p>Hello everyone! It's Lisa Dickinson here today to share some layouts with you! Since I'm currently in the middle of a few home renovation projects, including refinishing our hardwood floors, the majority of my scrap room is packed up in boxes in our basement. So when it came time to do this blog assignment, I had very few of my usual scrap arsenal available, but I decided it would be a great time to challenge myself to make something interesting with a minimum of tools and products. After all, Simple Stories is all about making creativity simple and easy! Here are the layouts that I created - and a few tips that helped me create simple pages that still have eye-catching appeal!

1. Add lots of color and pattern to take a basic design to the next level.  Just because a design is simple doesn't mean it has to be boring. Color and pattern add interest and movement to a page, so the more, the merrier! On this layout, I selected coordinated papers from the Hello Lovely line (and a few from the Domestic Bliss collection as well!) and used them to matte my 5"x5" photo. Each paper was cut slightly larger than the previous one for a layered look that allows lots of pretty papers to be showcased.

2.  Add dimension and texture to make the design pop. When you're using limited supplies, it can be hard to incorporate a lot of visual interest on a page. Dimensional adhesive is an easy way to help page elements pop. Here I adhered each paper layer with foam squares to create a dimensional frame. I also added stitching to the edge of every other paper, which is another great way to add tactile interest to a design. No sewing machine? Use a pen to create hand-drawn stitching for the same effect.

3. Use pre-made elements for a title.  Since I didn't have any alphabet stickers or my trusty Silhouette available to create a die-cut title, I opted to use a sticker from the Hello Lovely collection pack instead, placing it directly on the photo in the white space. Be sure to look through your stickers before creating your page - you just might find one with the perfect sentiment for your layout and save yourself lots of time!

On my second page, I used the same tips & techniques to add elements to a basic design. I started with a bold striped patterned paper from the Emoji Love line as my background:

The colors were perfect for my photos, which included lots of pink and yellow, but I wanted to some additional pattern in the design. Instead of using the paper as is, I cut some 2-inch paper strips (the pink dot, yellow crosshatch, and aqua dot) and layered them over the solid stripes.

In between each of the strips, I sewed a zig-zag seam. Stitching is a great way to add texture and a handmade feel to your design!

For this page title, I selected a 3x4 journal card and layered speech bubbles atop it.  These are part of a Simple Stories decorative brad set, but you could also fussy-cut small elements from patterned papers or use die cuts + brads to achieve the same look.

While I'm excited to get my scrap products unpacked again, I enjoyed the challenge of creating simply and it was surprisingly easy with these fun Simple Stories products. (And bonus - this was way less messier than my usual scrap method!)  I hope you're inspired to create something quick and easy as well - happy scrapping!