Let’s Get Digital | Home Sweet Home by Wendy Morris-Saponaro

This month we are so excited to introduce our guest designer, Wendy Morris-Saponaro, who loves the ease of hybrid scrapbooking. Today we'll start with a little introduction, a small Q&A, a tour of Wendy's brand new scrapbook space and a hybrid project you are going to love.

GET TO KNOW WENDY

My husband, Vincenzo, and I live in Navarre, Florida.  Yes, the beautiful emerald green Gulf Coast.  Our home is about 15 minutes from the beach.  However, the crazy thing, we rarely go to the beach. Ha! Also, we have Yorkie name Principessa who is 4 years old.  She is my “ride or die” bestie with such a stellar personality.  Ha!  My husband Vincenzo (aka Enzo), moved from Europe to America about 5 years ago after we met online and married.  We are a successful online love story as he is my teammate and soulmate.  He’s an Executive Chef at a local Italian restaurant.  I’m an Audit Manager by day but always screaming with a creative voice to create all day!  I must “create something every day”, I must.  In my mind, being creative is not always putting “glue to paper” but sometimes simply writing down ideas or drawing sketches for ideas once back in my art room.

My format of memory keeping is mostly traveler’s notebook format and sometimes a little punch now and then with a 9x12 layout.  I soak in the challenge to test my creative outlet by working with different designers of product plus a range of product that fits within my style. My style would be defined as spontaneous and versatile…but always with love for the details and bringing an element(s) of surprise to my projects.  I’m currently on the creative teams for Elif Sahin Designs and Digital Press Co. as a Hybrid Artist.

Q & A WITH WENDY

When did you start scrapbooking?

I’ve been designing for various small and large scrapbooking companies within the scrapbooking community for well over 20 years now. 

What is something most people would not know about you?

I had a battle of the right brain vs. left brain while in university.  I was deeply encouraged by an Art professor to major in Art when I randomly took an Advanced Art Studio course, just for fun, in university.  My final exam was a presentation of portraits that was critiqued by students in the class.  However, I chose to continue with my major in Accounting.  He truly thought I was “wasting my time in accounting” as he said my talent for drawing was definitely innate and I was merely not pursuing it to the fullest.  It’s always on my “to do” list to pick up my sketchbook and pencil again….

What are the 3 scrapbooking products you can’t live without?

Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black, my entire collection of stamps*, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

*Note: with the inclusion of my stamps, wayyyy more than 3 products but seriously could not live without my stamps – aka necessities)

What do you love about the new Life Crafted kit? 

The product from Citrus Twist is always inspiring and feel good happiness and the stamps are ALWAYS my favorite (“lightly” obsessed with them)!  I recently received the Citrus Twist Life Crafted™ album.  Well, I believe you all spoke to my heart in creating an album perfectly made for my TN pages! I’m going to need to order in bulk for all my TN pages. THANK YOU!! So, to answer your question on how I feel about Life Crafted…hmmmmm, ECSTATIC and the answer to my crafty prayers!

Finish this sentence “If you could see my scrapbooking space right now . . . “

…it’s packed away in about 15 boxes. Literally.  We just moved to our new house on March 5th. I always dedicate one room in our home for my office/art space. 

STUDIO TOUR

Wendy is just setting up her scrapbooking space in her brand new home and is sharing some peeks into how she organizes and tools she uses. Get ready for some amazing hybrid projects this month from her. 

We love how she has organized her stamps (below).

And then there are the crafty girl tools she relies on day in and day out.

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HOME SWEET HOME

by Wendy Morris-Saponaro

I’m excited to join you all this month (and next month) as Guest Designer for Citrus Twist Kits! I’ll be working with the Life Crafted™ kits.  I’m a long-time fan of Citrus Twist Kits monthly kits.  Hands down, I’m a sucker for the stamps every single month.  Aren’t they just the BEST in versatility?! 

Even better, the icing on the cake for me will be incorporating the digital elements from the monthly kits into my projects to share up with you.  In using the March Life Crafted™ kit, I added in a sprinkling of digital elements to spice things up a bit.

I’ve been a hybrid artist for about three years and I really enjoy the versatility and control it offers me in my layout design.

Fussy Cut vs. Print & Cut

Some hybrid artists like the fussy cutting of “scissors-to-paper” in cutting out the printed digital elements.  I will admit and raise my hand that I WAS that girl.  However, when my husband bought me the Cricut Explore Air 2 as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago, the heavens opened with light and the birds sang for me in a new direction.  

Yes, I prefer to use my Cricut machine along with the Print & Cut feature.  I simply upload the images and format each of the cut files for the machine to do the work of all the precision cutting for me. Easy peasy!  Plus, the fact I can re-size each image is a game changer for me (especially with the “Life Chapters” Cut Aparts)!

In my project, I re-sized the digital Life Crafted™ “Life Chapters” Journaling Cards – March 2019 to a “mini version” in a project template after the Print & Cut feature was applied to each image.  Then, it’s just like butter to peel them off the Cricut sticky pad. 

Combining Stamps and Digital Elements

Mix it up!  The thing I love about the Citrus Twist Kits monthly kits is the stamps! I could say I hoard them, but I do use them and A LOT!  You can size your printables (i.e. “Life Chapters” Cut Aparts) to fit perfectly to the stamp phrase.  Trust me and try it!

Did you find this article helpful?  I challenge YOU to head over the Citrus Twist Kits shop and grab up your faves in the Digital Files!  Create it up, then, come back to this blog post and share up how you used the digital files in your next project.