Simple Stories - Open Road - Pit Stops & Photo Ops

Hello!

Claire here today, and I've managed to survive the heat in my craft room just long enough to get a cute travel layout made with the fabulous Open Road collection from Simple Stories!!

I started with some stencilling using a stencil from my stash. I brushed some Distress Ocude ink through onto some Premium White Cardstock and used this as the anchor from which to build my layout.

I cut 3x3" squares of patterned paper from the Roadside Memories,  You are Here and Journal Elements papers, and positioned these on the centre of the page, overlapping each square to create a large cluster.

I backed my photo with some Adventure Awaits paper and then positied this centrally on foam to help separate it from the background papers.

To add interest, I cut a tag from the Tag Elements paper and layered a small ticket and camera from the Page Pieces.

Whilst I was adhering the ephemera, my eye was immediately drawn to the big roadside saying 'Pit Stops and Photo Ops' in the Page Pieces, and this was perfect for my photo as it was taken on a road trip in America.

For an extra pop of colour, I also added the flowers, laying some flat and raising others on foam, some cacti and a butterfly from the Cardstock Stickers Icons.

As a final touch, I couldn't resit that fun car, again from the Page Pieces. Isn't that just the cutest! I love how this brings the page to life.

Thank you for joining me on the blog today. You can check out the Open Road collection in the store here - it's one you won't want to miss as its perfect for documenting your summer adventures!

See you next time.

Claire x

@scrappysoulmate

Simple Stories ~ Take Note #2 🗒️

Hello everyone, it’s Anna back with you today after a short break due to some technical issues! 

I’m now able to share my second layout using Simple Stories Take Note - which you can find in the shop here. 

To create this layout I’ve used a cutfile by Peartree Cutfiles which is a repetitive 2026 circle. I cut the cutfile out of white bazzill cardstock and then backed the stars with pieces of yellow patterned paper from ‘Focus on the Day’ before adhering it on to some navy bazzill cardstock. I also kept the off cut from my cutfile, which made a great border. 

I backed the circle in the middle of my cutfile with the b side of the ‘4x6 elements’ and then cut out another circle to layer on top using the b side of ‘get it done’. 

I then mounted my photo on to the a side of ‘get it done’ and adhered it off centre. 

I picked out a selection of flowers from the floral bits and pieces and tucked them above and under my photograph. 

I used the element stickers to create clusters of embellishments around my photo. 

Finally, I added some more floral bits to the edge of my border on the top right and bottom left, by just cutting them in half and tucking them in. 

Thanks so much for looking! 

I’ll see you later on this month with one final layout using this collection. 

See you then. 

Anna 

@acraftylifewithanna

Merry Days | Santa's Christmas Delivery | Echo Park | Rebecca Bee

Hello Scrappy Friends! Rebecca Bee here! It may be mid-January but I am still clinging onto the last ounces of joy from Christmas so have a third layout using Echo Park's Santa's Christmas Delivery collection to share!

For this layout, I have created a frame from the Holiday Ornaments patterned paper. Using a small amount of busy patterned papers in this way this means I still get to use pretty papers, but they aren't too overpowering to the eye on the layout. 

I wanted to create an effect of Christmas lights twinkling from behind this patterned paper frame, so I added a tiny amount of Distress Oxide splatters that would just barely peek out from behind the edge of the patterned frame. 

I added a small amount of twine and some of the Christmas Ornaments stickers from the elements stickers sheet to create a cluster that hangs down from the top of the frame

Onto the frame I have added a sprinkling of sequins and some tiny droplets of glossy accents glue to act as shiny decorations twinkling on the frame.

I have added clusters of stickers around the page and a perspex title from my stash.

Happy Scrapping everyone!

XOXO

Simple Stories ~ Take Note 🖊️ #1

Happy New Year everyone! It’s great to see you here again in 2026! 

This month I’m working with Simple Stories - Take Note, which you can find in the shop here. 

I always find this style of collection great for reflecting on the past year and I like to create a ‘review the year’ style page to go at the end of my yearly scrapbook album. 

To create this layout I started with the b side of ‘Happy Days Ahead’ as my base. 

I had downloaded a cutfile titled ‘2025 documented’ with 12 Polaroid frames, so I cut this out on white bazzill cardstock. 

I created collage pictures on my phone, with 4 pictures from each month of 2025 and printed them out to fit inside each of the frames.

I backed ‘2025’ with sections from the b side of ‘Focus on the Day’ and adhered the cutfile and the photos to my page. 

I had some old month stickers from Simple Stories which I used to place on each of the frames. 

Finally, I finished my layout by adding some floral bits and pieces as well as some stickers from the element stickers. 

I tucked some of the florals around the frames and created clusters on opposite sides of the page. 

Thanks so much for looking! See you later in the month with another layout using this collection! 

Anna 

@acraftylifewithanna

Echo Park ~ Christmas Express #2

Hello everyone and Happy Christmas! Hope you’ve all been enjoying the festive period and making memories to document!

I’ve been enjoying some crafty time in amongst all the Christmas fun. So I went back to using Echo Park Christmas Express to create another page. 

I began with a sheet of white bazzill as my base. I then created a star template in various sizes on my silhouette cameo. I used the template to draw around North Pole Plaid and then a slightly smaller star from Holly Jolly Stockings, so that I could layer them on top of each other. I then cut out some smaller stars from the b side of Red Snowflakes. 

After distressing the edges, I adhered my large stars off centre to the left and trimmed off the excess. I then layered my photo on to some red coordinating bazzill cardstock and Red Snowflakes. 

