OVER a week...

YES...I know it has been OVER a week since I last posted...so PLEASE FORGIVE ME...but this is the Project that was next on this list to show you and I have been DREADING putting this post together...see...I took 46 photos of this ONE project. I am ONLY showing you 14 of the 46, so bear with me as I chat about the photos...there are so many little details...but I have decided to just show you the double page spreads...as getting photos into Blogger is sometimes a REAL PAIN...as you have to load them backwards, because if you don't then you have to move them all around...YEP a REAL PAIN...for me anyway...but that is probably because I don't know that much about it and I am not Blog savvy...BUT ANYWAY...here is what you come to see...

This was my SECOND 3-D project that I entered into the Artisan Award Contest this year...I designed a Mini Album...so go get something to drink and a snack 'cause this is gonna take a while...


Let me talk about the covers...the covers are just wooden photo frames...I used Stampin' Up!'s Wood Sheets and rand them through the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder and adhered that to the front cover...I then painted and distressed the wood to make it look old. I also had my husband drill the holes for the binder rings, the Binder rings are covered with tied ribbons, and fabric strips...I then added the fabric flower and a dangle charm made from Hodgepodge Hardware and the Resin Roses that were in the Spring Mini...I even have a Crown charm hanging from the bottom of that...


The inside cover...couldn't just be plain so I added some Crystal Effects and covered it with Glass Glitter. The First Page of the album of course peeks through the cover and tells exactly what the album is all about...Family Photos...I tea dyed the Springtime Vintage fabric and hand-stitched the pocket onto the page...


Now this page has some really great photos of my husband...He is NOT one to get is picture taken...HE HATES IT...but I needed pictures and he complied...he even smiled in one...NOW THAT I was surprised about and I LOVE IT...it has a little tag in the upper left corner that pulls out and has journaling on it...


Now what family album would be complete with out pictures of the families pet...I would like to introduce you to...Dixie Lou Dawg...she is the BESTEST dog ever...of course my opinion may be a little bias since she lives with me, follows me from room-to-room and is one of my bestest pals...but I wouldn't let that stop you from thinking the exact same thing...OKAY...back to the page...On the left, I did a custom template that I designed extending the Top Note die and just traced it onto chipboard and copied it onto the back of the photo...on the Right...I used an Envelope and decorated it...folded the flap towards the back...YEP...it's a pocket and added more photos of Dixie Lou with journaling on the backside.


So...This is the backside of that envelope...the flap that was folded backwards...YEP...I added photos...This is Kaitlyn...my oldest...The flap flips open and there are more photos and journaling...but alas...some photos had to left out...SORRY...I used the Tasteful Trim Die to do the edge on the right and just punched the holes with my Crop-a-Dile...I even added another Crown charm that can bee seen from both sides...


This spread was one of my favorites...it is of my youngest daughter...Colleen...The layout is pretty simple, but my favorite part...you may have to look really close...is the Clear Window Sheet in the middle of the spread that I used the Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder on...and since it is clear you can see through it to the photos on either side when it is turned...I also added some flowers and pearls to BOTH sides of it...but of course those close-up shots are some that I cut out...


Now this layout is one of my son...Reilly...I know the actual photo quality is NOT that great, but I LOVE the action shots...Track is something that he LOVES...he ALWAYS has...while we lived in California...he went to a VERY small school and the track program consisted of Cross-Country only...not what he liked...so moving back to Texas where he can be in the Track program ALL year...he is in heaven...he has track during regular school hours and then practice after school for a couple of hours...needless to say...the boy is ALWAYS HUNGARY!...So this page means a lot...there were some people I didn't know in the background...so i just covered them up with some appropriately placed stars. The page on the right is another envelope, with some photos added...


Here that Envelope on the other side and another spread of my husband...this time doing something that HE LOVES TO DO...go to "The Range"...The Shooting Range...and this time he wanted me to go shooting with him...I don't mind going normally, but it isn't my favorite place to be...I would rather stay in my favorite place...MY STUDIO...and play with my stamps and paper...but I went with him...but the only thing I shot that day were photos...and I got some good ones...There are more photos on the pull out in the envelope along with some journaling.


Here is another layout of Colleen...I took these photos about a year or so ago and they are some of my favorites...the scalloped piece on the left side is another pull out with journaling...and there is another crown charm that I added on the right...


Now this one combines photos of Kirk and Kaitlyn...you see Kirk retired from the Air Force a year ago...and just after Kirk retired...Kaitlyn joined...she had to wait a while for the job she wanted, but it was worth the wait...She went to Basic Training in Jan, Graduated from that in March and then was off to Tech school in Pensacola, FL...she Graduated from Tech School in June and came home for about three weeks before she left for her first duty assignment...She is now stationed at RAF Lakenheath, UK...YEP she is half a world away...in England...but is having fun...she has been there just over a month now and has already been sightseeing in London...and I know there will be more trips in the future...OKAY...back to the album...lots of photos on the left and a larger one of Kirk on the right...I had to strategically place the banner, as we are not suppose to have photos of ourselves in our entries, as to not give away who the entrants are...HOW ABOUT A NAME...YEP...there it was in black and white...blazoned across my man's chest...MOONEYHAM...US AIRFORCE...so I had to cover it up...I added the scallop circle on the right and that is actually covered in fabric and I cut out the little tiny stars and adhered them with Dimensionals...WOW...LOTS about that page...



Another spread with Reilly...this is how he is is most pictures...REALLY SERIOUS...I added a few scallop circles and decorated them with some crochet thread...then added the jumbo brads...the page on the right is a Window Sheet...layered up with the Top Note Die and photos...


This spread...has all the kids...and some silly out-takes...I actually used the photo on the left in my Christmas cards one year...added a few of the Resin roses...on the right...I made a quilt-like pattern with some extra papers and added the Resin rose...


This is the last page in the album...the wrap up...I added the envelope that hold my journaling and decorated the inside back cover just like the front...added a bit of fabric ribbon...tied into a big fluffy bow that peeks out...


YEP...peeks out the back cover...that got the same paint and distressing as the front cover...but no extra wood sheets...this I kept plain...

WELL...if you made it through the ENTIRE POST...KUDOS...I know it is EXTRA long...but there was a lot to see and talk about...if you have any questions, so want to see better photos of anything...let me know...I probably have it...

Now that this massive Post is over...I will be back tomorrow with more...so check back...

Happy Stampin'
Twila