Mini Album Made Easy: Use Your Simple Stories Card Kit

Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and I’m back today with one more project using the Simple Stories Card Kit. For today’s project, I will show you how to turn your card kit into a mini album! It’s pretty easy to do, and the finished project is so cute! I’ll be using the Simple Stories So Sweet Card Kit, which features the Lemon Twist collection. However, you can make this mini album using any one of the Simple Stories card kits!

Aside from the card kit, you will need matching cardstock. Since my card bases are white, I will use white cardstock and I grabbed some scraps from my scrap pile. Also, we will be using ribbon to tie the mini album closed and for the tops of our tags. Finally, I will use some of the Lemon Twist Washi Tape on a few of my pages.

Building the Mini Album Base

To begin, crease four cards on the score lines. Then, cut three pieces out of cardstock measuring 1 1/4” x 5 1/2”. Score each piece at 1/2” and 3/4” and fold to create a gusset and hinges.

Next, adhere the 1/2” tab to the back side of the first card so the score line of the cardstock piece is aligned with the score line of the card. Do not add adhesive to the 1/4” section. Then, adhere the second 1/2” tab to the front of the next card, aligning the score line of the piece to the left edge of the card.

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Once finished, you should have a small 1/4” gusset between the two cards. Repeat this process with the third and fourth cards. Next, cut four pieces of cardstock to 1” x 5 1/2” and score at 1/2” on the 1” side. Fold in half and miter the ends.

Open the first card front. Adhere the first piece to the right side of the card base so the score line of the piece is on the righthand side, with the opening to the inside.

Once adhered, add a small line of glue to the bottom of the card base and the 1/2” tab. Close the card front to seal the card closed, making a pocket with the opening at the top.

Then, repeat the steps with the other three pieces and cards. When finished, you should have four top-loading pockets in your mini album. Below is a top view of what the base should look like now.

Finally, choose ribbon for your mini album. I will be using a black and white checkered ribbon that matches the patterned papers. Cut two pieces measuring 6” each and adhere one to the front and back in the center.

Decorating the Cover

To decorate your mini album cover, choose your favorite card from the card kit. For mine, I will be using the “You Bring the Sunshine” card. Follow the directions in the Simple Stories card kit to assemble the card front. Once finished, adhere the piece to the front of the mini album.

Adhere the solid black panel from the card kit to the back of the mini album. Then, select the strip with newsprint and black edge. Score at 1/8” from both ends to create a piece to cover the spine. Cover the entire spine section with adhesive and adhere the piece to the spine, overlapping 1/8” with the front and back covers.

On the back cover, I will add the “Thank You for Being So Sweet” frame along with two chipboard bees.

Decorating the Mini Album Pages

First, punch out all of the background papers from the Simple Stories card kit. Then, decide which order you would like to have your papers. I will alternate the teal background papers with the yellow ones. Adhere each of the papers to the pages in the mini album.

For photo mats, cut two of the leftover card bases into eight mats measuring 2 3/4” x 3 3/4”. To do this, first measure 3 3/4” and cut off the fold in the card to make two pieces. Then cut each piece in half at 2 3/3”. One photo mat will be attached to the front of each page. Also, I will be using the Graphic 45 Classic Black Ink Pad for the edges of my mats to help them stand out on my mini album pages. Then, each page in the mini album will be decorated using pieces from the Simple Stories card kit. The gallery below will show each of my pages.

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Pocket Photo Mats or Tags

Cut the remaining two card bases to 4” x 5” by removing the cold in the card. You will have four photo mats when finished. If you prefer, you can cut the top corners into a tag shape, or leave the piece as it is. I will add some ribbon to the top of each photo mat so it sticks out of the top of the mini album. With the leftover pieces from the card kit, decorate the photo mats. Be careful that you only adhere portions of each piece so the photos will slide behind them.

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I hope you have found this tutorial inspiring and helpful. If you’ve never made a mini album before, this is a quick and simple way to learn! Try it with one of the many Simple Stories card kits, and if you don’t have one, head over to the FotoBella online store. There are several to choose from along with all of your other paper crafting needs!

Until next time, happy crafting!

~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team

Simple Stories Page Kits - Scrapbooking Made Easy

Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and today I want to share another tip for any crafters new to scrapbooking. Simple Stories page kits are perfect for introducing the newbie scrapbooker to the art of making layouts. When you are new to a craft, it can often feel overwhelming to know where to start, what to buy, and how to put it all together. Let’s take a look at the Simple Stories Beachy page kit as an example.

