Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge #19

To see my Craft Secrets project, please click HERE. You won't want to miss this one!

Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge #19 posts today!  Remember, you have two weeks to play in the new challenge, which closes November 16th at midnight PT.

Challenge #19 For All that You Do, Thank You!
Create a "thank you" gift for this challenge. It can be a Thanksgiving hostess gift or a simple thank you card. It can be a "thanks for helping me out of a jam" present, or a "thanks for being you" scrapbook layout. As long as your project says, "THANKS," enter the challenge! We want to see you de-hoard some of your stash and say thanks to someone! (Your project does not have to be Thanksgiving-themed!)

I love to create elaborate gift card holders. It is one of those things that just makes me happy. So many people in my life prefer gift cards and I always want to give the card in something pretty. (Of course FINDING one of my creations when I NEED it, is always a challenge!)

I created this pocket accordion album gift card holder as my Thank You project. {that was a mouthful} I saw one of these pocket albums on Pinterest and wanted to try it. I have never done one where the pockets were the FRONT of the mini album!

I used lots of hoarded items on this project. When I create theme projects, I shop my stash for anything in the theme or color palette that want to use. All manner of hoarded stamps and papers found their way into this project!

There are three pockets on the front, and the mini is held together with a "belly band." Once you slide the band off, the mini flips open with space for journaling, photos, and so forth. 

I decided to go with the "thank you" theme and make this a special gift for someone who has done me a great service. Sometimes, saying a simple thank you is not enough!

My theme is vaguely Christmas, but not overly so. I used the printables from My Artistic Adventures for two of my tags (the music notes) and for the bird image. The bird image did have a Christmas greeting, but I covered it up with the "thanks for being there" sentiment (I have hoarded this stamp set for over 3 years). I used the beautiful Graphic 45 Raining Cats and Dogs paper. (I used the prints from the collection that were not pet specific.) I have been saving this beautiful paper for a few months. I only purchased a few of the prints and did not want to cut them! 

To create your pocket album, cut one piece of cardstock to 8 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches. (This will make a 4 3/4 x 4 inch mini. The finished mini, with tags included will be approximately 1/2 inch thick.)

Score on the 8 1/2-inch side at 4 and 8 inches.

Rotate the cardstock and score on the 7 1/2-inch side at 4 3/4 inches.

Rotate the cardstock to the 8 1/2-inch orientation. Use scissors or a notch punch to cut a notch in the right edge, where the score lines meet. Use circle punches or circle die templates to cut half circles in the upper left and lower right quadrants as shown.

Place double-stick tape on the right-hand tabs. Add a 3 7/8 x 2 inch piece of red plaid decorative paper to the upper right quadrant of the cardstock.

Fold on the left score line. Fold the right tabs to the OUTSIDE and adhere.

Cut green gingham decorative paper to 3 7/8 x 3 1/2 inches. Punch the half circle notch to line up with the cardstock pocket. Attach paper. Add double-stick tape to the right and left edges below the score line. Fold up and adhere.

Slip a 3 7/8 x 2 inch piece of red plaid decorative paper into the pocket and adhere. Then cut 3 7/8 x 2 3/4 inch piece of floral decorative paper for the bottom pocket. Punch the half circle notch to line up with the cardstock. You now have THREE pockets.

Create the accordion fold portion of the mini album. Cut cardstock to 12 x 4 3/4 inches. Score on the long edge at 1/2, 4 1/2, and 8 1/2 inches. Round the corners on the right edge. Fold the 1/2-inch left tab IN and place double-stick tape on the edge. Attach the pocket portion to the tab.

Decorate the inside pages as desired. I used a selection of stamps and  journaling cards in the thanks theme.

This is the other side of each page. One fun tip for you is to use scented embossing powder to make an extra special gift! I stamped the sentiment on the black tag with Snickerdoodle scented embossing powder! It smells GREAT! {grin}

To fold your project, you will fold the panel with the rounded edge (the right-most panel) in and then fold each panel closed from the right. 

I will look like a book at this point. Fold again and the pocket page will end up as the FRONT.

Create a band to hold the book closed. Cut cardstock at 10 x 1 inches. Cut red plaid paper to 9 7/8 x 7/8 inches and add to the cardstock. Wrap the band around the album and secure in the front. Cover the seam with some twine and a cardstock "button." Add a sentiment as shown.

Create tags for the pockets. you can also add a gift card (or more than one), coupons, or anything you wish to use to say THANKS to your special person!

You can create this project in any theme and in different sizes! It makes a great gift or a fun mini album! Enjoy!

Read the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Rules are HERE. LINK your project up using the Link Tool on the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog. 

Make sure you visit the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Design Team and check out what they have to share! 

Amber Milone
Christy Butters
Debbie Seyer
Donna Idlet
Ginny Nemchak (on vacation)

Glenda Brooks
Gloria Stengel - YOU ARE HERE
Jan Marie Ennenga
Karen Zueger

Kathy Clement

Pam Bray
Wendi Robinson

The Craft Hoarders Anonymous team is BLOG HOPPING with the My Artistic Adventures Team today! Make sure you visit all the blogs in the list below!

My Artistic Adventures Challenge Blog

Helene

Shawn

Carol

Lisette

Sandi

Candy

Heather

One talented participant will receive this prize donated by Heather Hudson of My Artistic Adventures:

For more information about the design team and prize sponsor companies, and their links, please see the end of the Craft Hoarders post HERE.

My Artistic Adventures images: Shabby Vintage Chic Victorian Christmas Blue Birds Music Tags Digital Collage
Cardstock: WorldWin Smooth Black; Neenah Natural White

Designer paper: Graphic 45 Raining Cats and Dogs, Place in Time, Twelve Days of Christmas, Come Away With Me, Couture
Stickers: Graphic 45 Place in Time
Chipboard: Graphic 45 Twelve Days of Christmas
Cardstock Banners: Graphic 45 Twelve Days of Christmas
Tag: Graphic 45 Black Artist Trading Tags
Ribbon and twine: Really Reasonable Ribbon
Ink: Ranger Distress Vintage Photo; Memento Tuxedo Black; Colorbox Top Boss Watermark
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Thanks All Ways; My Favorite Things  Words of Inspiration, Cheerful Blessings, Vertical Greetings; Waltzing Mouse Rescue Remedies Additions; StampingScrapping Fancy Accents
Embossing powder: Colorbox Scents Snickerdoodle
Die: Heartfelt Creations Luggage and Tags; My Favorite Things Postage Stamp Stax
Punches: Stampin' Up circle punch; We R Memory Keepers Envelop Punch Board
Scoreboard: Martha Stewart
Journal spots: Maya Road, Project Life
Adhesive: Scotch 3M ATG tape; Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L 3D Foam Squares; Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue