A School Year Mini Album :: Rhonda Palazzari

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying the last days of Summer. It sounds crazy, but I'm already thinking of the end of the 2010-2011 school year. You see my daughter, Lexi, is entering her last year of High School. I know how quickly this year will go by and all too soon we will be hosting a graduation party. I have tons of layouts that will go into an album, but I wanted to do something special with all of her school pictures. In this tutorial, I will show you a mini album perfect for not only for those wallet school pictures, but that will also hold some school memorabilia. 

Project Supplies:

• Mini Album
• School Spirit Pattern Papers
• School Spirit Chipboard
• 6" x 9" Manilla Envelopes

 

I had this cute little mini album from Maya Road with some really adorable Kraft envelopes. However, there were only four of the envelopes. There wasn't enough for what I wanted to do. So, what's to be done? Nothing says you have to use the pages that come in a mini. I took out those kraft envelopes and set them aside for later. I knew I wanted envelopes though to hold report cards.

 

 

I had some 6" x 9" envelopes that I decided to trim down and reuse. The album could hold 5" x 5" pages. I trimmed down the envelope to 5" x 5.5". I scored and folded up the end and glued it down. 

 

 

Trim the envelope flap so when you punch holes down the side, you can open and close the flap without it getting stuck in the binder rings. Stitch both sides of the envelope to give them an added touch. You could also hand stitch the sides with a blanket stitch or just adhere them together. 

 

 

Optional - Paint the envelopes a new color (your choice!). I used an antique white. I created thirteen envelopes - one for each grade including Kindergarten. 

 

 

I kept the pages similar because I wanted an easy album to create. By keeping the papers the same size and adding in the same accents, I could easily assemble the pages. I trimmed a variety of School Spirit pattern papers to 4.75" x 4.75". I then trimmed multiple report cards from the Grade Card pattern paper. 

 

 

Adhere a 4.75" x 4.75" pattern paper onto the center of the envelope. Add a Grade Card to the left side of the page. 
 

 

 

Take the original envelope page and use it as a guide for creating holes into the new envelopes. 

 

 

 

Now add pages to your mini!! 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed seeing how to change a mini to fit your needs. I urge you to start your own school mini album for your child before their last year of high school as I'm searching for all our school year pictures, plus the report cards!
 

 

Comments

[Carla Cavellucci Landi]

Great idea, thank you!!!!

[NancyD]

Love the machine stitching on the envelopes... so cute!

[Robbi Bell]

What a fantastic Idea, and great way to keep momentos from the school years.
Well done

[Rama]

Exactly what I have been looking for. This is awesome.
Thanks,
Rama.

[Sabbyscrap]

Just ordered this line, it's fabulous! Thanks for sharing this great idea!

[Amy H]

What a super idea! Really great!

[christy a]

That is a great idea!! So clever!! Thanks!

[MichelleG]

Love this! Great idea for the envelopes!

[Monika Wright]

A really fabulous idea, I'm so happy to have found this via CraftGossip.com!

[jennK]

I LOVE this idea!! Thanks for the tutorial.

[Lisa (FunkyFairy)]

Ronda this is stunning, I love seeing the steps making this.

[lucy edson]

Love the envelope idea! Perfect for back to school, Ronda!

[Louise]

I think envelopes in mini albums are an essential item whether they are part of the page or the page themselves and I was just contemplating how to add some full size envelopes to an album I am starting this week.
SO this has not only been inspiring but informative too. Thanks.