3 to Inspire with Nathalie

Hello! This is a very sad post for me as it is my last as Design Team member for Citrus Twist Kits. It has been 3 amazing years since the day Trina selected me to be on her very first team. I am so grateful to her and I will remember her wonderful kits each time I'll look back at the many pages I created with them!

Speaking of which... ;)

Our weekly 3 to Inspire challenge is for those who need a little creative push to get scrapbooking, to keep scrapbooking or for those who just like a challenge! Your take can be a layout or a PL spread but remember to include all 3 prompts on your project!

Here are the 3 things I would like to inspire you to do:
1/ Use your hobby/hobbies as the subject
2/ Create your journaling as a list
3/ Use packaging

Here is my example created with the May "Life is..." and Sprinkles kits:

In this homage to my years on the CTK design team, I created a collage showing a layout from each of the kits I received. I also used a brown paper bag as a mat, with a few "goodies" sticking out, because for me they are a trademark of Citrus Twist kits. Finally, I listed what these three years represented in my scrapbooking life...

Here are a few close ups:

Now it's your turn! Use the three prompts to create your own projects and share them with us in the CTK Gallery and/or on our Facebook Fan Page. You can also upload to Instagram and tag us @citrustwistkits. Looking forward to seeing your takes on this challenge!

Sunday Sketch with Nathalie

Happy Sunday CTK fans and Happy Easter if you celebrate it! I am here today to offer you a new sketch challenge and to share my interpretation created with the brand new April Main and Embellishment kits.
Here is Kasia's fabulous sketch for this week:

My first thought was: square photos = perfect for IG/phone photos. Also, I loved the large circle right away, which then became the placement for my title:

 

KITS USED: April 2015 "Flight of Whimsy" main kit, "Adorable" embellishment kit

NON-KIT ITEMS: date stamp, yellow enamel dots, ink

The Pink Fresh puffy stickers were my favorite item in the embellishment kit! They are modern and  add just the right amount of color and texture.

Are you inspired by this sketch? We love to see what you do with our kits and sketches, so please make sure to upload your projects to the Citrus Twist Gallery. And remember, if you upload your take to our Gallery by April 11th, you will be entered to win a $5 coupon to use on anything in the CTK store! Make sure to add "Sketch 4/5" to the title line when you upload. Have fun!

✄Nathalie

3 to Inspire with Nathalie

Hello, I am back today to share a new edition of our "3 to Inspire" series. We offer this new challenge every Saturday for those who need a little extra push to get scrapbooking, to keep scrapbooking, or those of you just looking for a challenge!

Your take on this challenge can be in the form of a layout or a PL spread and you'll want to include all 3 elements on your project.

Here are your 3 to Inspire:

      1. An adjective as your title

      2. Gold accents

      3. Wood veneers

It happens that gold accents and wood veneers can be found in all our kits this month, the Main kit, the Pocket Life kit and the Add-on kit. The adjective, you have to find on your own ;)

This is my interpretation of the challenge created with the March "Sweet" Main and "Sprinkles" kits: 

And some close-ups:

Now, it's your turn! Play along with our weekly 3 to Inspire challenge and earn a chance to win some happy mail. Each week we will pick one winner and we'll send out an envelope with a little happy mail. To earn a chance to win, participate in this challenge and upload your layout to the Citrus Twist Kits Gallery by Saturday, March 14th and include "Inspire 3/14" as part of your title.

Wishing you a happy and crafty weekend! 

Nathalie

3 to Inspire with Nathalie

Hi, I am here today to share a new edition of our "3 to Inspire" series. We offer this new challenge every Saturday for those who need a little extra push to get scrapbooking, to keep scrapbooking, or those of you just looking for a challenge!

Your take on this challenge can be in the form of a layout or a PL spread and you'll want to include all 3 elements on your project.

Since today is Valentine's Day, our inspiration will be:

      1. Use several types of hearts

      2. Include at least one photo with YOU in it

      3. Use pop/foam dots to create dimension

Here is my interpretation of this challenge created exclusively with the February Main kit "Love Letters":

Not counting the Crate Paper Constellation paper, I used two of my favorite elements from the kit on this page: the Dear Lizzy Gold word stickers and the Kiss Kiss Gold Foil Cut Outs (can you spot all four cut outs on there?;)

Here are some close-ups including the three inspirations above:

Thank you for stopping by! If you take on this challenge, post your layout or PL spread in the Citrus Twist Gallery or on the Facebook Citrus Twist Fan Page. 

And have a wonderful Valentine's Day! 

Tuesday Tutorial: 2015 Desktop Photo Calendar by Nathalie

Happy Tuesday CTK fans! Every year I create a different photo calendar for my parents and every year I use a kit to make it. The one I made for this tutorial is using the leftovers from the January add-on kit "New Beginnings" (still available in the store). I don't own any fancy printer or die-cutting machine so this is pretty low tech!

