Storyteller collection

Springtime Memories | Storyteller Collection | Michelle Stokes

Michelle Stokes 25/11/2022

Hey Scrappy Friends, it’s Michelle back here today with a new layout to share with you all. This one was really fun to create as I was given the task to scrap-lift a layout of fellow DT Member Josephine. I’ve used the Storyteller Collection and a little mixed media to pull it all together to document a little trip down memory lane

Josephine’s layout which you will see below, has a season vibe with loads of florals, circular pieces for the main feature of the layout, a splattering of mixed media with a mixed font title. I used all of those elements within my layout but changed up the central piece to be a hexagon shape and documented a photo from a different season. Just a couple of minor changes, just to make it look a little different, while also staying true to the original so that you know I’ve scrap-lifted it.

Here’s the layout I chose for my inspiration…

I think I did a pretty decent job at recreating my own version of the layout, using different shapes for the main feature, while also tying in all the same elements around the entire layout. Here’s a closer look..

I added machine stitching around the hexagons before layering them together with the photo, adding foam for dimension between the layers. Both papers used for the hexagons are in the A5 paper stack – the Woodgrain for the larger and the blue spotfor the smaller.

I used the florals in the Floral Ephemera pack for the giant clusters either side of the hexagons, with the addition of some tiny fussy cut florals and other ephemera pieces from the main ephemera pack

on the bottom cluster I used all the same elements as the other cluster while also incorporating a fussy cut butterfly and sticker banner from the Accessory sticker sheet. I used a range of adhesives in both clusters to give different pops of dimension.

To create the title I dipped into my super old stash of barley there alphabet stickers, my favourite white alphas and one of the very first sets ever made in the woodgrain colour for the bottom word. I sewed through all the stickers to ensure they stay put for years to come, but also to enable me to give the white ones a little pop off the page by folding them up

Here’s a closer peek above too at the poor attempt at mixed media that I added to the layout lol there was more, but it got covered up

And one final look at the entire layout. Let me know how you think I went in scrap lifting Josephine’s page in the comments

Well that all from me today, thanks so much for stopping by. Be sure to share all the layouts you scrap lift of ours with us in the Cocoa Vanilla Studio Community Group on Facebook. We love to see what’s inspired you to create!

Until next time, Happy Scrapping!
Michelle x

Sweet Days | Storyteller + Sunkissed Collections | Danni Visser

Danni Visser 14/11/2022

Hi Cocoa Vanilla Studio friends! Danni here with a layout featuring our newest collection Storyteller plus a little of an older favourite – the Sunkissed collection. Although these collections are quite different, the pops of bright yellow in both make it really easy to combine the two. They pair beautifully with the yellow shirt my daughter is wearing in my photo!

To begin this layout, I started with a sheet of plain white cardstock and the Brighter Days 12×12 patterned paper. I cut two strips from the patterned paper, one thick and one narrow, then distressed the edges. I adhered both strips to either side of the white cardstock.

Next I matted my photo. To do this I used a combination of the A5 paper stacks from both collections, plus a bright yellow 3×4 double-sided card from Sunkissed. I distressed and tore some of the paper edges for some extra texture, then added the photo over the thicker strip of patterned paper.

For my title I decided the sparkly glitter foam titles from Sunkissed were perfect, so I added ‘sweet days’ right below my photo. I also added a small banner text piece from the die cut ephemera pack in this space. I also used a few of the glitter hearts from the foam titles around my layout to bring in more sparkle!

The floral ephemera from these collections pair really well, especially the blue and yellow tones. I created three floral clusters around my layout; two either side of my photo and one to the left side of the page. I added in a couple of pieces from the die cut ephemera from both collections as well.

For some finishing touches, I added in a couple of the brushstroke effect clear stickers from Sunkissed, plus a few puffy stickers and some tiny word strips from the accessory stickers. I stamped the date with grey ink on one of the ephemera pieces, then added a small sprinkling of ink splatters around my ephemera clusters.

I was surprised with how easy it was to integrate these two very different collections, and I’m in love with the result! Such a bright, happy layout. I hope you enjoyed joining me today. Happy scrapping!

Danni x

Hello Love | Storyteller Collection | Rachel Lowe

Rachel Lowe 07/11/2022

Hello scrappy friends! Today I have a 8.5×11 inch layout using the beautiful Storyteller collection with a focus on the floral die cut ephemera.

