Spring Mini Album

Image 1: Page of Spring Mini-Album

I am in the process of making a mini album for displaying and storing sets of tags I have made.  Today I am sharing two spreads I finished from the Spring Mini Album I am creating.

Image 2: Spring Mini Album Spread 1: View 1 without tags

I designed the two page spread above to display and store three spring tags.  This kind of album could also be used to store vintage postcards.

Image 3: Spring Mini Album Spread 1: View 2 with three Spring Tags

The spring green and pink color combo is one of my favorite color combinations.  There are pockets sewn on the paper with translucent fabric, so you can see the bottoms of the tags peaking through the fabric. 

Image 4: Spring Mini Album Spread 2: View without tags

The second two page spread (above) also displays three spring tags.  This spread started with the same background papers, but used a different color scheme and style.  I love the using a mini-album like this to experiment with materials, color schemes and styles.

Image 5: Spring Mini Album Spread 2: View with tags

This project has been fun - a flurry of laying out and choosing papers, fabrics, laces and needlework.  The mess has flooded the 1st floor, especially the dining room table that we eat on.  The layouts are small but took me a large amount of time, spread out over multiple days.

1+ days: I found and picked papers, lace and fabric bits. (I don't rush picking paper, I look through stacks of paper I might never look at again, and couldn't possibly ever all use.)

1 day: I cut papers to size and assembled into a "signature". Then I collapsed exhausted because I actually had to make decisions.
(A signature is group of printed sheets that are folded and stitched together.)

1 day: I painted vintage music and other vintage papers with acrylic paint.

1 day: I experimented with coloring lace.

1 day: I made the hearts.

1 day: I reinforced the hearts so the paper doesn't crumble.

1 day: I stamped the pink ribbon and green paper (and a bunch of other stuff.)

1 day: I assembled layout 1.

1 day: I assembled layout 2. 
   
As you might have guessed, I am not very efficient at the process.  But I love the creativity involved and taking my time thinking about what I want to do next. 

Image 6: Heart and Lace detail

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The story - Why did I create my album?

I enjoy making sets of tags to display seasonally in a framed display I have.  (See this post here).  In theory I change the tags displayed as the seasons change.  Practice is more problematic.  

Image 7: My Original Spring Tag Collection

Since I made my 1st set of tags in 2015, I have lost tags and sets of tags multiple times.  I have issues keeping them together and finding them again.  I've taken them down, put them in a plastic bag and lost the bag.  I have worried the tags got tossed.  Tags get bent.  I take a tag out for some reason and the tags get separated. 

In the meanwhile, Scrapbooking has been evolving, expanding, morphing and merging to include creating Art Journals, Altered books and Book Binding, Collages, Junk Journals (reusing ephemera and found materials), and more.  Magazines and videos have been enticing me to try these techniques, and so I came up with the idea of storing the tags in a beautiful hand-created mini-albums or books, and this post is showing the start of that project.

(If this post is getting too long, skip the rest below - It is just tips for crafters.)

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Tips:


I'm not a tutorial wizard, there are many talented tutorial people on the internet, but I have tips I'm sharing that I want to remember for myself as well. 


Tip 1: Vintage papers are fragile and crumbly, so I used the PH Neutral PVA glue I like to glue the heart (or other) shapes to index cards which I then cut out. A better order would be to glue the paper to the index card and then cut them out. (Sometimes I learn from doing it wrong!)

Image 8: Tip 1 and 2: Reinforce vintage paper

Tip 2: I put a coat of Liquitex Matte Varnish over the top of the painted cutout shapes.
These two steps make the most fragile papers fairly strong.  The varnish in particular makes the paper almost waterproof.  It leaves a bit of a texture (which I like) and using Varnish works best over water-proof paints or inks.  Test on a sample piece if you are not sure if your paints or inks are waterproof.  Many / most aren't waterproof (The pink color on the hearts above weren't waterproof, so the color smeared.)
The darker heart on the far right above isn't backed yet, and it wants to curl up. It is basically unusable without reinforcement.

Image 9: Hearts in process and in use - The extras for other projects!

