ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS | UNFORGETTABLE | GWEN WRUCK

Hey Creative friends, I’m back on the blog today sharing for Cocoa Vanilla Studio and I’m feeling adventurous! For my page today, I thought I’d ditch the comfort of my white cardstock background and go about using #allthepatternpapers because, why not with so many pretty designs all in one collection. Let’s use all the things! xo

For my page, I started with the ‘Pretty Bits‘ paper. I just love all of the patterns on this one and wanted to use them all, so I cut two strips, one 2 inches wide, the other, 1 inch wide with the plan to run them down the sides of my layout. This is where I would normally then go for a White Cardstock. Instead, I went hunting for a more neutral pattern paper and decided on the B side of ‘Storyteller‘ pattern paper. Of course, I was drawn to the white in this pattern paper, but I do love those sweet dots as well!

Next up, I went about backing my cut file. I wanted to use a bold title for this page so I’ve gone with the ‘Hashtag Remember This‘ cut file by CUT to YOU. I have then used the ‘6×8 paper stack‘ to back it. I love how the prints in the paper stack are smaller than the 12 x 12 pattern papers they are perfect for backing cut files. I’ve also used these papers to back my photo.

With my main elements sorted, it was time to assemble and lock in the page design. I’ve gone with the two strips down the left and right-hand sides of my page, with the 2 inch one on the right. From there, I’ve used this right edge as an anchor point to add my photo and the title underneath. I have raised these elements up on foam tape for extra interest and dimension and to help separate them from the background.

It was now time for pretty embellishments. I’ve started with the ‘Die Cut Ephemera‘ as this pack has so many stunning pieces in it. I love pulling them all out and just mixing and matching, playing around until I’m happy with everything. I’ve gone with one main floral element and then some pretty smaller florals and the butterflies.

I’ve then pulled the ‘Snapshots’ sticker from the ‘Accessory Stickers Sheet‘ these fun tabs are always the first to go off my sticker sheets, so fun to add to the top of a photo.

Next, some more dimension with a flair from the ‘Flair Buttons‘ pack and a bow from the ‘Tassles and Bows‘ pack. These are really fun elements to add to a page and they finish this one off so nicely.

Thanks for popping by today to see my latest project, I hope it inspires you to grab this collection and get making! As always, be sure to pop into the Cocoa Vanilla Studio and CUT to YOU Facebook groups to share your pages, I love seeing what you make.

Until next time,

HOLIDAY CHEER | GWEN WRUCK

Hi Creative Friends,

I hope you have all had time to be creative this past weekend. I’m here with a new share, and I’m still on my Christmas kick.  This one is actually from a few years back so it was so good to get it done… and, it came together really easily with the help of the ‘Christmas Banner‘ cut file, I’ll show you how below.

For this layout, I had the idea to use my photo as one of the banner pieces on top of the cut file. I started by backing my photo with a cute green check pattern paper which I also echoed as a border for my background. I then went about finding the position for the photo, just so I had a plan when working with the cut file. I find it’s best to sort the photo position first as this can save you some time in the backing process, that is, you don’t have to back the parts of the file that your photo will cover.

With a plan of attack, I then went about backing my cut file. I’ve used a combination of papers from the Pink Fresh Studio ‘Holiday Vibes’ collection. I love the bold colours in this collection and really wanted a pop of red and green. I just worked right to left on both pieces of cut file mixing and matching the colours of the papers to back the file until I was happy.

Next, I positioned the two cut file pieces onto my background and positioned my photo. The page was really coming together at this point, there was only embellishing left to do. For this, I’ve kept things really simple by continuing to use the same collection. I’ve just pulled out all the fun bits and pieces and mixed and matched them to create areas of interest along each of the banners. I just kept in mind that when viewing the page, my eye needed to be drawn across the banners, so kept the embellishments along this same line.

I’ve then gone ahead and added my title, again working along that same line across the page, it fits perfectly under my photo.

