What do you do with those stacks of sweet, sweet baby pictures that you take the first year of their precious little lives? Many stay in our phones, computers or the photo envelopes from Walmart or Walgreens. Now is the time to take them out and get them organized your way – by date, by month, by milestones, etc. Create a folder for each category and add a category title to the tab.
The crate let’s you keep the photos organized, easy to see by flipping through and still protects them from little hands when you need to put it up on the shelf. A File Folder for each month filled with photos that capture the moments – you can even add other little items such as a lock of hair, stamp their footprint or handprint, etc.
We started with zero – that would be birth through the first month and then the numbers began through 12 (perfect place for those 1st birthday party pics) Choose your color palette to match the room, baby attire or just what you love. For this crate, we picked greens, blues and a touch of red.
You will need these basics – no two crates are alike but this should get you started
- 7gypsies 4×6 Photo Crate – choose black, stained or white
- Canvas Corp 4×6 File Folders – Ivory
- Canvas Corp 12×12 Printed Papers – choose 6-8 different coordinating papers
- 7gypsies Varsity Number Stamp Set
- Canvas Corp 12×12 Burlap Sheet
- Canvas Corp 3×3 Kraft Envelopes
- Tattered Angels High Impact – Navy
Tools: Marvy/Uchita 3″ round punch, Pigment Blank Ink Pad, Small chipboard alphabet,
Start with the 4×6 ivory file folders and then cut from a variety of papers additional file folders in the color palette of your choice – making custom file folders is easy, simply trace the ivory ones onto the printed papers and cut – make sure you are tracing the right way so when they fold the stripes, words, etc. go in the direction you want them to.
The first month – decorate the outside of the file folder with photos, baby’s name and sweet words or sayings. This one is covered with burlap to give it extra texture.
Punch photos with the 3″ round punch and they fit perfectly into Canvas Corp’s 3×3 kraft envelopes. Layer fabric, papers and paint.
Add special sayings to the front of each file folder. Add tags and touch of jute to add texture.
Use Washi tape from your stash to turn ATC file folders into little pockets – the 3″ punch works perfect to punch photos to fit right in.
Paint a layer of High Impact White paint onto the papers to give them a mixed media look and a base to add your layers. The Printed Baby Tags look great added to the folder fronts as well.
Strips of canvas add a nice handmade look to the simple, classic designs. Add nicknames and fun little sayings with your chipboard letters (painted with navy High Impact)
Another textured folder with burlap and painted with White High Impact Paint. Add a Small Envelope that is ATC size and fill it with a little ATC or a wallet size photo.
The sayings in the Baby Boy Quotes are so fun to add, choose one or a few and line them up.
This file folder was created with the Baby Boy Quotes paper and we added baby initials to the front with 3 mini clothespins and a touch of jute rope.
We know these photos will be flipped through one day soon by little fingers what a great place to leave little messages you know will be read and remembered – ‘never make a girl cry’ is one of our favorite Quotes!!!
As we get close to the final month file folders the combinations keep changing, but the techniques of painting, layering and adding fun little notes is the same.
We love spelling out little names with the Baby Boy Alpha or Baby Girl Alpha – a combination of fonts and upper and lower case mix and match so well.
Slip them in order into the Vintage Photo Craft and fill with photos starting from birth and you can top at 1 or keep going crate after crate. The folders let you organize anyway you like and show off many more photos in a small space.
Happy Creating!!!!!
