Cool & Fierce | Julie Taylor

Whenever a new scrapbooking collection comes along that celebrates the men in our lives, I get a little excited. We don’t see too many true boy or masculine collections, so the new Simple Stories Rustic Legend collection instantly caught my eye. The colours, the icons, and the sheer amount of ephemera are incredible, making it perfect for documenting the guys in your life. From adventure motifs to rugged textures, every piece feels thoughtfully designed and wonderfully versatile.

I had the perfect occasion to dive into this collection: a stag do. And yes, there’s even an actual stag icon in the collection, so of course that will make an appearance on a future page. I started with the ledger background patterned paper and softly blended some Old Paper Oxide ink around the edges to create a slightly worn and vintage feel.

From there I began building layers using pieces from the sticker sheets, Page Pieces, Journal Bits, Bits & Pieces, and the chipboard elements. I arranged everything in a loose diagonal design running from left to right, which naturally guides your eye across the layout. Two machine-stitched rectangles anchor my photos while adding extra texture and a handmade touch.

To build even more depth, I added subtle rub-ons in the background and finished the page with a few metal embellishments from my stash, which enhance the slightly grungy vibe of the layout. Finally, the title came from the fantastic foam sticker sheet, tying everything together while giving the page a bold focal point.

This collection truly made documenting this fun stag celebration effortless and memorable, and it has quickly become one of my favourite masculine collections ever released by Simple Stories. It perfectly balances rustic charm with playful details, making it ideal for adventures big or small with the men we celebrate.

Thanks for joining me today.

Until next time,