Within the page kit, you will receive all of the supplies to make two double page layouts. There are four 12 x 12 background papers, 54 die cut pieces, and 19 chipboard pieces. Also, the page kit contains instructions for putting together the two sample layouts. The nice thing about these page kits is you can follow the instructions exactly and have great scrapbook pages. Or, you can switch things up a bit and make them your own! However, if you are new to scrapbooking, these page kits will show you how to layer pieces on a layout in a cohesive way.

Let’s work on the some layouts using the Beachy kit! I will also be using one of my Graphic 45 ink pads - Peachy Pink. These ink pads are an easy way to liven up your layouts. Also, I love to use gems on my layouts so I’ll grab some matching ones from my stash. These doodads from Buttons Galore & More would be cute with the collection, too! Also, I will be using foam tape to add dimension to some of my embellishments.

Beachy Layout #1

For the first layout, I will follow the directions that come in the Simple Stories page kit. However, I will ink all edges of the papers and cardstock punch outs first. I did not ink my chipboard punch outs. Rather than adding photos, my layout will have white cardstock photo mats and I will add photos later.

Then, I will add some foam tape to some of the embellishment clusters. Finally, I will add just a few gems to each of the pages to provide some extra sparkle.

Simple Stories Page Kit Layout #2

Now that the first double page layout from the kit is done, we will move to the second layout. Similar to the first, I will follow the directions included in the Simple Stories page kit and ink the edges of my pieces. However, I did place the two circular pieces on the righthand page up higher than the example.

Foam tape will be used on some of the pieces for added dimension. Since I don’t have photos printed for my layout, I am using white cardstock photo mats. These pieces are also inked for a pop of color.

Extra Pieces from the Page Kit

In the pictures above, you may have noticed a few “extra” pieces that were not included in the Simple Stories page kit instructions. Since there are several leftover pieces, I like to add a few onto my layout, as needed. So, I will add the starfish between the small photos on the second page.

I really like the anchor punch out and want to include it in my layout. So, I decided to add it to the opposite page, between the two smaller photo mats.

If you are new to scrapbooking, I hope you have found the Simple Stories Page Kits to be less intimidating. The more page kits you make, the more you will recognize the elements of a balanced layout. And if you are a scrapbooking pro, what tips do you have for the beginners? We would love for you to share them in the comments below! Don’t forget to check out the FotoBella online store for more Simple Stories page kits and other paper crafting products.

Until next time, happy crafting!

~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team

Simple Stories Card Kit: Perfect for the Beginner Card Maker

Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and this month I’ll be showing you several projects that I make with the Simple Stories kits. If you’re new to these kits, Simple Stories makes a card kit and a page kit. Each card kit comes with all of the supplies you will need to create 8 cards. Likewise, the page kit comes with all of the supplies to create two double page layouts.

For the beginner card maker or scrapbooker, these kits are fabulous and I’ll tell you why. First, it can be overwhelming as a newbie to pick supplies for a project. The Simple Stories card kit and page kit take away the pressure. All of the elements in the kit match and have a theme. Second, beginners sometimes struggle with layering various pieces of the collection. Again, the Simple Stories kits make it easy because they provide instructions for creating the sample cards and layouts! And finally, the card and page kits can help the beginner crafter to understand how to design a card or page with various elements.

Often, many crafters struggle to add layers to projects without losing site of their photos (on layouts) or sentiments (on cards). The Simple Stories kits really can help with the process of learning layering!

Love Grows Here Card Kit by Simple Stories

For today’s project, I will be using the Love Grows Here card kit. It includes 8 cardstock bases along with 28 chipboard pieces and 70 die cut pieces. Simple Stories makes it simple to create their cards! Simply grab your glue bottle and follow the instructions provided! However, you can also add some extra embellishments to make the cards unique. Other embellishments from the collection such as brads and enamel dots are easy add-ons. And ribbon or twine from your stash are always a nice touch.

If you are brand new to card making, welcome! We all start out as newbies, so let’s start on those cards from the kit. Before I assemble anything, I like to punch out all of the pieces in my Simple Stories kit. This makes the assembly process much quicker. Then, I will place the pieces onto each card front before adhering anything down.

