Quick Little Mini-Books

This is a cautionary tale which includes quite a few photos.  It seems that many of my posts in the past days have included quite a few.  I suppose this is a representation of what gift giving crafting is truly like.

Today I am sharing these wonderful matchbook mini-albums that I put together using a rather old Close to My Heart scrapbook kit.  That is not the cautionary tale, I'll get to that in a minute.


This kit is really quite simple and easy to use.  The kit provides three similar matchbook mini-albums in three different color schemes- peach/green, tan/pink, and tan/blue.

The mini-albums are intended to be assembled using the provided stamp set and four small mini-stamp pads of the major colors, pink, peach, tan and blue.  The die cuts are all provided.

Instructions clearly indicated what stamp to use where, what color to combine for each book, and which stamping techniques (sometimes using the second generation images, sometimes first generation, sometime stamping off the edge, etc.). 









You can see how the provided mini-album pages have the existing patterned paper in just the right locations to provide beautiful two page layouts.  The finished product is actually quite lovely.  I highly recommend Close to My Heart kits as they are easy to put together.

This is maybe where I should get to the cautionary tale.  It has nothing to do with Close to My Heart which provides a wonderful product that I am sure I can put to good use in the future.
 

The caution comes from my experience as a scrapbook and paper crafting hoarder collector.  I sorta feel as though maybe I should have started this post with:

Hi!  My name is Andrea (last name withheld and nickname purposely not used!).   
I am a scrapaholic.

I am truly not making fun of AA.  It's just that this is a disease that I have (hence Contagiously Crafty) and I have had it bad for years.  So bad that when I went to a LSS for what they call their Yard Sale I inocently picked out this mini-album kit for $5.  The yard sale is an opportunity for folks to sell any items used or new in the LSS where people have already come for papercrafting supplies.  The kit was labeled new and I felt that getting four stamp pads, a clear stamp set and three mini-albums with all the trimmings seemed a bargain.  Plus, I enjoyed the design.  Therefore, it was not at all funny when only moments after purchasing (while showing off my find) when Brandy pointed out that we had in fact purchased the exact same kit years (YEARS!) ago to share between us and that she remembers making at least one of the mini-albums herself.  I believe her exact words were "Don't you have that stamp set at home?!"

I, respectfully, didn't answer her rhetorical question as the dawning light of remembrance lit my face.  In my defense, I have since looked for said stamp set and cannot find it.  Neither can I find any evidence of having any of the three mini-albums (they were probably gifts to someone else ?!).  And I would NEVER.EVER.EVER admit it if I do find them.

By the way, have I mentioned that I own a Scrapbox?

Andie