Memories Captured | Julie Taylor

Hello Magpies,

Today I’m sharing a scrapbook page created with the Junk Drawer collection by Simple Stories, a beautifully nostalgic range that feels like stepping back in time. With its soft, muted colour palette and old-worldly icons, this collection is perfect for documenting heartfelt stories and treasured memories.

I began my page with the patterned paper called ‘Cypress’ as the background. This gorgeous minty blue instantly set a calm, vintage tone and provided the perfect base for layering. To add subtle texture and depth, I included some stencilling using Rusty Hinge Distress Oxide ink through the Timeless Quatrefoil stencil from Arden Creative Studio. The warm, rusty tones peeking through the cool background give the page that slightly aged, well-loved look I adore.

From there, I built up two photo clusters to balance the design. The larger cluster sits at the bottom right of the page and anchors the layout, while a smaller cluster at the top left helps draw the eye diagonally across the page. Around both clusters, I layered plenty of ephemera pieces and fussy-cut elements from the papers. I wanted these layers to feel like old paper findings – the kind of bits and pieces you might discover tucked away in a real junk drawer, each with its own quiet story to tell.

To visually connect the two clusters, I joined them together in the centre using the Hey Little Magpie wood title ‘Heart Memories’. This wooden element adds warmth and a tactile feel, and perfectly reflects the sentiment behind the photos. I finished the page by adding a foam word from the collection, giving the title extra dimension and a gentle pop.