Using Cut Files - Stop and Smell the Flowers | Kayla Webber

Hello everyone! TGIF am I right?!?! Today I'm kicking off the weekend sharing a layout using the April TN kit and an exclusive Clique Kits cut file! The cut file is from the April 2017 kits called Floral which can be accessed in the shop. The cut file actually has 3 flowers attached to each other but I only wanted one so I used the Cricut design software to erase two of them. 

I wanted to mention right off the bat that this layout was made exclusively with the TN kit except for the black pattern paper I matted the layout with but this could easily be replaced with a black patterned paper from your stash. The TN kit is a lower price point than the main kit so I wanted to show that you can easily make 12x12 layouts using the TN kit so it is an excellent choice if your want a monthly subscription but are on a budget!

​My inspiration for this layout came from an Inkie Quill art journal spread she did a few weeks ago where she tore pieces of tissue paper and applied them to her journal similar to how one would do paper mâché. I thought this would be a great way to utilize a cut file in a unique way as I tend to either back them with patterned paper or use as is on my layout. Of course both of those techniques are wonderful, but I was feeling adventurous this week!

I started by tracing the shape of each petal to a piece of smooth white card stock but only the shape of the main petal, not all of the individual lines. I then used the 6x6 papers from the TN kit as well as the music note paper and washi tapes to tear my pieces of paper. I utilized Ranger Multi Matte Medium and a paint brush to spread some of the medium on the page to act as a glue, stuck my torn papers down, and then used the medium on top to seal all of the pieces back together to create the look of it being one single sheet of paper. 

Next, I cut each of the petals out and used the cut file to glue each petal back into the flower shape on another piece of card stock at which point I added one last coat of medium to seal everything in. To give each petal more definition, I used black thread to do a simple back stitch around each petal. I just couldn't do a layout without some hand stitching!

I then used some Cotton Candy mist from Shimmerz and some Distress Oxides to add some color to a piece of white card stock before trimming .5 inches off two sides of my paper and machine stitching around the page with some white thread. Between the thread and some distressing I did with my scissors, this created some nice texture. But I wasn't finished! I felt there needed to be a boarder around the card stock so I used one of the black patterned papers from the main kit to frame the layout. 

The ephemera pack that came in the TN kit is full of beautiful floral pieces and I used all of the leaves to add to the base of my flower as well as some fussy cut black foliage from one of the 6x6 papers.

Next came time to add my pictures. The April kits are perfect for documenting all my pictures of florals so I printed out seven pictures, all 1.5"x1.5", and stacked them on the right side of my layout to balance out the layout from the large floral on the other side. 

Lastly, I wanted to create a scene with the layout so I popped up a butterfly that came in the ephemera from the TN kit to mimic a butterfly flying in to land on the flower I created. And I think I managed to achieve that in the layout! Here is the finished product.

For even more details on how I created the flower using a cut file and completed my layout, check out my process video. In it I also show ideas on how to use a single cut file 5 different ways!

Be sure to check back on the blog daily for all sorts of great inspiration. I'll have another layout up next week using a sketch and the newly revealed May kits which I can't wait to share. See you next week!