I found this lovely hanging basket cut file by Paige Evans (Silhouette design store) and knew it would be perfect to fill with the floral die cuts. I firstly cut it as a whole using the Cross it off paper (wood grain side). I then cut it whole again in white cardstock. I then cut off the hanging leaves in the wood grain and added the white cardstock ones. I paper backed the basket with a blue paper piece from the A5 paper pad.

I used Spring Fling paper to add a border to my white cardstock (floral side). I next used wet glue to adhere the hanging basket cut file. I decided on a 3×3 inch photo and as a guide placed where I wanted it and started adding floral die cuts over the cut file florals. I arranged them until I was happy and ensuring they also gave the effect of hanging over the basket.

I added some centres to flowers using the Puffy stickers to add dimension. Lastly I added some green leaves in amongst the white leaves for contrast.

I added my photo with foam tape and then set about to embellish using the die cut ephemera, accessory stickers and chipboard embellishments. And lastly I added a butterfly wood epoxy button.

This turned out so pretty and would suite a variety of scrapbooking themes.

Thank you for stopping by today and have a fab week!

Rachel X

Muddy Puddles | Storyteller Collection | Danni Visser

Danni Visser 31/10/2022

Hi Cocoa Vanilla Studio friends! Danni here with a layout featuring the beautiful Storyteller collection. I used lots of patterned paper in this one; I think patterned paper has to be my favourite scrapbooking supply as it is just so versatile!

I have some photos of my littlest child splashing in some puddles in her bright yellow rain boots that I have been dying to document. This collection features the perfect shade of yellow to match her little boots. I started with the Oh My Heart 12×12 patterned paper for my background because the pattern reminds me of raindrops. I added some white acrylic paint to the area behind where my photos and embellishments would go to help them stand out on the patterned background.

Next I created a cutfile of some rain boots using a free image and my digital cutting machine. I backed it using the A5 paper stack. I used a yellow ink to fill in the white background of one of the patterns to add even more yellow to the boots.

I used a double sided 3×4 card to mat one of my photos, distressing the edges for texture. Next I created three embellishment clusters. Two of the clusters I positioned framing the photos using the die cut ephemera, for the third cluster I filled the top of the boots with floral die cut ephemera pieces.

I added some of the small wood epoxy buttons over the camera lens and flower centres of my die cut ephemera. I stamped the date on an accessory sticker and added a sprinkling of puffy sticker hearts around my clusters.

Finally I added my title. I used a navy paper from the A5 paper stack to cut some letters on my digital die cutting machine, then added some messy machine stitching for extra texture and interest. This also enabled me to bend the edges of the letters up to create even more dimension.

I hope you enjoyed joining me for this layout. Happy scrapping!

Danni x

Soup & Sangas | Storyteller Collection | Michelle Stokes

Michelle Stokes 23/10/2022

Hey Hey! It’s Michelle here today with a new layout to share with you all using the Storyteller Collection. This layout was inspired by our current Monthly Challenge board and I have to admit, of all the layouts I’ve ever made in the past, this would have to be the most random subject I’ve documented lol

Inspired by the pumpkins on the board, I went down a soup making rabbit hole and came up with this creation using a pumpkin design cut file from CUT to YOU.

There are so many different ideas that come from this board, it was quick tricky to figure out what would work for me and the random photos we take as a family each year.

The piles of pumpkins had me, and I got to work in silhouette studio resizing the CUT to YOU pumpkin file to create 1 large pumpkin to sit in the background of the layout and a second smaller pumpkin to act as the base for the title I was adding to the layout.

I used the Oh My Heart paper to cut out the pumpkins and backed the larger size with some vellum and the smaller with a pink paper from the A5 paper stack. Both pumpkins were adhered to the layout over the torn woodgrain strip (Cross if Off) using both double sided foam tape and thicker foam sheeting to add a slight hint of dimension.

I used multiple photos of my soup and sanga making time, printed out in a 3.7inch grid then cut into strips to overlay each other. I used the cute little rainbow hearts paper from the A5 paper stack for layering underneath then embellished with an accessory word sticker and label from the Story Time cut apart paper.

Next up I added the title using my beloved white alphas adding machine stitching to hold them in place, whilst adding a little pop of texture to the layout.