At this stage, it is time to decide whether you want to assemble the cards exactly as the directions in the Simple Stories card kit show. Or, you might want to add a few extras such as ribbon, twine, or gems like I am doing on my cards. Also, I will use foam tape to add dimension to my card fronts. And finally, I will be using my Graphic 45 ink pads to add more dimension and color to my card pieces.

Assembling Your Simple Stories Cards

To begin assembling your cards, use the directions provided in your card kit. However, if you are adding those extras, check out each of my cards below where I will explain what I added to the directions in the Simple Stories card kit. Each card below will have two photos to show the finished card and the dimensional extras.

Card 1

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On this card, I used foam tape to adhere the “Happiness” piece and added a small piece of ribbon to the right side. Then, I used foam tape on the “Welcome Home” floral piece and added two black pearls to the top left side. The edges are inked in black and natural linen inks.

Card 2

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For the next card, I added foam tape to the butterfly and the “Grateful for You” banner. Then, I added a ribbon bow to the bottom and three black pearls to the top right corner. The edges are inked in black ink.

Card 3

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Then, for this card I tied a piece of twine around the back piece and popped the three center pieces up on foam tape. Two black pearls are added to each side of the card. The edges are inked in natural linen ink.

Card 4

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On the next card, I added foam tape to the roosters and knotted a piece of ribbon for the righthand side. All edges are inked with black ink.

Card 5

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NexNeNNNex

With the next card, I added two small pieces of ribbon to the ends of the “Family is Everything” piece. Then, I added foam tape to the barrel piece and added two black pearls to the corners. All edges are inked in black.

Card 6

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Next, I adhered the floral pieces and watering can to the card front with foam tape. I also tied a twine bow at the top of the tag. The edges of the pieces are inked with natural linen ink.

Card 7

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Then, on this card, I added foam tape to the back of the wheelbarrow. Two black pearls adorn to the sides of the “Home Sweet Home” sentiment. A button and twine bow is added to the right corner of the card. The pieces are inked with natural linen ink.

Card 8

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The last card in the Simple Stories card kit has an extra piece added to the background. Then, I used foam tape for the animals and finished off with a ribbon and twine bow in the bottom corner. Pieces are inked with black and natural linen inks.

Extra Pieces in the Kit

If you have made all 8 of your cards, you will see that there are a lot of pieces leftover from the Simple Stories card kit. These pieces are perfect for adding to the inside of the cards to give a bit of decoration. Also, you can add them to the envelope to dress it up a bit. Or, even better, you can make additional cards using background papers from your stash!

Especially for the beginner card maker, I hope you have found this post to be helpful in showing you how you can elevate your cards to the next level. With just a few extras, you can take your cards from simple to stunning. Don’t forget to check out the FotoBella online store for all of the other Simple Stories card kits and page kits available.

Until next time, happy crafting!

~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team

Tropical Mini Album Made with Simple Vintage Coastal Collection

Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and I’m back today with my final project using the Simple Vintage Coastal collection by Simple Stories. With the tropical images and soft, yet bold color palate, the collection is fun to work with! I love when paper collections are versatile and ideal for various paper crafting projects. So far, I have made a card, a tag, a decorative candle trio, and a layout with these gorgeous papers. Each of these projects are posted on the FotoBella blog. Next up, the most detailed project. Today, I want to share with you the mini album I created, perfect for any beach vacation.

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Whether you have a stack of photos from previous beach destination vacations or you’re planning your next tropical getaway, this paper gives off major tropical vibes!

How to Use the Entire Collection of Products in Your Mini Album

In order to maximize my papers, I like to use the plain papers from the Basics Kit combined with the patterns of the Collection Kit on my mini album pages.

Further detail can be added to the mini album pages with the various embellishments. For example, the Sticker Book is ideal for adding labels to photo mats with the catchy beach phrases. And the Foam Stickers give a bit of extra dimension to an otherwise flat page.

The Bits and Pieces pack is full of fussy cut images. These pieces are ideal for adding to the sides of photo mats for your photos to tuck behind.

For the cover and spine of my albums, I like to use chipboard pieces to add slight dimension while remaining flat. The Chipboard Stickers are perfect for doing so, and the Decorative Brads give an added bit of texture.

For a more in-depth view of my mini album pages, please check out my YouTube video (below). It showcases these gorgeous tropical papers, and the subtle use of the collection extras elevate the pages to the next level. Don’t forget to check out the FotoBella online store to purchase this Simples Stories collection and to see all of the other goodies in stock today!

Happy crafting!

~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team Member