Simple Stories - Rustic Legend - Epic

Hi there

Claire here today. This month I'm creating with the Rustic Legend collection from Simple Stories and I'm loving it! 

This collection has a masculine feel to me and is full of fun Vintage icons that you can use for almost any photo. For my layout I'm documenting a trip we had to a karaoke bar is Nashville last year.

I added some stencilled arrows to my background to add to the rustic feel and to help anchor my layout. I chose papers to match the colour in my photo (Be Bold and Low Key Awesome) and cut these I to a fishtail banner and pennant layered on top of each other. I alsoayered a 'ruler' strip underneath which I cut from the Level Up paper.

Around my photo, I embellished with a tag from the Tag paper, a few small stars from the Cardstock Sticker sheet and some icons from the Bits & Pieces pack.

On the other side, I cut a large cassette tape from the Journal Elements paper and added some of the Bits and Pieces and a cardstock sticker arrow to finish the cluster.

There are SO many fun icons in the bits and pieces pack, I couldn't help but keep adding which is very unlike me! So to the top of my photo, I added a few extra stickers from the Cardstock Sticker Basics to help balance the colours across each cluster. 

I also added a bit of extra texture with some nuvo drops along the top which brought this layout to a finish.

I really would recommend this collection. It's such a fun one to use. You can find it here, but don't wait too long as it's proving very popular! 

See you soon. 

Claire

@scrappysoulmate

Simple Stories Lavender Fields - You are Wild at Heart

Hi there,

Claire here today sharing a new layout with the Lavender Fields collection from Simple Stories. 

This collection includes several hexagon pieces and so I used this to inspire my design.

I cut a range of hexagons in various sizes from papers Wild at Heart, Sunshine & Honey and Lavender, arranging these from the right edge of my white cardstock.

To echo this design, I cut my photo to the same shape and adhered on foam for extra depth. 

To the left of the picture, I added a tag from the journal bits & pieces and layered a chipboard phrase on top, along with a smaller journal piece to create my "you are wild at heart" title. 

Next, I pulled out a range of florals from the floral ephemera and clustered these around my photo. For depth, I stuck some flat and others on foam.

I pulled out some smaller hexagons from the journal bits & pieces and chipboard, arranging these in small clusters across the design, helping to draw you eye in whilst also adding an extra pop of colour. I also added a few of those cute bees! 

As a final touch, I added a few black nuvo drops and that was the page done!

This was such a simple page to create and so much fun! Really love the end result. 

Thank you for joining me on the blog today! Until next month, happy scrapping! 

Claire xx

@scrappysoulmate

Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Lavendar Fields

Hello!

Claire here and this month I'm very lucky to be creating with the Simple Vintage Lavendar Fields collection. You can find it in the shop here.

I adore the colours in this collection. Pretty Lavendar a, fresh spring green and a touch of soft yellow. What's not to love! 

To create this layout I chose to layer the Lavender and  Sunshine and Honey papers to create an elongated anchor for my layout. I distressed and curled the edges and raised on foam for depth.

I positioned my photos centrally, backing them with the B side of the 3x4 Elements paper to draw out that coordinating pop of green. 

Next, I selected a range of accents using the Cardstock Stickers, Journal Bits & Pieces and Floral Bits & Pieces to draw the eye across the page. Under each cluster I added some Distress oxide in coordinating pale pink and lavender shades to add a bit of a glow to the page. 

I cut two tags from the Tag paper and placed these under my photo to help draw the eye across the large cluster above it. 

The for my title, I chose Enjoy the Moment from the Bits & Pieces pack which features the core colours in the collection and helps pull the page together. I embellished with some florals and flowers from the Chipboard Pieces. 

A few sequins from my stash were sprinkled across the clusters for a finishing touch to add that extra bit of sparkle! 

I can't wait to create more with this gorgeous collection. Until then, happy scrapping! 

Claire x

@scrappysoulmate 

Simple Stories - Color Me Happy - Shine!

Hi!

It's Claire on the blog today and I am having a blast this month, creating with the Color Me Happy collection from Simple Stories!

Packed with gorgeous, colours, patterns, ephemera and scallops (my favourite!), it really gives your imagination the opportunity to run wild!

I really wanted the colours to pop so opted for two strips of the 4x6 Elements Paper to act as a base. I love how the black background and coloured polka dots really stand out against a crisp white cardstock background.

Laying them horizontally, to anchor the design, I then began to build layers. I fussy cut a row of the circles from the All About It paper, and cut them in half, giving me a strip of semi-cicrles. I lay these across the middle of the paper strips, along with a small piece of the pale pink paper from the Matchmaker Pack. To build depth, I used foam tape to adhere these to the page.