Tip 3: I make bunches of shapes I like on the same day, (cutout; glue down to paper; paint/stamp/embellish; optionally varnish).  This can increase options and productivity on other days.


Tip 4: I work on multiple projects at the same time - I also created other signatures (one for Autumn and one for Travel) at the same time.  It keeps me engaged when I hit a drying spell (pun intended) or when I just want to use a different material, etc. This works for me but might not work for everyone.   

Album pages with vintage Easter postcards

Tip 5: What size?  I decided on sheets 11 inches wide x 8 inches high folded in half and sewn into signatures.  11 inches lets me use 8.5x11 inch paper folded in half and cut down.  Also, many resale shop hard covered books would easily contain the signatures if I decide to bind them together.  If creating a mini-album to display vintage postcards, I would recommend a wider size.

Album page with robin egg tag

I hope you have enjoyed this post

and the spring to come!

(unless you are south of the equator then enjoy fall!)

Click on the images to see them enlarged.

 
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If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy...

 

Spring Tags

Spring Needlework

Vintage Lace

Mixed Media 1

Mixed Media 2

Mixed Media 3

Eggs of stone

Eggs-travaganza

Mosaic Birds

Mosaic Birdhouse

Bluebirds

Glass Flowers

Winter Garden

Mosaic Cross

Heart Quilt

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I visit and linking up to lots of parties:

Create with Joy: Inspire me 477 Mon (m Entry 36 of 169.)     I was featured here!
My Random: Anything Goes 276 (Entry 9 of 62.)
Texas Tanya: Hello Monday (s Entry 36 of 63.)
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Good Random Fun: Good Fun Mon 4a (m Entry 19 of 41.)
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (s Entry 3x of 59x.)
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* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Mon 582 3p (l Entry 8 of 118.)
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Lindas lunacy: Making-a-home 205 Tue 9a (m Entry 10 of 59.)
Jesh studio: All Seasons Tues (Entry 19 of 22.)
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Also My Wee Abode: Tuesday Turn About (s Entry 30 of 152.)
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Lets Add Sprinkles: Keep in Touch 190 Tue 4p (m Entry 4 of 51.)
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Creatively Beth: Creative Crafts 32 (m Entry 62 of 100.)
Grandmas house: Grandmas 234 Wed 4p (m Entry 56 of 92.)
April Harris: Hearth and Soul Sun a (Entry 12 of **)
Marilyns treats: Over the Moon 269 (Entry 163 of **)
Oh my Heartsie Girl: Wonderful Wed 249 (Entry 39 of 123.)
My Thrift Addiction: Vintage Charm 275 Wed (m Entry 14 of 56.)
French Ethereal: Share Your Style 295 Wed 6p (Entry 2 of 54.)
Imparting grace: Grace at home 416 (Entry 34 of  130.)
Artsy mama: Artsy party 335 Th 7a (Entry 10 of 120.)
My Slices of Life: Hearts+Home Handmade Th 6a (Entry 25 of 136.)
Eclectic Red Barn: Thurs Favorite Things Th 7a (Entry 51 of 212.)
Also KatherinesCorner: Th 7a (Entry 51 of 212.)
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Two Chicks and a Mom: Funtastic Fri 323 (m Entry 16 of 126.)
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Kathleen: Bloggers Pit Stop 261 Th 8p (L Entry 10 of 92.)
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** Eye Love Knots: Snicker Doodle 378 Sat 5pm (m Entry 11 of  173.)


