Cozy Days - Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Autumn Breeze Collection

Hi everyone! Rebecca here with you today. 

I can’t believe it’s already time to share my second layout of the month—where has October gone?! I’ve been loving the Simple Vintage Autumn Breeze collection from Simple Stories, and after some recent days out, I’ve got a batch of new photos just waiting to be scrapped. So you definitely haven’t seen the last of this beautiful collection on my desk! If you haven’t checked it out yet, you can find it in the shop here.

For today’s layout, I began by choosing a couple of my favourite patterned papers and tearing sections from them—tearing is one of my go-to techniques for adding texture and interest. I layered the torn pieces in the centre of a sheet of Premium White Cardstock and placed my photo over the top, slightly off-centre to leave room for my title.

At first, the photo was getting a bit lost against the busy background, so I decided to mat it with a layer of white cardstock to make it pop. I then added a layer of green patterned paper for contrast, followed by a piece of hessian for extra texture—one of my favourite touches!

To the left of my photo, I added the title using one of the Foam Stickers, aligning it with the straight edge of the paper for a clean, balanced look.

Just behind the top of my photo, I tucked in a couple of tags from the Tag Elements paper, finishing them off with metal eyelets for added detail and dimension. I kept the rest of my embellishing fairly minimal, using a few Floral Bits & Pieces placed in a visual triangle around the photo. This technique helps draw the eye inward, keeping the focus where it belongs—on the photo!

To pull everything together and add a bit more depth, I added some mixed media to the background. I used Distress Ink in the shade 'Wild Honey', which perfectly matched the colour in my foam title. I applied it through a leafy stencil in two areas of the page, then added some ink splatters around the edges to finish it off.

Thanks so much for stopping by—I hope this layout gives you a little autumnal inspiration for your own memory keeping! Have fun scrapping your seasonal photos and documenting those cosy fall memories.

Take care,
Rebecca xx

@preciouspagespapercraft

Gather Together - Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Autumn Breeze Collection

Hi everyone!

It’s Rebecca here, sharing my final layout for September. This month, I’ve been fully embracing the autumn vibes, crafting with the gorgeous Simple Vintage Autumn Breeze collection by Simple Stories. Packed with rich, traditional fall colours, it’s perfect for documenting everything from woodland walks to pumpkin picking adventures! You can find the full collection in the shop here.

To begin, I cut several strips from various patterned papers. I chose a wider strip to create a strong vertical base, then layered in some narrower horizontal strips to build depth. I distressed all the edges using the blade of my scissors—one of my go-to techniques for adding texture.

Next, I positioned my two circular photos slightly overlapping at the center of the page. I opted for two different sizes to keep things visually interesting. In the space beside them, I added my title using two of the Foam Stickers.

To extend the design diagonally across the page, I tucked two larger floral clusters from the Floral Bits & Pieces just beneath the photos so that only parts of them peeked out. I love how the bottom cluster blends seamlessly into the photo, especially with the little pumpkins—it feels like a natural extension!

With the main elements in place, I turned my attention to the smaller details. I scattered a few word and phrase stickers from the Elements Stickers sheet, staggering them in a way that echoes the title. I also added some foam sticker hearts for extra dimension.

The layout felt balanced, but I still wanted to add a little something more. Rather than piling on more embellishments, I chose a softer touch—subtle stenciling. Using a leafy stencil from my stash and Wild Honey Distress Ink, I applied the ink in soft circular motions with a blending brush for a delicate autumnal background.

To finish the page, I framed the entire layout with a darker patterned paper from the collection. This helped ground the design and balanced out the white space beautifully. As a final touch, I sprinkled a few sequins across the page to add just the right amount of sparkle.

Thanks so much for stopping by and reading! I’ll be back next month with a brand new collection—most likely something spooky and fun for Halloween!

Take care,
Rebecca xx

@preciouspagespapercraft

All Creatures Great and Small - Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Woodlands Collection

Hi everyone

It’s Rebecca here today, sharing my first layout using the beautiful new Simple Vintage Woodland collection from Simple Stories. This collection is absolutely stunning—ideal for a wide range of photos, but especially perfect for woodland or autumn-themed memories. You can find it in the shop here.

To start, I chose a few of my favourite patterned papers and cut them into strips of varying lengths and widths. I spent a little time playing around with different arrangements before settling on a design I loved. I decided on a darker, wider strip as the base layer, with lighter, softer colours layered on top for contrast.

With my landscape photo placed in the centre, I felt it needed something to anchor it visually. I added a horizontal strip of patterned paper beneath the photo, creating a "shelf" effect to ground the image.

I'm a big fan of the 'Tags' patterned papers from Simple Stories collections and love incorporating them into my layouts. I selected two tags, punched gold metal eyelets through them, and tucked them along the vertical edges of the darker base strip—adding a nice layered touch.

With the larger elements in place, I turned to the smaller details. For my title, I used a die-cut from the Bits & Pieces and popped it up with foam pads for added dimension.

I then selected a couple of woodland-themed die-cuts from the Bits & Pieces and tucked them on either side of the photo. These larger shapes are great for forming the base of embellishment clusters, giving a solid foundation to build on.

To add more interest and texture, I introduced some subtle stencilling in two areas. Using a stencil from my stash and a blend of 'Mowed Lawn' and 'Rustic Wilderness' Distress Oxide Ink Pads, I softly added colour to the background. On top of the stencilled areas, I adhered a few fussy-cut butterflies, creating delicate trails behind them using Nuvo Drops.

To tie everything together, I finished the layout with a few ink splatters using the same Distress Oxides—bringing cohesion and a touch of whimsy to the page.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you love this layout and feel inspired to get crafty!

Take care,
Rebecca xx

@preciouspagespapercraft

Simple Stories - Pack Your Bags - Explore

Hello,

Happy iNSD and Bank Holiday weekend! I hope you've all been having a blast and finding a bit of time to squeeze in some scrappy fun!

I've had the pleasure of creating with the new travel collection from Simple Stories called Pack Your Bags. I love to take hundreds of photos whilst travelling, so I was excited to get my hands on this collection and it did not disappoint.

The collection is full of bold bright colours, perfect for travel photos. To break up the colour I opted for a white cardstock background, using a sheet of Bazzill Classic Smooth White from the Matchmaker Pack. 

To add some interest to the background, I grabbed a stencil from an older Simple Stories collection called Going Places. I used distress oxides (Blueprint Sketch, Wild Honey, and Candied Apple) and a blending brush in colours to match my patterned papers.

Next, I cut 3 pieces of patterned paper (Enjoying the View, Seeing the Sights and Lets Go Everywhere) roughly 4"x5", machine stitched around each piece and distressed the edges before raising on foam on my page. 

To bring in all the colours, I backed my photograph in the 4x6 Elements paper and then began to embellish! 

I created three small clusters using elements from the cardstock sticker sheet, ephemera bits and pieces, Foam Stickers and Journaling bits and pieces packs.  By mixing the colours and materials, laying some flat and raising some on foam, each cluster draws the eye into and across the layout, adding depth and interest. 

For my title, I used the Foam Stickers. These are just perfect! They're always my favourite element of a Simple Stories collection because they pull all the colours together. 

I hope you've enjoyed this colourful page. It was so much fun to make and I can't wait to share more with you later this month. 

You can shop the collection in full here.

Happy scrapping! 

Claire xx

@scrappysoulmate