A Cut Above November Design Team Reveal

This layout is my A Cut Above Design Team creation for November, and it marks the first page of my Phuket holiday album. I wanted it to capture that feeling of shifting gears from everyday life into full holiday mode.

I started with a world map patterned paper, which instantly set the travel tone, and planned a vertical photo arrangement to lead the eye down the page. It’s a simple but effective way to create a sense of direction and movement — perfect for a travel theme.

My first die cut was the photo itself, trimmed into an emoji-style location point with a heart in the centre. It was such a fun idea, and of course, I got so caught up in the process that I forgot to take any progress shots. It was a great way to kick off the theme, though, tying in both travel and a love of adventure.

Next, I pulled out my trusty metal dies and started cutting film strips and small alphas for the title. Metal dies are perfect for creating tailored titles — you can choose the exact style, and paper to suit your layout, and you never have to settle for the wrong font (if you have it) or colour.

I arranged the film strip die cuts vertically around my photos to echo the look of an old-fashioned photo booth strip. It gives the page a lovely flow from top to bottom and adds to that sense of movement. The crisp edges from the metal dies make everything look clean and polished.

For the main title, From Home to Holiday Mode, I mixed Thicker alphas with my die-cut letters. Combining different fonts adds variety and a bit of character, and it’s also a clever way to use up leftover letters from half-empty alpha packs. For the word Phuket another die-cut font demonstrate how perfect it can be to mix and match fonts.

Once everything was in place, I decided the page needed a few extra elements to strengthen the travel theme. I used a suitcase metal die and black cardstock to cut several suitcases, then adhered them with foam tape for dimension. It gave the layout more texture and helped balance the design.

To complete the page, I added a hand-drawn border, some dotted travel lines, and a scattering of small hearts. These final details pulled everything together and added a touch of personality without overpowering the main design.

Metal dies really were the heroes of this layout — from the custom photo shape to the film strips, alphas and little suitcases, they helped me create a cohesive, travel-inspired page that perfectly sets the tone for my holiday album.

Make sure you pop into the A Cut Above Blog to check out the other great Design Team's inspiration for the month.