Hello Lovely Layout

Hello crafty friends! Today I'm sharing with you my first layout as part of the Simple Stories 2023 Design Team! This layout is titled "Hello Lovely" and I made it using the stunning "Simple Vintage Life in Bloom" collection. I love everything about this collection. For me, it is a must have, like a collectible item for paper crafters! All the papers and embellishments are so pretty that I wanted to use them all, but for this layout I started with the chipboard frame, then move forward to create this gorgeous layout. If you want to see how I made it, don't miss the process video at the end of this post.

What I love about these frames is how easy you can create a layout with them, since they are already embellished and help the photos stand out. For this one, I printed a 3" x 4" photo of my daughter and added it to the frame using liquid adhesive. Then, I selected the papers for the background. The green one is "Pear" from "Color Vibe", and the other is from the coordinating Gingham paper pack for "Simple Vintage Life in Bloom". These gingham papers are amazing, with printed details that gives them a vintage look and add texture to the project. 

I cut and distress the papers, then stitched a border around three sides. I like to do this, to add texture and dimension to the project.

For this layout, I wanted to use the stencil from the collection. This is why I added a bit of color using Distress Oxide "Saltwater Taffy" diluted in water. I used a brush and a piece of transparency to move the paint around the photo area. Once I was pleased with the paint, I started working with the stencil making random branches using Distress Oxide in "Salvaged Patina" and Distress Ink in "Shabby Shutters". To enhance the background, I added paint splatters using black acrylic paint diluted in water. 

Now that the background is ready, I added one piece from the Ephemera pack and a 3 1/2" x 4" piece of the teal/mint floral paper from the 6" x 8" paper pad. For additional texture and dimension, I distressed the edges of the papers and tore some areas. 

For the title, I used the Foam Titles from "Life in Bloom". I love this product; the titles are all so pretty and add dimension to the projects! To give the title a resting place, I used another piece from the Ephemera pack and embellished it with a phrase label from the 12" x 12" sticker sheet, a foam heart from the Foam Titles, and a few butterflies die cuts. 

Also in the title area, I added a piece of rub-on that I cut in half. One piece is the pink butterfly with the text on top of the word "hello" and the other is the green butterfly with text under "lovely". Those rub-ons are the perfect touch to add texture without bulkiness!

Under the frame, I added two flowers and a branch of leaves from the floral die cut pack. They are gorgeous and helped to make the frame even prettier, don't you agree?

On the upper right corner, I made a little cluster to balance the layout. It looks like a lot of work, but it was very easy to make with a piece of rub-on and a few die cuts. For this area I also cut the rub-on, this time in half so it can be seen because the flower is almost the same size as it. I added the two pieces leaving a space between them and covered the empty area with the "magical" die cut. Then, I embellished using a butterfly and a pink rose from the die cuts. 

On all the embellishments, I strategically used foam tape to add dimension to the layout. In the end, and off camera, I added a few glitter enamel dots from the collection and more black splatters. 

If you want to see how I made this layout, check the process video here:

It was so much fun creating this layout. I hope you like and enjoy it as much as I do! The colors and variety of products in this collection are wonderful! I'll be creating more projects with this and all the new Simple Stories, so check my Instagram and YouTube for more inspiration!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!