hello mini

Do you ever find a project that simply flows for you?
As you start to work it with photos, paper, and embellishments...the process begins to take over and you are merely following an unspoken inspiration.

That is how this 'hello' mini became.
And I found myself smiling while in the zone.

I knew I wanted to make a mini for a gift for a friend who is always so dear to my children.
I knew I wanted to use the back to back binding technique that I first learned from Heidi Swapp.
I knew I wanted to use the Heyday Collection from Studio Calico.
And so the crazy activity of putting it all together began.

And I have to give all credit to the Heyday collection and the beautiful soft yet graphic feel of this line. The colors are so invoking and everything works beautifully back into itself. I love when a collection of papers and embellishments do that for you.
Bear with me as this post is photo heavy, and as I endeavor to point out several aspects that make me love. love. this mini. (so much the so that I am not looking forward to giving it away.).
Let me add again, my mini's always follow a simple template of order. This one includes a photo on each of the larger sides, with a glassine pocket on the opposite that holds a journaling card.
The photo side is embellished uniquely with Cameo cuts, butterfly stickers, self made banners and flags, tags, arrows...and just what ever came to my hands as I worked it.

The glassine pockets all had a word phrase sticker with a simple pendant and the initial of that particular child. I had previously cut the hello words from a file that was included in the Trendspotting class over at Studio Calico on a dark woodgrain paper...and I loved how that dark accented pattern held it's own against the soft pastel of the Heyday patterns.

Continuing to experiment with the new Cameo and RhonnaDesigns...you may spy the quatrefoil cut on this page, and there are a few other throughout the mini, including the turquoise cardstock cut on the opening page.

Trying not to play favorites here, but this is a favorite page. It is so soft and subtle and simply brings a smile. Seam binding continues to play an accent roll in my current projects. Loving to combine different colors to get a unique look.

Notice on the little mr.'s page...his embellishments are not too different from his older brother's first page. See...I really do not make it brand new every time, yet the different elements or colors and icons used always freshen up a new page. This is such an important technique to me currently.

These photos are here for my benefit, so I can remember what details I laid out on each of the photo pages. Thank you for indulging me.

supplies: patterned paper- Studio Calico (Heyday) October Afternoon (woodgrain); stickers- StudioCalico (butterflies), CosmoCricket (phrase); letters- StudioCalico (thickers); mist- StudioCalico (cameo) (sherbert); clips- Kirkland (arrow); seam binding- ZipperStop (winter white)