Guest Designer | Claire Murphy

 Hey everyone! My name is Claire Murphy! I’m from the UK and was super excited to be asked to be a guest designer using Paige's cut files on some scrappy projects. I’m excited to bring a series to my YouTube channel where I am focusing on using Paige's cut files and products and the series starts today!

I found it so hard to choose the cut files that I wanted to work with as they are all so amazing but I did narrow it down to a few favourites and my first project I created was a scrapbook layout using the Floral Ampersand cut file.

I knew I wanted to use Bloom Street with this cut file and used the gorgeous hexagon Paper 23 as my background. I placed the cut file down onto the paper and added white acrylic paint splatters around it using a Posca paint pen. I wanted to back the cut file with different textures and so I added some vellum behind the leaves and then backed the flowers with another patterned paper that complemented the background, Paper 02. Once the paint was dry on the background I added the cut file to the patterned paper with foam squares to help give dimension and shadows behind it. This is one of my favourite techniques when using cut files.

There was a natural space for a 3x4 inch landscape photo to nestle into the top right of the cut file and so I gave it layers behind with patterned paper and more vellum. I then focused on adding 3 clusters of flowers. The floral ephemera is always one of my favourite parts of any collection and I think finishes any scrapbook layout perfectly. So I placed a cluster in a triangle to create points for your eyes to naturally look around the page and to be able to focus on each section of detail. I added gold thread behind each cluster and I found bees that I had fussy cut from another paper and these went really well with the flowers so added three of these onto the layout also. I then added in a sentiment to each cluster which I had fussy cut out from Paper 13.

Finally, I added my title around the curve of the top of the ampersand and finished it all off with extra splashes of white acrylic paint to help bring it all together.

I love to create mini albums. I can spend hours designing and constructing the mini album and that’s before I’ve added any photos or embellishments. Using Paige's Envelope Mini Album cut file, it made the process of making a mini album so easy!

I cut the main body of the album on thick white cardstock as I wanted a nice, strong base and then cut all of the inside mats using 6x6 papers from Paige’s Take Me Away collection. I stitched around each of these mats before adhering them down into the album. I then constructed the envelope to go into the middle but didn’t stick this down straight away as the closure needed adding in first. I printed my photos in a small format (generally they were 2.25 x 4 inches or 2.25 x 3 inches) and included a white border around each to help them pop from the patterned papers behind. I tucked photos into the pocket on the left and added in a spot where I could add journalling. I placed my photos at odd angles to add interest and used embellishments and even branding strips from Take Me Away to decorate the album as I added the photos. I then used Paper 24 and fussy cut 3 of the 3x4 elements and adhered photos onto the back of each of them. I used one of the 6x6 papers (with the little embroidery hoops) and punched the sentiments out using a 1 inch punch and added clear epoxy domes over them which make them look just like flair! I added these onto each of the photos and popped them inside the envelope along with a tag to be able to add more journalling. I cut 2 half inch strips and adhere them back-to-back and slotted that through the 2 slits to create the closure. I then added glue to the back of the envelope and adhered this inside the album. I tucked all the flaps in and worked on the front of the album.

I lined up the strips of patterned paper and added a velcro dot closure to help contain it all. The cut file also comes with a bow and I carefully stitched around this before constructing it and adhering it onto the closure. I grabbed a charm from the Oh My Heart collection and tied this onto the centre of the bow using gold thread. I used the tiny navy Mini Foam Thickers from the Pick-Me-Up collection to add my title to the outside of the album and I finished it all off with splashes of gold Heidi Swapp color shine.

I love anything with butterflies and so the Flower and Butterfly Wreath cut file was a definite cut file for me!

I cut the Flower and Butterfly Wreath cut file twice, once from white cardstock to use the positive (the main wreath) and once again from a patterned paper (pink paper from the Turn the Page 12x12 Paper Pad) which I used the negatives for as I wanted to inlay the butterflies back into the cut file using a different colour. This also means I have another wreath cut file in the pink that I can use for another layout!

I placed the wreath down onto another sheet of white cardstock and added ink splatters by watering down Distress Oxides inks (Peacock Feathers, Spun Sugar, Festive Berries and Squeezed Lemonade) and then removed the cut file and allowed my background to dry. I added foam squares to the back of the wreath and once the background was dry I placed the wreath on top. I then started working with the butterflies from the other cut file and I stitched through a couple of these using my sewing machine. The others were too small to add machine stitching so I grabbed gold thread and wrapped it around the centres to add something extra to some of the butterflies. I then added the butterflies back inside the negative part of the cut file using foam squares to lift the wings up to create dimension. I fussy cut the butterflies from Paper 04 (I actually used the paper from the 12x12 Paper Pad as it has gold foil accents) and I started adding these on top of the wreath. I then used some chipboard pieces and puffy stickers from the Turn the Page collection and nestled these throughout the wreath, making sure I balanced the larger pieces. I added a title using Thickers from my stash and layered this over the photo which I had placed in the bottom left corner of the wreath. This was all finished off with a splash of gold Heidi Swapp color shine around the wreath and on top of some of the butterflies.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Be sure to follow me, Claire Murphy, on instagram and YouTube!

SUPPLIES: BLOOM STREET; TURN THE PAGE; OH MY HEART; TAKE ME AWAY; Mini Foam Thickers from Pick-Me-Up; Distress Oxides; vellum; white acrylic paint; white cardstock; Cut files: Floral Ampersand, Flower and Butterfly Wreath, and Envelope Mini Album by Paige Evans