The new Poolside collection is perfect for capturing all kinds of summer memories, and it is packed with the brightest, happiest colors.

One of my favorite things about Traci’s collections is always the b-side patterned papers and the stickers, especially when the sticker sheets include lots of individually colored elements like we see in Poolside. That kind of variety gets me thinking about one of my go-to design choices: tone on tone embellishing.

I cropped four of my photos down to two and a half inch squares and brushed white paint along the edges. I love the look of photos that touch each other without mats, and the white paint helps separate them visually while adding a fun, messy detail that fits the water theme.

Since I cannot print full twelve by twelve pages at home, I often use a neutral base when working with Traci’s collections. This time, I reached for a basic woodgrain pattern that coordinates with just about anything and sets a subtle stage for the bold summer colors.

I treat hybrid "print at home" supplies just like I would any traditional product. I added some hand stitching tone on tone over the b-side patterns I trimmed into strips below my photos. It brings a little extra texture and depth, which always makes me happy.

To build my scene, I pulled stickers that matched the colors of my patterned strips and arranged them so each one fit into its own color zone, with just a bit of intentional overlap. I love creating depth by mixing flat elements with popped-up pieces using foam adhesive, and this layout was no exception.