My Sissy's Album and other gifts are done !!!!

Okay, she received her birthday gifts, so the photos of what she received are posted below.  Unfortunately, it look longer than expected, she sold her house and moved, the holidays were thrown in there and Nathan had two knee replacement surgeries, and I was the sole caregiver and working full time.  So, extra time, plus my sister being in between homes, made it later, rather than sooner for her handmade birthday gifts (and house warming gift).


I'll try to describe some of "what's going on" in the photos below - rest assured, there's tons going on in her album.  There are nooks and crannies everywhere for pictures and journaling - didn't know what theme she wanted her photos to take, so I kept it kind of generic.  It is a huge gatefold double album.  It has a portfolio "kick out" stand on it so that when you open it, it will tilt back for viewing the pages, or you can fold it back up and store it away.  When fully open, its measurements are 8 inches high, by just short of 30 inches wide !!!!  3D embellishments are throughout the album, along with dangles, bottles, feathers, and all sorts of other goodies.  It is a compilation of techniques I learned from Kathy Orta, Laura Denison, other great artists, and then "my take" on things I wanted to add.  So its design is not one particular person's idea - I lamented over the types of pages, binding system, papers, etc., and when I finally found what I was looking for, I took a little of this and a little of that from all the stuff I've made and put it into one album for my one and only sister........ I love her and loved making this album - I hope you like it too.  I'll shut up now and let you look.......... haahahah

 The paper I used was Graphic 45's Curiosity Shop - the album is 8 inches, by 11.5 by 3 inches deep.

Front latches together with two loops hooking onto hitch posts.

Each side has a door knob on the spine and ties of ribbon to support the album when extended and also aid in it's closing and keeping the flaps of the portfolio close the album. 

View from the top/behind the album.

 Back side of the album.

This is album when it is just opened and standing up straight. 

 This is the album when it is tilted back onto the portfolio stand.

Center back inside - metal key, crocheted flower, feathers buttons, glass bottle filled with blue beads and charm hanging from the left button holding a wing charm on a chain and bottle of gold seed beads.  

 I'll now walk you through each of the pages - starting with the left side of the album.  There are six coordinating die cut envelopes for storing either photos, trinkets or journaling.

 Each and every page section has a large mat hidden in a pocket at the side of the page.... I have them all edge punched with various edge punches.

 Previous page flips up to show what on the underside (above).

 All pages also have a large pocket at the top edge which holds a double sided photo mat.

 There were six pages above - tons and tons of pickets and pages that either flipped out or up.  We've now finished the left side of the album and moving onto the in essence, mirror image of those pages on the right side of the album.

 The album fully extended and tilted back.

 A view from the back of the opened album showing the portfolio mechanism being put into play.

 A view somewhat from the side and back of the portfolio mechanism.

 See how nice and tight it folds back up when not open for display.

 My sissy love doilies - so I made her one of many to come - since she has a new home now, I'll have to check with her so see if wants these "loose" as this one is, or if she wants them framed and matted for her walls.  Gave her this one loose because I didn't know what she was doing with her wall space in her new home.

 I started making these afghans about 20 years ago - everyone that has received on in the past, has "loved it to death" and they're showing their age - so, Sissy got a new one for her new home........

 And yes, Sissy - you got it with the fringe that you love.........

The one thing that I did not take photos of were the crocheted hangers I put in the box - LOVE THEM, LOVE THEM, LOVE THEM - no more clothes sliding off hangers.  Not your conventional crocheted covers - really a cute pattern that slides over the plastic hanger and an Irish Rose is attached to it (that is crocheted too).  A customer at work shared this pattern with me when I went ballistic after seeing them and had to have it......... They fill my closet now........... love them.  I'll try to take a picture of one of mine and post it later so you can see what I'm talking about.  

I feel that in the future, I'll probably have to resort to taking videos of the albums as there are so, so many interactive parts - especially in this one - that still photos do not do justice to the wonderfulness of this album.  Every single page has flip outs, pockets, flip ups, etc., and in every page there are tons of pockets and slots to inserts tags for photos, journaling, etc.   I'll let my beloved take the videos and edit them as he's the major techie in this house......... I just fiddle.......... :)

Hope you can imagine through viewing these photos how many photos can go into this magnificently designed album - sure wish I could take the credit for some of the techniques used, but I can't - all I did was gather all their wonderful information, give it my twist, and figure out how to use them all together to make an album ........ glad it worked - looked terrific on paper!!!! hahhahahaha

Ta ta for now - gotta post these for you sleepy heads back on the east coast - getting late for you and you wanted to see them.

Next post will be for the upcoming class for area students here in SLO County........... have three prototypes made already - two more in the works - but we are going to walk around tomorrow at the Strawberry Festival in town - all the years he's lived here, he has never been able to walk it - so now with his two new knees, that's exactly what we'll do tomorrow - spend the day together at the Festival and just be together............. 

Talk to you soon - Shar