How-to | create a layout step by step

Today's tips come from Leanne...

Create this gorgeous layout following Leanne's step by step tutorial below.

Materials used from Giselle kit

Cardstock – kraft

Patterned Paper – October Afternoon; Cosmo Cricket; Basic Grey laser cut doily

Alphabet – American Crafts thickers (Lax)

Embellishments – Shabby Chic journal cards; basic grey curio element stickers; string; buttons; felt;

Other - ink (versacolor); machine stitching; gimmermist (tattered angels: sunflower); sharpie pen – black; circle punch.

Here's how:

1. Cut your cardstock to size (8.5 x11”).


2. Trim the Basic Grey laser cut doily patterned paper (x2) to your liking, to create 2 masks. Use a scrap piece of paper (5.5 x 6”) to create a 3rd mask.

3. Place the scrap paper center left on your cardstock. Layer one of the doily trims at the lower left of scrap paper and the other at top right of cardstock. Glimmermist the area – I have used Tattered Angels: Sunflower. Remove masks. (As an additional option, you can now machine stitch the inside edge of the glimmermisted area for extra dimension. Alternatively, use a black pen to trace the outlined shapes. I have done both.)

4. Trim the October Afternoon “Chalkboard” to 5 x 7” and a 2nd piece to 1.5 X 8.5”. Ink all edges.

5. Adhere the larger October Afternoon patterned paper star/circle (pp#1) side up, ¼” from the left side of your cardstock, overlapping the glimmermisted base. Layer and adhere the 2nd patterned paper, grey/chalkboard (pp#2) side up, ¾” up from bottom of pp#1.

6. Trim light green Shabby Chic journal card into 2 uneven pieces. Tuck smaller piece below pp#1 on the right side. Place the 2nd piece of journal card on top of pp#1 on the top left side.

7. Adhere 3 photos (2 x 3”) across pp#2 but still inside pp#1.

8. Trim a sentiment from the Cosmo Cricket patterned paper (pp#3). Ink the edges and tuck under the 3rd photo.

9. Punch 1.5” x2 circles from Cosmo Cricket “ginger” patterned paper (pp#4). Ink the edges with brown. Punch another 2 circles from pp#2 and trim slightly to fit inside pp#4 circles. Ink edges and adhere to the larger circles. Cut each circle in half. Discard 1 semi-circle.

10. Tuck 2 semi-circles side by side below pp#1 and next to the Shabby Chic card and adhere once they are in place. Tuck the remaining semi-circle under the top right corner of pp#1.

11. Handcut a star shape from the felt and layer 2 buttons on top. Adhere to layout below/center of photos #1 and #2. Adhere a 3rd button to the top semicircle.

12. Tie a piece of string to the basic grey:curio “moth stamp” sticker and use it to overlap photo#3 and pp#3. Add a small button to the sticker’s right edge.

13. Add title with the American Crafts LAX thickers and journal.

Such a fun and detailed layout!  Why not create one of your own and share your layout here. We'd love to see how you interpret the instructions.