FAVOURITES | MIXED | GWEN WRUCK

Hi Creative Friends,

I hope you are all well!  I’m back on the blog today with my last share for Cocoa Vanilla Studios for the year.  This week the design team are featuring our favourite layouts for 2019.

I so love all of the pages I created this year, it really is hard to choose but I couldn’t go past this layout of my daughter and I and our Elf on the Shelf ‘Candy’. This one is not only a favourite because it is a Christmas page, but I’m also really loving the soft watercolour I’ve used on the background in this one, the cut file (CUT to YOU) and the layers of Christmas die cuts from the ‘Tis the Season‘ collection.

My second choice is “Bloom” created using the ‘Unforgettable‘ collection.  I chose this page for a couple of reasons, firstly it documents me and I really don’t do enough of that! It’s about a personal journey I’ve been on these past 2 years quitting my corporate job and starting up my own creative business CUT to YOU…how far I have come! I also love that it was a page I taught at my local store. I love teaching and to be able to do that with the stunning collections Cocoa Vanilla makes really is a dream come true.

Lastly, I’ve included this layout “Dream”.  I couldn’t help but put this in as it features my all-time favourite collection “Bohemian Dream“.  The colours in this collection will never get old for me even after using it on a stack of layouts.  For this one, I set about using up some of the smaller scraps I had; not wanting to throw any of it out!  I’ve backed this cut file (CUT to YOU) mixing and matching all of the patterns to create this bright and happy page.

Thanks for popping by today, and for your support both here and on the Cocoa Vanilla Studios blog.  I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!  It has been such a fun year and there is lots more to come in 2020.

CUT to YOU 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway – Holly Jolly Christmas Day 12

Hey Creatives,

Welcome to DAY 12  of our 12 days of Christmas GIVEAWAY!  I’m sharing for the last day and I hope you have managed to get yourself all of the other free files! I’m lucky to be sharing last and I’m super excited because today’s file is a brand new design, so I know you gals won’t have this one, be sure to get into the store and get it today for FREE!

Our last design for you is the,  ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’ cut file.

For this page, I started by cutting out the file super large.  The plan for the page I had was to have the words running down the left-hand side of the page with my portrait photo running down the right-hand side.  I am loving working with non-traditional Christmas colours this year and have chosen this fun collection by Pink Fresh Studio.  I’ve backed the file letter by letter alternating fun patterns from the collection.

Now that my cut file is backed, I’ve added some foam tape behind each of the letters as I did want it to be lifted off of the background.  I then sorted out the placement of my photo and then added some pretty pale blue watercolour to my cardstock underneath the position of the title.

Once my background was dry, I’ve added my cut file and photo on top and secured.  It was now just a matter of adding some fun embellishments.

To finish the page off, I’ve added a sweet and sparkly fabric navy bow.  I love how the cutfile really helped to get this page done quickly and I really do love the colours in this page.  I love how such a large bold cut file design can bring a page together.

Inspired and ready to create! Simply enter the code: HOLLYJFREE at checkout to get this design for free.No additional purchase necessary.

This code is only valid until midnight AEST on December 1st, 2019.  **No exceptions – Please check your time zone against ours here in Australia as we are a day ahead. 

Coupon code must be entered to receive this item for free. No refunds will be given. The design will still be available in the CUT to YOU Cut file store for purchase after the discount code expires if you miss out. AND… that finishes up our 12 days of Christmas.  

Thanks so much for joining in and I hope you love all of the files! As always I would love to see how you are using them on your projects so be sure to share on any of our social media channels and tag #cuttoyou Until next time,

CHRISTMAS | BOHEMIAN DREAM | GWEN WRUCK

Hi Creative Friends,

I’m up on the Cocoa Vanilla Studios blog today with a new share and its a fun Christmas project featuring my husband, daughter and our ‘Elf on the Shelf’ Candy on holiday in 2017. You all know how I love Christmas so this page was a heap of fun to make!

For a bit of a challenge, I decided to create the project without any ‘Christmas’ themed supplies. I really just wanted to use some things I had on hand to show that you don’t need a Christmas collection to make a pretty Christmas page. I started with my favourite collection ‘Bohemian Dream‘. I felt the cool colours of this collection would translate really well and would be perfect or those who have a cooler Christmas season.

I then pulled this cut file from CUT to YOU called ‘Roses and Frames‘ and went about backing it in a section of the papers. I’ve used ‘Dreamer‘ and ‘Abundant‘ for this. Next, I’ve added a photo mat to my pictures, also using the Abundant paper. In my usual style, I’ve raised these on foam and added a stitch detail to the edge. I really love how the black and white photos work for this page, especially once I added the silver elements.

