Where has the time gone?

It's been a really long time since I updated my craft blog.  If you have been a follower and were wondering where I had disappeared to...it was just a series of events.  Mainly, I had been on 3 pretty specials design teams and I put a lot of myself into them and when they closed their doors because of stopping their business, the wind went out of my sails.  Really though, the timing was where it needed to be for me because I hadn't felt my mojo in quite some time.
I was looking over at Laura Denison's webpage a couple weeks ago and she was writing about a mini-album swap.  The more I thought about it...the more I liked the idea and so I signed up.  I am in a group with 6 other ladies from across the country.  We each had to build our own mini-album and leave it blank inside, and we will be shipping to each other so that everyone gets to create their own special page.  Here is my album before I shipped it off:

I left the inside all blank so that it can be designed however they like

I included some papers that fit the theme I was going for but also encourage them to create their page however they like. 

I received the 1st album from Linda in North Carolina.  Since I get her album first, I waned to make sure her first page had all the elements that I thought were lovely about the papers she had chosen.  Butterflies are the main theme with some pretty papers she included from Bo Bunny "Country Garden".  Of course I had to ink it all up and put that "Shelley" stamp on it.  Here is what I created for her 1st page:

 

The Cover that Linda created

I did some machine stitching, ink distressing and cut a butterfly out of the paper she provided.

When the flap is lifted, there is photo mat with photo corners and a butterfly verse.

When I turn the page, there is another flap to embellish.  I kept this one simple (and signed it per her request)

When this flap is turned over, I created a little pocket and made 2 small tags.  I left these blank for journaling.  On the opposite side is another photo mat with photo corners.

Inside the page is a pocket to store a large tag.  I wasn't really sure what Linda intended to use the large tag for, so just did some light embossing with perfect pearls.  She may want to add a photo in the center or on the back.

 

I had a lot of fun creating the 1st page of Linda's journal and will be shipping it out to the next person in line to do page 2.  I am extremely excited to see mine when it makes it's way back home to me in November!