SaCrafters

Hello Friends, it's Patti here today sharing a new baby boy mini album with you. I don't do a lot of shaped minis but when I do they always end up being so much fun. So if you're reading this and haven't attempted a mini, either chipboard or MDF that comes pre-shaped into a design you're missing out. It's a lot different than one created with front and back covers and a hinged spine.

I sort the majority of my papers (collections) into plastic storage totes and I have one labeled 'Baby' that I've been tossing things in for quite some time. When I asked Sa if she had a mini for a baby boy she came up with this darling Overall mini. What you're seeing here is actually the last page. There are 5 pages in total the first page is shaped a little differently with thinner overall straps. A few years back I had used the little girl Dress Shaped Album to create a pinafore apron mini that was equally adorable when done.

When I looked in the Baby Tote I found a collection from Heartfelt Creations, Sweet Lullaby I'd stuck back, some scraps from Graphic 45's Precious Memories and a few scraps from the older Graphic 45 Little Darlings. I also found a Colorbox pad called Flavia Sweet Baby paperbook. I didn't stop there though, I scoured through my other collections and added some papers. When doing a project using what you have don't discount any collection in your crafty area. Even though the collection may have been created with a completely different theme in mind taken alone and placed in a different setting it takes on a new life, like a lot of the papers in these pages.

I also used some Distress Paint, mostly the Weathered Wood and not pictured here I used some heavy white Gesso to paint the edges of the mini before covering with the decorative papers. I don't like to see any of the Kraft when done. If I found I still had spots afterward a few swipes with the Weathered Wood ink pad took care of that.

Here's the actual front of the mini, the first page you see. It's the only differently shaped page in the set with with straps instead of arms at the top. I used big D rings for the holes and tied all the ribbons I'd used throughout the mini for adornment. This mini will stand anywhere on it's own. To view it you lie if flat and flip front to back, turn it and flip back to front. It's just the nature of how it's constructed.

This is the page directly behind the front page, you see the top peeking out from behind. I added a large envelope cut from the papers to the bottom. Once the ribbon wound around the button stops is opened you'll find large mats for photos and lots of room to add extra photos.

I used Heartfelt Creations clear cardstock to line behind a lot of my pockets. It will not only give protection to the photos once they are added but it also, in this case, gave a lot of extra strength to the tiny Polaroid frames. I love to fussy cut, as many of you know, and it was no exception in this mini. I fussy cut the little ones images and adhered them here and there for embellishments.

Here's a classic example of using papers that totally are all wrong for a baby mini. The alphabet paper for the shirt is from an older Graphic 45 collection that has absolutely noting to do with children, it was really an architecture type collection but taken on it's own, cut to shape and then outlined heavily with a black marker when I added the center placket and buttons well what can I say a shirt was born! On the bottom left, when untied is a hinged booklet has room for 3 photos under acetate and three just glued to the mats, plus a section to add some great journaled memories about the photos.

My Momma, bless her heart, when she was still living had such a hard time when new colors started popping into the baby sections in the stores. She was old school, pastel pinks, yellows and blues. Well not any more, for me no baby mini would be complete without a purple page! Here I have a great large pocket all across the pants. It holds a tag and a large tri-fold photo mat booklet, plus lots of room for extra photos. I left the top of the bibs open to slide some large tags or photos into. When I was all done I found the purple star buttons in my stash and just had to add them over the cardboard buttons I'd already made, a great addition I think.

I think I'm going to stop here, I don't want to spoil all the surprises. I'll have a complete walk-through on the video sharing each page and all the pockets, tags and mats. I hope you'll check out Sa's great collection of shaped albums. They are just so much fun to make.