cocoa vanilla studio

Just Chill

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

I’m not sure about you, but I’m not ready to let go of summer just yet! We’ve had a wonderful summer and made countless memories that will surely warm our hearts during the cold winter months ahead. What’s better on a hot summer day than a refreshing popsicle? This layout will instantly bring back the feel of summer every time I look at it.

I used a Peartree cut file “Just Chill“, from the June 2025 Pearscriptions files, as the inspiration to document this fun picture of my youngest grandson. I paired the cut file with patterned paper (Bright Side) from Cocoa Vanilla Studio’s Sunkissed collection.

To accentuate the colours of the rainbow, I spent several hours stitching each colour with coordinating embroidery floss from DMC (347, 470, 743, 922 and 3848) and Anchor (066). I love the texture and layering it brought to the final product. Once the stitching was complete, the picture was adhered to the top left side of the layout.

I was looking for a bright and whimsical feel to this layout, so I backed the letters and shape in the cut file with coordinating colours of Bazzill cardstock to mimic the colours of the rainbow. To create additional dimension and texture, it was adhered to the layout using double-sided fun foam. The final element of interest was the addition of the ‘Stay Cool This Summer” tag. This tag is from Echo Park’s “Here Comes The Sun” Frames & Tags set of ephemera. It was a generous donation from Scrap ‘N Stamp to our crop bags at ScrapFest in Kitchener this past April. The orange twine at the top of the tag is Marigold Twistel. It comes from Making Memories and has been in my stash for at least 20 years. The cute colour-coordinated hearts on the tag come from a sticker sheet by Reflections, purchased at Michaels.

This layout was quite simple to create. It just took time and patience (6 hours) to complete the chain stitching on the background layout. Overall, I’m delighted with the final result. It’s just one of those layouts that is sure to make you smile every time you look at it.

Thanks again for stopping in. Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Rollercoaster

~ dddesignz ~ 3 Comments

Who’s in for a good roller coaster ride this summer? While visiting our family in Austria, we took another trip to the Prater, Vienna’s renowned amusement park. Emperor Joseph II opened the park to the public in 1766. It has been serving up smiles ever since! Our 10-year-old grandson somehow convinced his Mom to ride this wicked (lying down) roller coaster. I’m the one safely on the ground, filming for prosperity! This picture captures them as they pause before being loaded into a corkscrew lift to start their ride.

The paper selected for this layout is from Webster’s Pages and it is called Dream in Color – Drifting. It fits beautifully with my design when I rotate it upside down. I chose Peartree Cutfiles Rollercoaster cut file to document this fun event. I wanted my layout to provide the illusion of a roller coaster. To achieve this effect, I took several steps. 

First, the cut file was cut out in black to help the title stand out. Next, the letters of the title were cut in blue to match the sky in the photo. The third step included cutting the file once again in red to imitate the red steel girders of the actual roller coaster. The cut file was cut once again in yellow to mimic the yellow rails the roller coaster cars travelled on. Once all 4 colours were cut, I carefully cut the elements away that I didn’t need and glued each section into place to recreate the coaster my family was riding.

To further the illusion of the actual roller coaster, I used Taylored Expressions Black Foam Sticky Strips to back the cut file and provide dimension. Each sticky strip was cut in half lengthwise and then carefully adhered to the back of the cut file to achieve this look. While somewhat tricky and time-consuming, I am very happy with the result.

The sticker phrases and journalling box came from an older Echo Park paper collection called hello Summer. The large colour-coordinated FUN sticker is from Photoplay’s Those Summer Days paper collection. The final design element was adding brightly coloured stars in the sky. These stars are Puffy Stickers from Cocoa Vanilla Studio’s No Limits collection.

I may not be a roller coaster enthusiast myself, but I certainly had a blast documenting this ride for my family. My grandson is very excited this layout will be included in one of his scrapbooks!

Have I convinced you to get out to the amusement park this summer? Be sure to take every opportunity to enjoy this glorious summer and all the opportunities it offers! Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Soak Up The Sun

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

My granddaughter, Madison, had a wish for her birthday. She wanted to be in the sun, in shorts, on her birthday. Now that her family lives overseas, a quick trip to Spain was quite doable. As you can see from the picture, she got her birthday wish! Now I won’t lead you to believe that the water was warm at the time, but nothing was stopping this girl from thoroughly enjoying the sun, sand and surf!

I used the Summer Lights patterned paper from Cocoa Vanilla Sudio’s Sunkissed collection for the background of this layout. It reminded me of the bright sunny days and beautiful sunsets on the Costa Del Sol. The title cut file, Soak Up the Sun, comes from Just Nick and is now, sadly, unavailable as she has shut down her shop on Shopify. Fingers crossed she will bring it back one day! I backed this cut file with coordinating patterned papers from Lawn Fawn’s Watercolor Wishes Rainbow collection. I liked how it mirrored the changing hues in the background paper.

