Olde Curiosity Shoppe Mini - Graphic 45

Happy Friday, Blogger peeps! I have been so busy this week getting ready for our "big adventure." My Mother-in-law arrives tomorrow for three weeks. However, my husband and I will not be here for 16 of those days! We leave on the 13th for our Alaskan vacation! Matt's mom is here to "supervise" the kids while we are away. Sixteen days without the kids, the phone, the computer, the neighbors' barking dogs. Ah, bliss!

Since the blog will be pretty quiet while I am away, I have a project for you to work on until I get back! (There will be a few posts, but not as many as you normally see.) I created this "skinny mini" for Graphic 45 with the Olde Curiosity Shoppe collection.

I used an 8x8 Want2Scrap Gate Album to create this mini. I actually received this album in one of my design team boxes last year and never got around to using it. I cut some of the pages in half to create an 8x4 album. (I have enough pages to make a second album!) The album can sit on a desk or shelf and become room decor as well as a place to store photos.

I used a lot of "curious" bits and pieces to decorate my album to mimic the feel of the Olde Curiosity Shoppe papers.

Petaloo is another one of the Graphic 45 team sponsors and I used some of their Darjeeling flowers.

I did a bit of fussy cutting of the elements from the paper and popped them up with some foam tape. Adding the butterflies to the metal gears give the look of steampunk and curiosity. I also added a few of the chipboard tags to the binding rings.

When I make a mini album for design work, I don't usually add my photos. Rather, I place photo mats to show where you should place YOUR photos. I think it is easier for other crafters to envision how they would use the album if they don't get all hung up on which photos I used.

Here is more fussing cutting and some stickers with the metal plates.

One tip when creating a mini and adding photos later is to make sure that you don't glue your embellishments in the ares where a photo must slide behind them! For the page above, I popped the paper strips with foam tape so make sure that the photo could slide in.

I really like to add some flowers to the grungy items as it keeps the curiosities from being too creepy!

With most of my projects, I like to tuck bits here and there; when you look at a project you get a surprise each time.

I love all the black and cream tones of the Olde Curiosity Shoppe paper, with the pops of color. Very chic!

I filled my glass bottle with some micro beads - a few stuck to the glue when I glued the cork into the bottle! I then glued the bottle to the ornate frame. Layers upon layers. So fantastic!

Thanks for dropping by today. I hope you enjoyed this "skinny mini." I have to admit, this project is MUCH better in person than in photos! I wish you could all hold it and see each detail.

Graphic 45 Paper:
Olde Curiosity Shoppe: Olde Curiosity Shoppe, Counting Down, Exquisite Motif, Parlor Wall, Optical Oddities, Race for Time, Butterfly Specifics, Genuine Article, Bazaar of Wonders

Graphic 45 Staples: Metal Tag
Graphic 45 Chipboard Tag: Olde Curiosity Shoppe: Tags 1, Tags 2
Graphic 45 Stickers: Olde Curiosity Shoppe

Ink: Clearsnap: Colorbox: Graphic 45 Decades Antiquing Ink: Bon Voyage, Dark Cashmere, Photogenic
Chipboard Album: Want2Scrap
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Black
Ribbon and trims: Really Reasonable Ribbon: Black Sheer Box Pleats, Black Jute String
Flowers: Petaloo, Wild Orchid Crafts
Chipboard: Imaginarium Designs (gear, birdcage, small clock); Teresa Collins (clock); Tim Holtz Grungeboard (clock hands)
Gear: 7 Gypsies, Tim Holtz Idea-ology
Clocks, Pen nib: Tim Holtz Idea-ology
Light bulbs, bottle: Sky Blue Pink
Bingo number: Maya Road
Film Strip: Tim Holtz Idea-ology
Metal Frame: Tim Holtz Idea-ology
Die cuts: Spellbinders Foliage; Sizzix Clock Hands
Craft supply: Brads, Bottle cap, wooden domino, micro beads
Adhesive: Scotch 3M tape runner; Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L foam squares; glue