Awesome & Epic | Julie Taylor

Hello Magpies

Today I’m sharing a masculine scrapbook layout using the May Embellishment Kit, paired with the gorgeous Simple Stories Rustic Legend collection — honestly, they worked together perfectly! The warm earthy tones, woodgrain details and rugged textures gave exactly the male vibe I was looking for and suited my stag do photos from the Guinness Factory in Dublin so well.

For this layout, I chose three photos from the trip — two portrait photos sized 2.5×3” and one landscape photo at 3.5×2.5”. I arranged them vertically down the centre of the page to create a strong focal point and a really clean design. To help draw the eye down the page, I layered strips of patterned paper behind the photos and then embellished the vertical line using the rulers and ribbon from the kit.

To soften the straight lines of the layout, I added two semi-circle elements — one in the top left and one in the bottom right of the design. I used the circle stitch template for some hand stitching around these shapes and I absolutely loved how neat and even it kept my stitches. It makes such a difference having the spacing and sizing consistent, especially if, like me, you enjoy adding stitched details to layouts.

I also added some subtle stencilling using the Arden Creative Studio stencil, along with a few ink splatters placed diagonally opposite the stitched semi-circles to balance the page visually.

Then came my favourite part — embellishing! I really went to town using all the amazing bits from the kit including buttons, stars, fabric tabs and so many other lovely details. I love how the finished page feels layered and textured whilst still keeping that relaxed masculine feel.