yourself if you want to make more of a traditional style album, or an interactive one.

What is it?

A traditional photo album (TPA) is just that.  Think of your parent’s photo albums.  They are commercially made, and only come in a handful of sizes.  Back in the 1970’s, magnetic albums were introduced, but the only problem is after 20 years, the photos start deteriorating.  Today, magnetic albums are just as safe in preserving photos as the others by using paper that is photo safe.  The only thing you can do on a TPA is look at photos, that’s it.  There is some reading involved (journaling) but that is it. 

A mini book is usually handmade, with some interaction.  In fact a mini book, folios, and journals all run in the same category, which is homemade.  All of these terms can be used interchangeably and they basically mean the same, a photo book of your memories.

Size:

Size does matter with photo books (which what I am going to call them throughout this post).  For your TPA, you can use any size to be considered a TPA.  For mini books, a tiny book to an 8 x 8 album is considered a mini book.  A folio and a journal is larger than 8 x 8, but no bigger than 12 x 12.   So the sizes in all of these albums do overlap.

Contents:

Of course, there are photos involved, as well as journaling, and I will go more into depth on the journaling part in a separate post (as a crossover post with my other blog, My Ambiance Life).  In a TPA, the photos are arranged in either a photo protector page with no embellishments or in a layout page with embellishments. 

The other books have interactive pages.  You can make a pocket, flip up or down, waterfall (which is basically a different take on the flip page), a book within a book, and pull out pages for starters.

Themes and types of books

To me, all photo books need to have a theme, even if it just the year in which the photos were taken.   With TPA, people are use to the fact of just throwing photos in an album, no chronological, personal, or theme, but I want to challenge you to this:  Try at least putting your photos in chronological order by year, you do not have to go by month and year, unless you do a timeline of events.  Also with any photo book, you can make the following types of books (in both a TPA and homemade)

·         Smash book- add pictures, event tickets, a label from a soda you drunk in a different city or country, a card from a dear friend, a lock of hair from your baby’s first haircut, just about anything.

·         Baby book-highlights from birth to the first or second birthday.

·         Travel adventures-highlights from a cruise, family trip, or country exploring trip.

·         Event book-highlights from your event from start (planning stage) to finish (the fun times)

·         College years

·         School years- from preschool to graduating from high school

·         Wedding book

·         Adoption book (also called a life book)

·         House book- highlight from start (planning stages) to finish of a remodel or house hunting

·         Spiritual Journey book-from baptism or acceptance into your journey and your walk with God, including moments of clarity and understanding. (Can also highlight pages from your written journal, if you like)

·         Business book-highlight moments of your business, from making the decision to have one to making your first dollar.

There are many, many more themes I could have placed in this post, but these are the ones I have seen and done.  I am currently working one for a friend of the family, whose matriarch is 105 years old (also a friend of the family, who I consider my grandmother), so this is a very special album to me.

Creativity

I place this last, because it does not matter rather you place pictures inside a traditional photo album, or create a paper bag album, and you can be as creative as you want to be.  I used to hear this all the time when I worked at Archiver’s, a Memory Store, the words, “But I do not know how to scrapbook.”  The next words that came out of my mouth were, “you can put photos in a photo sleeve”, then I would instruct them on what products they need to make the book.  Scrapbooks, photo books, and others do not have to be fancy, just orderly.  You can go online and copy a simple layout, as long as you use the layouts for personal use only.  I even invite my readers to copy a look I have, as long as you abide by my copyright rules.  If you decide to do that, please give credit where credit is due, and ask permission first if you wish to mention the look you have recreated.  I do not mind and I am sure other designers do not mind as well.  I always acknowledge the original designer when I am stuck on a design.

I hope you try to make an album from scratch.  For me, it is very therapeutic, and you exercise the muscles in your brain that very few adults use after the age of 20.    

My Prayers have been answered....

cricut cartridges (Photo credit: MattandAshley)

At least as far as Cricut is concern.  Friday, I dragged my mom out to go with me to look for a paper storage item at Jo-Ann's.  They also had cartridges on sale.  So we go in, and I started looking for the paper storage unit.  Found it.  Next, I went over to the Cricut section with mom following behind with the cart.  I wanted one of two carts: Elegant Edges or Mini-books.
Elegant Edges is this cart that somewhat resembles Storybook with shapes and edging.  what makes it different from Storybook (which btw is an older cartridge and I adore very much) is some straight edging (some call it bordering). Elegant Edging is a full cartridge, which means it had more than 50 images to choose from (see my last post for further details).  Mini-books is a project cartridge, which means that all the images tie in together to make a project, in this case, a mini-book.  I have been looking to step up my game in this area of my creativity, even though I have made several books already, all different sizes, shapes, and types, I have not made any of the ones Cricut suggests to cut out with the machine.  It would be interesting, because I have one due to go into the mail next week, and I do not like the current one I am making for my mini-book partner.  Monday, I am firing up one of three machines, cutting the book of my choosing.
Oops, I made a big Boo-boo.  Here is where I was supposed to tell you which cartridge I chose to buy, and by now, you may have guessed the Mini-Book Project Cartridge.  Well I can always get the Elegant Edges one later, especially since Mike's (My nickname for Michael's Arts and Crafts) and Jo-ann's have a sale on them every other week.
Anyway, I will take pictures of the new one when I am finished it.  Meanwhile, have a blessed Sunday.

