Dad's Day Mini Album

Welcome to a scrappy edition of The Cherry On Top.

We've rustled up another Father's Day project for you using our apron template.  You can make this simple, paper/hybrid craft, too either by tracing around the provided, free template or doing it digital style.  It's a lot faster and there's little mess. You decide what's best for you and we'll show you how.

Grab the jpg right here or head over to our original entry where you can get the tif version if you want to go digital.

I went with both methods for my dad's mini album.  I did all of the inserts digitally and left the outside traditional, by tracing around the template and then cutting out the tools, like you see right here in this image.

Supplies Needed:

template

inserts (if you choose to go digital)

paper/card stock (if you choose to go traditional)

scissors

adhesive (glue dots, glue)

twine, string or ribbon

embellishments

The first thing I did was design my inserts using stuff from my digital stash.  Mostly using Touched By A Butterfly's Grandpa's Workshop.  The tools were really great.  My dad is a total fixer upper kind of guy.

I printed out the 6 inserts with journaling, a couple of embellishments that were tool related and added bolts, screws, nuts, etc around the places to punch out at the top of the apron.  Then, cut out everything I printed as shown, below.

My next step was to ink around the edges of everything I cut out.  It gives your project a  more polished, finished look.  Either wipe or dab.

On to the cover.  I chose very rigid card stock, traced around my template, punched the two holes at the top and inked around all of the edges, here as well.

Then I applied my pocket, leaving the top open so I could insert the tools.  (In our kitchen apron, we inserted our recipe cards here.)  Use it for anything you like.

Then, I cut out all of the tools and stuck them in the pocket.  It has to go thousands of miles through the mail, so I did adhere each one, just slightly with a tiny glue dot.  Glue dots do a lot better when it comes to heat and cold.

You can see really well in this image, that I chose a paper that resembled canvas and it gives the album a textural feel.

I have a traditional hole punch.  So to be sure, I lined up each insert with the cover and punched through. This makes sure that all of the holes from each insert line up properly.  If you've got a super duper hole punch, you could align all of your inserts, cover and punch through all of them. 

I decided to adhere my inserts back to back since I had just the right amount of pages.  It added to the durability and I didn't have blank backs this way.

I took one end of my twine, inserted it through one of the holes at the top of the apron, and knotted the end twice, so that the twin wouldn't come through the hole.  Then took the other end and did the same.  So easy!

I decided to do silly and sweet for my daddy because that is what he is, too.  Hehehe...I used funny pictures of the boys because he's got one heck of a sense of humour.

Here are what the inserts look like.

As this image demonstrates, you can stand up your mini album or hang it up.  My parents love putting stuff on their refrigerator because they see it all of the time.  Some magnet tape on the back would do the trick as long as it's not too heavy.

Use the same template to make this really easy card if you prefer.  Click the image to get to the tutorial.

We've also got a great tutorial and link to this free template to make a fabulously, easy card.  Even the kids can do this one!  Click on the image to find out more.

Just a couple of days until Dad's Day!  Be sure to make it extra special.  If you are looking for gifts or other crafty ideas for dad or the men in your life, check out our Pinterest board, Gifts For Guys.

Happy scrapping!