Fourth of July Layouts by Paige Evans

I found some time to scrap just for fun and since I had this spot open on my blog today I decided to make two fourth of July-themed pages!

To create this layout, I altered this cut file from Silhouette into a stitching design and cut it from textured white cardstock. I chose these 12 DMC thread colors and used all 6 strands with three different stitches (running stitch, backstitch, and a chain link stitch) to stitch through all the sparkles. It took about 3 hours to stitch the background.

I backed the cut file with a solid blue paper from the Wonders Project Pad. It was so fun to use Wonders on a themed page! I made the title with a mix of letters from the Epoxy Phrase Stickers, colorful alphabet in the 8-Page Sticker Book, and Thickers. The "smiles" is trimmed from a card on Paper 24.

I sorted through our photos from last year and printed this family photo to 3 1/2" square with a white border. I added the picture to the center, left side and then got to work embellishing. I tore a tag from the Ephemera Die Cuts in half, tucked the halves under the photo, and wrote journaling with a blue pen on the right half.

I added a few red/white/blue pieces from the Chipboard Stickers and placed three strips of blue Washi Tape to form a visual triangle around the page between the stitched lines. There's also a blue "today" Banner Sticker above the title. I wrote the date on a Chipboard Sticker tab to add to the top of the photo.

To add more interest and color to the background I used a star confetti punch with red/white/blue patterned papers from Wonders and sprinkled them around. I added some of the white cardstock stars that were die cut from the background into the mix as well.

That's it for this first layout!! I had so much fun making it!

Here is the second layout:

I wasn't even planning on making a second layout, but the first layout didn't pan out as it had in my mind's eye. It originally began with a mixed media background. I applied white gesso onto textured white cardstock and then spritzed red and blue inks on top. It was a hot mess. I didn't want to throw it away though, so after I'd finished the first layout I designed a Sparkles cut file.

I die cut the Sparkles from the hot mess of a mixed media background and voila! Fun and funky sparkles! I glued the sparkles together in pairs and then searched for a background: I chose the dark blue starry B-side of Paper 20. So perfect for this celebration! I splashed watered down white acrylic paint on top to enhance the sparkles vibes.

I printed (4) 2 1/2" square photos with white borders and attached them to the center of the layout using foam squares for dimension. I glued the sparkles all around the photos. Then I dug into my brads, buttons, and sequins stash to find red, white & blue embellishments. Some of these buttons and brads I've had since I worked in-house at American Crafts waaaay back in 2008! I'm so glad I've held onto everything! I attached the brads and glued the buttons and sequins all around and between the sparkles. So festive!

For the title I placed a round "best day" sticker from the 8-Page Sticker Book onto scrap white cardstock, cut it out to turn it into a die cut, and adhered it to the center of the photos. I placed two label stickers also from the 8-Page Sticker Book under the title on the left side and wrote the date along with journaling to finish.

These layouts could totally work as a double-page spread too :) I hope you are inspired by these layouts and that you have a happy, fun, and safe day celebrating!!

SUPPLIES: Patterned papers, stickers, die cuts, Thickers, washi tape: WONDERS; Cut files: Sparkles by Paige Evans, 4th of July by Sarah Hurley; white acrylic paint; gesso; Brads, buttons, white cardstock, adhesive: American Crafts