Ancestry Mini Photo Album

 International Art & Soul, a challenge which has been put together to incorporate any type of craft, paper, wood, flowers, recycling, glass - the world is your oyster :).  Come on over an join us with you artwork :)

Challenge #78
Use a Photo

This fortnights challenge 'Use a Photo' has been chosen by Sall. I have never made a mini album before so this really was an a learning journey for me but it was a beautiful project to make.  My Mum kept small photos in mini frames of her parents and my dad by her bed and when she passed away I packed them in the memory box so they would not get lost.  However, I loved her quiet way of keeping memories of her parents and my Dad alive, the last people she saw each night before going to sleep and the first people she saw when she woke up in the morning.

With Mum's photos and frames tucked away safe and sound I decided to get them out and scan the photos she used and print them so I could have my own wee memory book by my bed and added a picture of Mum, a favourite of mine, taken on my wedding day.  The spine was created using a video tutorial I found on You Tube by xannero1 - how to make a mini album from start to finish part 1 (there is a part 2 as well)

For each of the pages of the mini album I stamped images both for the background and the main pocket to link up to jobs and/or hobbies relating to the ancestor on that page.  A small tag was added in a hidden pocket behind the photo which gives DOB and DOD and I attached a charm to that tag also relating to a passion in the persons life.  The larger pocket at the bottom is still waiting for the insert to be put in as this is something I want to work on when I have both my daughters with me so we can think of words that remind us of the people.  They won't be able to contribute to my Grandfather or my husbands parents who they did not know alas but they can have their say for Vera (my Gran), Bill (my father) and Rita (my mother) who they were privileged to have relationships with.  Nearly all of the stamps I used for the stamping are from the Creative Stampers magazine which I have collected for a year or 2 now, a very reasonable way to build a collection of reasonably priced stamps for me, giving me a large variety to turn to for many different creative projects.

The final 2 pages which I have not show are not yet complete.  I have created all the elements and pockets but left the photos blank. It does seem a bit morbid but I know my daughters have fallen in love with this wee album and so think it will be kept after my hubby and I have moved to the next world.  They will be able to choose photos of Alan and me to add and fill in the blank cards with their own thoughts and maybe one day, this wee album will be passed down to my grandson Jay :)

Challenges entered : -

• My Time to Craft 2W  - #426 - No Digis Allowed (W2 of 2)
• Alphabet Challenge - 2W, 1E -  X IS FOR X-tra EMBELLISHMENTS  (W1 of 2) 
• DL ART Thankful Thursday Challenge 2W 2nd & 4th Thurs 3E #254 Always Thankful (W1 of 2)
• Try It On Tuesday 2W, C5, 2nd & 4th weeks - Go Green or Recycle Something (week 2) - recycled an embroided tray cloth
• We Love 2 Create  - 2W (ends Tuesday) - Always Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes