Earlier this week, I shared my very first 4×4 mini album.
Since I naturally gravitate to rectangular photos (instead of square ones that the album is meant for), I always thought that 4×4 albums and I were not a good fit, so I tended to shy away from the 4×4 size before. But after my recent experience completing my first-ever mini album in this 4×4 size, I daresay I’ve finally overcome my fear of square albums because I love it and can’t wait to make more.
If you are in the same spot as I am, wanting to try something new but being slightly hesitant about it, I totally understand. So here are my tips for tackling a mini album in an unfamiliar/intimidating size (like 4×4, or any size you are unsure of, really!).
Note: I already gave the album to its recipient, so check out this post if you missed seeing the full album with all the details and want to make sense of what I’m talking about.
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Choose similar colors – have “base” colors and accent colors.
For example, for the 4×4 mini album, I chose to have more neutral colors such as black, white, and a cork/woodgrain texture from the journaling cards. My accent colors ended up being gold, mint green, and mustard. I kept my color scheme in mind when picking paper or embellishments for the album – it made the decision process much easier than having ten different options that all looked good. This also helped the album to have a cohesive look throughout.
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Use repeated elements and similar embellishments.
My embellishments included stamping, Heidi Swapp’s acetate and paper die shapes, chipboard shapes from Studio Calico and some die shapes from Amy Tangerine.
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Break the “rules”.
While the 4×4 We R Memory Keeper albums are meant for primarily square Instagram photos, I actually incorporated many 3×4 photos as well simply by adding 4×4 patterned paper as the background. So go ahead and use rectangular photos if you need to – don’t let the size confine you!
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Don’t be afraid of the size.
Sometimes, fear is the biggest thing that keeps us from stepping out of our comfort zones and trying new things. So face that fear and just try whatever unfamiliar or intimidating size you’re thinking about.
What album sizes are most difficult or challenging for you to work with? What are your tips for tackling a new size? Let me know in the comments!
Fab tips! The only mini I came across that I never liked was our honeymoon mini. I used a SC Handbook for that, with the old pockets (the ones with huge gaps between pockets). It’s weird cause a year later I started using 6×8″ albums full time for Project Life and have loved it.