Always Happy - Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Weathered Garden Collection

Hi everyone, Rebecca with you today sharing my second layout for January. I can't believe how quickly this month is going... feels like it was only Christmas last week! I've been working with Simple Stories' Simple Vintage Weathered Garden this month, which you can find in the store here.

I began this layout by cutting squares from some of the patterned papers and the dark green cardstock from the 12 x 12 Basics Kit and layering them horizontally across the page in three clusters. For the central cluster, I cut 3 x 3 inch squares from the green cardstock and the Journal Elements paper, and for the outer two clusters I cut 2.5 x 2.5 inch squares from the green cardstock, the Love You More paper and the Cherish Today paper. I then layered the squares on top of each other, but rotating each one slightly to produce an almost star, or flower shape. I added a layer of foam behind my photo and sat it on top of the center cluster.

Before sticking the patterned paper squares down, I added some mixed media to my background. I used a Distress Ink Pad in 'Bundled Sage', applying the colour with a blending brush, and then added splatters in the same colour on top. I also added some silver splatters using a Distress Spray Stain in 'Brushed Pewter'.

I selected two of the Foam Stickers for my title - 'Always Happy' and placed these centrally on the page underneath my photo. I think the foam stickers are one of my favourite products in the Simple Stories collections! 

I selected some die cuts from the 'Bits & Pieces' and 'Floral Bits & Pieces' packs and clustered them on and around my patterned paper squares.

I also added a couple of die cut butterflies to the page, as well as some smaller butterflies which I fussy cut from the 4 x 6 Elements patterned paper. I positioned the butterflies so that they are cascading down the centre of my page, through my photo. 

I felt like the page needed some 'grounding' so I added a torn piece of the 'Cherish Today' paper at the bottom, with one of the stickers from the Combo Stickers sheet centrally and a heart die-cut either side. 

I then finished the page off with some metallic silver thread clusters. I adore the WRMK Metallic threads - they are perfect for creating thread clusters which hold their shape really well. They are currently out of stock on the website so be sure to make use of the 'notify me when back in stock' button if you'd like to get your hands on some! 

Thanks so much for reading - I hope this layout has given you some inspiration for using this beautiful collection. If you'd like to watch the layout come together, there is a video up on my YouTube channel, which you can find here.

Until next time, 

Take Care

Rebecca x

@preciouspagespapercraft