And, that was the page done! I am really happy with all the little details in this one and at how fast it came together. I hope it inspires you to continue to document your Christmas photos even though the season is over. If you do make something, I’d love you to share it in our Facebook group so we can all see! Come say Hi!

Until next time,

GRADE 5 | UNFORGETTABLE | GWEN WRUCK

Hey Creative friends, I’m back on the blog today for Cocoa Vanilla Studio with a new share. With the start of the new school year in Australia happening very soon, I thought it would be a fun time to document a sweet photo of my husband taking pictures of our daughter on her first day of Grade 5.

Before I get further into the tutorial… I wanted to let you know about another FREE tutorial I have for you, 30 Fun and Easy Scrapbooking ideas. This tutorial includes 30 of the best scrapbooking ideas AND a FREE SVG design you can easily download and start creating with. Simply click on the image below or here to learn more.

Continuing on with the tutorial….
For my page, I was drawn to the ‘Unforgettable’ collection with its stunning florals and the most divine shade of Pink. I also pulled a cut file from CUT to YOU called ‘Grade School‘ and went about backing the design. To make my title, I’ve used the bright pink of the ‘Unscripted‘ pattern paper for the word ‘Grade’ and then the number ‘5’. The remaining numbers have been backed in the aptly named ‘Glorious‘ paper. I then mounted this entire piece and centred onto a piece of white card from my stash.

Next, it was time to work on my photo mat. I’ve gone with a double mount, the first being with the ‘Story Teller‘ pattern paper, however from the 6×8 paper pad. I’ve used the paper pad here as the print in the design is smaller. I’ve double mounted with some more of the ‘Unscripted‘ pattern paper and added a soft doily from my stash for good measure.

The position of my photo was limited by the fact that I could not cover the number 5 as it was part of my title, so I went with running the key elements of the page down the right-hand side. This way, most of the numbers in the cut file are still showing and I have some space to add some pretty floral elements from the Die Cut Ephemera pack because… well, who wouldn’t want to add some of those to their page 🙂

I decided on a pretty little cluster in the bottom right-hand corner of my photo as well as a small cluster in the letter ‘D’ of ‘GRADE’ at the top of the page to balance things out. I also could not resist adding some fussy cut butterflies from the ‘Lacewing‘ pattern paper. I just love the tone of the grey ones for this page, such a versatile piece of paper!

I’ve also pulled some elements from the ‘Accessory Sticker’ sheet such as the banner ‘Treasured’ and the typed sentiments which are so fun. Lastly, I’ve added a sprinkle of ‘Enamel Dots‘ in the prettiest shade of mint and called the page done.

Thanks for popping by today to see my latest project, I just love love love this collection so I hope my page inspires you in some way. If you’d like to see more of my scrapbook ideas, check out my YouTube channel for loads of inspiration!

Until next time,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY | CUT to YOU

Hi Creative Friends,

I hope you have all had time to be creative this weekend!  I’m up on the CUT to YOU blog today with a new share, a sweet page that features my daughter on her 10th birthday.  I’ve been meaning to scrap this one for a while now so when I saw the latest CSI Challenge number 306, it was like it was meant to be!

If you don’t know, CUT to YOU is a Prime sponsor for the CSI Scrapbook Challenge this year! We are teaming up with the fab girls over there to get you inspired and help you win FREE CUT FILES! Yep, every month this year you could win yourself some CUT to YOU digital files along with lots of other wonderful prizes, so be sure to pop by and check out the challenges. There really is something for everyone and I for one, LOVE them!

Now, onto the layout…. As soon as I saw this Case, I immediately thought of the ‘Wedding Cake‘ cut file with its floral elements and details. I cut it on white cardstock and then backed it with some pretty paper scraps. Most of these are from Maggie Holmes Crate Paper, some are also from Felicity Jane. I mixed and matched what I had and just kept in mind the soft tones featured in the Casefile.