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• Just in time for Black Friday-Cricut

New Project: Mini book

I have been a busy woman this week.  I made a mini book that was truly a mini book.  It is now in the hands of the person who won it.
A couple hours ago, I was suppose to tell you about the mini book, but I was very sleepy and took a nap.  I had a very long morning, that started at the crack of dawn.  I woke this morning, and me, my mom, and my cousin Tamah went to my annual Horizon of Hope luncheon in Nashport, Ohio. As always, it was a beautiful event.  My upline's central team was the host.  In addition to me giving my mini book to be auctioned off, I also donated a Travel cup with 3 sample bags of coffee, and a lunch bag.  You can read the rest of the story here:
Making this mini is so simple, and you can bind it with a machine, such as a Bind it all or Cinch.  Start off with two covered chipboard pieces.  I covered them in DCWV's Black Current.  Cover them the best you know how.  If you need help with this step, you can always turn to You Tube for help. The keyword phrase is"how to make mini book covers from chipboard" or whatever you want to call it.
Once you are finished covering the chipboard covers, set them aside.   Next work on your pages.  You will be creating a pocket page for each one, and I used:

• 6- 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of black cardstock-cut down to 8 1/2 x 9"
• Assorted patterned pieces of paper to cover the insides of the page and to make tags.  Again I used DCWV's Black current.

Start by cutting down your cardstock with a paper cutter.  if you do not have one, you can use an cutting knife and ruler.  if you do the later, put down a self healing mat so you do not mark up your working surface.   Once you do that, you can began by scoring your cardstock.  Tip for beginners, scoring helps the cardstock have a little give (flexibility) to the paper.  This prevents it from tearing when folding it.  Use a score board for it, or if you do not have one, you can use a paper cutter with a scoring blade on it.  Your first score line will be on the 9" side and you want to score at 4 1/2".  flip you paper so that line is horizontal, and you want to score on the 8 1/2 side at 2 1/2".  Next fold at the score lines.  You want to fold up when folding, and crease with the scoring tool or bone folder.  do the one one the 9" side first and then the 8 1/2 side. set a side.
This next part is optional, but I think it will make a prettier book.  Measure for pocket pages your patterned paper.  you may want to leave a 1/8" space for the top and two sides.  You do not need to allow for the bottom as it will be on the inside.  Cover the outer part of the pocket page the same way.  Then decorate the page. Once you have all of that in place, you may bind it.  You can bind it with a machine as I said from the beginning.  You can also put notebook rings on it by just punching two holes on the sides.  You are all finished except the decorating part.   You can put tags in the pockets.  For this book, it is 12 total pages. You can make as many as you like.

I hope my winner enjoys her book and I hope you enjoy making yours.

Have a blessed weekend






Products used in this project:

My last Mini book-Tag Book

I am having a happy day.  I just looked at my Facebook page, MDN Creates, and I have 14 people like it this week.  Thank you, Thank you.  This is a start.   Well, this is my last book for a while, and my most troublesome.  The reason, I have never made a tag book before.  I have made a mini book with tags in it, but not at total tag book.   I hope Sandra likes it.  Here we go...

First off, I want to apologize for the pictures looking blurry.  I guess my phone decided to make it a laughable day yesterday (or I do not know clean a camera lens).  The paper like is from DCWV (who else?) This time it is the Performance paper stack.  I was not sure about this stack at first, until I did this first tag.  Then I thought, " I could make this work"  If I could not do it, I was just going to make cards out of it, that all.  the clear letters spell out,  "Music", and all of the tags were edged with Tim Holtz distressed ink, Rusty Hinge. (yes the same one I used on the Mariposa book)

Just so you know, there are 10 tags, 20 pages, and bonded with the Cinch binding tool.  All of the mats came from the Naturals 6x6 paper stack.  All about the same, except a few touches here and there.  Nothing fancy, except what DCWV did for the paper.  Each tag does have gold organza ribbon on it.  This particular page has three flat-back pearls on it.  I got them at Joanne's (although I have found someone who sells them in their shop on Etsy).  

This page is one of two I have a Prima flower on it.  I know, it looks a little big, but I like them big, and it does not overwhelm the page.  This particular flower tells the user what color page is coming up.  it is simple, yet stately.

No, I did not goof up in the binding of the book to put a matted page for the cover.  I thought about it long and hard. ( there is a violin page that looks like the piano cover page in the middle).  I wanted to be unusual here, and have the last page (and cover ) be ether a journaling spot or a photo opportunity for Sandra in place whatever she feels like here, instead of calling it a cover.  So it is a completed book.