Craft Specific and Challenges
Art-journal-journey: Something New (t Entry na)
Love to Craft: Love to Craft March (s Entry 101 of ??.)
Love to Scrap: Love to Scrap 143 March (s Entry 122 of ??.)
Mixitupchallenge: Mix it up Anything Goes (s Entry 19 of ??.)
Movingalong: Challenge 128 March (t Entry 34 of 141.)
* Avenue613: Challenge 3 Anything Goes (m Entry 10 of 38??.)
Crafters castle: Challenge 39 March (m Entry 51 of 153.)
Dragonfly Dreams: March Challenge (m Entry 5 of 111.)
*** Creative fingers: Challenge 203 (s Entry 58 of 192.)
Craft rocket: Challenge 70 Spring (m Entry 16 of 152.)
*** Perfect time: Open Challenge (Entry 142 of 423.)
A Pinch of Joy: Busy 459 Mon 8a (s Entry x of 123x.)
More Mixed Media: Mixed Media Challenge (s Entry 7 of 24??.)
Shopping our Stash: Shop our Stash 440 (Entry 9 of 16.)
Keeping it Real: Really Crafty 257 (s Entry 8 of 59.)
Sew Can Do: Craftastic Mon 8a (Entry 49 of 95.)
Mostly blogging: Inspire Me Mon 314 (Entry 7 of 100.)
* We love 2 Create: Challenge 3 (Entry 71 of 77.)
Stitchin Mommy: Wed Party 389 (Entry 15 of 25)
Petals to Picots: Loop Scoop 9 (Entry 65 x)

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Related cool posts:
Paper from vintage linens 
French-vintage-farmhouse-journal
Making paper bag albums by Dragonflytreasure
Easy junk journal by Freshvintagebylisas
Wyzlemoncraft.pl: z-moodboardem (supercool)
An Envelope from a calendar

2026 art journal 

Spring Paper Tag Project

Framed tag holder with Spring tags

While waiting for spring to appear in Wisconsin, I recently started and completed the "framed paper tag holder" project above.  It was a fast and fun project that allowed me to play with and combine many of my loves - a vintage frame find, vintage linens, buttons, photography, and scrap booking papers and supplies. 

My Spring Tag Collection featuring my photography

I started with a fantastic frame purchased at an estate sale that I have been wanting to use for a long time.  I used a section of a stained vintage tablecloth for background fabric, and attached vintage clam shell buttons in rows as shown.  (I had purchased the bag of shell buttons some time ago and had never used even one of the buttons.)

The Framed tag holder without tags

Then came the fun part.  Creating a spring set of paper tags with my stash of scrap booking supplies, buttons and vintage linens and lace. 

Playing with supplies while creating tags

I wanted my paper tags to use my photographs, since I take many photos and can't display most of them.  Using small bits of existing photos reminds me of some of my favorites. 

Spring tags

Using the bright colored photography in the tags definitely makes the tags seem contemporary, so I interspersed the tags with lace, buttons and stitchery.

Spring tag details

The great thing about this project is that I can create so many seasonal sets of tags and change them out throughout the year.  I am already envisioning a set of beach tags, birthday tags, autumn tags, and of course Christmas and Valentines tag sets.  I also want to create sets of travel tags from France and other places I have been.  A set of family tags for Thanksgiving might also be lovely, and could feature vintage black and white photos as well.

Alternate tag ideas

The different tag sets and colors will result in a changing work of art throughout the year.


I hope you enjoyed the results of my project.  If you have made one of these holders, link it in the comments section below to share it with others.  

I was inspired by Rebecca Sower's project and her tag sets.  She gave instructions for her tag holder here in June 2008.  She posted her fantastic Christmas tag collection from December 2014 here, and an Autumn tag collection from September 2011 is shown here.  An ancestors tag collection from February 2007 is shown here.  I am inspired by her designs and indebted to her for her inspiration.  Some day I hope to meet her.




Click on the images to see them enlarged.

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If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy...

Spring Mini-Album

Spring Tags

Spring Needlework

Vintage Lace

Mixed Media 1

Mixed Media 2

Mixed Media 3

Eggs of stone

Mosaic Birds

Mosaic Birdhouse

Mosaic Cross

Heart Quilt

Chicago Garden

Chicago Garden

Kaleidoscope Part 1

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I am linking up to these parties:      I was featured here!