With my cut file-backed, I positioned it right in the centre of the page… for this design, I just wanted to work from the centre outward and had planned to keep things pretty simple so I didn’t even mount it. Next up, I backed my photo with some pretty lemon cardstock and then had a think about my title. I’ve mentioned a few times before, I feel like once I have my cut file element, photo and title positions locked in, the rest of the page comes together really quickly.

For my title, I’ve mixed some Simple Stories alphabet stickers with some Thickers from my stash and a cute little puffy sticker from Paige Evans and really just played with their position (along with the position of the photo) until I was happy.

From there, it really was just about adding some extra elements to the page. I didn’t want to add too much, I didn’t want to cover up my pretty cut file and all that work I had done to back it. I pulled out some floral elements and a cute little butterfly from the depths of my stash as well as a cute paper bow, some sequins and enamel dots and called the page complete.

I love how this sweet page came together, so I hope it inspires you in some way and you get a chance to play along with the Case over at CSI. As always, I really do love seeing what you make so please keep sharing your projects with me!

Thanks for popping by today,

Until next time,

SWEET LIFE | HAPPINESS | GWEN WRUCK

Hey Creative friends, I’m back on the blog today with my first share of the year for Cocoa Vanilla Studio. I’ve enjoyed having some time off over Christmas and New Year and I’m super excited to be getting stuck into 2020. What better way to start than to kick off the Cocoa Vanilla Studio Holiday/Vacations theme week. I couldn’t resist scrapping this sweet photo I took in December of my husband and daughter on our recent family getaway to Hervey Bay in Queensland.

For my page, I was drawn to the ‘Happiness‘ collection with its stunning bright blue hues and immediately thought to team it with this fun cloud background cut file by CUT to YOU called ‘Rainbow Skies’. I’ve cut the file on a plain white card from my stash and began the page by simply backing the clouds mixing and matching the ‘Good Vibes‘ and ‘Expressive‘ papers. For the rainbow, I used the B side of the Expressive paper.

Next, I’ve mat my photo using the ‘Botanical Bliss‘ pattern paper and then added some stitching around the edge. I’ve double mounted with more of the ‘Expressive‘ paper and raised everything up on foam for dimension.

I’ve mounted my white background using the same ‘Expressive‘ paper and stitched around the outer edge of my page. I find if I use the same paper in various parts of my layout, it really helps the page come together. From here, I’ve decided on the placement for my photo and the large cut file background so it was now time for embellishments.

This was the fun and easy part. With the largest elements of my page locked in, it’s really just about filling in the gaps and thinking about how your eye will travel across the page when you look at it. I decided to go from the top section in between the rainbow and the sunshine, down to the bottom centre of the page. To do this, I’ve started by creating a floral cluster in the bottom right-hand corner of my photo using elements from the ‘Die Cut Ephemera‘ pack.

I’ve then fussy cut out some dark navy butterflies from the ‘Bright and Beautiful‘ pattern paper. Next, it was time to add in my title, I’ve gone with the sentiment ‘Sweet Life’ from the ‘Die Cut Titles‘ pack. I love how it nestles down in under my photo against my flower cluster there.

Next, it was time to add in some journaling. One of my scrappy goals this year is to do more journaling on my pages. I often just write on the backs of them, but this year I would really like to include more details on the front where I can to help me tell my stories more. For this page, I’ve gone with the typewriter and some white card from my stash. I’ve also added in some more elements mostly from the ‘Die Cut Ephemera‘ pack but also from the ‘Accessory Stickers‘ sheet. I just love the typed sentiments at the bottom of these, and they match my typed journalling perfectly!

Thanks for popping by today to see my latest project, I hope it inspires you to get this collection out from your stash if you have it and make a fun summer vacay page. Also, be sure to keep checking the blog as there is a stack of inspiration coming your way from the rest of the design team over the coming week. As always, be sure to pop into the Cocoa Vanilla Studio and CUT to YOU facebook groups too to share your pages, I love seeing what you make.

Until next time,

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