2025 Right Here Scrapbook Layout

The start of a new year is always an opportunity to pause, reflect on the past, and look forward to what lies ahead. For me, this often sparks the creation of a recap layout, much like the one I shared recently. Alongside this, I have a tradition of making a selfie page to celebrate the upcoming year—a ritual that inspired the layout I’m sharing with you today.

Getting Started

To document the fresh start of the new year, I wanted my layout to be bursting with color, symbolizing the energy and possibilities of a fresh beginning. I chose a cut file from Peartree Cutfiles, adding a large central circle that became the focal point of my design.

For the background, I selected a vibrant patterned paper from Shimelle’s Reasons to Smile collection. Its bright, cheerful design guided my choice of cardstock colors, ensuring everything tied together beautifully.

Choosing the Colors

To reflect the positivity and excitement of the new year, I opted for a lively mix of cardstock colors:

• DCS Canvas Textured Wedding Cake White cardstock
• DCS Black cardstock (photo mat)
• Pop Tone Razzle Berry cardstock
• DCS Canvas Textured Yellow Jacket cardstock
• DCS Canvas Textured Carribean Blue cardstock
• DCS Wild Blueberry Navy cardstock
• Pop Tone Grapesicle cardstock
• DCS Plum Purple cardstock

With these colors selected, I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the file from the Wedding Cake White cardstock.

Creating the Background

The background is always a crucial element of any layout, and for this project, I wanted it to feel colorful, textured, and dynamic. Here’s how I brought the centerpiece of my design to life:

Step 1: Cutting Cardstock Strips

To fill the center circle of my layout, I used the cardstock colors I had chosen earlier and cut them into strips. To give the strips a unique and handcrafted touch, I used my Tim Holtz Deckle paper cutter. This tool creates slightly uneven, textured edges that add a subtle but impactful detail to the strips.

Pro Tip: When cutting the strips, I made them slightly longer than the diameter of the circle. This gave me more flexibility when layering the cut file over the top, ensuring the edges wouldn’t peek out unevenly.

Step 2: Assembling the Circle

Once the strips were cut, I started layering them onto the circle that I had saved from the center of the cut file. I arranged the colors in a specific order to maintain a balanced and cohesive look. Keeping the colors consistent across the circle and the cut file helped unify the design.

I adhered the strips using a tape runner, working from one side of the circle to the other.

Step 3: Backing the Cut File

With the circle ready, I turned my attention to backing the cut file. I used the same cardstock colors as the strips, ensuring the palette flowed seamlessly across the layout. However, for the stars in the design, I used only the yellow cardstock. This decision highlighted the stars as a bright, cheerful focal point and added a sunny contrast to the rest of the layout.

Backing a cut file can be a meticulous process, but it’s one of my favorite parts of crafting. I applied adhesive to the back of each section and carefully attached the corresponding cardstock, trimming away any excess with precision scissors.

Pro Tip: For easier backing, flip both the cut file and the cardstock face-down while adhering. This ensures a perfect fit and saves time aligning the pieces.

By the end of this process, the circle and cut file were both bursting with vibrant color and texture, perfectly setting the tone for my New Year-themed layout.

Assembling the Layout

With the circle and backed cut file ready, it was time to assemble the layout.

Step 1: Positioning the Circle

I adhered the completed circle to the patterned paper background, using a ruler and light pencil marks to ensure it was centered.

Step 2: Adding Dimension

To create depth, I added foam tape to the back of the cut file before layering it over the circle. This lifted it off the page, creating subtle shadows and a dimensional effect.

Step 3: Gold Ink Splatters

I splattered gold ink across the layout for a touch of sparkle. I made sure to complete this step and let it dry before adding my photo to the layout.

Step 4: Adding the Photo

I mounted the photo on black cardstock for contrast and placed it slightly off-center to balance the design.

Step 5: Final Embellishments

To tie the layout together, I added an acrylic title, puffy stickers, and small embellishments around the page. These final touches brought movement and cohesion to the design.

This layout perfectly captures my excitement and optimism for the new year. The bold, bright colors symbolize my hopes for the months ahead, reflecting the joy and energy that a fresh start brings. The playful textures, from the layered cardstock to the shimmering ink splatters, add depth and movement to the design, making it feel dynamic and alive. Every detail works together to create a layout that’s as vibrant and full of possibility as the new year itself.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Don’t forget to explore the beautiful cardstock options at CutCardStock for your next creative project.

Until next time—happy crafting!