Hi! I’m excited to be a guest blogger on the CK blog today. My name is Allison {Kreft} Abad, and I work as the designer/art director for Hambly Screen Prints.
I can’t believe it’s almost the end of 2009—this year has flown by. I decided to make a mini book with some of my highlights so far in 2009, and I can easily add more photos in the next two months. Because let’s face it, who’s doesn’t love mini books!
When I make mini albums, to get started I like to create some pages for the book without photos. This process helps me decide how the album will flow. For this mini book, I wanted several pages cut at various lengths using different techniques. This way when you see the cover, you can see a little preview of the first few pages.
The cover of this book is made using a Cleary Heavy Overlay from Hambly. It’s a clear, acrylic-like 12″ x 12″ sheet that’s perfect to cut down to whatever size you want. It’s really cool, since you can use scissors to easily cut different shapes. Here’s a fun trick to cut a nice scallop design. First cut the 12″ x 12″ sheet to 4″ x 6″ pages for your book, and then use a template (I made a download you can use) to make a decorative edge for the cover. The Cleary Heavy Overlay has a protective layer on both sides—it’s important to leave this layer on for now! Print the template, and adhere it to the overlay.
Use scissors to cut around the template and cut out your cover.
Remove the protective layers from both sides to make the overlay completely clear. The template you adhered down will come off with the protective layers.
Since the Cleary Heavy Overlay is completely clear, I wanted to make the edges of it stand out on the cover. I used Paint Dabbers from Ranger Industries to ink the edges of the cover. I chose a gold color to keep it more subtle, but you could use a darker color and have the edges pop even more! I used this same technique for the “09” Grungeboard numbers.
For the next page, I used Hambly’s Old Lace paper (from our newest release), and I cut outside the edge of the design. This technique created a nice-looking edge that mimics the shape of the lace. This is another great technique to use with different printed papers.
I added a few more pages at different lengths. I used a Fiskars Americas border punch on our Hambly Brocade paper (the Brocade is one of my fave designs), which adds a lot of depth to the edge of the page.
I repeated some similar techniques on a few more pages, and then it was time to add photos and our new Stitches rub-ons and Elegant Labels stickers.
Here’s how the book looks so far, and I can easily add more pics/pages from November and December.
Throughout the book, I used the Elegant Label Stickers for a little journaling. I had them bleed off the side of the pages by just cutting off the edge—just another fun technique!
I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway with some of the Hambly Screen Prints products I used in this book. That way you can get started on your own mini for 2009! Leave a comment on this post by Wednesday, November 18 at midnight EST, and share your plans or ideas for creating a mini book this season. You could be one of two winners for the giveaway!
—Allison {Kreft} Abad
Art Director, Hambly Studios
P.S. Don’t miss Free Font Friday! This week, you can download the CK Regal font for free here. Don’t forget to check back each Friday for a new free font.
I love making mini books and this one looks so cute! I have been working on mini books to give as gifts and so far I have made one in the shape of an ornament and two in the shape of a Christmas gift.
Your mini book is fantastic! My local stores don’t carry Hambly products, so I’d love to win some! Would love to see more from you!
This mini album is great! I’m almost finished with one I’m making about my dog.
LOVE this! SO pretty!
Love your mini -book! Really nice way to summarize a year..how van you choose the photos, though? I always want to use too many
I’m planning to make a minialbum for my mom about her granddaughters. She lives abroad and a little book to carry around or to have on display in her book shelf would be a good reminder of the love we feel, although so far away.
Wow, that is a gorgeous Mini Album….I especially love the decorative edges on each page. They are a big fave of mine right now too. I would love to do a Highlights of 2009 mini album – showcasing the special things that have gone on this year for our family.
Love love love all the hambly
i plan to make a mini book for my niece (she’s 10), documenting the fun relationship she and my daughter (she’s only 2) have. i think she’ll get a real kick out of it.
I love the layered mini!!
Just waiting on the Chinese newspaper to arrive (from another friend’s trip there) before I start!
I’m making a mini with pictures my friend’s parents took in China as a present for them for Christmas.
Love your mini book, total inspiration for doing one for my new grandbaby ,, what a great present for her and her Mommy !!!
I have yet to make a mini book. Maybe winning the products would give me the push to make one. Thanks for the chance to win.
I haven’t made a mini-book either, but the “free-spiritness” of it makes it appealing! I’m thinking of doing one of summer trips.
Well, first of all, I never get to win anything… I think it’s because I’m from Brazil, which is also bad, cause it’s so hard to find Hambly here…
Anyways, I would love to make a mini for this year, because it was a great year for me, since my second son was born in July. He is a blessing in our lives. And it was also a good year to make new friends…
Love all things Hambly!!! Thsi year I plan on doing a December Daily Mini Album that will document my fav holiday traditions and memories!! Thanks for the chance to win!
I love Hambly products. I would love to win some goodies. I would like to make a mini album of my son making chief in the Navy. I hope I win.
I would like to make one for my neice’s birthday
I’d love to do a mini book of ways to find inner peace in the busy holiday season…
I’d love to do a mini book of ways to find inner peace in the busy holiday season…
I´m planning a mini with inspirying quotes to me, to take a look when i need inspiration
Totally love this mini book! I think I want to make one about my time I spent as an air hostess this year…all the places I went, all the people I met, etc.
oh..would love to win this. I would make a mini book for my mother of my children ( her grandkids )
I plan on making my Dad, who live out of town a mini book. It will be a look back at the year from our hoousehold.
I’ve never made a minibook but you make it look easy. I will try it with some summer photos of my daughters.
I’ve never made a minibook but you make it look easy. I will try it with some summer photos of my daughters.
I’ve never actually made a mini-book before. They’ve always looked to intimidating. But I would like to try one now. I have some fun Halloween pics that I plan on using in a mini-book. If I were to win, I would make a holiday one too. Thanks for the tutorial.
Love love love Hambly and I can’t find any in Toronto. I’m wanting to make a 12 days of Christmas book this would be perfect for!
Oh how I love mini albums! Yours is absolutely gorgeous. I have lots of mini album projects either in production or waiting to be made… a Christmas traditions mini, one about my doggie Dinky, words to live by (favorite quotes), my birthday, etc.
This is adorable…I am in the process of making a mini-book for my niece’s baby shower, for her friends and family to record an important memory involving my niece, so when she needs a pick me up or a laugh, she can pull out her little memory book and smile…we also asked people to record advice and well-wishes for the soon to be new mom! And, then added photos of people at the baby shower as they were writing their messages to her, to be added into the little book. So much love in such a small package, and one that I’m sure will be treasured forever!
I have been using and enjoying Hambly Screen Prints products for everything I do. My brother is being shipped to Afghanistan and won’t be with us for Christmas, so I would LOVE to make him something to take with him of the family, especially since we lost Mom earlier this year.
Thanks for the opportunity. Hambly has such gorgeous things. I can’t imagine using anything else.
Thank you for the inspiration with this album. I plan to make several mini albums for family this season. I am thinking of them to be shaped with lots of extras.
Thank you for the inspiration with this album. I plan to make several mini albums for family this season. I am thinking of them to be shaped with lots of extras.
What a lovely mini! And thanks for the hambly inspiration…!
Great album, thanks for sharing. I would love to make a first year album of my little girl.
I am doing and Ali Edwards inspired December Daily – it started out “mini” but it’s going to be sort of big…
I am doing and Ali Edwards inspired December Daily – it started out “mini” but it’s going to be sort of big…
This is gorgeous Allison! You’ve done it again.