Memory Album
Special memories that cover a lifetime of being a wife, a mother, and a grandmother deserve a very special memory album for all those beloved photos and mementos. There are many special occasions to gift someone an album, even to keep your own memories. Please refer to the photos to see the papers used with special pages designed for loose items. There are a total of 28 actual pages of varying weights. They are counted page by page in the photos, since each side of the page counted as 1 page, due to designs that are back to back. Pages 3 & 4 are spray adhered together for the color difference.
The covers are especially heavy duty: Wild, White 314 lb cover weight, was used front and back. On both the front and the back they were covered inside and out with embossed papers. The outside is an embossed Stardream Metallics, Rose Quartz, 105 lb cover weight. It was embossed before adhering, with Craftwell, Cabbage Rose, a full page embossing folder that takes the Big Shot Pro.
The inside of the covers are Plike, Pink, 92 lb text weight, embossed with Spellbinders, M-Bossabilities, Dainty Dots, and then adhered. The front cover was then cut back 1″ with an Exacto blade and trimmed Tim Holtz scissors so that it is set back and the second-page gilding shows. Again, refer to the photos, find the CT Platinum Translucent (Vellum), 30 lb writing paper. This is set close to the front so that family and friends can write their memories and tributes to the person or family receiving the album. After that simply vary the same 3 papers and cut some back so they are layered. Trim some .5″ and some 1″. The 3 main papers used as photo pages were FAV Shimmer, Hinted Gold, 92 lb cover weight, Crush, White Corn, 92 lb cover weight, and Crush, Natural Citrus, 92 lb cover weight.
Other pages were added for effect, and to hold memento envelopes: they are listed out separately and listed in the photos. The last page is Plike, Purple, 122 lb cover weight: a lasting tribute from our family to theirs. It is our page in the album. The pages with color and some of the others were embossed with varying embossing folders 5″ x 6.5″, and smaller ones 4″ x 5″. They are embossed in the upper left and bottom right of the paper.
Photos can be placed over it, but it is a nice presentation in a blank album. When envelopes were added, they were ScorTaped on 3 sides, the sides varying, with cards scored, folded and decorated to go inside. More photos can be added in the cards, tucked behind the cards, and in the envelopes.
After it was all done, a Zutter Bind It All was used to add the holes and 2″ white, spiral, coil wire was added. The wire spirals through the holes: you cut and bend over the ends, leaving as much space as possible. It looks like a lot of room, but when you start adding the photos and fill the envelopes, you will wish they made 3″ wire.
All of the papers have special properties. Some are metallic and shimmer when you move them: the Stardream Metallics, FAV Shimmer and the Shines, the Platinum Vellum. They are a joy to work with. Some are made from by-products of food: the Crush papers. They are especially green and save the earth while you use them. The Plikes are a special texture that feels like suede. They are virtually indestructible; you can wash them with Undo and take off leftover glue. I love them. The Curious Skins are another lovely feeling paper that is very matte and very rich in color. The Milkweed used to print out Therese Fronske’s name and the pink dots, is a very heavy duty paper that was printed using both laser and inkjet printers. The really great find was the cover paper, Wild, White, 314 lb cover paper. With the embossed papers on either side of it, the covers are 1/8″ thick, quite wonderful for covers, and they did go through the Zutter. Take time to explore the website links: it can be informative to go to the paper manufacturers, for example, Crush, and see how the paper is made. It makes you proud to buy and use these papers. Enjoy!
I have added some extra tips below if you would like to make your craft exactly like time, but be creative and have fun with it.
Cover: Wild, White 314 lb cover
Cover Front: Stardream Metallics, Rose Quartz, 105 lb cover, embossed with Craftwell, Cabbage Rose
Cover Inside: Plike, Pink, 95 lb text, embossed with Spellbinders M-Bossabilities, Dainty Dots
Page 1:, Front: Skin Pink edged with ScorTape 1″ with Gilding Flakes
Page 1: Back: White Corn- spray adhesive the papers together. Ink Jet Printed the white corn first with “To the World…….”
Page 2: Milkweed laser printed “Therese Fronske”, and inkjet printed with a pink design.
Page 3: Hinted Gold, embosses, and on the back is Champagne 7″ square envelope with ScoreTape on 3 sides with 1/4″ tape and pocket at the top. Insert card is Curious Skin, Pink, card, 8.5″ tall and 9.5″ side scored at 4.”, folded, embellished with flowers. Inside is blank for photos.
