Stampin’ Up! Artisan Sketched Garden Mini Album for the Fun Fold Blog Hop

Welcome to the Fun Folds Blog Hop with Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators!!

Hi, Stampers!

Fun folds make every handmade card extra special, and today’s blog hop is FULL of great ideas! Whether you’re looking for a unique way to surprise someone or just want to try something new, you’re in for a treat. I’ve teamed up with very creative SU demonstrators to bring you a lineup of creative, must-try designs.

I almost gave up on this mini album a few times… And now I can’t wait to make another one!

I’ve never been completely comfortable making black-and-white projects. I almost always sneak in another color because…well…I like color! 😊 But this week’s blog hop challenged me to do something different, and the Artisan Sketched Garden Designer Series Paper seemed like the perfect place to start. It didn’t take long before I had a growing pile of cardstock pieces heading to the recycle bin! The original tutorial had been created for a demonstrator-only retreat, and I suspect it was originally designed using metric measurements before being converted to inches. No matter how carefully I measured, I couldn’t get the side panels right.

Operator error? Maybe. 😊

But after rebuilding the base a couple of times, I understood what the designer was trying to create. Instead of giving up, I grabbed a fresh sheet of 12″ x 12″ cardstock and worked out my own measurements.

Well, guess what?! I love how it turned out! I think this is an easy and beautiful mini album. My daughter Sarah came to visit this weekend and has already claimed it! She’s planning to fill it with photos and give it as a gift to one of her best friends. I can’t wait to see it finished, and I’ll share photos over on Facebook and Instagram once it is.

This mini album can be used with any supplies you have in your stash! But, if you love the paper I used here and you don’t already have a demonstrator, I have a link to everything I used at the end of the post. I also have a FREE tutorial for this project, so please click and save it before you head off to the next great project on the blog hop!

My secrets to making this mini album!

Let’s start with the card base… (all measurements are in inches.)

• Card base #1: 12 x 5-1/4, scored on the 12″ side at 2 and 4
• Card base #2 side panels:
  • Left 3-7/8 x 5-3/4, scored at 1/2
  • Right 3-7/8 x 5-5/8, scored at 1/2 (Note that this side has been trimmed a bit to fit nicely once folded.)
• DSP Panels: 1-7/8 x 5-1/8 (4) to cover the Card Base #1 segments.
• DSP Panels:
  • Left Front: white cardstock: 3-3/4 x 5-1/8 and DSP: 3-1/2 x 4-7/8
  • Left Back: white cardstock: 3-3/4 x 5-1/8
  • Center: white cardstock: 3-3/4 x 5
  • Right Front: DSP: 3-3/4 x 5
  • Right Back: white cardstock: 3-3/4 x 5
• Belly Band: Black Cardstock: 10 x 1-1/2 and DSP: 5-1/8 x 1-3/8

Now, the FUN part!

Choosing the designer paper was my favorite part of the whole project!

• I cut all of the pieces for the card base and glued them together before adding the designer paper.
• I chose the patterns from the pack of Artisan Sketch Garden paper that I really loved and started cutting them to fit onto the card base. Separating the floral patterns with the lined one makes a nice barrier for the different floral patterns on the inside.
• The mini album can fit anywhere from 3 to 5 photos comfortably. The front of the flaps can be for photos but could also be a wonderful place for stamped sentiments or even journaling. It’s so versatile that you can change it up with every one you make!

Then, on to the belly band…

• SECRET: I cut the cardstock for the belly band and scored it so that it would fit loosely around the mini album. It is important to make sure there’s enough room for the photos and any other items that could be added later.
• Once that was done, I sealed it with tear & tape adhesive to make sure it held well.
• Then, I stamped the sentiment from Sweet Words & Labels in black ink and used the outline square die from the Joyful Squares die collection to crop it out. After that, I used the frame die from the same collection to cut three black frames to give the frame some strength and dimension. They were all glued together then added to the square with the sentiment.
• I cut a piece of the lined patterned paper to 5-1/8 x 1-3/8 and glued it to the belly band before gluing down the sentiment. Then, I decided to add another square die to the inside of the belly band, so I cut some adhesive sheets to fit above and below the square to hold it firmly in place.
• Once that was done, I fussy cut the floral image from the designer paper and popped it up onto the left bottom corner of the sentiment.
• Finally, I added the Moody Palette Glossy Dots to the flowers and the sentiment frame for a little bling.

Now I’d love your opinion! I absolutely love how this Artisan Sketched Garden mini album turned out, but I’m already thinking about making another one. What designer series paper would you use next? Leave me a comment below—I may choose your suggestion for my next album and give you a shout-out when I share it!

Debbie’s Tips of the Day 💚

Don’t give up after your first “failed” attempt! Sometimes a project teaches you exactly what it wants to be. This album only came together after I stopped trying to force the original measurements and created my own. Those “do-over” moments often become our favorite projects.

When you’re making a mini album that will hold photos, wrap the belly band loosely around the finished album before sealing it. Leaving just a little extra room means your album will still close easily once the pictures are added.

Now it’s time to keep the inspiration going—your next stop on the hop is Lisa Ann Bernard, and you are going to love what she created. Go take a look!

Lineup

1. Beth McCullough
2. Karen Finkle
3. Su Mohr
4. Debbie Mageed <== You’re HERE!
5. Lisa Ann Bernard
6. Mary Deatherage
7. Sue Jackson
8. Rae Burnet
9. Michele Deschenes

Love this mini album? Download the FREE printable tutorial with all the measurements, cutting guide, and step-by-step instructions so you can make it later!

I hope to share my card with these challenges:

1. 613 Avenue Create
2. A Cut Above
3. A Place To Start
4. Allsorts
5. Beautiful Blossoms
6. Classic Design
7. Crafty Calendar 
8. Crafty Catz
9. Die Cut Divas
10. Ellibelle’s Corner
11. Pammie’s Inky Pinkies Challenges
12. The Paper Funday

So, what do you think of my project today? I love hearing from you!

Please leave a comment if you have any questions or comments about my project today.

Click to Comment

If you enjoyed my project today, please be sure to…

• Firstly, visit my Gallery and Fun Fold Gallery for lots of ideas, and…
• Enter the Creative Creases Challenge HERE with any fun fold card!
• Also, follow me on Pinterest and Instagram
• You can see My Secret Sale HERE

Today’s project supply list

Sweet Words & Labels Photopolymer Stamp Set (English)

[167622]

$21.00

Artisan Sketched Garden 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[167752]

$13.00

Basic Black 12″ X 12″ (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Cardstock

[166786]

$22.00

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

$8.00

Joyful Squares Dies

[166849]

$24.00

Moody Palette Glossy Dots

[167180]

$8.00

Thanks for scrolling to the end!

Oh, where does the time go?! I can still picture Noah riding this little firetruck like it was yesterday, and now it’s Musa’s turn. At first, he wasn’t quite sure how to make it go and kept looking at Daddy, hoping for a push. But…nothin’ doin’! 😊 He finally figured it out all by himself, and before we knew it, we were running after him just to get him to come back home!