winter mini books

Winter is here, and there are plenty of occasions to celebrate with a mini book. Several Fiskars design team members have created books to share with you-

Designer: Susan Weinroth

Hanukkah spans over a week each year, and gives me LOTS of time to take festive photos during our week plus celebration.  I have so many pics, that I thought it would be fun to incorporate a bunch into this little mini-book. 

My idea behind the mini-book was to create a page for each night of Hanukkah – hence the “8 Nights” title.  The photos are all from last year – 2007 – as noted on the cover.  This was my son’s first Hanukkah, making it that much more special, and most of the shots are of him!

By using the Fiskars XL square punch, I was able to punch my photos along with decorative patterned paper, to create a 4x4 square grid on most pages.  The M round n’round circle punch fits nicely into the XL square punch, as you can see where I added circles throughout my book.  I also used my ultra shape xpress and circle template to cut some photos into circles and to add circle elements throughout the book.

Basic Instructions:

One of my favorite ways to put together a minibook is by using chipboard as a base.  Cutting your own chipboard allows you to choose the size of your own book.  I cut my chipboard page bases to 4x4 inches to start.  Cover each side of the page with coordinating patterned paper.  For the 4x4 “grid” pages, punch photos and patterned paper, adhere together in a square, add M punched circles and the nightly number plus a chipboard heart. 

Don’t feel like each page has to be a 4x4 grid.  You can also experiment with the Ultra Shape Xpress tool and circle template to cut photos into circles (as I did on the cover) with coordinating circular mattes.  Use raindot alphas to spell out title on cover and any additional titles throughout book.  Once each page is completed, used the ¼ circle hand punch to punch a circle in the top left corner of each page.  Attach pages using a bookring.

Designed by: Lisa Falduto

It has been so much fun to watch my daughter grow from the time she was born until now.  Each year at Christmas I reflect on the changes she has gone through and how the holiday seems to be different as she grows.

I decided to create one single mini album that will capture one single snapshot of her each Christmas until she is 18.  I am keeping this top secret from her!  Anyway, on her 18th Christmas this will be one of her gifts so she too can reflect back on the first 18 years of her life. 

The front and back cover of this album is made using a thin clear acrylic sheet cut into 6x6 inch pieces.  Using your Fiskars drill you can easily and safely drill your holes to insert binder rings into this album.  When you work with clear acrylics you want to make sure that whatever you put on the front, that you have something to cover the back as well because obviously it shows through.  Rain dots and clear elements sparkle stickers are ideal for clear acrylic books!  All  inside pages of the book (9 total) are solid heavy weight ivory cardstock.

Stamping on Clear Acrylic is so much fun and the beauty of it is that you can see it from both sides.  On the front cover I created a square mask and then stamped around the edges on to the acrylic using a solvent based white ink.  With my Fiskars Trimmer I cut another square of patterned paper to fit inside the stamped area.  In the center of this square I used my Fiskars circle cutter to cut out a circle.  This will allow the photo I place on my first page to show through the front of my album.  My Fiskars Wire winder was used to create the beautiful wire design that surrounds the cut circle opening. 

On the back of the album I wanted to show you how much fun it can be to use Rain Dots and the Sparkle Clear Stickers!  On the back side you will see that I used one of the Jumbo sparkle punch outs.  I traced this first on the back side of Red Luster Sprigs so I would have something to match up to this on the opposite side of the acrylic piece.  You can see how wonderful the Rain Dots look showing through the acrylic album!  The elements stitches are on top and bottom matching up from front to back.  On the other picture you see I place a Quote Card in the center of my red flower reminding my daughter when I give her this album someday that "There's no Place Like Home for the Holidays."

You will notice on the back of the front cover that I place stickers at each corner to hide the glue dots I used to secure the front.  I also cut a circle from one of the Jumbo Sparkle flowers using my Fiskars Circle cutter and placed it at the circular opening to finish off the inside.  On the opposite side you will see my daughter's first Chirstmas and I simply placed the photo so it would show through the front and added journaling around the outside edge.  I will continue to simply add a photo and journaling each year once the holiday is over. 

