First Day of School 2020 Layout

 This year has certainly been a year like no other, and the start back to school was no exception!  My school system had two weeks of pre-planning and started back on August 17.  Families had the option of starting online for the first nine weeks or starting back face-to-face.

My layout uses the July/August Mix-In papers in Smoothie, Peach, Glacier, and Sapphire.  I used three different stamp sets that are now retired.

I'm using a flip flap on each page to be able to add more photos.

I colored the stack of books with markers, and the hand sanitizer is two stamps.

The pink hearts are from the previous catalog's Mix-In collection.

If you look really closely, you'll see that I embellished with silver glitter gems and silver star confetti.  (Squeeze a little liquid glass onto scrap paper.  Use a toothpick to transfer glue to the stars and then place).

My adorable assistant doesn't always know when to behaave!

Short Story Mini Album

Close To My Heart has partnered with Stacy Julian to create Story by Stacy, which now features 3 different kinds (sizes) of mini albums and a worksheet to help you make them.  Story Starter is 4"x4",  Short Story albums are 6"x6", and the newest addition, Stories I Love, is 6"x8".  (You can learn more about each one HERE.)  Below is my Black & White Short Story right out of the packaging. 

I knew exactly what I wanted to make so I did not use the worksheet.  My husband's mom made him this poster of pictures for his 50th birthday, and I have been wanting to convert them into a mini album.

I pulled the pictures off and cut out her journaling to include as much as I could.  Here are the results:

Each pair is a 6"x6" left and right page.  I did make the effort to pull a few more childhood photos to include his dad and his brother in his album.

School photos and young adult shenanigans

Dating and early married life

Here come the girls!

I went ahead and added a family photo from this year since I had extra and needed one more page.  I probably should have found a photo from his 50th birthday, but I didn't go to the trouble when this beauty was already sitting on my craft table.  The final page is a photo of the poster itself and a quick note about how his mom had made the poster and then I had turned it into an album.

I am really looking forward to my next one!  I might actually follow the directions on the next one...