On both pumpkins I created a cluster on top of the leaf area, using multiple fussy cut florals in all sizes from the A5 paper stack version of Spring Fling. Slowly but surely I am making my way through all those tiny sweet flowers

I also strung a tag from the ephemera pack to the top of the larger pumpkin and adhered it to the cardstock using foam tape

Here’s a closer look at the florals cluster on the smaller pumpkin, using a mix of adhesives for varying layers of dimension. Tacky glue, glue dots and foam tape would have to be the most used items in my stash.

1 final cluster added to create the visual triangle of embellishments on the layout, then the usual splattering of gold ink to finish it all off..

Super quick and easy layout to recreate if the need be, other than all the fussy cutting of florals that is.

Here’s one final look at the end result..

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing where my inspiration of our current Monthly Challenge board took me, I certainly enjoyed creating it.

Please be sure to check out the Cocoa Vanilla Studio Community Group on Facebook to see all the other entries, and enter your own for a chance to win. We really to love to see what you all create, and where your inspiration takes you each month.

Until next time, Happy Scrapping!
Michelle

Beautiful You | Storyteller Collection | Michelle Stokes

Michelle Stokes 14/10/2022

Hey there Scrappy Friends! It’s Michelle back here with you today to share my newest creation using the Storyteller Collection. For this layout I wanted to document a couple of photos of Leila (being Leila) hanging out being the superstar that she is at her birthday celebrations last year. Hard to believe that in just 2 more months she will be 12!

I wanted to keep this layout pretty simple, with just a couple of photos, a ‘tidy’ background and my trademark floral clusters. I used the green circular pattern design from the back of the FLY AWAY paper and fussy cut 3 lines out using both scissors and my craft knife for all the inner pieces. Once ready I adhered in the top half of the white cardstock, roughly just above the centre line of the paper. I used double sided foam tape to lift it off the page just slightly.

I can’t take credit for these 2 magical photos, Leila’s aunty managed to capture them while the kids were happy playing in the massive play room while we had dinner. I kept them black and white so not to clash with the colours of the beautiful Storyteller Collection. I used 3×4 cards to back the photos before adhering to the middle of the green circles with foam for an extra pop of dimension.

Clusters created on either side of the photos using both fussy cut florals from the SPRING FLING paper (A5 paper stack size), flag banners from the ephemera pack, word flags from the STORY TIME cut apart paper, wood buttons and black foam hearts from the foam title stickers pack.

Totally obsessed with floral clusters, so much so that I ended up creating clusters similar to ones I’ve made previously. I just cant help it when florals are so so pretty and work so well in certain combinations.

These foam title stickers are the best for creating a good quick title that has impact on the page, they’re a beautiful product to work with too.

I added one last little cluster at the bottom of the layout layered together with another strip of green circles from the FLY AWAY paper, then splattered the entire layout with gold ink to finish it all off.

Here’s one more look at the entire layout, such a quick layout to recreate when you’ve got a couple of photos to document.

Well friends, thats all from me for today. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Until next time, Happy Scrapping
Michelle xx

Together | Storyteller collection | Tarrah McLean

Tarrah McLean 08/10/2022

Hi creative friends!

It’s Tarrah McLean back here on the Cocoa Vanilla Studio blog with you and today I am sharing a new scrapbook layout featuring the stunning Storyteller collection.

I think this is now my 8th layout created using this gorgeous collection! Do you have this collection yet?

I am documenting 2x photos of myself with some of my fun girlfriends, choosing to create a grid style design.

I first pulled out all the horizontal pocket cards that would suit the way I wanted my photos placed, I mixed them up and layered some underneath others and also layered some of them under my photos too, Once I was happy with how they looked, I took a piece of plain white cardstock and adhered them all down staying with that grid style. I was so happy that the pocket card that reads ‘It’s A Good Day to Have a Good Day’ was a horizontal style one as I wanted to use the ‘Together’ word from the foam title stickers, it was perfect to place on that pocket card!

I could not leave the pocket cards blank so I added some embellishments to them all. On the title card, I added a chipboard heart from the Chipboard stickers, a puffy heart sticker from the puffy stickers and a journal sticker from the Accessory Sticker sheet, I stamped the date on the small journal sticker. The pocket card to the right of the title one I added a chipboard piece, 2x banner die-cuts and a puffy heart sticker to the banner piece, I also stapled the banner die-cuts using my tiny attacher.