I have more (yes I did manage to finally make a mockery out of my phone and email account, and downloaded all of the tag photos to my hard drive. Revenge is sweet in this case (giggle) )
I hope you enjoyed this book.  I may show some more of this tag book in future posts.  Have a great afternoon, and God Bless You.

The Second Mini book

Hello-

I am going to make this short and sweet, just like the book I am going to show you.  This one is for Ragina.  I am sleepy, so here we go. (Note:  Even though I selected all of them, my phone only sends what is big enough to fit in the file.)

The materials used were Chipboard, white paper bags (sewn with three holes) Sorry I did not do it, but I know of a person who does it and sells them on Ebay and Etsy.  I will have to try it, because I do have a sewing machine.) The entire book was decorated with DCWV Mariposa line.  It seems lately I have gravitated towards DCWV.   I guess I am making up for loss time with this brand.  I am normally not a coral girl, but I wanted to try something new and different, and I am starting to like coral.  I will tell you one thing:  Nothing will ever take me away from my pink.  I am a pink girl to the day I die, LOL.  After all, it does go with my skin color.  I bond the album with three notebook rings.

This tag you see above, I distressed with Tim Holtz's distress ink Rusty Hinge, and what you see here is part of paper (I have three more tags like this.  I added the ribbon

I fussy cut out the birdcage, and placed it on pop dots.   The tag you see in the background, I used a regular bought tag, glimmer misted it in three different colors and used a tag that came as part of whole 12 x12 paper page.  What you do not see is another tag under it, and I used a brad to hold it together.  my partner can use it to hold a small wallet-size picture or journal with it.   You can also see the three rings.

 This is the tag up close.

And this is the tag underneath the first one.  The whole page that I used on all the tags has a lot of bling to it.  You cannot tell by the picture.

This is a frame from something I received a long time ago, but I was not able to place it anywhere until now.  Again the tip is to use leftovers or things you cannot use yourself.

With this page, I decided to do a little Cricuting (if there is such a term) This means I pulled out one of my Cricut machines and Tags, Bags, Boxes, and More Cartridge for this one.   I made a library pocket, and the little owl came from the sticker pack from the dollar bin at Joanne's.  decorated it with pearls from Recollections.  I got it when I was frantically seeking the Natural 8 x8 paper (ending up with the 12x12).  I added it at the last minute.

   This is the back cover (the front did not make the cut (my phone's fault).  I distressed the muslin (from the same piece as the one in the other mini book)






Well that is it.  I hope enjoyed seeing my album.  I am getting sleepy, so I will show you the last one later.  Good Night.  Until tomorrow.

The first Mini book...done

I am finished with my first mini book. If you can recall a few posts back, I stated that I was in a swap, and I had to finish 3 books. They are a 4x4 book (not so 4x4, more of a 6x6), a pocket mini, and a tag book. Well, here is the pocket mini. I hope my partner PJ will like it. So let me show you around, OK?
I have to love the cover.  It is similar to the last cover I made in October, except, I have muslin under the burlap.   The whole book was made with the DCWV line, Natural, and this is the first time I have made a book with a whole paper line.  I need to to that all the time.  It saves money, and the headache of matching.  This is my personal opinion on the matter.  Anyway, back to the cover.   I used the Tim Holtz ribbon collection and added some Recollections peals in the middle of the roses, which are on top of some stretchy lace.  I left the cover blank for the user to put whatever she wanted on the cover (if it was a non-scrapbooker I would, and still should of had a book plate on the cover.  The front and back covers are mad out of chipboard.  the base of the mini book is a paper bag book.  I attached the front of paper bag to the cover, and likewise with the back cover in the same style similar to the person on Follow the Paper Trail.

Next page: (Ok, I realize that I cannot show you everything about this album, because in the process of sending , or I did not take a picture of some of my pages, a few pictures got eaten up in cyberspace.)

 This is page 5 (sideways to show the quote):  There is a pocket here (I took the tag out (one of the photos that are missing and out there is Cyberspace), and here you can see the stretchy ribbon from Tim Holtz, which is under the rose ribbon on the front cover.  This is also a photo spot for my partner.  The quote says "He who has hope, has everything." Tip:  If you do not have a sentiment stamp like this, you can always Google search it. (or whichever search engine site you use).

This is another photo mat, and this time, I used the rose by itself with white pearls from Martha Stewart crafts.

This is one of 5 tags I made.  The way I made it was to cut one of the 12 x12 sheets down to 6 x9, cut in half again.  I placed double-sided tape (scor tape)placed on one side.  Next, I took a piece of the same paper to make a top tab, and placed it on top of the double sided tape, the placed the other piece on top of the tab, even the tag out, and then rounded the corners. 



These were some of the highlights of the album.  Sorry I did not show you more like last time.  I am almost finished with the mini 4x4 (excuse me, mini 6x6) and I will get some good pictures from that one.  See you in a few.