Artbooking - Handmade Photo Journal

On my last post, I talked about a kid crafting party my daughter, Piper, is hostessing that is centered around American Girl Crafts.  They sent us "My Life Scrap and Stuff" scrapbooks and embellies for girls!  We are having a party where all the girls will leave with books all about themselves!  The next step was to figure out how to teach ten 9-year-olds how to 'smash' since that is the style of scrapbook in this line!  I had never done that kind of scrapbooking project, although my journals to my daughter when she was a baby were similar (more journaling than photos though).  To figure it all out, I didn't want to use the girls' American Girl Crafts journals and supplies; I wanted to make something that was actually for me.  I recently blogged about my obsession with Instagram and phone photography (click here to see that). My solution:  I made my own photo journal using materials I already had.  This is my first project video...

I am such an amateur... no editing and filmed outside using my phone-- you can even hear a bird who is annoyed that I am in his space.  Loud for a little guy and with a look of disapproval... do you see it on his face?

OK... So back to the project.  These are the crafty details...

• The cover:  I cut two pieces of Crescent Illustration board (from Hobby Lobby) at 6"x8" for my covers.  I cut decorative papers to cover the fronts and backs of the illustration boards the very same size and glued on using E6000 Spray Adhesive.  I used kraft paper for the fronts and some free Amy Tangerine American Crafts papers that I got at Archivers a few weeks ago for the backs (to go toward the insides of the book).  Before gluing the backs on, I added two strips of Smash [washi] Tape and allowed it to wrap around to the back.  The camera icon on the cover and the 'my favorite photos' flags were all cut from the Artbooking cartridge. (For the camera- page 40, 10-1/4".  For the flags- page 40, 2-3/4".)

• Inside Die Cut Pages:  I cut two decorative pages using Artbooking at 6" on my Cricut from two-sided card stock. The paper with the flags on the side were from page 40.  The one with the medallion on the side was from page 51.  I covered the holes with washi tape.  The kraft paper speech bubble page at the beginning was cut from Artbooking (page 45) at 6". 

• Trimmer-cut inside pages:  I cut 19 pages at 6"x8" from two-sided decorative papers and card stocks -- this was more of the Amy Tangerine paper and some two-side papers from a cheap Walmart stack- automatic coordination of papers without any time or effort!
• Journaling tags:  I cut speech bubbles at 3-3/4" from page 79 using the Artbooking cartridge.
• Other decorative die cuts:  Geo-tag symbol was cut from Artbooking (page 38) at 2".  Click it speech bubble was cut at 2-3/4" from Artbooking (page 40).
• Binding:  I used 3/4" 0-wires and a Zutter Bind-It-All.

• Photos:  Aside from two photos in my book, I used Instagram photos for the rest.  I printed them using the Printicular app to select and order them and then picked them up at Walgreens.  

• And:  I used Tim Holtz Idea-ology Label Letters, stamps (both from the Artbooking bundle as well as others from my stash), stickers from my stash including some American Girl Crafts doll stickers from Piper's stash (don't tell!).  For all of my journaling, I used a Sharpie (no bleed) extra fine pen.  For coloring in the chunky letters, I used watercolor pencil for fill.  All the washi tape used was Smash Tape.  I used ATG and E6000 Spray for all adhesion applications.  For all stamping, I used Ranger Archival Ink.

These are some of the completed pages in my book...

And speaking of Artbooking....I used that cartridge exclusively for this project because it had everything I needed.  If you are looking for the Artbooking bundle and need a Close to My Heart rep (the only way to buy it), my rep is Christie Tompkins. She can tell you about discounts, specials, and the $5 Stamp of the Month, which you will want to order when you buy your Artbooking bundle! Check out her CTMH webpage http://createwithchristie.ctmh.com/ or email her at christie.tompkins@gmail.com or call her at 502-939-5898.  Christie and I are friends who met through a crafting message board and then at crops. (Isn't it funny that I have to find local crafty friends by attending crops out-of-town??  I have had the same experience with friends I have met who sew!)

So... have you made your own Smash Books?  Imperfection is the key for this project-- I love that!!  I couldn't believe how fast it went together.  I started around 7pm, cutting my covers and papers.  I ordered my Instagram prints (and picked them up an hour later at Walgreen's) and finished my book before my head hit my pillow.  Kind of like a private crop for one!  Best way ever to spend a night off from work! I think I am ready to do this with a bunch of kiddos now!  Can't wait!

Thank you for checking my blog post today!

Related posts:
Summer Obessions- phone photography
American Girl Crafts Party- invitations