Merry & Bright 8×8 chipboard album

Hello, crafty friends! Jennifer here, back on the blog with another exciting project featuring the *Merry & Bright* paper collection from Graphic 45. This collection is simply irresistible, and I couldn't help but dive in headfirst to create something special—so today, I'm sharing a festive album I crafted using this gorgeous paper! Trust me, once you see it, you'll fall in love too!

To start, I carefully selected the perfect paper for the album cover—something that would truly showcase the festive spirit of the season. Using my X-Acto knife, I traced and trimmed the edges with precision, ensuring everything was neat and clean. Next, I turned to my trusty Crop-A-Dile to punch the holes, setting the foundation for a perfectly bound album.

For a touch of elegance, I painted a clay frame with metallic gold paint, giving it a warm, radiant glow that would complement the rest of the design. The real fun began when I filled a half-clear plastic ornament with shimmering mica flakes and a sprinkle of red sequins, creating a mini snow globe effect. With careful precision, I glued the ornament to the center of the cover, then placed the clay frame around it, forming a beautiful globe-like feature.

After positioning the globe, I decided to have the album open upwards, so I rotated the page to ensure the holes were at the top, allowing for a smooth and functional design. Once the structure was in place, I turned my attention to the embellishments. I chose a mix of red and white poinsettias, pearls, red beads, and a touch of holly, along with pinecones and twinkling silver and gold tinsel to adorn the outer rim of the frame, creating a lush, festive border that brings the whole design to life.

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On the following pages, I wanted to make sure there was plenty of space to capture all those cherished memories, so I created pockets filled with tags and photo mats. These little interactive details make it easy to slip in photos or notes to preserve every special moment.

On page 2, I designed a *waterfall* feature, which allows for multiple photos to be showcased in a cascading style—perfect for displaying several images in one spot without overwhelming the page. The effect is both dynamic and fun, adding a bit of flair to the album while still being highly functional.

For page 5, I got creative with two side folds, offering even more room for photos or keepsakes. These folds open up to reveal hidden spaces, providing extra photo opportunities and giving the album a delightful surprise element. Each turn of the page feels like unfolding a new chapter of the story!