Fun in the Sun Mini Album w/Christine Middlecamp + Special Giveaway!

My passion for Crate has been long standing since the very beginning. I've seen a lot of collections come and go over the years and you can bet I have quite a few favorites stashed away for that special rainy day when I feel so inclined to use them. Lately, my hearts taken a liking to The Pier. It's uniquely different from anything Crate has ever designed before, and for that reason alone, I put it to use on a mini album I can't wait to share with you today...

In developing ideas for crafting a mini of my own, I regularly turn to pre-existing products that easily lend themselves as a platform for bookmaking. If you were to open my studio closet, you'd find mini album supplies g-a-l-o-r-e. It's a place I visit when seeking options for a fresh creation outside the bounds of layout production. For this album, I didn't have to look very far. The very popular chipboard slides from The Pier had been lying on top my desk waiting for me to do something with them - what better way to use them than as mini album pages?

Fun in the Sun :: Pier Mini

The details are impeccable, and sprinkled throughout is an exploration process I enjoyed very, very much. The Pier presented a whole new color palette I hadn't yet worked with, so as part of the cover I tried to incorporate as much of it as possible. To give it a slight boost, I threw in a bright, lively red via the addition of cardstock and fabric. It's eye catching and Summer-ish!

One challenge I faced was how best to use the frames as album pages given that it wasn't obvious from the beginning. In showing you more of the album, each page holds a photo and on the backside, is an embellished canvas - below are brief instructions:

1. Print a series of photos large enough to fit the back side of the frame. They should be slightly larger than the opening. Adhere them into position using adhesive along the photo's borders - a dry adhesive runner works great for this!

2. Turn the frame over so only the backside of the photo is showing. Decide on a design and select a patterned paper to cover the entire area, including the chipboard frame.

3. Following the completion of your pages, punch a small hole directly into the corner of each one using an Alligator Punch Tool. Bring them together with a matching binder ring.

Beyond the frames are details crafted from other Pier items you might be familiar with at this point; Accent Cards, Washi Tape Paper and Thicker Alpha's. If cleverly handled, you can do just about anything with them! Case in point; shine a light on only a small portion of an accent card's overall design. Outline it's border with black pen (great definition!) and paint the edges with white acrylic paint.

Another new element of Crate's that I like are the "map location" icons, both sticker and chipboard varieties. Instead of thinking of them as traditional ol' icons, dress them up with buttons and brads and point them at fun phrases pertaining to the subject at hand or other areas you might want to highlight. Beware, these little guys tend to encourage the eye to drift a certain direction - make sure it supports the flow of your design.

Another idea from the page; straight-up gold paint! Brush it anywhere you like - leave it semi-transparent to induce depth.

This page is all about the green emerald that most folks are super crazy, happy about this Summer! Blended with turquoise and pale versions of itself, the green is a site to behold! In studying the layers, you'll see hints of it almost everywhere. The balloons in the background {trimmed from an accent card} was the first touch. The rest sort of fell into place; random strips of washi tape, epoxy dots, a fabric brad and a trendy chipboard bicycle. The dotted die-cut is from the Sillhouette store - bubbles = water!

The secret to this precious page is in the gold glitter. If ever faced with what feels like a flat design, glitter is the ideal solution! Here, I painted clear varnish along the border of a embroidery hoop die-cut via sections and threw on glitter. To keep that glitter in place, I applied a thin coat of hairspray. Works like a charm!

Not every chipboard image is easy to find a home for because of it's large size. This is especially the case with mini albums. To conquer the size issue, cut large chipboard pieces apart and try utilizing them via alternative means. Note the blue surfboard above - makes an almost realistic leaf!

As I got further into the album, I noticed the color palette taking on more brights thanks to the Maggie Holme's collection. Little snippets of it kept finding their way in. What I like most about this page though is the cotton candy :) After a coat of stickles and a snippet of twine, it's close to edible, literally.

Do you recognize the flower? It's last season's On Trend polka-dot fabric flower. I tucked it between layers of hand-cut olivine wool and a three-tier vintage button combination. Beneath it are two ribbon tails, AC Pink Polka-Dot & vintage velvet. Num!

And finally, the very last page...

Behind is patterned paper with written info about the album's main focus, our bi-weekly Summer trip to Linden Hills Park - our favorite hang-out when weather permits. The place hosts a toddler pool and an awesome duo-park!

THE PIER KIT GIVEAWAY

With the album complete, there is still so much I want to create with The Pier. It truly is a beautiful, beach-savvy collection! If you've been holding off, today is your chance to WIN "The Pier" collection kit :)) We have three of them up for grabs and all you need to do to get in on the fun is comment about which Pier product you love the most! Please include your name and location with your comment. We'll select and announce the THREE winners on May 31st, 2013 (12:00 am Central Time).

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

Thanks for spending time at the Crate blog and making Crate a part of your day! We so very much appreciate it!!