I have three small children who are fascinated with pictures and stories from when I was their age.  Yes, I know this will be short-lived!  But for now, I am the all-knowing, wise Momma – so let’s just go with it.  LOL!  My husband dug up a picture of the two of us from about 20 years ago and I realized how few pictures we have like that. I didn’t keep up with photographs like I do now.  So I decided to make up a book, with journaling prompts, that I could fill up with photos and stories for my kids to read.  For a laugh, I’m calling it ‘In the Old Days’.

I started with a Regal Glimmer Glass Window Album.  For the cover, I took a ‘bit too bright’ patterned paper and made it into a lovely texture by toning the color down with Coffee Shop Glimmer Mist and a bit of Pink Bubblegum thrown in too for fun.  While the paper was wet from the Glimmer Mist, I crumpled it up good and flattened it out to let it dry.

Crumpled and Glimmer Misted

Once this paper was dry, I placed it underneath the cover page of the album.  I used a dark pen to trace the fleur de lis pattern from the cover onto the patterned paper.  I used an exacto knife to cut out the shape.  Your paper has to be dry for this step, or it will tear easily.

I gently removed the coil binding from the album and adhered my patterned paper over the top.  Holding the cover piece over a light box, or even against a glass window, I used my exacto knife to make an ‘x’ in each binding hole.  Gently place the cover page back into the binding.

I stamped my sentiment onto white cardstock and then dipped the edges into the leftover Glimmer Mist on my craft sheet.  I then gave it a quick overall spritz of Gingerbread Glimmer Mist as well to make it off-white.

Stamped and Glimmer Misted Title

I sprayed two Creme de Rouge -Regal Glimmer Chips, a key and keyhole with the Coffee Shop Glimmer mist.  Because I wanted a heavier application, I then placed these face down on the craft sheet to get a puddled amount on the key.  I sponged the Glimmer Mist heavilly on the keyhole as well.  I wanted to give them a slightly rusted look.

'Rusty' key hanging from Ribbon

 I adhered the Fleur de Lis Glimmer Window piece to the back of the cover page.  To make it more prominent in the design, I sponged Coffee Shop Glimmer mist along the edges and finished it off by tracing the image with Distress Stickles in Vintage Photo.

Glimmered and Distress Stickles

And so now I am working on filling up the inner pages.  As I find pictures, for example:

• of the pets I had as a child
• our house after a tornado
• from the senior prom (egads)
• and so forth

along with a list of favorites, wishes, accomplishments, things that I want to do…

This book will be a sum of me – but very simple to fill and something that I would recreate for my Mom, my Mother-in-law, any significant adult in their lives to fill out as well.  Watch out, pretty soon every family member will have one.

I’ll keep you posted with pages and prompts.  Thanks for reading.