These are the Days - Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Junk Drawer Collection

Hi everyone, it’s Rebecca with you today.

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have started the new year filled with scrappy plans and lots of inspiration. I really enjoyed having some time off over Christmas and was able to sit at my desk and create a few layouts, which was just lovely — such a great way to start the year!

To kick off 2026, I’m working with the beautiful Simple Vintage Junk Drawer collection by Simple Stories. You can find the full collection in the shop here.

I began by selecting one of the papers from the Simple Basics Collection Kit for my background. I loved the subtle design — it adds interest without overpowering the page. In the centre of the sheet, I started building layers using a variety of patterned papers. I mixed cut-apart elements with torn patterns to create texture and visual interest. I also selected a couple of papers to use with my metal dies. From one paper, I cut a viewfinder, and from another, a filmstrip — two of my favourite elements to add to a layout!

Once the layers were in place, I added my photos on top. I printed the same photo three times and stacked them with white borders. I really love the effect this creates and have been using this technique a lot in my recent layouts. To ensure my photo remained the main focal point, I added a layer of foam behind it to give it some height and dimension. Behind the photos, I tucked in a couple of tags from the Tag Elements patterned paper. I punched holes in both tags and added metal eyelets using my Crop-A-Dile tool.

To embellish, I added some florals from the Floral Bits & Pieces, along with the viewfinder and filmstrip pieces I’d cut earlier. I also couldn’t resist adding a few butterflies, which I fussy cut from the Beauty in the Details paper.

To add more detail to the background, I reached for my stamps and Stazon Ink Pad in the shade 'Jet Black' . I used a mix of stamps and applied them around the edges of the design. I didn’t use a stamping block, as I wanted to avoid a ‘blocky’ look. Instead, I stamped freehand, slightly folding the edges of the stamps to soften any harsh lines.

Next, I trimmed my background paper down to 10 x 10 inches and distressed all the edges before adhering it to a sheet of Premium White Cardstock. I love the distressed effect this creates and feel it really helps frame the page nicely.

I finished the layout with my title, using a fishtail banner from the Journal Bits & Pieces. I positioned it just under the photo so it stood out while remaining central to the design.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you’ve enjoyed this layout and that it gives you some inspiration to kickstart your 2026 scrappy journey.

Take care, 
Rebecca xx

@preciouspagespapercraft