I’ve then simply added my cut file and photos centring it all on my page. I then added a border around the page edge using the ‘Abstract‘ paper. I am really loving the grid style of this cut file.

At this stage, my page was looking good, I really just needed to add in some embellishments to finish it off. I’ve pulled from my stash some Thickers letters and spelt out the title ‘Christmas’. It was at this point that I decided to try and keep the layout very balanced which is why I’ve gone with half the title on the left, the other on the right.

I’ve continued with this balanced look for all of the embellishments, starting with two of the chipboard birds and two butterflies from the ‘Die Cut Ephemera‘ pack. I’ve also added some sentiments from this pack to both photos, I really love those little tab elements. Next, I’ve chosen some stickers from the ‘Accessory Sticker Sheet‘ which I’ve placed up on foam tape for added dimension and lastly added a sparkly silver fabric bow from my stash.

Thanks for popping by today to see my latest project, I hope it inspires you to get this collection out from your stash and try a Christmas project. If it does, be sure to pop it into the Cocoa Vanilla Studio and CUT to YOU facebook groups, I love seeing what you make.

Until next time,

“Merry, Merry Merry and Bright” for Scrap The Girls

Hey Creatives!

I’m back on the blog today with my very last share for Scrap the Girls for 2019.  This month we are using another fabulous mood board, this one is Christmas inspired, but if Christmas isn’t your thing, you could absolutely do something different, so I do hope you play along!  For me, Christmas is everything, so I’ve run with the white and Olive green in the mood board to create this Christmas page.

and here is the mood board:

I just love this one, I’m feeling a very ‘Aussie Christmas’ vibe with it!  I’ve started the page with the ‘Merry Merry Merry and Bright’ cut file from CUT to YOU and taken the time to back all of the letters.  Yes, this did take a while, it was the perfect job for a retreat!  I alternated between Olive and Pink to help the words in the file stand out.

I’ve used the ‘Splendor‘ collection kit from My Minds Eye for this layout, it was the perfect shade of soft olive green in the mood board, teamed with the sweetest shade of pink.  Perfect for my black and white photo and something different for a Christmas theme.

Once my cut file was all backed and positioned on my page, I mounted my photo and added it to my layout.  With such a large and detailed cut file, there wasn’t a lot of other embellishing required.  I didn’t want to distract from all that work I’d done backing those letters.

Sticking to elements within the collection I’ve added a large floral embellishment above my photo and a co-ordinating smaller one to the left of my photo.  I did also pull this sweet little birdhouse from my stash, I love the softwood colour and it’s a house for my little chipboard bird.  I’ve also added in some wood veneer hearts to finish off the page.

Be sure to upload to the Facebook group by the end of the month for your chance to win a prize pack from this months sponsor.

This month’s sponsor: Corbett Creations

Until next time,

 

CUT to YOU 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway – Christmas Gift Stack Day 1

Hey Creatives,

I’m super excited to be sharing today for CUT to YOU and to introduce their 12 days of Christmas GIVEAWAY!  Over the next 12 days, CUT to YOU will be sharing 12 of their Christmas cutfile designs for free as well as Design Team inspiration to get you in the Christmas creating spirit!

Check out all of the details below to see how you can get yours!

First up, we have our ‘Christmas Gift Stack’ cut file.

For this page, I started by cutting out the file super large.  I really wanted it to fill up the background of my layout.  I’ve backed with a sweet Christmas collection by Pink Fresh Studio, making sure to include a stack of the fun bright colours in the collection.

I’ve then mounted my photo and positioned within the stack of presents in the design.  From there it was a matter of adding in a title with some puffy stickers and simple embellishments.  For their placement, I’ve kept in mind that the eye will travel down the page resting where the pops of red are in the holly.  I’ve tried to group elements around these so as not to make the page too busy.

To finish the page off, I’ve added a sweet and sparkly fabric bow.  I love how the cutfile really helped to get this page done quickly.  With such a large bold design, once the file was backed the hard work was done.

Inspired and ready to create! Simply enter the code: GIFTSTFREE at checkout to get this design for free.No additional purchase necessary.

This code is only valid until midnight AEST on December 1st, 2019.  **No exceptions – Please check your time zone against ours here in Australia as we are a day ahead. Coupon code must be entered to receive this item for free.

No refunds will be given. The design will still be available in the CUT to YOU Cut file store for purchase after the discount code expires if you miss out. Be sure to visit the CUT to YOU BLOG tomorrow for another FREE cut file!