February Guest Designer

Today on the blog, we would like to introduce you to our February Guest Designer. Say hello to Neela Nalam!

Thank you so much for having me as the guest designer for this month. I am so honored. I am married to a wonderful man and am a mom to two adorable boys aged 11 and 5. I grew up in Bangalore, India and moved to Santa Barbara, U.S.A. about 15 years ago. I am lucky to have lived in two very beautiful places with absolutely fantastic weather. I am an engineer by profession and I enjoy working as one. Scrapbooking is my passion (obsession) and my creative outlet.

Here's a look at Neela's creative space:

Welcome to my permanently temporary craft space. I started sharing this room with my little one about three years ago and slowly but surely, stated moving one baby thing after another out of this room. My big plan for the next few months is to make this room function purely as a scrapbooking space!  I use one section of the closet for my albums, washi tapes, paper, stickers, inks, punches, and so on.

Now for a little Q & A with our guest Neela to get to know her better:

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

I was introduced to scrapbooking by one of my colleagues when my older son was born 11 years ago in 2004. She made an alphabet book for him. When I saw it, I was so blown away. She took me on a trip to the local scrapbooking store and helped me get started. It has been no stopping since then.

How would you describe your scrapbooking style?

Bright, filled with contrast and color.

What scrapbookers have influenced you the most?

Ali Edwards is the biggest influence on my style of scrapbooking. My style has evolved over the years, but the turning point was when I took a class that was taught by her. I was amazed at how meaningful her layouts were and how every embellishment she used on her layout had a purpose. I also love Stephanie Bryan's style. I love the beautiful photographs that she uses on her layouts.

What is your favorite thing about kit clubs?

The convenience factor is a big thing. It is a huge time saver not have to browse stores for hours to put a bunch of supplies together.  I love that we get all the latest, hot, well coordinated products in a box. The hard work is done for you.

What are your 5 favorite scrapbooking items?

Puffy stickers, arrows in any form, patterned paper, Silhouette Cameo,, and alphas.

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

When Trina asked me to be the guest designer for February, I was a little worried as i thought that the kit would be filled with just feminine items. Since I have two boys, I do't usually make layouts with a lot of pink and florals. I have to say, what I love most about the kit is that you can make both boy and girl pages with the kit. I ended up making pages with varied themes and feel. I also liked that it contained some of the latest released products a CHA. 

Here is the first of Neela's beautiful projects made using the February Main Kit:

Thanks you so much Neela for joining us here at Citrus Twist Kits for the month of February! It has been a pleasure getting to know you better and we are looking forward to seeing the rest of your projects as the month progresses!

To learn more about Neela and to see more of her awesome work, you can stop by her blog and also find her on Instagram @neelanalam. 

**Make sure and leave a comment at the end of this post and we will be picking one lucky winner to receive one of Neela's favorite scrapbooking supplies! Good luck!