Anatomy of an Album: Baby (the beginnings)


Annacover2


American Crafts 12x12 Corduroy album in Blush; K&Company Butterfly; Hambly Butterfly transparency ]

And so it begins. A collection of stuff: images, stories, and bits of this & that picked up along the way.





I want Anna's baby album to essentially be a home for a bunch of different things. Some pages will be artsy, some simple, and others will just act as a place to store stuff. Little things (like the hospital bracelets & hat below) will be kept safe and sound inside the pocket of a page protector.

My mission is to selectively keep stuff, tell stories, and create a home for the memories of her first year. 

This is not an album with a master plan. There are no spots to fill in the blanks. It doesn't all match. Rather it is something that is evolving as she (and I) evolve.

I am using is a 12x12 3-ring album from American Crafts in Blush. Inside are four different sizes of page protectors from American Crafts: 12x12, 8.5x11, 6x12, and the divided 12x12 with 6 pockets for 4x6 photos. The pages are intermixed from one size to another which is one of my favorite things about 3-ring albums.

Anna-pocket


The current first page (shown above) is a divided page protector from Crop-In-Style that is designed as sticker & die cut storage. I am using these page protectors for little things because each pocket has an extra piece of transparency that essentially closes the pocket keeping the contents safe inside. This particular page protector has 5 pockets and holds a hat, the hospital bracelets, a clothing tag, the newspaper birth announcement, and the proof of the hospital photo. I envision that I will use more of these throughout the album.

Annaalbum5

[ Information and supplies on this layout can be found here. ]

One of the reasons I like to include 8.5x11 (besides that I like scrapbooking in that size) is that it fits standard sized papers - such as a document from the hospital and some information from the pediatrician that will be fun to look back on some day. The back of the layout above is a certificate from the hospital with Anna's footprints stamped onto the page.

Annaalbum1

[ Information and supplies on this layout can be found here. ]

Annaalbum2

Cosmo Cricket Animal Friends patterned paper]

The layout on the back of the music 6x12 page is one that documents what was happening around here at week 6. Journaling is from this post.

Annaonesie

[ Hambly Onesie Transparency ]

As I mentioned in the beginning, I don't want this book to be just layouts. I want to include more bits of life such as this onesie. It's one of those tiny ones that only lasts a few weeks but is such a great reminder of what a miracle this whole thing is in our lives. Currently it is just sitting in there on top of the onsie transparency. I am not sure exactly how I am going to attach it to the transparency yet - I don't want any sort of adhesive that will yellow the onsie. 

The next couple pages are divided 12x12 protectors with 6 pockets for 4x6 photos. I want to be able to quickly slip in some of our favorite photos that may or may not be scrapbooked in a crafty way. 

It's a start. I am excited about getting some more stories documented - especially some layouts about meeting family, our time in the hospital, etc. I've done a few more 12x12 double-page spreads for Creating Keepsakes that will be coming out in issues later this year and will be placed in this album once they are photographed. There's no particular order to how I am telling these stories - usually it just depends on which one is inspiring me the most when I have the time to put something together.

I'm also planning to add in some 12x12 photo enlargements - maybe one like this:

Smile 

I'm excited and inspired to get more of her stories told and to give them a home in this album.

I'll share some more interior shots again in a couple months as the album begins to grow.

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164 thoughts

  1. Melanie says…
    04/06/2009

    She is just so gorgeous! Of course you know that, but I had to say it ... the book is fantastic (as always!) I want to do something like this also (my baby is now 9 months old! so hard to believe).

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. Rakel Shideler says…
    04/06/2009

    Hi Ali,
    I LOVE LOVE your blog! You're so inspiring and I always leave your blog feeling happy and sooo inspired! Anna's album looks amazing! My daughter is 7 years old, and I wish I would have made her an album like that when she was a baby. I might start on it now and make it slightly different, as I don't have the newspapers and stuff. I know little Anna will treasure her album forever! But Keep up the good work girl!
    Best wishes from Italy xxx

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  3. Carrie P says…
    04/06/2009

    Love the look and feel, thanks for including little things like onesies. Enjoy your beautiful daughter!

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. Liz Ness says…
    04/06/2009

    LOVE that you've kept a onesie in her album! What a great idea! It has me looking at the box of Duncan's little clothes. Hmm...
    Also, I love the photo of you and her and that cute smile! Your kids are sooooo cute (such great smiles, both of them)!
    Thanks for sharing and bringing a smile (and awesome idea) to my morning!

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. kelly says…
    04/06/2009

    How about little tiny clothes pins to attach the onesie to the transparency?