Just Nick also created the cut file for the Layered Waves at the bottom of the layout. I wanted these waves to look as realistic as possible. I used the backside of the Tropical Paradise patterned paper from Reminisce’s Caribbean Cruise Kit to achieve this look. To add more depth to the waves, they were each outlined in coordinating blue ink. I adhered the bottom wave directly to the page and backed the top two layers with foam to replicate wave action. The tri-coloured small crystals of water droplets were splattered around the waves to enhance the feel of the waves even further. They are a product called Baby Tear Drops from The Robin’s Nest Creative team.

Some final details to complete this layout included adding beautiful crystals to the sun in the cut file. They are from an older set of embellishments from Prima Marketing called Say it in Crystals. The Happy Life, foam letter stickers, were used to identify the location of the picture and the date.

Warmer days are just around the corner for us now. It’s time for all of us to get ready to play in the sun! Thanks for stopping by today, and until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Hey Bestie

~ dddesignz ~ 1 Comment

This layout is very special to me. I designed it as a birthday gift for one of my life-long friends, Gail, who was celebrating a milestone birthday. We’ve been through decades together, and she’s been there for me through thick and thin. While there may be a few years difference in ages, we’ve had fun together as if we were classmates growing up together. It turned out that we both married the man of our dreams the same year. Coincidently, our husbands share the same first name. The picture in this layout comes from our mutually celebrated 25th wedding anniversary trip to Italy. A dream come true for all four of us!

I used the Hey Bestie cut file from Cut to You as the centrepiece for this design. The cut file was cut from white cardstock and then pierced with a paper piercer to allow a stitched border.

The letters were stitched with pale peach embroidery floss and the heart with pale blue. Cocoa Vanilla Studio’s, These Days, coordinating patterned paper, was used to backfill the letters in the title.

I created a shaker pocket for the heart and added some sequin mix from Cocoa Vanilla’s Daydream collection. These sequins coordinated with this collection beautifully. At this stage, the title was set aside. The background paper for this design came from a Vicki Boutin collection of Ready-to-Use Mixed Media Paper pads. The gold, pink, and peach background was a stunning backdrop for this completed title. In preparation for securing the title to the page, it was backed with Foam Sticky Strips from Taylored Expressions. The photo was placed on a coordinating patterned paper used in backing the title. Once I was happy with the positioning of each, they were both secured to the page.

The page was completed by adding various coordinating embellishments from the These Days collection. The flower cluster, seen at the top left of the photo, was created using various elements from the Floral Ephemera pack. The yellow butterfly was used from the Die Cut Ephemera pack and the small colour-coordinated hearts came from the Puffy Stickers collection. The final embellishments added were the gold heart and the YOU ARE SO LOVED phrase to the bottom right of the title.

When the layout was complete, it was placed in a white shadow box before it was gifted to Gail. She loved her gift and the beautiful reminder of our special friendship. I hope you have at least one friend this special. Here’s to girlfriends everywhere!

Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Right Here Right Now

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

Do you remember the joy of Springtime and the welcome change of activities from winter? Owen wanted a basketball for his birthday and was thrilled when his wishes came true this year. I turned, once again, to Cocoa Vanilla Studio’s No Limits collection to document this special moment. I love how the colours in the photo work so well with the colours in this collection. The background patterned paper for this layout is called Spark.

The Right Here Right Now title came from Peartree Cutfiles. I chose several coordinating papers from the No Limits collection to complete this title.

I backed the words in the cut file with four coordinating patterned papers (Stardust, Latitude, Nebula and Orbit) while I popped up the orange arrows (Spark) using fun foam. By doing this, I helped draw emphasis to the picture below.

The Always be Your Awesome Self phrase was cut from the Universal patterned paper sheet. I chose a coordinating green ink and inked around the edges of this 3″ x 4″ phrase for further emphasis. It was also backed with fun foam for dimension. Next, I chose two coordinating phrase strips from the 3″ x 4″ rainbow phrase block as seen on the Universal patterned paper. The edges of these phrase strips were highlighted in coordinating inks.

Before adhering any of the phrase elements to the layout, I took time to plan out the remaining embellishments I would use from this collection. The blue star, rocket ship, and blue ticket were all chosen from the coordinating Die Cut Ephemera package. The edges of the star and ticket were inked with coordinating blue ink. At this stage, all of the phrases and ephemera were layered and adhered directly to the layout. The final touch was adding the date for prosperity. Doodlebug Designs Inc., Teensy Type alphabet stickers, were used to do this.