Next, I fussy cut the 'Add a little Color' pieces from the Journal Elements paper, giving the design some vertical height. On top of this, I used two small chipboard frames from the Chipboard Pieces pack to house my photos.  These look so cool in real life. I'd happily have an entire pack of just these! 

I also pulled out several scalloped pieces, mixing colours and patterns to create scalloped edges throughout the design. By doing this, it also ties in the scalloped edge from the semi-circle patterned paper used earlier. 

I created some extra layers and clusters using the smaller pieces from the Chipboard Pieces and the Cardstock Stickers Basics. 

For my title, I reached for the Foam Stickers - a firm favourite in any Simple Stories collection! 

And one last touch to really help the page pop - some small stars punched from plain black cardstock. 

I hope you've enjoyed this blog. It was certainly a fun one to make! I'd highly recommend this collection - it's such a happy collection to use, and the possibilities are endless! Check it out in the shop here whilst stocks last! 

See you soon! 

Claire xx

@scrappysoulmate 

Carta Bella - Pressed Floral - Good Life

Hello,

It's Claire on the blog today, and I'm sharing a very pretty layout made with the gorgeous Pressed Florals collection from Carta Bella. 

Along with gorgeous florals, this collection has lots of frames, both in the Ephemera Packs and on the cut apart papers, so I decided to make a layout that enabled me to create lots of paper layers with staggered frames too.

To start, I added some Tumbled Glass blue Distress Oxide to my page using the packaging technique. Once this was dry, I used the same colour distress oxide and a dry brush to add some stencilling detail. 

I cut three pieces of paper, layering them across the middle of the page. I used the A and B side of the Grow Your Own Way Stems paper and the Dried Wildflower paper as my base layers. 

Next, I fussy cut two frames (one green and one golden yellow) from the 6x4 Journalling Cards paper. 

I also pulled a smaller yellow frame from the Tags and Frames pack, and cut this in half to extend it across either side of the design. For my gold yellow frame in the middle, I chose to mount it onto a piece of the pink card from the Matchmaker Pack using foam. This gave me a base for my photo to sit whilst also providing extra depth around the photo. 

Then came the fun bit. Those gorgeous florals, tags and ephemera pieces! 

I fussy cut the flowers and leaves from the 3x4 Journalling Cards paper and arranged these around my page to frame the photo. For extra interest, I also added in some die cut foliage using dies from the Arden Creative Studio ranges. 

In amongst one of the floral clusters, I added a tag and small ephemera piece for extra interest. 

I echoed this with another tag from the Frames and Tags set to form my title. 

I've really loved creating with this collection, as I've really missed creating with pretty florals during the colder winter months! 

I hope you've enjoyed this blog post and are also ready for some pretty Spring crafting! 

Happy creating! 

Claire xx

@scrappysoulmate

Carta Bella - Christmas in the City - Smile

Hello!

Claire here today and I've been using up the last bits of my Christmas in the City collection from Carta Bella. 

I quite enjoy this time of year from a create perspective, seeing how versatile a Christmas collection can be and this one did not disappoint.

I've opted to scrap a picture from one of our walks over the festive period. It's was very cold and frosty and although we definitely weren't in a city, the papers still worked fantastically well for my photo and I love how they could be adapted for my layout theme.

So to start, I cut varying widths of papers using the mustard cardstock from the Matchmaker Pack, Merry Snowflake Sky (red) and Christmas Tree Cab (green b side). 

I began layering them vertically and horizontally but wanted to add extra framing. To create this, I cut two triangles from a square of the blue b side of the Merry Snowflake Sky paper, and layered this underneath my red paper to frame the corners. I love this bold edge - I think it helps the red paper to pop off the page. 

I also opted for a small splash of mixed media, adding dry Distress Oxide with a brush to extend the grass colours of the photo. 

I really love the Peace on Earth Pines paper - it reminds me of beautiful festive foliage so felt very  fitting as the border for my photo. I added this to my other papers with foam for extra dimension. 

Next, I raided my stash of dies and chose some snowflakes which I cut from plain white cardstock. There's an amazing choice of dies in the shop, and they're such fun to incorporate into your project. I'd highly recommend you take a peek! You can find loads of snowflake dies here. 

To the centres of each snowflake, I added a small sticker from the Element Stickers which echoes the colours of the paper into the snowflakes, making it feel more cohesive. 

I also chose to use the little pennant stickers to create a small banner cluster to the left of my photo along with the December sticker to note the month of the photo. 

