Hello friends! Celes here (@guiademanualidades), and today I’m sharing a project full of seaside memories, soft textures, and a little treasure from one of those trips that stay in your heart forever. For this Sand + Sea Memories Layout, I used the beautiful Simple Vintage Sand + Sea collection from Simple Stories to document a special photo with Sebas on the beaches of Cuba. I love how this collection brings together the peaceful feeling of the ocean, vintage coastal details, and those perfect little embellishments that make a memory feel even more special. The waves, shells, lighthouse, florals, touches of red and navy, and that delicate gold thread helped me create a layout that feels fresh, nostalgic, and full of summer stories.
To create this layout, I wanted to play with contrast: a clean white cardstock base on one side and three beautiful patterned papers on the other. This helped me build a composition that feels balanced, light, and full of movement, just like the sea itself. I also added layered embellishments, a few dimensional details, delicate gold thread, and a real paper clip to bring texture and softness to the page. Now, let’s take a closer look at how this Sand + Sea Memories Layout came together, step by step.
Base of the layout
For the base of this layout, I used a white textured cardstock and three patterned papers from the collection. The paper with the sea design is definitely my favorite from this collection, and I wanted to use it in a different way.
I cut the sea patterned paper to 6" wide x 12" tall and tore one edge by hand. Then, I added two paper strips from two more designs: the red striped paper and the blue polka dot paper. Each strip measures 2" wide x 12" tall, and I also tore one of their edges by hand.
I adhered the two paper strips so they peeked out from behind the sea patterned paper. Once the entire piece was ready, I added 3D foam adhesive to the back and adhered it to my white cardstock base.
My photo measures 5 1/2" wide x 6 1/2" tall, and I adhered it to a gold foil cardstock mat.
Decorative details
For the decorative details, I added many of the products from the collection. I absolutely love using chipboard pieces and foam stickers to build my compositions.
I adhered the photo with 3D foam adhesive to help level it and lift it from the background/base of the layout. I placed it centered and 3" from the bottom edge of the paper.
For the main cluster, located on the lower-right side, I combined a main phrase from the foam stickers with two smaller pieces from the same set. I also added chipboard pieces, elements from the ephemera packs, and a sweet enamel dot detail on the bow.
For the secondary cluster, located on the upper-left side, I combined foam stickers, chipboard pieces, a decorative brad, and a real paper clip. I wanted to include an actual paper clip because I love how those little details look on a project.
I also added gold thread to that paper clip, and I think it was the perfect finishing touch.
Tip: the gold thread is not “loose” in the composition. Even though you can’t see it, it is secured with adhesive at several points along the path I wanted it to follow.
And that’s it! Our Sand + Sea Memories Layout is finished, full of layers, texture, dimension, and those sweet little details that make a memory even more special. I hope this project inspires you to play with your patterned papers in a different way, add meaningful embellishments, and create your own seaside story. I would absolutely love to see your versions of this idea, so don’t forget to share them with me. Thank you so much for joining me today, and I’ll see you next time with a new creative project! xoxo
Products Used:
Collection kit
Vintage Basic Kit
Foam stickers
Chipboard pieces
Decorative brads
Journal Bits & Pieces
Bits & Pieces
Glossy enamel dots
Extras
3D foam
gold cardstock (foil)
gold paper clip and thread (optional)
Photo: 5 1/2” wide x 6 1/2” tall
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Celes Gonzalo
Craft & Scrap Lover
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