A patriotic 4th of July scrapbook layout that shows your love for God and your country. This layout is designed as a 12×12 layout. However, you can duplicate and re-size the elements to expand it to a 2-page layout. Also, the cut file is saved in a variety of formats and works with Cricut, Silhouette and other cutting machines, however, this tutorial shows you how to create the layout using Cricut’s Design Space software.
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4th of July Scrapbook Layout
Pairing bold red, white and blue cardstock with a worn wood background gives this 4th of July scrapbook layout a classic look. The layout uses two 4″x6″ photos. Once a photo is on the white mat, only 1/16″ of the white will be showing on each side. This is perfect to set the photo apart from the blue mat, especially if the colors aren’t the best match for the cardstock. This is a design tip I use often when I select the paper colors to match the theme of my layout instead of my photos.
The true beauty of SVG files is that you can use the papers you have on hand while customizing the file to fit your photos. You can re-size the photo mats. You can also duplicate and re-size any of the elements. In doing this, the layout can change sizes and be expanded from a 12×12 layout to a 2-page layout.
I have also created a video tutorial walking you through the steps of creating this 4th of July scrapbook layout. To view the video, you can skip ahead and scroll to the end of this post.
Let’s Get Started
The first step in creating this 4th of July scrapbook layout is to download the cut file. It is pattern 5A – God Bless America Scrapbook Layout from the Resource Library. All of the files in this resource library are free to download for personal use. However, you do need the password to access the page. To obtain the password, complete the form below. The password will appear when you hit submit. The password will also be emailed to you. There will be another form at the end of this post.
Downloading SVG Files
The God Bless America 4th of July scrapbook layout pattern is saved as a compressed zip file and each file is saved in a variety of file types including SVG, DXF, EPS, PNG and PDF. To download the file, click on the link in the resource library.
If you are not sure how to unzip the file, save it to your computer and open it in Cricut Design Space, the Summer Vibes: How to Upload Zip Files to Cricut Design Space tutorial walks you through these steps. You can also view the video tutorial.
Notes for Better Cuts with the Cricut
As much as I love the Cricut, it can be frustrating when the cut is not the best. When this happens, there are a couple things I do to solve the problem.
The first thing I adjust is the pressure. If I don’t get a good cut or it is not cut all the way through, I will re-cut it and adjust the pressure to More. This setting appears after you select your material on the Make screen. Adjusting the pressure to More helps with intricate cuts and titles and when the cardstock is thicker. Actually, I almost always adjust the pressure to More, regardless of what I’m cutting.
Sometimes the cut isn’t all the way through and you don’t want to re-cut. In those cases, I use a craft knife, such as an X-acto, to finish the cut. Make sure there is a cutting mat behind your project before you start cutting.
Lastly, if fuzzy pieces are still attached to your cuts, rub a small piece of sandpaper along the edge. This removes the fuzz and smoothes out the cut.
How to Move Items on the Cutting Mats
Cricut automatically arranges the pieces on the cutting mats based on color. However, it doesn’t always get arrangements that minimize the amount of paper used. For instance, it doesn’t rotate any elements. When this happens, you can manually adjust the items on the mats. You can rotate them using the arrow in a circle that appears in the top right corner of an element once you click on it. Another option is to move the objects around the mat by clicking and dragging them. You can also move the items to other mats by selecting the circle with three dots that appears in the top left corner of an element after you select it.
Cricut sorts this project into 7 mats. We’re going to move elements around to only use 5 mats. Select Make It in the top right corner in Design Space and the Prepare screen will come up next. This screen the number of papers needed and how the mats are laid out.
Review the mats one more time. You will still see 7 mats, but 2 of them are blank. Cricut will automatically skip over these mats even though they still appear with all of the cut mats.
Once you are satisfied with how the mats will cut, start cutting. As a mat finishes cutting and you remove the pieces, stack the pieces that belong together. For instance the white base of the rocket, the blue rocket, the 3 smallest red stars, the yellow flames and the orange flames. By keeping these all together, you’ll be less likely to attach a piece to the wrong item. Note: the 3 smallest red stars, they will appear in a row, are used for the rocket.
Assembling the 4th of July Scrapbook Layout
Now that you have cut all of the pieces, it’s time to start assembling this 4th of July scrapbook layout.
Start with 1 pile at a time. I prefer to use a liquid glue for adhereing the smaller pieces together. I tend to start with the bottom layer and work up. For the title, I started with the white shadow and added the blue “AMERICA” letters, then the “God Bless” and finished by attaching the white shadow with title to the blue shadow.
After all of the elements have been assembled, I moved on to the blue and white photo mats. Because these pieces are larger and come into contact with photos, I use a tape runner on those pieces.
Once all of the pieces have been adhered together, it’s time arange all of the items on the background paper. Start with placing the largest items and finish with the smallest. When you are happy with the placement, it’s time to adhere everything to the page. For items that overlap photos, I try not to add adhesive on the part that will be touching the photo. Also, I use a tape runner as much as I can for this process since that gives me a little more time to play around with the pieces once they have been attached.
Just add Photos!
Congrats! Just add photos and your layout is complete.
You can view the project card for detailed assembly instructions including links to all items used in this project. This project card can also be printed.
God Bless America 4th of July Scrapbook Layout Project Card
You can also view the video for step-by-step instructions:
Enjoy and happy crafting!
