reCreate - Beachcombing

As promised, I have a tutorial today to reCreate my Beachcombing layout from the Summer of 69 main kit from Studio Calico.

I really loved the color and prints in the main kit so wanted to make a juicy layout about a visit to the beach with my family last summer.

I was inspired by Pinterest, but for the life of me, I can't find the image that inspired this design.  I'm pretty sure it was a pillow or quilt.  I guess I didn't pin it and no amount of searching has pulled it up.  The main idea I wanted to reCreate, though, was the chevron design broken up in sections.

I created a cut file with my Cameo for this layout.  Is it perfect?  nope.  The spacing isn't perfect.  But the effect is exactly as I hoped and I love how the layout turned out.

You can down the chevron background template for free here:

Chevron cut file download

Don't have a Silhouette?  Simply trim squares, cut them on the diagonal to create triangles, and layer them that way.

To reCreate this layout:

1. Choose your layout base, keeping in mind it will allow for an @2 inch border around your layout.  I chose a neutral kraft.

2. Trim the background cut file.  I chose one of the SC prints because I wanted a mix of different colors on this background.

3.  Next choose three different prints for the zig zag/chevron design.  Trim each piece of paper at 3.5 x 9.75 inches wide and determine which sections you want each for each print.

4.  Using the background as a stencil, layer it over each print, and using a pencil, mark on the outside of the pattern.  Once marked, trim this out and you can then layer the patterned paper behind the background image to create the chevron design.

5.  Repeat for each of the other two patterns.  I placed two of the three patterns at the bottom of the background to add weight to the bottom of the layout as my intention was to put a majority of the embellishments at the top.

6.  After completing the background, adhere it to your layout base.  I then used my sewing machine to stitch the sections down.

7.  It is now time to adhere the photo(s) and embellishments.  My photo is adhered with pop dots, as are some of the die cuts.  My title was also attached with pop dots.  I used my Cameo for this as well, utilizing the Pacifico font.

8.  I struggled with placement for my journaling, so traced a CD, trimmed it out, and cut it in half.

9.  A water layout needs to be finished with droplets of somewhere, and that's where the Prima dots came into play.  A note about design:  at least for me, the visual triangle is always something in the back of my mind when it comes to embellishments, design, and balance.  To be used effectively, it is important that the embellishments are used to draw your eye through the design.  In this layout, a bulk of my embellishments are at the top of the layout, and the photo and die cuts on the right side make that side a little heavier than the left.  To balance the layout and also lead the eye through the title, photo, and journaling, my dots were placed strategically.  I drew a visual triangle on the finished layout to show you how I made it work:

You'll notice I also used more than 3 dots, and some of them were a little off.  This was on purpose.  Nothing bugs me more than an "intentional" visual triangle, where exactly three things are placed on the layout, making it obvious.  I think a subtle triangle, perhaps using two of one element and one of something else, or a cluster of one element balanced with two other elements elsewhere, is much more effective.  You'll notice that with my visual triangle, it isn't obvious, but the finished product is pleasing to the eye.  That's why it's a pretty layout, if I do say so myself.  The layout is easy on the eye because of the intentional placement of products that make it more artistically cohesive.  I placed one dot outside my photo to make sure your eye eventually travels through the layout, and I included three dots at the bottom to help add some weight.

I may be full of baloney too, lol.  But I thought to give an insight to my process when designing a layout so you could see why I chose to do what I did with this one.  A layout takes me a long time to create because the process is also important to me and for the most part, everything I do is intentional.  I wish I was someone who could slap together an amazing creation in 1/2 hour but that just isn't me.  :)

And there you have it!

Please let me know if this tutorial was valuable.  I'd love to do more reCreate tutorials but I want to make sure it is something you'd be interested in reading.  :)

Have a great day!  Davinie