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Just a girl says…
    04/06/2009

    Beautiful...Sweet and simple...LOVE the photo of Anna...Adorable...
    love you sweets!
    kiss kiss
    m

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Heidi says…
    04/06/2009

    it is all completely lovely. i really love how you keep things simple yet everything seems to turn out perfectly. congrats on your new little one, she is just precious!

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Giselle says…
    04/06/2009

    Hi Ali.. I came across this song today, and I remembered that I saw this post of yours about music for baby Anna..
    The song is: I hope you dance by Lee Ann Womack.. It's a very very beautiful song, that I think every mother wants to sing to their childrens.. By the way, great start on Anna's baby album, love it..!! Hope you like the song,
    Giselle xxx

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  9. Shannon says…
    04/06/2009

    What a wonderful way to share all your memories with your little one. Times go by so fast, treasure it when they are this small. Thanks for sharing :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Glenda says…
    04/06/2009

    She may have Simon smile but she looks like your Mother :o)thank you for sharing. Have a blessed day

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. 4JJM says…
    04/06/2009

    Ali- I am slowly switching all of my 25+ 12x12 albums to D-ring. I love the idea of mixing all shapes and sizes of layouts into one album. Thanks for the idea - it has opened up a whole new world to me!

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Kathy F says…
    04/06/2009

    Ali-
    I love ANNA's BOOK! :) I simply love your layouts...some are simple, some are very artistic, but all are BEAUTIFUL....Thanks so much for sharing with all of us! :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Sarah says…
    04/06/2009

    Thanks for sharing this Ali, I can't believe you've had time to do so much already! That last picture of you and Anna is so precious, congratulations on your new blessing!

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Nancy says…
    04/06/2009

    Really like what you have so far... I like the idea of putting the memorabilia/things right in with the other pages - I have this little box thing someone gave us and I didn't like the paper it was covered in, so I started decoupaging over it. Not surprisingly, it's still half-decoupaged, the baby stuff is in various places and my kiddo is 4, LOL. This, I could do and everything would be in one place. :)

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  15. erin says…
    04/06/2009

    she is so beautiful, ali!

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Lanette says…
    04/06/2009

    Please consider the safety pins might rust. My mom gave me some of my baby clothes, some were safety pinned and they rusted on to the material. She lives near the ocean so the moisture I'm sure played a part.
    I love this idea of putting the baby clothing in the album, I have no wall space for a shadow box, so this idea is fabulous. My babies premies clothes are so small they'll fit in an 8 1/2 x 11 page protector.

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Lanette says…
    04/06/2009

    I like that idea of the hat on the tree. I have little bunnie booties from my twins that would be perfect on the easter tree. I was just looking at them yesterday with the girls and wondering what to do with them. Fabulous idea Vicki.

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  18. laura says…
    04/06/2009

    you may have gotten this already, but you could poke a few holes in the transparency and "sew" the onesie on.
    xoxo

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. Shelly Kettell says…
    04/06/2009

    Oh my gosh she is SO CUTE!!!
    and of course the album is looking good too!
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Linda Beeson says…
    04/06/2009

    Is that photo totally sweet! Fun stuff to capture! LOVE the album, jealous that you are so on the ball!!!

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  21. Anika says…
    04/06/2009

    I love this book. So beautiful. I love this book you are using. I have the AC regular blush album fo rmy daughter But I love this as a future album for her ( she is 4 working on book year 2) My son is 14 months I am now starting his book and I love the idea of the AC corduroy albums. What made you switch to pink. I saw taht all your books were brown, even your sons. What do you think about the ac courdory compared to the cloth. And can you get a good amount of layouts in it Mine is a little wobbly.

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. Anika says…
    04/06/2009

    sorry i did two comments oops

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. Christine Drevo says…
    04/06/2009

    Hi Ali-
    Love Anna's book she is absolutely adorable. Love your ideas and everything is so girlie I love that. As far as attaching Anna's onesie have you considered using a clothing tag gun? I think they sell them at Scrapbook.com

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. Alisa says…
    04/06/2009

    This is just beautiful.....I love the idea of including the little onsie....might you be able to somehow stitch it to the transparency?? It might add a cute element to the whole thing....
    blessings Alisa

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. Lynn says…
    04/06/2009

    Ali,
    So cute so far! I didn't read all of your comments so this may have been suggested...but maybe you could get another onsie transparency and attach them together on 3 sides and use as a pocket for the onesie. It's amazing how fast they grow. My little girl will be 22 this month. She was born in Portland at Emanuael. I miss that city! Well, thanks for sharing Annas book, love it!

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