Valentine's Day Mini Album for YSS

I created this Valentine Album for myself............. yah.... for me! I realised I haven't been scrapping about my love story about hubby and me so this is a present to myself....... I better start documenting these stories down..... 12 years of marriage.... 2 years of courtship.... hmm... all into this little mini. YSS sent me this cute Jenni Bowlin album.. it is just 4x4 and I love that it has lines for journaling inside.... I just need to add some more papers for my photos. I sticked to RED, WHITE... but with lots of texture. Here it goes: 1) Cover: What I did: - I painted the cover of the Jenni Bowlin mini with RED paint... - I added a Ki Memories sheer over it and layer a Fancy Pants Glitter Hearts on the sheer. - I use American Craft felt thickers for the title. - Did you spy the Kaiser Rhinestones (bling-bling)... my current fav? - I tied it together with Making Memories Love Notes trims. (this originally came with rings) - I hang some Making Memories Metal Tags (very cool thing to add to albums) I like the layering of the sheer..... I like the texture of the title... and since I am going to stick to RED & WHITE... I want to play with lots of different textures and yet the same colour combo. 2) Part 1: Meet up For each of the parts, I stick to a very simple design formula. I use the lacecard stock over cardstock (i will explain how to do this at the end of this post) as a page for my sub-title... and the next as a photo block. I kept it to 3x3 with a RED cardstock. What I did: - I did not put any photo..... who says you need photos? Wink... I use lots of word stickers to tell my story.... - for the journal line page... I added a border of Queen & Co felt.... imagine your fingers touching this as you turn the pages... love the texture! I skipped my journaling for now cos I want to spend some time thinking and writing... dont want to rush the process.... 3) Proposal Same design formulae............ but see what I did: - I kept the 3x3 red block... but this time, I place the photo to the left........ and then added embellishment to the sides.... all cut-outs(hearts & 'marry me") from Making Memories Love Notes. - added some blings cos it is about the ring, right... how he proposed to me! 4) Promise Still for a uniform look, I use the 3x3 block.... but this time I: - use a larger photo which fills up most of the 3x3 RED cardstock - I use trims at the corner - I use a double heart (cut from the Queen & Co felt) - see how young I look.... 12 years ago... oh mine! - for the title, I wanted to highlight this special event so I use the Making Memories Love NOtes sticker alphas... love the foil, glimmer look. 5)Fun What I did: - did you see how I cut out a photo? Who says photos got to have straight lines. - I kept it simple.. but I love love the little heart paper from Making Memories. It has such a fun element. 6) Fights What I did: - this is my fav becos of the title... i want to be real.... we DO have disagreements and fights.. hahaha... not like the physical punching.. but real quarrels.... I want this album to be real.. not just lovey-dovey. - I like the photo... though we acted a bit for this.... but well, it is still us! - Noticed now the orientation of my photo.... I just added some MM papers to frame the top and bottom... and a MM shimmer brads at the bottom.... hahaha... we still love each other! 7) Back What I did: - I use a Making Memories FLOCKED paper from Paperie Collection. - this is my fav texture so far.... I like that the back is a flocked paper... WHY? - cos this album stays on your palm when you flip thru the pages... and this back portion stays there longest... imagine touching the flocked paper.... just lovely! Another angle of the album... I like that the edges comes out a bit... the Queen & Co felt peeking thru... the lacecard stock. WHITE on WHITE To create textures in my album, I place Ki Memories Lacecard stock over basic cardstock. Using white on white gives it such a 'embossed' feeling.... it invites the eye to take a closer look. Is that stamping? Is that embossing? No, just layering two different papers over each other. (same colour) Here's how I did it: Stick Lacecard stock over your CS and trim around the edges. You can use several different patterns. I use the glittered one too. I like buying WHITE lace cardstock.... very very useful! Time to use your stash.

Tips:

- To make a quick mini, stick a design formulae for each section or page. Like I did with my 3x3 photo mat.... I vary it with different photo sizes and thus varying the use of embellishments.

- To make the RED and WHITE less monotonous, I added textures thru felt, flocked papers, lace cardstock, blings... etc.

Hope you are inspired to create something this Valentine's.

All that I am using here are available at YSS. Check it out... there is a 20% storewide discount.

I am hosting the blog today over at YSS.... drop by and leave a comment on the YSS blog and you can use new CHA goodies.