Thanks for joining me today, I hope you’ve enjoyed learning how this layout came together. This is a wonderful collection of papers and ephemera for all the boys and men in your life. I hope you have as much fun creating with it as I did!

Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

You Rock My World

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

I had the pleasure of scrapbooking with dear friends at ScrapFest this past weekend. It was a fun-filled weekend of shopping, cropping, connecting and creating! This is the first of two layouts I completed using Cocoa Vanilla Studio’s newest collection, No Limits. I purchased this collection from Scrapbook Your Joy, a Canadian online store with excellent products and customer service.

Big Bang is the name of the patterned paper base. I wanted to add texture and layers to the page, so I was inspired to stitch the rays on the page. Using a paper piercer to establish the start and endpoints of each line, I stitched them using coordinating embroidery floss. If a line reached the edge of a page, I wrapped the embroidery floss over the edge and secured it with tape. The embroidery flosses used in this layout were DMC 762 and 3848.

Once the stitching was complete, I added a random splattering of coordinating foil stars in teal and silver. The patterned paper had a ring of stars in this area, and I used the foil stars to highlight it and draw your eye to the picture. The picture was matted using teal cardstock and secured to a piece of fun foam for added texture and dimension before adding it to the layout.

I chose some of the random phrases from the No Limits coordinating sticker sheet and added them to the layout between the stitched rays. The remaining elements for this layout came from the No Limits coordinating ephemera, chipboard and puffy stickers. Some of the ephemera were backed with fun foam to provide continued texture and dimension. I added the date using white Doodbug Designs Inc Teensy Type stickers.

This is the first time, in a very long time, that I did not use an electronic cut file on a layout. I did not want to cover up any of the stitched elements on this page nor detract from drawing your attention to the picture.

Thanks again for stopping by, I hope I’ve inspired you to look at your patterned papers in new and creative ways. Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Pink Ukulele

~ dddesignz ~ 2 Comments

Do you remember the excitement at Christmas and your dreams of that one gift you hoped and prayed would be under the tree? All my Granddaughter Madison hoped for was a PINK UKULELE. Imagine her delight when she unwrapped her pink ukulele on Christmas Morning! It was a sweet moment! She loves her ukulele and regularly practices on it.

I dug into my scrapbooking stash to make this layout. I chose the beautiful soft hues in Cocoa Vanilla Studio’s Midnight collection to document this precious moment. Midnight is an older paper collection, but you may still find some at your Local Scrapbook Store. The photo is backed with coordinating papers from this collection.

I found a ukulele in the Silhouette Design Store for this page. The cut file is Design ID #159757 by Doodlebug Designs, and the title is ukulele – fun in the sun. I did my best to match the finished paper ukulele to Maddie’s instrument. To create the 3D effect, I attached white brads to the head of the ukulele and tied black and white twine to each brad before securing them firmly in place. Using a wide blunt needle, I threaded each string through to the back at the base of the bridge. The strings were each secured with tape on the backside. Before adhering the cut file to the layout, I backed it with fun foam to provide dimension and enhance the 3D effect. I placed Couture Creations Diecut’N Bond adhesive to both sides of the fun foam, traced the shape and then cut the fun foam. This process provides a smooth, uniform surface to adhere the items to and guarantees that your page will not warp in your scrapbook over time.

The PINK UKULELE title for this layout was added using Mini Puffy Alpha Stickers from PinkFresh Studio‘s Just a Little Lovely collection (no longer available). The variegated colours in this collection were a perfect match for the Cocoa Vanilla Studio papers. I wrapped the letters around the curving body of the ukulele to pull the eye to this focal point in the design.

The final touches on this layout involved adding all the ephemera, stickers and enamel dots found on the page. While all the stickers belong to the Midnight paper collection kit, the coloured butterflies, grey heart, and enamel dots belong to Cocoa Vanilla Studio’s Unforgettable collection. I love how these collections can work and enhance each other.

And that’s a wrap on a layout that had me digging deep into my scrapbooking stash! Thanks for stopping by, and until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Hugs

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

There are times we feel helpless when friends are hurting. Life can be so hard sometimes. Add a pandemic into the mix, and those who suffer can feel isolated and alone. Reaching out to them is helpful in any form. Today I felt the need to let someone I know how much I love and care for them. Making and sending a card is such an easy thing to do when you can’t physically be with them.

The pretty papers in this card came from Cocoa Vanilla Studio‘s These Days collection. I often purchase the A5 Paper Stack in these collections, as they are excellent for card making. I chose butterfly paper to cover the whole card front. Next, I used two Stitched Scallop Basic Edged 2 dies (currently not available) from My Favorite Things to shape the soft green leafy paper.

