Beach Time Layout by Shimelle

Hello crafty friends! Shimelle here today, and I wanted to share with you just how simple a seemingly intricate title like this can be! I'm using Paige's Beach Time cut file along with her Wonders collection and four small photos measuring 2.5x3.5 inches. I started by cutting the title from white cardstock and then considered options for backing the letters and shapes. You can, of course, back every single space with a different paper when you work with a cut file, and that can look absolutely stunning! But it's definitely not a requirement and you can make a striking title that is considerably less time intensive!

I started by choosing one pattern (the blue B-side Paper 15) to back everything that was an actual letter shape: E, A, C, T, M, and the final E. That's a significant amount of the title from just one paper, so it helps with legibility as well as saving time! With those cut and waiting, I started tracing all the shapes - beachball, sunshine, sunglasses, sandals, seahorse, ice cream cone, palm tree and drink - and the 6x8 Paper Pad is perfect for this as you don't need to cut into any full sheets and the patterns are a fab small scale! Scraps are great for backing cut files too. This is the second place where I kept it simple: the seahorse is all one colour, for example, and the ball and the sun to make the B are all one colour. It's still eye-catching and this is a great way to compromise making something detailed even with limited time or supplies.

I used the beautiful yellow Paper 1 for my 12x12 background and adhered the photos along the top, then added a cardstock sticker to each one. Then I covered the back of the title piece with foam tape and attached that right along the bottom edge of the page. This left a perfect gap in the middle of the page for my writing! I wrote straight onto the background with a grey pen, but you could also write or type onto strips of white cardstock for a bright and clean look if you like your storytelling to be a bit more obvious on the page. The last finishing details are small and simple: a Banner Sticker along the bottom of the E, and three green enamel shapes to add just a bit more summery colour!

Paige has plenty of different cut files that mix a few themed motifs in with lettering, a wreath, or a banner shape, so I hope this gives you the courage to give the look a try! We'd love to see what you create next!

SUPPLIES: Patterned papers, stickers, die cuts, embellishments: WONDERS; white cardstock; Die cutting machine: Silhouette Cameo; Cut file: Beach Time by Paige Evans

Location: London / Blog: Shimelle / Instagram: @shimelle / Facebook: Shimelle / YouTube: Shimelle Laine / Pinterest: glittershim