Designer: Kelly Purkey
I love all the parties that come along with the holidays and it seems like there is no better time for photo opportunities. 

Bringing along a camera insures that you'll remember the good times and little details like food, music, and laughs. 

I put together this mini album of the Christmas party my department at work had last year.  It was so much fun and I really enjoy looking back on these photos.

The cover for the album was an acrylic one that came in a set of 6 pages.  Instead of using them all together, I decided to break them up and use them for 6 different projects.  The cover was stamped with Li'l Davis Christmas stamps and white Staz-On ink.  I think the fun of using clear acrylic pieces is seeing things peek through from the next page.  The cover was also embellished with some Heidi Grace patterned paper and chipboard to look like the top of the present. 

Inside I kept the design simple and repeated it on each page.  The Heidi Grace paper and stamps all worked together well to make the pages come together fast.  I had printed out the photos in 2x2 squares and punched them with my Round 'n Round squeeze punch. 

For my journaling I use the Christmas template and Ultra ShapeXpress to cut trees out of clear plastic (leftover packaging from the top of the clear stamps).  They were also stamped with Li'l Davis snowflakes and white Staz-On. 

Designer: Becky Novacek
I have a friend who I originally met through an online scrapbooking community. She is the queen of mini-books. She came for a visit a couple of years ago, and brought a few of her completed mini-books with her. From the time I saw the cover of the first one she pulled out, I was hooked! Now, I’m always thinking up mini-books with different themes and I’m constantly trying to think of ways I can create my own bases for the mini-books I love. For this Thanksgiving mini-album, I knew I wanted to do a little book for my mom. Every Thanksgiving, she enforces the “tell us what you are thankful for” rule. No one can leave the table without saying something they are thankful for. We all fuss about it, but love it at the same time. This summer, my mom was diagnosed with mesothelioma, and she has decided not to take any treatment. Every holiday means more now. I want to savor this Thanksgiving and I thought it would be appropriate to honor her with not only our verbal thanks, but our written thanks as well.

I used the Fiskars Leave it to Weaver Border Punch to create this mini-book. I simply trimmed 2 pieces of very thin chipboard to 5”x7” and then used the Border Punch along the long side of each one, matching up the lines so that they were aligned. Then I trimmed 2 pieces of Lustre Paper from Cloud 9 Designs Finley’s EstatePaper and 2 pieces of Heidi Grace Dot We are Family paper to the same size and lined up the Leave it to Weaver Border Punch along long side. Adhere Papers to front and back sides of cover. Then trim one piece of Heidi Grace Baby Paper to 4.75”x6.75” and line up the Border Punch and punch along long side.

Trim white cardstock 2” x 5” and adhere Clear Sticker from Heidi Grace We are Family collection to right side. Create title with Cloud 9 Designs Finley Estate Alpha Stickers. Then use Scallop Rotary Trimmer along bottom of white cardstock strip. Add skinny strips of Heidi Grace paper and Flowers.

Print photos in wallet size to embellish inside covers and add simple accents. Stamp Fiskars “I am grateful” from Thankful Stamp Collection on top of both inside pages and hand-draw lines. Thread very flimsy ribbon loosely threw punches to bind mini-book.

Designer: Katrina Simeck

Living in VT, I have LOTS of snowy photos! I created this quick & easy mini book to show off just a few of my favorite winter shots.

I’ve wanted to try out an acrylic/see-through style, and this was the perfect opportunity.

I started with several 4” x 4” acrylic pages (purchased at a local craft show). I then cut several cardstock squares to 4” x 4” so that I could alternate between solid & see-through. I added snowflakes to the corners of the cardstock pages with the Fiskars 3-in-1 Snowflake corner punch.

Here’s an easy tip for those clear pages – use double sides patterned paper so that you’ll see a pattern on both sides. I used a soufflé pen (ink is “puffy” when it dries) to color over stamped images for a snowy look.

With these ideas and your Fiskars tools the possibilites are endless for fun crafting possibilities!

By Fiskars design team