On the pocket card below the title I added an accessory sticker and adhered a camera ephemera piece over the top using craft foam. I also tucked in a floral die-cut here from the floral ephemera pack. On top of the camera, I adhered one of the super cute wood epoxy buttons. The pocket card above the title I added a chipboard banner piece and a chipboard heart and created a small cluster of flowers and leaves from the floral ephemera pack, I popped up some of the flowers using craft foam and left some without, I like the different heights and dimension this gives my page.

It’s fun to treat each pocket card almost like its only little scrapbook layout! On the top photo one, I stapled a banner sticker from the Accessory Sticker sheet in the top right corner, using my tiny attacher. Doing this is a great way to disguise something you make not like in your photo, treat it as an embellishment opportunity and cover it up as I have in the corner of my photo! In the bottom photo, I added a phrase sticker from the Accessory Sticker sheet to the top of the photo and created another cluster of flowers using florals from the floral ephemera pack, this helps to balance with the cluster I created in top left corner.

Thank you so much for stopping by the Cocoa Vanilla blog today! I love how my layout turned out and I hope you enjoyed reading how I created it!

Make sure to keep an eye on the Cocoa Vanilla online store as the Storyteller collection should be in store really soon!

Happy creating!

Tarrah x

Precious Moments Together | Storyteller Collection | Michelle Stokes

Michelle Stokes 24/09/2022

Hello Hello! It’s Michelle here today to share another layout for our month of sketch inspiration using the wonderful Storyteller Collection. I had so much fun creating my last layout that I thought, why not create another using a fun sketch from Page Maps. This one was based on a grid design and brings together multiple photos to tell a story, perfect for sharing one about a new blossoming doggy friendship.

We recently welcomed another sweet pup into our home, his name is Sonny and boy is he a handful. He’s the most hilarious little ball of fluff we’ve ever encountered, and is a great new addition to our little family. Our first doggo Daisy only took a few days to get use to having him around, and so far they seem like they’re going to be the very best of friends.

As you could imagine theres been a lot of photo taking in the last few days, so it was hard to narrow the selection down to just 4 for this project. I edited them all using an iPhone app and printed them out in black and white as per the size on the sketch below.

The sketch I was inspired by from the Page Maps website has a grid of pattern papers with 4 photos across the middle, machine stitching around the edges and clusters of flowers. I love creating with sketches as it takes the guess work out of how to start a layout when you’re stuck in a creative ‘rut’.

Seeing this little friendship begin has been so magical..

I used 4 different pattern papers from the A5 paper stack cut down to roughly 4inch squares, distressed the edges slightly and adhered to the white cardstock using pieces of foam sheet to raise them up off the page. I sewed around the edges next using my machine and some off white coloured thread.

I added the photos across the middle of the layout using the same foam sheets to add a little more dimension to the layout.

Next I worked on creating the clusters, bottom right was first using the ‘Love this’ tag from the STORY TIME cut apart sheet, a bunch of florals fussy cut from the A5 version of SPRING FLING, journaling tag from the EPHEMERA pack, black heart from the FOAM TITLES pack and sticker from the ACCESSORY STICKER sheet.

In the top left corner I added another cluster of fussy cut florals, black heart and ephemera pieces. Using coordinating elements within all the clusters on a page really helps to give it a cohesive look

I added the title to the top left of the grid cluster also, using a mix of both a word from the FOAM TITLE STICKERs and a piece from the EPHEMERA pack

In the top right corner I created a smaller cluster, again using the same floral elements as the other 2 clusters. I used different types of adhesives in all 3 clusters to create different heights of dimension giving the clusters a more 3D feel. My go to adhesives for this are double sided foam tape, sticky thumb ‘sticky dots’ and tacky glue.

I added the usual splattering of gold ink to the layout after adding some hand written text to the journalling card

Here’s one last look at the entire layout..

Well thats all from me today, thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing another sketch inspired post from me, and the rest of the team this month. It sure was a fun theme for us to be inspired by. Be sure to share your sketch inspired layouts with us in the Cocoa Vanilla Studio Community Group on Facebook, we love seeing what you all create using the CVS Collections!

Until next time, Happy Scrapping
Michelle x

So Happy | Storyteller Collection | Kylie Kingham.

Kylie Kingham 23/09/2022

Hello everyone, it’s Kylie back with you all! Over the past few weeks on the blog the design team has been creating layouts following a sketch. A scrapbooking sketch provides a guide for the placement of photos, a title, journaling and embellishments for your layout. But it doesn’t mean that it’s set in stone. Based on your photos and scrapbook supplies, you may alter the sketch to fit your needs. There are lots of websites that can provide some wonderful sketches, however for my layout today I have created my own sketch for you. Whenever I find a sketch I want to create from, I usually like to print it out and place in a binder folder. That way I can create and recreate using the same sketch as many times as I like.