I pulled some Thickers from my stash to create my Smile title, and lightly added some green watercolour pain to each letter to pull in the green colour. 

To finish, I added a small sprinkling of Pinkfresh Studio Crystals which give the slightest sparkle and help bring this frosty page to life! There are some Pinkfresh Jewels in the shop here.

I hope you've enjoyed this layout and are inspired to stretch your own Christmas collections. 

Until next month, happy scrapping! 

Claire

@scrappysoulmate

Carta Bella - Christmas in the City - Merry & Bright

Hello everyone!

The festivities are getting nearer and I've taken the opportunity to spend some time at my crafty desk scrapping memories of a Christmas shopping trip.

For this layout I'm using the Christmas in the City collection by Carta Bella. One of the icons is a red snow globe with a cityscape inside and it inspired me to create my own. 

I cut the snowglobe on my cricut using the red coordinating cardstock from the matchmaker pack. Once it was cut, I used it as a template to cut around the stunning Christmas City Scene paper. 

Before sticking anything together, I added a layer of acetate to the snowglobe and backed the edge with thick foam tape being careful not to leave any gaps. I added sequins, glittery bits and mini foam balls and then added the background paper to create a giant shaker!

I mounted my photos using the blue side of the Merry Snowflake Sky paper and adhered these to the bottom left of the globe. 

To embellish I chose a variety of stickers from the Element Stickers. I arranged them around my photograph to bring the scene to life. 

This included a big bold sticker 'Merry & Bright' which I used as my title. 

I also added a small cluster of snowflake stickers opposite the photos on the top of the globe to help balance the design. 

This was a really fun one to make that came together really quickly. It's such an inspiring collection, do drop by and check it out here, but be quick, it's proving popular! 

I hope you find some creative time this holiday and enjoy the festivities! 

Claire x

@scrappysoulmate 

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

Carta Bella Honeybee | Precious Moments | Rebecca Bee

 

Hello everyone! Rebecca Bee here. The weeks are whizzing by and I can't believe it's my turn again to share what I have been up to! The minute I saw the Carta Bella Honey Bee collection I knew it was for me, its SO GORGEOUS! I absolutely love it! 

The limited colour palette, the slightly vintage feel, the bee theme...its so beautiful and perfect to scrap a variety of photo themes. I absolutely adore any kind of ledger paper, so I was really attracted (like honey to the bee!) to the Bee Kind Layout paper. I used a craft knife to slice around the edge of the flowers so I could tuck my photos behind them. I them added some black ink splatters around the edge of where my photos would sit This helps bed the photos into the background paper and gives them somewhere to "sit".

I added some fussy cut honeycomb hexagons from the Honeycomb Clusters paper behind the photo and tucked some of the flower stickers from the Element Stickers sheet

I had some photos which were the perfect colour and theme for this collection- they were taken on a sunflower patch a couple of years ago. And you just know that we were intentionally wearing yellow and green because I knew I'd be scrapbooking these photos some day- you know how the mind of a scrapbooker works! 

Finally I finished the layout off with a perspex piece and some stamping to form my title. I really adore this gorgeous collection and can't wait to use it again! Until next time! Rebecca Bee aka @scrap_paper_uk

XOXO

Stories | Book Fair by Simple Stories

 Hello everyone! Rebecca Bee here today sharing my second layout using Simple Stories Book Fair. This collection is mainly school themed but the book worm in me couldn't help but notice the book imagery in the collection, so I decided to create a page to document the books I've read up to the halfway-point of the year so far.

On some white Bazzil Cardstock, I have added a panel of yellow patterned paper from the Way to Go paper to give a pop of bright colour and an area to ground the layout- a little like a table to stack all of my books on!

I've fussy cut lots of the books from the Hit The Books patterned paper, some as clusters of books and some as individual books so I could give the book stacks a messy uneven feel- a little like my own 'To Be Read' pile! Some have been popped up on adhesive foam and others flush to the cardstock and tucked behind to give the feel of dimension.

I fussycut a cute little worm and the "book worm" words from the Tag Elements paper, and I used some of the book related word stickers from the Element Stickers. 

I added a little touch of coordinating Distress Oxide ink blending peeking out in small areas from under the yellow panel of paper and added a perspex title from my stash that suited the bookish theme.

I use an app on my phone to track what I have read or want to read, as that makes it easier to find other books I'd enjoy so I just printed the monthly roundup photos that I had generated thus far in 2025. I've read some really amazing books since June so will definitely be adding those on a year end layout in December! 

Do you track your reading? If so I hope you find this page inspiring! 

Until next time, Rebecca Bee

aka Scrap Paper

XOXO