File Folder Mini Album / #KSDNov

Happy Friday Everyone!

I hope you all have had a lovely week and are looking forward to a fantastic weekend.

Many of you have heard me talk about the Kraafters Kommunity over on Google plus.  It's a lovely group of talented, knowledgeable and friendly folks...just like you!  I hope you'll go have a look.  Each month, we have a kraafting challenge that is either a theme, a technique, or some other fun idea that Heather, our fearless leader, comes up with.  During November, our challenge is to alter something.  I tried to think of something different than I would normally do.  That meant no altering of cans, toilet tubes or cardboard boxes.  What's a girl to do???  Alter a file folder, naturally!!

After perusing countless YouTube videos, I settled on this one from Dawn's Inspirations.  It's made from just one basic file folder.  Be sure to check out her channel, because she has an entire series of mini albums made from file folders.

I learned Two Important Lessons today, but we'll get to those later.

Here's where I started....one plain old file folder whacked in half.

Then you take each half and fold the sides back on themselves, so that you have these groovy "M" shapes.  You'll have one longer flap on each piece, and these will serve as your front and back covers.

You then take the two pieces and join them together, leaving an opening for a side loading photo mat/tag.  And this is where I learned Important Lesson Number One today.  This would have been far easier if I had been working with straight cut file folders like Dawn uses in her video.  Because I had a third cut tab on mine, it kind of jacked up the whole cut-in-half-and-simply-fold-back premise.  Needless to say, I kind of had to jerry-rig my folds and line ups.  Let's just say there was a lot of bone folder and scissor action happening and leave it at that.  

Side loading slot where the centers meet.  I went back and punched the thumb slot on both sections later.

Next, you'll want to adhere the other flappy sections together.  You can make these hold top loading photo mats/tags.  Yes...I went back and punched the thumb slots through on both sides.  

My next step was to do some heavy duty inking of all the edges and folds.  This is where I learned Important Lesson Number Two from my friend Julie.  I am new to the world of distress inks and applicators.  When I bought my one and only ink pad (Vintage Photo), I grabbed the applicator that was right there with it, not realizing there are two different kinds of pads that go on them.  So today, when I told Julie how dissatisfied I was with this applicator, I found out I need the FOAM applicator pads, not FELT.  Well....that would explain why I'm getting such stinky results.  My brilliant friend Julie told me the felt ones are for using with alcohol inks, of which I have none.  And, thus, ends Important Lesson Number Two for the day.

I improvised and added a couple of flappy tag thingies.  Yes...that's the technical term.  I have no idea why I thought these were needed.  I just did.  That is all.

I used papers primarily from the "Old World Winter" stack from The Paper Studio.  There's also a few from "Winter Wonderland" and "Ornamental Christmas" thrown in for good measure.  I was going for the whole vintage, old world Christmas kind of feel.

And now.....drum roll please.....here's the finished product.

The little rectangular picture mats you see in the next two photos are actually tuck spots.

 I do hope you'll come over and join us in the Kraafter's Kommunity.  We have a ton of fun and would love to have you join in!


Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!