Hi everyone! Sue Plumb here to share my very first layout using the brand new ‘Merry & Bright’ collection. For this Christmas page, I couldn’t go past documenting one of my kids Santa photos from last year. Each year we try to do something a little out of the ordinary, as it not only makes it easier to get my kids to do it, but it also gives us something fun to look back on. (Not to mention giving Santa a good giggle as well.) Last year we decided to go with a Queen theme, as Bohemian Rhapsody is one of our favourite car sing-along songs.
Here is my layout…
As soon as I opened this collection, I was immediately drawn to the gorgeous wood grain print on the Season’s Greetings paper. (Zoe always has the best wood grains!) I decided to use it as the basis for my page, so I cut it down to measure 10×10″ and then mounted it onto the script pattern of the Oh What Fun paper to add a border.
I really wanted to make the background bit more “me” so I decided to add some mixed media as well. I brushed on some dark grey acrylic paint, then used a loose script stencil (which tied in beautifully with the script print paper) and some gold glaze to add texture.
Now it was time for some papery layers! I used pieces of some of the scaled down prints from the A5 Paper Stack to use as layers under my photo, adding in a dark grey paper doily (to tie in with the paint) and some frayed gauze for texture. I also added some cardboard to the back of my photo to help pop it up from the page.
For my embellishments, I began with the gorgeous floral pattern of the Joy to the World paper because I couldn’t wait to fussy cut those flowers! I cut two large pieces which I tucked in under the bottom left and top right corners of the photo, to create a diagonal flow to help draw the viewer’s eye through the photo. I also added an extra flower from the Die Cut Ephemera pack.
Then it was time for some pretty little bits and pieces. I used three of the Puffy Gold Stars, which I attached using my stapler; and some small pieces of twisted gold wire, which I also stapled to the page.
For my title, I fussy cut the words merry and bright from one of the 3×4″ Pocket Cards and then adhered it below my photo using foam tape to pop it up from the page. I also tucked in the sweet little Santa Flair Button alongside my title.
To finish off, I stamped the date and a few phrases using a roller stamp from my stash; then added a touch more festive sparkle with some splatters of gold mist and a sprinkling of gold sequins.
I’ve already been busy creating more layouts with this collection and I can’t wait to share them with you soon. If you don’t have this collection yet, make sure you contact your favourite retailer to ask if they have it in stock.
Hello Hello, it’s Michelle here today and boy do I have a project share with you all this week. I suggest you sit down with a cuppa and have a read as theres a lot to share in this little post. If you cant tell by the title or sneak peek I’ve started an album to document last years December Memories using the magical new collection – Merry & Bright.
This collection is the perfect mix of Christmas and signature Cocoa Vanilla Studio designs. Full of beautiful colours, patterns and pretty florals which are all perfect for documenting an Aussie Christmas as theres not a snowflake insight. I’ve used the BRAND NEW Pocket Cards for this project as they make creating albums like these so fast. Pick a card and pop it in, pair it with a photo and call it done! You can jazz it up with a little ephemera, cut files, vellum and glitter. Don’t forget there’s also an A5 paper stack, 2 cut apart papers (Count Down & Oh What Fun), and some super cute gold puffy hearts that are all perfect for creating one magical album full of December Memories..
I’ve got half the album to share in this post today so apologies now for the photo overload. I’ll try not to write too much as there’s A LOT to get through
Lets begin…
The Album size I’ve used is 6x8inch and I’ve used a mix of different configurations in pocket pages. I kept the front opening page quite simple using a full A5 sheet in the Star Bright pattern, ‘Christmas’ and ‘Oh what fun’ tags are from the Oh What Fun cut apart paper, holly leaves from the ephemera pack, sticker from the Accessory sticker sheet and the numbers are from an ancient CCV collection.
