These Days Layout by LORNA SIMONS

Love these papers from Cocoa Vanilla Studio called These Days.

When you get a set like this it makes it so easy to complete a project, even when you have limited time, you have all you need, no trying to match papers, just go!

I took my two main papers, the top one i trimmed off 1" from 2 sides and sat that in the middle to make the outer border.

The next two I cut down to 8x8 " and 7x7" and then distressed them with my craft knife, just running it along the edges, don't worry if it cuts in a bit, love the effect.

My photo was printed with the border but if not, you can mount it onto white cardstock, my Photo is 4x6"

I then went through the ephemera pack and picked out the elements I wanted, so many to choose from!

I added my houses to the bottom right of my photo - the middle one is flat but the outer two are added using 3D foam pads to give some dimension.

The trees were then added, tucked behind and overlapping. My title is cut from the ephemera packaging, I use it all !!

I then went to the other corner, the flowers and sentiment. The flowers were flat, the sentiment was added using 3D foam pads and the leaves tucked behind but curled a little on the edges.

I love things to be touching and overlapping, the layering adds to much detail and things to add interest,  it just feels right to me.

Some more little bits to add, the butterflies , I curled the wings up, top right and bottom left the hearts that I folded in the middle slightly.

My finishing details are the hand drawn black frame, things feel finished to me when they are framed, I don't know why, we all have our little things that just need to be!

And I like to add details, where, when, who, I think these things are important, this time rather than a journaling block I added these details round the centre square, they don't have to be really obvious they just need to be there, even if its hidden or on the back. This also added the framed effect that I like.