I placed my mounted photo in the centre of the star and alongside it I added a 3x4 journal card. 

I added the smaller stars randomly around the rest of the layout and also added in a few Element stickers. 

I used some stars, snowflakes and sentiments from the Vicki Boutin Peppermint Kisses, Ho Ho Ho Phrase Thickers. 

Thanks so much for looking! 

I’ll see you again in January when I’ll be working with Simple Stories Take Note.

Happy New Year! 

Anna 

@acraftylifewithanna

Merry | Rebecca Bee | Echo Park Santa's Christmas Delivery

 

Hello everyone, Rebecca Bee here! Is anyone else starting to feel a little festive? I most certainly am and so I couldn't resist creating using Echo Park's Santa's Christmas Delivery this month to document some festive memories.. 

To create this layout I cut out some of the square cards in the 2x2 Journaling Cards paper, distressed their edges and created some rolled tabs to add some interest and texture above the central photo panel of this layout. My three 2x3" photos are matted into a panel of the Happy Santa paper.

To add some pretty detail to the cardstock background, I have added some star shaped sequins and a small amount of texture paste through a stencil from my stash- similar item here. 

A scattering of stickers from the Element Stickers sheet and some journaling finishes off the layout. I adore using soft pink with traditional Christmas reds and greens, it makes them feel fresher and softer. This soft pink Bazzil cardstock comes from the coordinating Bazzil Matchmaker pack for this collection and suits the collection perfectly 

I finished the layout off by adding some journaling and some tiny doodled stars using my white journaling pen. I'll be back later in the month with another layout using this charming Christmas collection. Until then, have a wonderful Christmas friends!

Rebecca Bee 

XOXO

Flannel Season | Rebecca Bee | Simple Stories Simple Vintage Flannel Season

Brrr...it's set to get chilly this week! With the colder weather in mind, what could be more cosy than documenting some winter weather photographs with the gorgeous Simple Vintage Flannel Season collection from Simple Stories!

I love the fact that this collection celebrates the winter season without touching on Christmas so is perfect for those that don't celebrate, yet the colours still feel rich cosy and wintery. I especially love this plaid patterned Stayin' Cosy patterned paper. 

For my layout I have cut two squares out of the background to give the eye somewhere to rest. I added some sewing around these cut-out apertures to add a little interest and texture around the cut outs.

I have added a title using stickers from the Element Stickers Sheet. I matted the 'flannel season' title stickers on some Rainforest textured Bazzil cardstock to ensure it stays visible against the busy background.

I have used my favourite technique of printing two photos from one piece of photo paper. I enjoy this method of printing photos as it allows me to tell more of the story by adding more photos to a layout without overcrowding my layout with too many things to look at- also the photo sizes are big enough to still see the details within the photographs so this works well for me. 

If you enjoy scrapping through the seasons, check out this lovely collection!

 Until next time,

Rebecca Bee

XOXO

Bee Happy | Carta Bella Honey Bee collection | Rebecca Bee

 Hello Papermazers! Rebecca Bee here to share a third layout using Carta Bella Honey Bee collection...I just could not resist using these gorgeous supplies for one more layout, I really love this collection!

For this page, I created a square from the B side of the 3X4 journaling cards paper which features a pretty repetitive bee design. I then matted this on black Bazzil cardstock. I mounted the square panel on a piece of Emerald City Bazzill cardstock and added white faux stitching around the square panel.

A technique I enjoy using on my layouts is to print two of the same photograph one one piece of photo paper using my selphy, I like being able to stagger the two photos and add areas of interest around them.

I used this technique on this layout, using a photo of my Son playing football on his birthday as the colours and sentiment suited well.

I matted my photos on black cardstock to echo the black matting on the quare panel, and I have tucked several stickers behind the photos to create interest around the area of the photos and to focus the eye.

I used one of the stickers from the Element Stickers sheet to create a title- Bee Happy, and I added several bees and flowers which I fussy cut from the Bees and Flowers paper, tucking them in around the photographs and around the title. Some white acrylic splatters finish the layout off.

I hope you have enjoyed the layouts I have created using this lovely collection, I have certainly enjoyed using it! 

Rebecca 

XOXO

Arden Creative Studio - Vintage Makers - Let's Go!

Hi guys,

Claire here sharing a new 12x12 scrapbook page made with the Vintage Makers collection from Arden Creative Studio. 

I really love this collection. It's generic in theme so can be easily used to accommodate any story you want to tell! For this layout, I'm making an autumnal page, inspired by a quilting design I saw on Pinterest.

I selected 4 patterned papers, using both the Essentials and Foundations Paper Packs and cut 2"x2" squares, positioning them in my page to create the basic shape of the leaf. I cut some of the squares in half to make triangles that create the points of the leaf. 

Once the pieces were loosely in place, I drew around the outside lightly before removing all the squares to add mixed media. 

I added ink with a brayer in three different Distress Oxide colours and black splatters with a wet paintbrush. 

Next, I adhered the patterned paper squares on foam and drew around the leaf with black Sharpie, also drawing in a stalk. 

I resized my photos to 2" squares and adhered them into the shape. 

I used laser cut leaves and tickets to embellish, building small clusters to bring the photos to life.

For my title, I raided my thicker stash to find one that matched the colours in the collection. If you're looking for more, the Papermaze Big Autumn Sale has just launched, so now's a great time to stock up on alphas and grab yourself a bargain! 

I hope you've enjoyed this layout and you'll also find some inspiration in quilting designs. 

Check out the full Vintage Makers collection here. 

I'll be back in a few weeks with another layout with this collection. 

Happy scrapping! 

Claire x

@scrappysoulmate