Sketches don’t necessarily provide measurements, however for my design I did provide the size I trimmed my photo. Sometimes that’s all you need to be able to bring all the other elements together into place. As I mentioned previously creating with a sketch plan doesn’t have to be followed ‘exactly’ – but in this case I did with my own layout. I thought the new ‘Storyteller’ collection would be perfect since I have a strong feature on blooms!

When scrapbooking, I like to co-ordinate the colours in my photo memories with the papers etc that I use. In this case I knew I wanted to include some lovely blue and yellow tones. I chose the reverse side of the SPRING FLING paper. It has a lovely watercolour effect to it in the most perfect shade of blue. From there I followed my sketch and layered several contrasting papers to include the fun LITTLE LOVE paper. For once I did not adhere any of the papers or my photo with foam squares. I kept everything flush except for the floral die cuts. These were layered with foam adhesive squares to really ‘pop’ and stand out from the page.For texture and pure cuteness I also added some of the wooden flairs.

What would a layout be without a big title?? This was secured snuggly next to my photo using the foam title stickers. My photo was trimmed down to a 5″ x 4″ size- mostly because I had a lot of open negative spacing I felt I could trim away. Once completed I also think this sketch would allow journal space too if you like.

I hope you will have some fun too creating with my sketch!

Kylie.

Beautiful | Storyteller collection | Tarrah McLean

Tarrah McLean 22/09/2022

Hi creative friends!

It’s Tarrah back with you and today I am sharing a new scrapbook layout featuring the STUNNING Storyteller collection. For this project, I had free choice to create whatever I wanted with no theme or anything. I chose to scrap lift one of my friend and fellow design team member Mandy Melville’s gorgeous layouts.

This is the layout I created using the gorgeous Storyteller collection, documenting a pretty photo of a beautiful rose from my Mum’s garden.

This is Mandy’s stunning layout below that she created using the beautiful More Than Words collection.

I decided on the Ditsy Daisy 12′ x 12′ patterned paper as my background paper and took a piece of plain white cardstock and trimmed this piece down to around 8′ x 10′, I then chose the ‘B’ side of the Spring Fling paper to mat under the white cardstock. Like Mandy did on her layout, I decided to machine stitch the white cardstock and the Spring Fling paper together and then I adhered it to the Ditsy Daisy paper. I love the look that machine stitching adds to a layout, I love the texture it gives the page and the extra detail it adds as well.

For the main element where my photo was placed, I created some paper layers underneath the photo using various papers from the A5 paper stack and also tucked in a pocket card for some extra colour and another layer. I did distress some of the papers here to add some texture and I adhered some down using craft foam for some dimension also. Here in the bottom right corner of the photo cluster I tucked in some of the beautiful flowers from the floral ephemera pack, added a banner sticker to the photo from the accessory sticker sheet and also placed a phrase die-cut from the ephemera pack.

On the left of the photo, I created a small floral cluster using some of the florals from the floral ephemera pack and I added a wood epoxy button here to the centre of one of the flowers. In the top right corner of the page. I added the cute banner die-cut piece from the ephemera pack using pop dot adhesive. I love the shadows and dimension this adds to my page. I also took the small frame with hearts die-cut from the ephemera pack and tucked this piece into the top of the photo layers. I like how this peeks out from the top.

I decided to place my title in a similar position to where Mandy had placed hers and also created another small embellishment cluster in the bottom left corner. My title is one of the gorgeous foam title sticker words and I also took a phrase sticker from the accessory sticker sheet and placed it the bottom of the title. You can see in my floral cluster in the bottom left corner that I have adhered some of the florals flat to the page and then I have adhered the red one with some dimensional adhesive, again I love the shadow this creates and the extra interest it brings to my page. I also like to bend the edges of the flowers and leaves to make them look a little more realistic. Some of the smaller details and final things I added to my page were the gorgeous heart puffy stickers and another cute wood epoxy button. The last thing was to stamp my date stamp which is something I always add to my layouts.

Thank you so much for stopping by the Cocoa Vanilla blog today! I love how my scrap lift layout of Mandy’s page turned out and I hope you enjoyed reading how I created it!