A Beautiful Christmas Mini-Album

Hold on folks, I have the distinct pleasure of sharing one of Brandy's stunning creations with you today.  I don't get pictures of all her creations, but when I do... Wowza!

Today I'm sharing a handmade bound mini-book Brandy recently finished.  She followed two different tutorials, making the design her own with a major flair!

Ginger at My Sister's Scrapper
 and
Stack the Deck Mini-albums with Laura Denison

Click the links, but be warned.  Addiction to making mini-albums might follow.  I'm going to try to point out some features on each page, but forgive me if I miss something.  This project is chock full of goodness. Grab a coffee, a couple of doughnuts (or other sustenance) as this is one picture heavy post. 

On the front cover we have the Spellbinders poinsettia die cut flowers overlaid on some Heartfelt Creations Ornamental Add-on holly leaves die cuts.  What do you love more- the sentiment oval or that fabulous mini-banner across the top?

Each paper bag page folds out to reveal extra photo and journaling opportunities.  Each of those patterned papers can be slid out to add a photo or some journaling.  The tree is strategically glued to act as a fastener for the photos within the pocket.

Between Cricut die cuts, border punches, and packages shape embellishments, each page has enough interest to keep you looking for several minutes and this is without pictures in the album.

Brandy stamped and colored Santa with her Copic markers.  There's glitter in that beard- partly responsible for the glare. The sleigh is cut from Cricut's Christmas Cheer cart.

Don't you just love that corner punch?  A small circle punch was used to create the concave cuts on the patterned paper to highlight the corner punch.  Marvelous, yes?

Within each paper bag, a tag was made.  Brandy die cut the presents using Cricut's Christmas Cheer cart  and then cleverly glued them onto a tag shaped piece of black cardstock.  The matings on these tags really provide a beautiful backdrop for photos and journaling blocks.

These musical die cuts were made using Cricut's Quarter Note cart.  They are beautiful accents for this very vintage page.  The angles were stamped using a retired Elegent Angels stamp from Heartfelt Creations and die cut using her retired Heartfelt Creations Christmas Cheer die.  Brandy then colored each image with her Copic markers.

The polar bear and other accents were cut from Cricuts Joys of the Season cart.  Isn't he a cute little bear with his darling red glittered scarf?  Perfection!

Those reindeer were cut from kraft paper using the Cricut Joys of the Season cart.  They are removable so you can place them in front of pictures and other mementos in those pockets.  Fair leaping out of the page.  Opposite, Brandy created this waterfall photo album right in the back of the book.  The hinge system allows enough depth to the binding that you can actually get away with a mini-album inside your mini-album.  Again, beautiful layering of papers from within the book.

It took Brandy a bit of time to complete this project that was originally intended for a work gift share at the end of last year.  Still, she finished it.  That's saying something grand, don't you think?  Brandy has been my friend for more than a decade and she still amazes and inspires me.  She has a flair and a touch that I strive to duplicate in my own way.  Whoever is the recipent of this gift will be blessed, truly blessed.

I'm entering this into Inspiration Journal's June Monthly Challege: Christmas in June, Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: I Ought to Use This More and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #137- Anything Goes.   Come on over and join the fun!