The HUGS sentiment comes from Papertrey Ink, and I have had it in my collection for at least a decade. It is a timeless set that I will continue to use for many years to come. I purchased the coordinating stamp set for these dies and used the word SENDING for the front of the card. Each letter of the word HUGS has intricate cutouts. I wanted these cutouts filled with coordinating colours of this collection. The easiest and quickest way to achieve this was to cut the coordinating papers and back these sections. I layered the completed die cut on fun foam to provide a bit of texture and dimension to the card.

The final touch was adding a few hearts from the These Days Puffy Stickers sheet. I’m very happy with the end result and hope my friend feels the love I’m sending with it.

Thanks for stopping by, and until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Anywhere With You

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

I love the downtime between Christmas and New Years Day. For me, it’s a time to relax and work on some Christmas layouts. Today’s scrapbook layout focuses on my son Sean, and his fiance, Tanis. With Sean’s career choice, it seems they spend more time apart than together. So when opportunities to slip away to spend precious time together arise, they seize the day. Just before Christmas, they spend a wonderful weekend in Canmore, Alberta. These two love every second they spend in the mountains, regardless of the time of year. You can see it in their faces in this beautiful photo.

I picked the gorgeous Patterned Christmas Trees cut file from Peartree Cutfiles as the central focus for this layout. I chose this cut file because it represented the beautiful treed background in the photo and the holiday season. I also turned to Peartree Cutfiles for the title Anywhere With You. It seemed so fitting as Sean and Tanis are getting married next year.

All cut files on this layout were backed with gorgeous patterned papers from the Joyful collection by Cocoa Vanilla Studio. Once the cut files were complete, I adhered them to the background paper. I chose a coordinating Ready-to-Use Mixed Media Paper from Vicki Boutin’s Color Study collection. I love how the green background mimics a forest background.

Once the picture and cut files were in place, the rest of the layout came together quickly. The cute woodland animals, gifts and branches (around the title) all came from the Joyful Die-Cut Ephemera pack. Gold-Glitter Puffy Stars, also from the Joyful collection, were used to embellish the top of each patterned tree. They are gorgeous fabric embellishments that add a lovely texture, dimension, and feel to the overall layout.

The final touch was placing the ALL I want for Christmas banner directly below the picture. This phrase is so representative of these two beauties. All they do want is time together!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. I hope you’ve had some time to enjoy your hobby this holiday season. I wish all of you a very Happy New Year! May 2022 be the year we start to get ahead of this pandemic!

Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and Happy Scrapping!

Together We Have It All

~ dddesignz ~ Leave a comment

This.

Like all mothers out there, I am proud of my family and all their accomplishments. What I admire most is their ability to be positive and focused, regardless of what life presents. Core to our relationship is an understanding that one of the most important aspects is our strong connection. We are here for each other through thick and thin, for better for worse. Our strong relationship makes us rich in so many ways. This foundation is what matters most to us. When life throws us a monkey wrench, we carry on together.

This summer, I felt like one of the luckiest women in the world. After many months of separation due to COVID, my family reunited in August! Sean and Tanis travelled from Edmonton to join us at the cottage. It has been six long years since Sean had the opportunity to spend time there, and the first time Tanis was able to travel east during the summer. Honestly, having everyone together at our happy place was a dream come true!

As I began designing a layout concept to document this event, I came up with the title but was unable to source it out. I turned to Marie Hurst, owner of Peartree Cutfiles, and asked for her help. Not only did she agree to design the cut file Together we Have it All, but she also exceeded all my expectations! I’m simply in love with the result! Thank you, Marie, I’m so deeply grateful!

I utilized two Cocoa Vanilla Studio collections in this layout, Daydream and These Days. I love how the collections work well together and allow for the mixing and matching of embellishments. All papers in this layout came from the Daydream collection. The background paper is Sweet Serenity, and those used in the title are Garden Variety (backside), All Aflutter and Daisy Days, respectfully. To create the completed title, I offset the letters slightly and then adhered them on top of the base title using Taylored Expressions Foam Sticky Strips. I filled the two cut out hearts with puffy hearts from both the Daydream and These Days collections. They were a perfect fit and complement to finish off the title.

A selection of embellishments from the These Days Die Cut Ephemera package completed the layout. To create the dimension on the butterflies, I placed score lines on either side of the butterfly’s bodies and then gently folded the wings up. Scor-Tape was then applied in the thin centre channel to adhere the butterflies to the page.

The best thing we have in life is to hold on to one another. No matter where we go, what life throws our way, together, we truly have it all. Thank you, Marie, for helping me document a very special time this summer!

Until next time, stay safe, stay well and Happy Scrapping!