This layout started one way and then I decided to add some inky/splatter mess to give it some gusto! It started with a Basis Red cardstock base and then I decided to mat it with Wedding Cake White cardstock. Before adhering the red (now cut down to 11×11), I gutted the white cardstock so I could use it to mat the photos.
Gutting the middle of the base cardstock is a great idea if both layers are a good heavy weight to avoid bulk. I’ll do this whenever I want to save some of that base paper for other uses or projects. To gut the paper, use your paper cutter to remove the center of the base paper. Since my top layer was 11×11, I could have cut the middle at 1.5″ from the edges, but I chose to cut it at 2″. You want to make sure that there is plenty of space to add your adhesive.
After adding a strip of patterned paper from my stash, I realized that my layout was looking a little boring! To avoid a boring page, I decided to stamp a brick background and add some black & white splatter in the lower right and upper left corners. Don’t worry about accuracy and clear stamped images – a large heart embellishment is going to cover most of it!
If you look really close, the patterned paper used on this layout has a grungy look so the bricks and splashes really coordinate with the theme.
Using the Cricut, the word family was “sliced” from the scratchy heart so it would lay flat on the cardstock. It was a little difficult to adhere the heart since there were so many individual pieces, but I referred to the image on the Design Space screen to help me.
Adding other details like the journaling tag tucked behind two photos, the half heart on the upper right corner, red enamel hearts, red/white twine and a heart brad bring this layout all together.
CutCardStock products used: Wedding Cake White, Basis Red and Black
I’m a true believer that the photos should be the main focus on a layout and I believe I accomplished that on this layout. Although the layout itself looks pretty simple, there is actually a lot going on and I love that I used a lot of my stash for this layout!