Page 4 – 14: 10 pages of CT Platinum Translucent (Vellum) Metallic
Page 15: FAV Shimmer, Hinted Gold, 92 lb cover, plain
Page 16: Gold Leaf embossed, paired with an A9 Pure Gold envelope also embossed in the middle (both sides of the envelop, although if you want to mail it, you can put something hard in the envelope, and do just the back, shimming appropriately). It is decorated with blue ribbon backed with ScorTape so it won’t ravel. It has 1/2″ ScorTaped on 3 sides with the pocket facing the right.
The Dolphin Card is Purple now discontinued. It is a favorite color. It is 5.5″ wide and 11″ long, scored and folded in the middle for a square card. The moon is Crush, White Corn, with a second moon on the back of the card to make pull out tabs. The little dolphin is Mulberry Dolphins handmade die cuts off eBay. The gold stripe is 1/2″ ScorTape with Gilding Flakes
Page 17: Crush, Natural Citrus, 130 lb cover.
Pages 18 & 19: FAV Shimmer, HInted Gold, 92 lb cover.
Page 20: Crush, White Corn, 92 lb cover, cut to 8″ wide so the next page shows on the right side.
Page 21: Natural Citrus with a pocket at the bottom made from scrap White Corn an embossed paper that was ink with distressed inks. The tuck-in envelope is A7, Euro Metallic, Kunzite envelope. That size is not on offer, but a smaller size is, or a different color will be great.
Page 22: Crush, White Corn, 92 lb cover, cut back 1″m
Page 23: FAV Shimmer, Hinted Gold, 92 lb cover.
Page 24: Crush, Natural Citrus, 130 lb cover.
Page 25 & 26: FAV Shimmer, Hinted Gold, 92 lb cover, with Page 26 cut back 1/4″.
Page 27: Crush, White Corn, cut back 3/4″.
Page 28: Stardream Metallics, Rose Quartz, 105 cover, embossed.
Page 29: Plike, Purple, 122 lb cover, with an A7, Shine, Violet Satin. envelope. The flap opens to the right with 1/2″ ScoreTape on 3 sides with the opening at the top: two openings at a 90-degree angle. Inside the top pocket is another Mulberry Dolphin card, 2.75″ wide by 5.5″ long, after scoring and folding. The fold at the top with one Crush, Citrus, moon on the backside of the fold and the dolphin taped and glued to the front. The stripe is 1/2″ ScorTape with gilding flakes. There is plenty of room for extra mementos to be tucked behind the inserted card.
Page 30: is just the back of the plaque card, where Mom and I put our gift card for the recipient. It is taped onto the page permanently. The card is a homemade watercolor card that has been inkjet reproduced with 1/2″ ScorTape and gilding flakes across the top. The ribbon on the bottom left of the card has 1/2″ScorTape to keep it from raveling. The flowers are left over from a previous project and are a Sue Wilson, Poinsettia, die set. The solid under flower is die cut from Curious Skin, Lavender, and the upper filigree flower is cut from Shine, Violet Satin, 80 lb text. The little sheep are from Jolee’s Boutique and are the cutest thing ever.
Page 31: the inside of the back cover is Plike, Pink, 95 lb text, embossed with Spellbinders M-Bossabilities, Dainty Dots, that mirrors the inside of the front cover with the addition of an A7, Euro Metallic Euro Flap, Ruby, an envelope that is taped with the pocket the top. Leave a little slack at the top so several items can be tucked in. The back cover that shows is Stardream Metallics, Rose Quartz, 105 cover and mirrors the front by also embossing it with Craftwell, Cabbage Rose. Both sheets have adhered to Wild, White, 314 lb paper with spray adhesive.
The final pages were hole punched with a Zutter and bound with 3″ white coil wire.
All of the products used in this craft are listed below:
- Wild, White 314 lb. Cover
- Stardream Metallics, Rose Quartz 105 lb. Cover
- Plike, Pink 95 lb. Text
- Curious Skin, Pink 100 lb. Cover
- Crush, White Corn 81 lb. Text
- Mohawk Loop Antique Vellum, Milkweed, 160 lb. Cover
- FAV Shimmer, Hinted Gold 92 lb. Cover
- Shine, Champagne Envelope 7″ Square
- CT Platinum Translucent (Vellum) Metallic 30 lb. Writing
- Curious Metallics, Gold Leaf, 92 lb. Cover
- A9, FAV Shimmer, Pure Gold, envelope
- Plike, Purple, 122 lb. Cover
- Crush, Natural Citrus, 130 lb. Cover
- Shine, Violet Satin, 80 lb. Text