* Coastal Charm: Show and Share (Entry 29 of 171.)
* Mod Vintage Life: Mod Mix Mon (Entry 45 of 55.)
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Monday 50 (Entry 11 of 388.)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Tues 259 (Entry 11 of 249.)
Cedarhill Ranch: The Scoop 161 (Entry 31 of 323.) t*
* Homework:b The Inspiration Board (Entry 1 of 150.)
Elizabeth.gr: Be Inspired 155 (Entry 32 of 99.) *
Cozy little house: Tweak it Tue 132 (Entry 65 of 161.)
Ms Moozy.com:s Tue with a Twist 101 (Entry 10 of 119.)
Upcycled Treasures: Makers link Party 56 (Entry 73 of 308.)
Whats for dinner: Thrifter Share (Entry 7 of 12.)
Woman in real life: Vintage Bliss (Entry 11 of 21.)
Bellarosa: Lets Talk Vintage 22 (Entry 28 of 50.)
Mariaelenas: Tues at our home 103 (Entry 77 of 87.)
Girlish Whims: Whims Wednesday 203 (Entry 59 of 345.)
Ivy and Elephants: Whats it Wed 157 (Entry 36 of 153.)
* My Salvaged Treasures: Vintage Inspiration 180 (Entry 50 of 100.)
Jan Olson: Share your Cup of Tea Thur 140 (Entry 19 of 136.)
Imparting Grace: Grace at Home 145 (Entry 59 of 84.)
Creative Princess: Its a Party 201 (Entry 14 of 96.)
Charm of Home: Home Sweet Home 211 (Entry 21 of 144.)
French Country: Feather Nest Fri (Entry 28 of 264.)
A Glimpse Inside: Handmade Hangout 39 (Entry 17 of 420.)
* Romantic Home: Show and Tell (Entry 30 of 218.)
From my Porch: Treasure Hunt Thur 196 (Entry 66 of 140.)
Craftberry Bush: The Inspiration Gallery (Entry 31 of 373.)
Shabby Nest: Frugal Friday (Entry 19 of 170.)
Life as we know it: Weekend party 127 (Entry 98 of 172.)
Marcela Cavaglieri: Finde Frugal 69 (Entry 3 of 41.) t*
Chic: Flaunt it Friday 248 (Entry 13 of 192.)
Delightsome Life: Home and Garden Thurs 89 (Entry 8 of 132.)
Rooted in Thyme: Simple and Sweet (Entry 39 of 114.)
Style Sisters: Wednesday Spring Party (Entry 65 of 73?)
Posed Perfection: Creative Ways 44 * (Entry 123 of 148.)
Bloom Designs: Lovely Little Link Party (Entry 331 of 379.)
My Repurposed Life: Catch as Catch Can 204 * (Entry 5 of 51.)
Tatertots: Party Palooza (Entry 82 of 715.)
* Funky Junk: UpCycled Link Party (Entry 56 of 79.)
Maleviks Rosentradgard: Saturday Show Off (Entry 2 of 50)
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks 106 * (Entry 84 of 128.)
Classy yet Trendy: Mix it up Fri * (Entry 32 of 36.)
Its Overflowing: Count your Blessings (Entry 3 of 134.)
Lakeshore Drive: Bouquet of Talent (Entry 126 of 436.)
Jembellish: A Round Tuit 249 s (Entry 59 of 256.)
Uncommon designs:s Monday Funday (Entry 24 of 586.)
Thoughts from Alice: Sun At Home 50 (Entry 14 of 102.)
Boogie Board: Masterpiece Mon 219 (Entry 11 of 67.)
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 320 (Entry x of 153.) t*
Silver pennies: Silver Pennies Sun 111 s (Entry 36 of 101.)
** Stephanielynn:b Sunday Showcase 277 (Entry 71 of 291.)
* Dwellings: Amaze Me Mon 102 (Entry 66 of 129.)
Karens Hill: Something to talk about 8 (Entry 22 of 208.)
Bddesignblog.com: Outside the Box (Entry x of 74.) 
Green willow pond: We Accomplished Wed 74 (Entry 19 of 71.)
Savvy Style: Wow Us Wed 213 (Entry 171 of 289.) t*
Gingersnap crafts: Wow Me Wed 197 (Entry x of lots.)
Crafts ala Mode: What to do weekends 117 (Entry 78)
City of Creative Dreams: City of links 66 (Entry 28)
Simple Nature: Fabulous Fri 28 (Entry 56) missing
Someday Crafts: Whatever goes Wed 260 (Entry 1 of 371.) links gone  


Indulge yourshelf: Whats-on-my-worktable is gift tag inspiring!
Christmas tags from Trader Joe
 
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