3 to Inspire with Shannon

 

Happy New Year, Citrus Twist friends! Shannon here to kick off 2021 with a 3 to Inspire recipe to help jump start your next page. I used some products from the January 2021 and December 2020 shop updates for this layout. The recipe?

1. Alpha stamp

2. Wood hearts

3. Make a grid

Let's look at how this played out on my layout.

I used the Felicity alphabet stamp on the left side to do repeated lettering for my title. This stamp has such a clean, graphic look and the thin letters lend themselves well to a large title. I did a bit of a test with uninked stamps down the side of the page to see how many rows I could make. I didn't want letters being cut off at the bottom so a little bit of pre-planning was necessary. I didn't draw lines to keep things straight and even but you could totally do that as well!

On the opposite page, I created my grid. I used 2x2 squares to form the grid. To maximize the amount of space I could get between each square horizontally, I aligned the top and bottom squares with the edge of the paper. The patterned paper that I used is from the Marigold and Sweet Story 6x8 paper packs. Although they're different lines with very different designs, some of the papers mix and match very well. 

I chose three wood veneer hearts from the Heartbeats Vol. 2 pack to add to the page. I was so excited to see these added to the shop! I've always been a fan of wood veneer pieces. I arranged them on my page in a visual triangle with each of my patterned paper squares. To bring a little more to the page, I added some ephemera from the Hearts & Such ephemera pack to each square as well. I chose pieces that had pink in them to keep a consistent feel to the page.

Finally, I wanted to share my new favorite way to add journaling to my page! I've discovered printing on clear sticker paper. I type up my journaling in Photoshop on a shape that's the same dimensions as where the journaling will ultimately go. In this case, I typed it onto two 2x2 squares that were on a 4x6 canvas. Before saving, I deleted the squares so the journaling was only on a transparent background. I save the file as a .png. This is important! Saving it as a .png will result in a clear background. Then, I open the file and print as normal. If you have any questions about this, pop into the Citrus Twist Kits Fan Page on Facebook and I'll be happy to answer!

I hope this recipe has given you a starting point for your next page. You could interpret it in so many ways. I can't wait to see what you create! 

Product Highlight - Wood Veneer Cuts with Neftali

Happy Thursday everyone! Neftali back to share with you two very unique ways you can use the woodgrain cutouts that are included in this months "Little Things" Scrapbooking kit. If you are wondering how you can include them in your pages or need a few extra ideas I've got TWO ways for you to do it today!

First let's start off with using the cutouts as titles. I personally love using any words as titles rather than using alphas. Which is why you will always see me use up my thickers as titles in most of my pages. However, I thought that these wood veneer words would be able to complete the job perfectly. So I used the one with the word "Go" as my title of this 12x12 page below:

I not only used this piece as my title, but I tried to make it stand out as much as possible. In order to do so, I kept my layout super duper minimal by including the free October 2018 Leaf Frame cut file on white cardstock with some white stitching. 

I kept my photo black and white and the only other thing I added was typed journaling below my photo. 

That is literally all I did! I feel like it all goes well together and all the important details are the center of attention: my title, photograph, and journaling. DONE. 

If you're wondering whether you should add the wood veneers to your Traveler's Notebooks, I say go for it! They will add some slight dimension to your page, but not without some natural texture and interest. I call that a win, and that's what my next example for using these pieces is about.

I recently started a pregnancy TN using the CTK exclusive mini travelers notebook covers and have been documenting certain aspects of my pregnancy. This time I decided to use the "Eat" wood veneer cutout to document the story of my dietary restrictions while pregnant. 

I thought it would be a sweet touch to add the wood veneer straight on to my photo! It might work as a title, but it also works as the "theme" of the story from my journaling on the left hand side.

This was also a very quick way to document using the wood veneers and the pay off is great when the pieces are placed above a nice bright photograph. They just pop!

So, crafty friends, these were two fun ways you can use your wood veneer word cutouts in both 12x12 and TN formats. Can you think of any more ways? If you do, share your ideas and projects with us on the CTK Facebook group! 

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you're all enjoying these sweet crisp Fall days. Stay crafty friends, xo.

