You need ideas on what to give him/her that is sentimental, meaningful and best of all, within your budget. Here is an option that I think is all of that and more. Regardless of whether or not you consider yourself “creative,” you have options. Consider a mini album of you and your loved one(s).

For a 5” x 8” Mini Album, You will need:

• One 12” x 12” Sheet of Chip Board (Cut into two 5”x8” sheets.)
• 6 – 8 Sheets of 12” x 12” Colored Cardstock, (Acid Free and cut into sixteen 5” x 8” sheets)
• Some Colored, Patterned Papers and Embellishments (Preferably, a small 6” x 6” pad that will allow you a few choices.)
• 18” of Ribbon (Cut into 6” strips for the binding)
• Acid Free Adhesive (Can be purchased at your local craft store)
• At least 14 Pictures of You and Your Loved One(s)
• A Paper Hole Punch
• A Paper Trimmer
• Scissors
• A Ruler

Next, it is time to get your creative juices flowing. I have provided a LMPMiniAlbumTemplate for you to download. All you need to do is decide what pictures, colors and embellishments to use. Remember, your album does NOT have to be perfect. This is a gift that comes from your heart.

*If you truly are not the creative type, an alternative option is to upload those wonderful pictures and design your album through an online photo printer such as Snapfish.com, Shuttefly.com or another of your choice. Printers like Snapfish have their own album templates pre-designed for you to simply place in your photos. They typically have several designs and sizes to choose from and almost always have seasonal sales which will save you money. In later articles, I will be reviewing which are my favorite printers and some of the pros and cons to using them.

In the meantime,

Be picturesque

~Lauren