Use Your Stash to Make a Mini Album with Olatz Garaiyurrebaso

We're excited to bring you crafting ideas and inspiration from the Studio Calico community here on the blog. Olatz, a PhD student from Spain, is an active member of the community, creating distinct layouts full of style and color, along with mini albums like the one you're about to see! We're so glad she's been able to contribute this adorable mini album idea to the blog this month!

February is always my favorite month of the year. I am finally starting to say goodbye to the Christmas and Winter holidays whilst I am finally ready for the spring to come. Plus, the 27th is my birthday. Yaaay! I also love February because my boyfriend’s birthday is this month too, and we love to celebrate Valentine’s day as well by doing something fun together.

So this year, I decided to make a mini album about February and us to give to my boyfriend as a Valentine’s day/Birthday present. I was determined to use my stash from previous Studio Calico kits, you know, all those cool bits and pieces, cards and papers that you either hoard or haven't really decided where exactly to use. I also ended up using one of the boxes from the Project Life® kits to use as packaging.

And there is no Valentine’s without some treats, is there? ;) So, I included a little bag of sweets and chocolates and a bunch of confetti for a party theme, right next to the mini album.

For the cover of the mini, I re-used the packaging of the Far Far Away hearts included in the Project Life® main kit. I painted it white and I backed it with some plain vellum. To complete it, I added a (hoarded) heart from the Sugar Rush kit (last February) and some gold alphas (from the High Wire add-on of this February release).

Here you can see some of my favorite pages from the mini album.

As I said before, I mix and matched different embellishments, papers and cards from a lot of previous kits. I really had tons of fun putting this mini together and I was so proud of myself for mixing kits and not just staying with the latest one.

The kits are super versatile, and at the same time they work very well together. Double the fun!

I also found out that sometimes those little things that you had leftover can go very well from previous kits and you can even build your own kit with what you have left.

There isn't much technique involved here, but to make it more interesting, I mixed lots of different elements like transparencies, rub-ons, stamping, die cutting, embossing or simple layering.

I also mix and matched different photos from previous Februaries.

To finish off the album, I punched holes in each page and secured them together with a ring.

I hope you'll try to make a mini like this for a birthday, Valentine’s day or for really any kind of celebration and if you do, be sure to link it in the comments below so I can check it out.

xoxo

- Olatz

Supplies: Far Far Away Project Life® kit; High Wire add-on; other past kits available here

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22 comments

  1. Violeta says…
    02/25/2015

    Lovely!

    Violeta

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  2. jenjeb says…
    02/25/2015

    This is so good! Thanks for sharing!

    2 Reply 0 Replies
  3. Theresa says…
    02/25/2015

    This album is beautiful. Thanks for the idea.

    2 Reply 0 Replies
  4. CeliseMcL says…
    02/25/2015

    A lot of love went into this project. I am certain he appreciated it.

    2 Reply 0 Replies
  5. cariilup says…
    02/25/2015

    This is lovely Olatz!! A wonderful mini, I wish I could make something as pretty as this -add claps emojis here-

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  6. Frenchie says…
    02/25/2015

    This is beautiful!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  7. toribissell says…
    02/25/2015

    stunning

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  8. christinepalka says…
    02/25/2015

    What a beautiful project. I am sure he loved it.

    And now... I have to go find myself some candy. :)

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  9. maggie_massey says…
    02/25/2015

    This is gorgeous, Olatz! Such wonderful inspiration...

    1 Reply 2 Replies
    1. mugsie says…
      11/06/2013

      I've found you can't just open in Studio and print for print and cut because of them being a PDF. See above comment to change it Elements, if you have it :) and also, I just learned that you can make the registration marks smaller to hopefully accomodate the images on your printable :)

      1
    2. GAmes56 says…
      11/06/2013

      The labels need to be traced. But you can trace the entire sheet at one time. I posted above about some printables require messing with the settings to get a good traced cut line, but the SC labels don't usually have that problem. Be sure to select trace outside edge and you should get a good cut. :)

      2
  10. olatz says…
    02/25/2015

    Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate your kind words. :)
    I am so happy that you are loving and finding this mini album so inspirational.

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  11. mariacbj says…
    02/25/2015

    me encanta!!!! sobre todo la frase recortada con la cameo, en la que se intuye la foto de atrás! yo me lo hubiese quedado para mi….

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  12. Bellaa75 says…
    02/25/2015

    Wow, this is just beautiful, thank you for sharing!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  13. welobellie says…
    02/25/2015

    This is beautiful, Olatz!! So happy to see this contribution from you!!

    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. ginny says…
      11/06/2013

      this is another good one, thanks for sharing!

      0
  14. Carson says…
    02/25/2015

    Wow, so fun and original, I just love it!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  15. michelledeleon says…
    02/25/2015

    gorgeous album!!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  16. PrinzessinN says…
    02/26/2015

    I love this album!

    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. Pallavi83 says…
      11/07/2013

      lol for the ones with bah humbug attitude and won't send me a pic with a hat I'm gonna print out a pic of them and put a santa hat sticker on their head and put them in the album :)

      2
  17. Leah says…
    02/26/2015

    I love that pic in front of the tower! I also received my Ph.D. in biochemistry at UT...small world.

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  18. jewlz says…
    02/26/2015

    Absolutely love! Such a cute idea! Happy birthday to you both!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  19. rjuliana1 says…
    02/26/2015

    This is a great idea! I'll totally have to make one of these. I loved how you reused the box too. Brilliant!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  20. maggytzin says…
    02/26/2015

    Really love it!!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  21. amiep says…
    02/27/2015

    Thank you for sharing this. I enjoyed the different elements and the mix of cards that you used. What a delightful gift to give to your special friend or to a partner.

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  22. connecticutie says…
    03/06/2015

    So awesome! Hook 'Em Horns!

    1 Reply 0 Replies

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