There Is No One Like You, Traveler's Notebook with Wendy

Hello all and Happy Wednesday!

Wendy here to share up a quick tutorial of my latest page in my Traveler's Notebook.  As a long time fan of all things mini style in scrapbooking, I'm discovering these type of layouts are simply fun to create.

I'm still crushing hard on the July 2017 kits and created up my project here with lots of fun bits found in last month's kits. However, you can create this same type of project with any of the amazing kits from Citrus Twist Kits.

Let's get started.

1. Select your photo.  I dusted off one of my large circle punches to cut out my photo of choice.  I wanted to change it up a bit from the typical square/rectangular photo.  So, a circle it is.

2. Select the type of embellishments you want to use.  These fun butterflies were in the July kits along with some whimsical florals which ended up being my choice to use.

3. You may choose to add dimensional pop dots on the back of your embellishments if you want.  However, since I am working in a Traveler's Notebook, I'm wanting a bit less bulk to my pages.  I probably would have used the pop dots for dimension if this was a regular 12x12 or 9x12 layout in my album.

4. Layer up your embellishments.  Less is more (sometimes) but the more the merrier in this case. Ha!  I added a touch of a wood veneer embellishment for a bit of wording.  In my final project, I chose to use the word "love" instead of "happy".

5. Don't forget the versatile stamps in the kits! Ah yes, my favorite part of the kits.  Don't fear to play around with different phrases, mix and + match wording, and just have fun with them.

6.  In my title work, I chose to use a curved banner for part of the title wording.  Then, I used one of the CTK stamps where I curved it a bit on an acrylic block before stamping to mirror the curved banner.  I love the slight effect and how it turned out.

I hope you enjoyed my project!

Give us a peek into your Traveler's Notebooks!  Share up in the CTK Gallery and/or tag @citrustwistkits on Instagram.

Wendy

Sunday Sketch with Wendy

Hello everyone!

Happy Sunday!  Do you love the weekly CTK (Citrus Twist Kits) Sunday Sketch as much as I do?  We can vote to equally agree, ha!

Even better you can take your weekly sketches, print them down mini size, and make them into a mini idea book you can quickly grab for inspiration.  Just a thought.
Ok, I digress, now on to the Sunday Sketch.

Now here's my take on the sketch...

I love to play around with lots of stamping and layers on my layouts.  So, this one was no exception.  Plus, the kit selections, CTK stamps, and CTK Exclusives makes it super easy to do so. I love to "mix-and-match" with product not only from the current CTK kits but also from past kits.  The kits are truly timeless to use now and/or later. 

I chose the phrase title "always dreaming of..." from ephemera in a previous kit and let it lead into my stamped "journaling" at the bottom of the page.  This is a favorite technique that I love and use often in my projects.  It's great when you don't have a lot of time for handwritten journaling yet you want to perfectly capture the moment in the photo(s).

Did you know there's even a CTK Stamp Grab Bag over in the shop?  So, you might be lucky to grab up some past stamp sets you missed from previous releases!  Some of these stamps used in my "journaling" above are even from 2015 and still fit in seamlessly strong with the stamp gangs from 2016 and 2017! Ha!

I also use a stamped phrase as part of my title work.  And the 2x3 Numbers stamp set over in the shop is perfectly sized for Pocket Life cards. 

Here I layered the edge of a Pocket Life card to peek from behind my picture.  So, I encourage you to think outside of your Pocket Life style pages.

On this piece of ephemera, I added some stamped stars and words to tie into my theme of the layout.  This Guest Check receipt was just too perfect not to use for my layout theme!

As a finishing touch, I loved this phrase on a Pocket Life card and decided to trim it to fit at the top of my layout along with a CTK exclusive Digital Cut-a-Part Label that you'll find in the kits.

To play along with this week's challenge, create a layout inspired by the sketch, upload it to the Citrus Twist Kits Gallery with the sketch date (5/21) in the title, and you might win a $5 gift certificate to the CTK store.  Easy peasy!

xx Wendy

Tuesday Tutorial with Leigh- Punches

Hello, and welcome to today's Tuesday Tutorial. Leigh here, with a layout and a full process video using the January 2017 Scrapbook Kit and the Sprinkles Kit. I am so happy to be posting here for the first time!

