Graffiti Instant Album Page

Ever since Ron taught the Instant Album at the 2013 Retreat, I've wanted to give the concept a try. (If you're not familiar, the Instant Album uses page protectors with assorted pockets on each page, rather than a full size 12x12 page.) It turns out this type of scrapping was perfect for the page I wanted to do about my Godson, Kian and his brother, Alek. Both boys shaved their heads on Saturday as a sign of support for their friend who had brain surgery yesterday.

The Graffiti collection offered just the right "vibe" for photos of these awesome young men.

I chose the page protector from the Instant Album that has six 4x6" pockets. So to create the inserts, I cut one Black Smooth Plain, and one White Smooth CS Print so they'd create the 4x6" inserts and mattes I needed for the page. To accomplish this, I had to do a little math. Math is hard. Especially without my friend Tricia to help me. But I figured it out!

1. Trim both 12x12s at 11.5 and 6". 
2. Rotate the 6x12" horizontally, and cut at 8 and 4".
3. Trim the 5.5 x 11.5 horizontally at 10.5, 7, and 3.5". 

Assuming you were successful with the above cuts, you should end up with six 4x6" bases and six 3.5 x 5.5" mattes for each of the pockets in the page protector.

The upper left panel was created using a faux chalkboard technique. I stamped "Love" from the Collection UM stamp sheet and traced the cloud, arrows, and star shapes from the Graffiti Stencil in white chalk ink marker.

The journaling box is from the Embellishment Cutaparts. The other panels were decorated with additional stamps from the Greeting UM and Borders & Backgrounds and colored with the Neon Ink Dabbers. The heart was cut from a Pink Photo Matte using a Spellbinders die.

This page is a great way for me to document the act of kindness of these great guys. I'm so proud of you!

Creatively yours,
Karen

2013 Retreat - Instant Album

Happy Thursday, everyone!

While I’m mostly known for my work in digital scrapbooking, I had the honor of teaching an amazing paper workshop this year at Retreat! Instant Album is a riff on Project Life, using a nifty set of pocket-style page protectors by We R Memory Keepers, an assortment of 12X12 and 8.5X11 papers and some really cool cutaparts designed by Jacqueline Carney. The cutaparts are a remix of Wildflowers and they really look great with this kit’s color scheme of green/blue/purple.

The Retreat project kit includes, papers, cutaparts, & page protectors.

Set of 10 Pocket Page Protectors

Although quite cutting-intensive, this project comes together very quickly and easily. The pages are double sided, so you make 20 pages in about 90-minutes! How’s that for speedy? If you’re used to Club Scrap’s ALSB-style pages, this will be a snap for you and even if you’re not a regular ALSB-er, the clear cutting directions and color photos will get you through it all very nicely.

Here are a few blank pages as well as some with photos added (big thanks to Julie Heyer for sending me a few photos of her album!):

And in the course of putting together the cutting instructions for this kit, we came across a very cool thing - you can use any CS kit with these cutting instructions to make this style of album! All you need are 13 sheets of 12X12 and 1 sheet of 8.5X11 paper and the cutaparts from a Club Scrap Kit or Collection! How cool is that?

Tip: When cutting up papers from a different kit, make notes on which papers you’re substituting for each paper in the Retreat kit - that will help ensure that you cut the right papers into the right sizes.

Here are some pages made with Take Wing and Lock & Key kits:

These albums are great not only for your own scrapbooking pleasure, but they’d also make great gifts for family and friends who don’t scrap, but would like a album for some special memories. You cut and assemble the pages and they just add photos and a bit of journalling! Easy-peasy!

Don’t forget to pick up some of these kits before they’re all gone - and a few extra sets of page protectors wouldn’t hurt either!

See you next week!

-Ron