Flipping over to the first pocket page – I’ve used another full A5 pattern paper Jingle All The Way with a piece of note paper sewn on to document the month ahead, then added some florals from the ephemera pack to the corner of the paper. You will see throughout the pockets of the albums I’ve used the Countdown paper to document most of the days, the numbers all cut down to just over 2inch square. For the right hand side I added the number to a pocket card using my tiny attacher
Heading over to the next page, sharing more of December 1 memories as a couple of things happened that day – our house elf arrived and I went out for dinner with my work colleagues. I created a ‘privacy shaker’ pocket to hide their faces using a flip flap pocket. Inside I’ve added the large floral cluster from the ephemera pack to some vellum and a tonne of glitter then used my sewing machine to stitch the edge closed. The ‘eat drink + be merry sticker is adhered to the outside along with the ephemera tag.
The shaker pocket turned out so cute.
Page 3… Still documenting the rest of December 1st haha How stinkin cute are those little gingerbread houses! Our house Elf Twinkle didn’t seem to get up to too much mischief last year, hoping she’s on her best behaviour if she makes it back into the country this year.
I used another flip flap to add an extra layer of embellishments to this corner of the page. Those gold hearts are so soft and not bulky at all, its hard not to use them all in one go!
Over the page and I’ve used the smaller frame from the ephemera kit to frame a smaller photo and documented a not so fun trip to the doctors. Between these 2 pages I’ve added a vellum insert using the 3 ornament pieces from the ephemera pack
I sewed these to the vellum and added some stickers
Theres a larger frame in the ephemera pack too, I’ve used it on this side to document an early Christmas present I gave to myself and am still yet to use. Whoops.
Some pockets I left plain with just photos and cards. Not everything needs a bunch of words to document, the photo is enough. The other side of the page however needed some words. I used a label from the cut apart paper for one and a journalling card from the pocket cards pack for the other. This pack is FULL of different designs, quote cards, filler design cards and journalling cards. Each card has a design on both sides so every design in the pack can be used once or twice if you need.
December is a big month for everyone, even bigger for those of us who have a birthday to throw into the mix. Leila’s falls in the second week of December and last year we were lucky to be able to throw a party for her and some friends and cousins. So much fun.
I created another flip pocket with the journalling on top and photos underneath
The kids had so much fun. Faces blurred for privacy
Of course the birthday girl and her cake needed a special insert! I love adding inserts to pocket page albums to create a focal interest and break up all the smaller pockets. I created this one using a star cut file from CUT to YOU and adhered the photos back to front, either side of the cut file, and then the entire piece sewn into the pocket page to stop it from moving or falling out
The cute photo on the reverse is from the following day with more cake to celebrate with family at home
On the right side of the page are more photos documenting the family celebration, the day prior to her actual birthday.
Over page and more photos to document our Elf, a couple more filler pocket cards, a label from the cut apart paper Oh What Fun, fussy cut florals from the A5 version of Joy to the World
On the right I used a smaller pocket page made up of 2x2inch squares. I created a couple of mini shaker pockets using ephemera, stickers and a gold puffy heart sewn in using my machine after sprinkling each with glitter. I added a couple of photos of Leila to document her last night of being 8 and filled the rest with pattern papers
Over page again and Its an entire spread dedicated to her actual birthday. Photos of present opening, more pattern paper to fill in the blanks. Photos of our house Elf and the spectacle she set up overnight. We never know what mess we might come out to on Leilas birthday, but theres always a basket full of presents for Leila all Christmas themed. Our elf does this in place of a December 1st basket.
And were onto the last of the pages I’ve created for this album. Our tree finally came out of its box so I could finally use the cute ‘Oh Christmas tree’ card
and one last flip flap pocket just because!
Phew, did you get through that ok? I hope you enjoyed seeing the first half of last years December memories. I like to keep things pretty simple within my pocket pages branching out with a little shaker page or insert to add a little extra fun. Everything within the album is either adhered using a tape runner, tiny attacher or sewing machine to save on bulk as theres a lot more to add so I need to save space as best I can.
Well thats all from me today. Thank you so so SO much for stopping by and reading through all of that! I aim to get this album complete and ready to share in a future post so keep an eye out next month. For now be sure to share with us the Christmas Creations that you’re making. We love to see what you all create. And if you haven’t already RUN to one of the many Scrapbooking Stores that are carrying this collection and buy it all before it sells out ! You won’t regret it.