The  "Jameson" Scrapbook Kit is so inspiring! Have you taken a peek at those wood veneer? The leafy branch wood veneer pieces inspired this page. I realized I could tie in the patterned paper and the wood veneer with a new Fiskars leafy branch punch.


You can stitch three wavy lines down the left side of the page, to have a spot for the punched bits.
I punched out some aqua, pink and golden yellow patterns from the kit, and started by placing the punched pieces down the left side as if they are growing down the page.


Do you have a new punch you are excited to use? Try this page with any punch that tickles your fancy.

 Loving the exclusive pack of die cuts made for Citrus Twist Kits by Pinkfresh Studios!  Pile those babies on underneath your focal point photo.

A close up look at one of the wood veneer in this Scrapbook Kit, tucked under the photo for the title.


Check out the process video below to see the whole layout from start to finish:

Leigh

Tutorial: Journaling wtih Citrus Twist Kits Woodchips

Hello all!

Welcome to the Wednesday for some journaling inspiration! I'm bringing a fun tutorial for you today using Citrus Twist Kits exclusive woodchip words included in the March 2016 Embellishment Kit.  On a side note, I might have squealed a bit when I opened my kits for the month and saw the wood veneer/woodchip words.  I'm known to flip out and majorly hoard some wood veneers. Truth.

I'm in a self-challenge to journal more and the woodchip words are the perfect component to make this happen.  So, I decided to write incorporate my journaling by mixing it up with the March 2016 Main "Sonoma" Scrapbook Kit and March 2016 Embellishment Kit.

Right away I knew I wanted my 9x12 layout to have the journaling as the focus on my project. Since I wanted the placement of the woodchip words to fit properly in size and space within my typed journaling, I used Microsoft Word to type out my journaling in a rough draft.  Also, to get my thoughts together and move wording around as needed.  I highlighted in yellow the words I wanted to focus in woodchip words. 

In this way, I could make sure I was using the woodchip words of choice in the correct places and my journaling flowed cohesively.  Since I don't have a large format printer where I could print 9x12 size, I chose to use my vintage typewriter to carefully type out the journaling.  I made sure to leave enough space for the woodchip words for adhering later with liquid adhesive.

Then, I added in the woodchip words from the March 2016 Embellishment Kit.  The spacing worked out perfectly!

This technique of journaling would work perfectly for any size layout, card, mixed media art journaling, and for Pocket Life projects too!  Give it a go and have fun with it!  

Also, I can't get enough of the book text paper in the March 2016 Main "Sonoma" Scrapbook Kit and decided to add some leftover scraps to the top of my layout.

I just love this black and white photo of my dear husband, Vincenzo.  Adorbs beyond, yes, and it's a favorite in my stash of pics from his childhood.  

The papers, label, and stamps are from the March 2016 Main "Sonoma" Scrapbook Kit.

March 2016 Main "Sonoma" Scrapbook Kit

March 2016 Embellishment Kit.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial!

Wendy

Tuesday Tutorial with Gina

Hi everyone, it's wonderful to be back on the CTK team and creating with these gorgeous kits once again. I'm sharing a step-by-step process of my first layout using the January Main and Sprinkles kits

Initially I was planning on a misted background, but even though I applied a clear gesso primer before misting,  the card stock still buckled a bit, so I grabbed a piece of deli (sheer) paper and placed it over the misted section. Where the colour showed through the deli paper, I used a paint brush to go over with some (slightly watered down) mists. once dry I added some subtle graphite scribbles

and started layering pieces, placing some under the sheer paper. The twine was kit packaging, a lovely touch Trina adds to the kits and perfect for adding in some colour and texture

the next step was to adhere the sheer paper with a light application of acid free glue stick, machine stitching and a few embellishments

to finish I've added some journaling, title alphabet stickers and a wood veneer arrow

Thanks for stopping by..I hope you'll consider including an extra layer like this, it adds a lovely softness to the overall page and handles the watercolour/mists well too (and of course it can also help to cover up a false start!)

Gina Rodgers