July Guest Designer

Happy first day of July everyone! Today we would like to the take the time to introduce you to our July Guest Designer! Say hello to Missy Whidden!

Hi, everyone! I'm Missy Whidden and I live in sunny Florida, USA with my husband and two sweet daughters. I am a stay-at-home mom and a fitness instructor at our local gym. I have been scrapbooking for over eight years now, and I still love it as much as I ever have. I have had the honor of being a part of many awesome design teams over the years. I would describe my style as "organized chaos."  I love patterned papers and layering and being nice and neat, but I also love getting messy with gesso, watercolors, gelatos, and other mixed media. When I'm not scrapping, I love volunteering at my daughter's school, reading, and working out. I'm thrilled to be guest designing here this month! Thanks for having me!

Missy has provided us with some photos of her scrapspace, but before we get to those, this is what she has to say about her crafty place:

I am very fortunate to have a "scrap cave" at home. We live in a very old house and I use the formal dining room as my scrap area. We are far from formal dinners, so it's perfect. I have two large windows, so I get nice natural light during the day. I have just recently started making process videos and my husband helped me set up a camera arm on my desk. Now I just need more shelving for all of my goodies!

Time now for a little Q & A with Missy:

How long have you been scrapbooking and why did you start?

I have been scrapbooking for about nine years now. I began right before our first daughter was born. My mother-in-law asked me to help her make a scrapbook of my husband's baby pictures and I was instantly hooked. I think I fell in love with the artsy aspect of it before the preserving memories part. I have always loved art and I had many sticker books as a child.

How would you describe your scrapbooking style?

This took me a while to actually define, but I think I'd describe my style as "organized chaos." I love getting messy with paints, sprays, gelatos, watercolors...but I love making sure every little detail is in its place. I love layering patterned papers just so, but I love the look of messy tangled thread. I love machine stitching, anything gold, and using die cuts created on my Silhouette Cameo.

What scrapbookers have influenced you the most?

My first scrappy crush was on Jana Eubank. I discovered her blog years ago and just loved her style. I've  been influenced and inspired over the years by Audrey Yeager, Wilna Furstenberg, Ashley Horton, Paige Evans....gosh, the list goes on. Over the past year I've been inspired by a ton of awesome YouTubers like Irit Landgraf and Jennifer McGuire.

What is your favorite thing about kit clubs?

I just love kit clubs! I love the mix of products...you get items from different manufacturers that you mix and match. A lot of times you receive products you might not buy on your own and you're able to see how using something out of your comfort zone quickly becomes something you love. I also love that you get exclusive items you won't find anywhere else!

What are your five favorite scrapbooking items?

Wood veneer, patterned paper, die cuts, watercolors/gelatos, and enamel dots

How would you describe the Citrus Twist July Kit and what do you love the most about it?

I love this kit! The colors of the papers allow you to create a lot of different looks. There are a lot of neutrals and brights. The navy Thickers are very versatile. I really love the exclusive stamps and the fun arrow clips. Overall, it's a fun mix of products, colors, and patterns that can work with any type of photos.

Now let's take a look at Missy's first beautiful project using the July Kit:

Thank you so much Missy for joining us here at Citrus Twist Kits for the month of July. It has been a pleasure getting to know you better and we are looking forward to seeing the rest of your beautiful projects as the month progresses.

To learn more about Missy and to see more of her amazing work, you can stop by her blog and follow her on Instagram @missywhidden!