Hello, Daisies. Let's jump right in and explore all the amazing Love Notes designs from our DT. The team is using cut files and printable elements in their designs today. Korrieann is starting us off with a traditional 12x12 layout. “I absolutely loved creating this layout using the subscriber printables. I opened the files with my silhouette program and chose which elements I wanted to use and using a 12x12 base, sized everything the way I wanted them.” “Once printed I sat and fussy cut them all out which was really quite relaxing whilst watching tv in the background.” “I have layered my photo with papers that I printed onto 6’ by 4’ card using the designs from the Digitial Printable Valentine 2020 Bonus Kit with the cluster of balloons popping out from behind. I wanted to give the illusion that the balloons were floating into the distance using smaller die cuts. The umbrellas nearer the foreground are larger and I used my 3D foam pads to give them some dimension.” A whimsically sweet design that has us dreaming about shopping in Paris! Such a creative way to use balloon clusters and umbrellas. Next, we have a gorgeous Travelers Notebook layout from Evy. “For this layout, I absolutely wanted to use a background created with a cut file and I looked for something with a love theme. I decided on a free file by Paige Taylor Evans and adapted the size to my traveler's notebook. The hearts are cut from different paper patterns and to give a 3d effect, I folded them in half and glued them.” “I added the photo and the title with the puffy alpha stickers with a small caption in the corner.” “At the last minute, I decided to fold a corner of the page to show the paper below and give the layout some movement.” Evy’s layout draws us into the photo because it is the true focal point in her design. The dimensional heart background serves as a beautiful backdrop for Evy’s photo and puffy alpha title. A beautiful design highlighting the story of the gorgeous explosion box Evy created. Our final design is a traditional 12x12 layout by Iris using a cut file she designed. “I love cut files and finding new ways to be creative with them. I often back white cut files with patterned papers, but I was drawn to the mixed media paper in the February’s Love Notes collections and wanted to use it for my actual cut file. I have the perfect one called “All The Likes” in my own shop (whimsyfoxcrafts.etsy.com), however, it is slightly larger than the kit papers. Making it smaller wasn’t an option because I did not want my photos smaller. So I came up with a solution: washi-tape two papers together!“ “This method works best with a pattern that is not directional or distinct, such as the mixed media paper. In the software, I aligned my digital cut file on the mat 1 inch over, to be sure my cut wouldn’t be affected by the cut border of my Silhouette Cameo machine. I taped together the backsides of two sheets, and placed them on my mat aligned at the 1-inch mark, making sure the paper would cover the same area of the digital cut file. I normally use the default settings for patterned paper in Silhouette Studio, but this time I increased the blade depth and pressure a couple of points to be sure the design would cut through the washi along the seam. This worked great!” “Once I had my pretty cut file, I backed the open areas with my five photos and I turned my attention to building up the layout. I wanted the cut file to pop, so I mixed black acrylic paint with a few spritzes of water and painted on my background with a wide flat brush - going up and down and side to side - in the area where my cut file would be. I then stamped the “XOs” from the Traveler’s Notebook Memory Keeping Kit with a black ink along the edges that would peek out from beneath the cut file.” “While the background dried, I lined my cut file with foam to give it more dimension. I placed my cut file on top and added the acrylic hearts from the Memory Keeping Pocket Kit to three of the bigger heart cut-outs. I left the other cut-outs open to preserve the contrast. I decorated on top of my cut file along the areas where the photos are with die-cuts from the Pocket Kit and the TN kit, and stickers from the Classified: Memory Keeping Edition and the Memory Keeping Sticker kit.” “For my title, I used the darker rose-colored flat alpha from the TN kit and stitched them down with black thread to tie it into the painted background. My journaling is on the bottom left corner in black, and I tied it in with one of the multiple heart stamps also from the stamp set in the TN kit, adding a few of those hearts in some empty areas on the painted background.” “So in love with the results of that mixed media paper cut file over the black stamped background! I will definitely be playing more with cutting cut files out patterned papers!” Another beautiful layout and more great tips from Iris. The painted background with stamping makes the story depicted in Iris’s design stand out. We love her ideas for using the kits in her favorite scrapbooking medium, the traditional 12x12 size. It was fun to focus on Love Notes about the people and things that bring us joy. We are a bit sad to say Au revoir to February. Help us keep the “month of love“ going a little longer by sharing your stories with us on Facebook or by tagging @cocoa_daisy on social media. Beaucoup d'amour and thanks from all of us at Cocoa Daisy! ~Robin