People, let me tell you 'bout my best friend. . .

This project for Altered Eclectics is  very special to me.  I was lucky enough to live in a neighborhood growing up that was full of children.  But my very best friend lived right next door.  I made this little book to commemorate our long friendship, so grab a cuppa whatever and settle in - this is a bit photo heavy!

This is the album and it's case - it's only 5x5 and it is so cute!

What I Used to Make this Project:
Silhouette Cameo Cut File - Lori Whitlock 5x5 Mini Album (Item #'s 34172 & 34171)
Lori Whitlock's Tutorial (here on YouTube)
White Cardstock (try to use strong cardstock!)
Me and My Big Ideas - Specialty Card Stack, PXT-08, Black & White
Reprinted Pictures
Sayings, typed out in Word, using the Homework font
Tim Holtz Alterations Die, Labels, 660060
Brads - silver with gems (2)
Adhesive
Various Embellishments

we are in our late teen's, early 20's

I typically go through how I make my projects, but since the tutorial posted on YouTube is fabulous, why reinvent the wheel?  Instead, sit back and relax - as I said before, this post is going to be picture heavy, and I am going to show you what each page of the album looked like (don't worry, there is only 6 pages).  I did make some changes to how the album is put together; I used brads instead of string and as you see in this picture, I had originally cut out a white "spine", but I changed it to black.  I cut everything out and assembled the book and the box. I think cut out a bunch more of the cover sheets to use inside the book.

First, I want to and a disclaimer as I am not a scrapper. I have all the stuff to become one, but, I don't scrap.  Second, the photos I used are reprints of photos that at least 30 years old so they aren't the best. 

I chose black and white as my main colors because they are favorite colors of both Diane and I.  We have been friends for 48 years, literally from the day I was born.  I can't remember a time in my life when she wasn't there.  Here are the first layout pages.

Not such baby pics, but it was the best I could find. Pages 1 & 2

Dig those Halloween Costumes from Caldor or Bradlees - before Walmart! Pages 3 & 4

 We played together all the time. I don't think more than 2 days in a row passed without us seeing each other.  We had so much fun, I feel badly for the children

Diane is on the left; I remember that seal!

who weren't as lucky as we were - our imaginations were very active and we rarely played anything that we didn't make up.  We had elaborate story lines and plots with our games; using items we found or had at our disposal.  And we would play the same games each season, for example, fall was always Acorn Hospital. We each had a hospital at the base of her oak tree.  Our yards were fenced in, but there was a passage way between them so n one had to worry about us roaming away (I actually did roam away with a bunch of neighbor hood kids once, but that a different story. Diane wasn't there).  My mother would being home old business forms from her work and we were in our glory! We would use a piece of carbon paper until there was not a smidgen of carbon left on it - how we treasured that paper!

Ah, the yearly trip to Riverside! I think we are 10-12 in the bigger picture. Even our shoes (Dr. Scolls of course!) are the same, but different colors. Pages 5 & 6

The beginning of the Boys - there is a list hidden on the top of page 7, hidden between the page and the decorative page (hehehehe) - can't publish everything! Pages 7 & 8

We did have a few years where we weren't close friends, but we eventually repaired the friendship.  In fact, I think we have gotten even closer as time marches on.  I can count on her to listen, to give me advice and to just commiserate with me, whether it is a health issue, a relationship issue or the silly things the cats did.  Obviously, there was no way I could document a friendship as long as ours, but it was fun to document some of our childhood.  I had a blast digging out different embellishments, making secret compartments (the boys page) and typing up a document that sort of sums up how much fun we had. 

I was worried I wouldn't have enough room and I was right, so I wrote a document that tells more of the tales of the things we did, the mischief we got into and some more stuff that I can't print.  

The cover - I know, it's a bit backwards showing the cover at the end, but. . .

I had so much fun putting this together - I used paper and embellishments that I have had in my stash at least 10 years - the paper on the box is done in a fuzzy print (so fingerprints won't mess the box up - is what I was thinking!) and the black & white theme was super easy to work with. This has to me one of my favorite projects ever - if not my most favorite - since I had a blast putting it together and it showcases my friendship with Diane, something I treasure very much. I hope the album makes Diane happy - I can't send it to her yet - she made me promise to wait until the addition on her house is finished (at the rate it's going, I'll be holding on to this for a long time!).  Lastly, I want to thank her and her parents for making my childhood so happy, fun and exciting ~ xo

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane  fondly, Christi

I would like to enter my Best Friends Album in the following challenges:
Allsorts -#300, Brads (used to bind the album) 
As You Like it Challenge - #48, Your Favorite Project that is not a Card & Why (see above for the why - last paragraph)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (2nd entry)
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - No Rules (2nd entry)
Not Just Cards Challenges - #13, Always Anything Goes
Crafting from the Heart - #48, Always Anything Goes