This is what you will need:
1. a Tolsby frame from Ikea (but I also saw at the last CHA that Tim Holtz was coming out with his own version!):

2. A book ring of 1" or more
3. Twelve square photos trimmed to 2.25x2.25"

4. Twelve (13 if you want to make a cover) pieces of card stock and or patterned paper cut to 3.25x4.75" and any leftover embellishments (stickers, flairs, sequins, etc.)

5. A computer and printer

Step 1: Go to this list of 2015 calendar templates and download the "Blank 2015 Desktop Calendar" (it's free). 

Side note: You can find many other templates online. I picked this one because I prefer the European way of starting the week on Monday. You could also use mini paper calendars or stickers like SRM Stickers offers.

Step 2: Print the month of March (page 4 only) in black & white on a sheet of copy paper in order to create your template. Looking through a window figure out where your patterned paper needs to go and trace it:

Now put it back through your printer with the patterned paper attached to the copy paper with washi tape. Repeat this last step taping a new piece of patterned paper and selecting a new month, once for each month:

Step 3: Now the fun begins. Add layers and photos to each page:

Step 4: Before you start really embellishing your pages, punch a hole on the top of each one for your book ring:

Step 5: Embellish and create a cover if you choose to:

Step 6: Put the pages in order on the ring and attach to the top of the frame. Voilà!

As always, feel free to ask any question in the comments below and I will answer them there as well. Also, if you decide to use this tutorial, please please please link your calendar in the comments as well because we would LOVE to see it!

Merci!

New Beginnings with Nathalie

Hello and happy Thursday! Nathalie here to share with you my projects with this beautiful January Add-on kit "New Beginnings":

I made three pages and a card and have lots more left over to play with. I'll share them in the order I created them (like Michelle did in her recent post):

First, I wanted to make sure I made my annual book page! This is my fifth year creating an end of year page where I share the books I read the previous 12 months. I love to look back at them! I simply get the covers off of the internet and print them as photos at home:

My favorite and most used item in this kit is the sheet of Maggie Holmes Open Book stickers! They are beautiful, thick and added the perfect touch to all of my layouts!

My second page is a rather monochromatic 8.5x11 layout with a few pops of yellow forming a visual triangle:

I added a paper clip from my stash (Staples), everything else is from the kit.

This last one might be my favorite :) I really loved the "Ocean View" paper by Adrienne Looman. It reminded me of Key West so I searched for an older photo from our trip there (in 2005!):

I added the vellum and enable dots from my own stash.

This is a photo heavy post and I thank you for making it to the bottom of it! I have also created a card that you can see in the CTK Gallery and while you're there, check out what the other designers have created with this month's kits!
Finally, there's also a self-paced class (only $10!) associated with the "New Beginning" kit I used, perfect if you're looking for more inspiration!

Comforts of Home with Nathalie

Hi! I am here today to share the projects I have created with the December main kit "Comforts of Home" and also the embellishment kit "Joyful Tidings", both available HERE. I've said it before but one of my favorite thing about the Citrus Twist Kits month after month is their versatility. I was able to create a travel page, a winter page and a Christmas page:

I loved the Maggie Holmes ephemera pack and use plenty of it on this page. I also enjoy the vintage touches that are always included in the kits and this month's has a sheet of sewing pattern that was perfect for my "old bookstore" feel.

I added the pink Basic Grey alphas and the flair from my stash. My design was based on a sketch by Page Drafts that I had saved more than two years ago!

My next page is an 8.5x11 using only the main kit:

The smaller alpha stickers were added from my stash. I loved the colors in this kit. The Gossamer papers were probably my favorites.

Finally, I created this Christmas page about my crafty wish list (A girl can dream right? :P):

The only non-kit item here is the ink. I just had fun with this one. The collage of photos (from the internet) was made on Picmonkey and printed at home.

Finally, I created this card for a crafty Christmas swap that I participated in:

Whether you're making Christmas pages or not, I hope that you're having fun with your December kits! I wish you a very happy Holiday Season and a wonderful New Year!

Tuesday Tutorial with Nathalie

Hello CTK friends! Nathalie here to share a new page created with the November "Get Cozy" main kit plus the "Special Order" embellishment kit as well as a video tutorial.

NON-KIT ITEMS: Thickers, blue ink, bamboo skewer

Once I decided on the background paper and started working on my page, I thought that a big arrow would be the perfect embellishment to go with the target!

Here are the supplies used for the making of the arrow:

I love the vellum bags in the kits and using one to create the "feathers" of the arrow gives it a light airy texture. Here is my quick video tutorial:

Thank you for stopping by! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

November kit love

Follow me as I open my November "Get Cosy" Main kit and "Special order" Embellishment kit both available at CitrusTwistKits.com

You will find this finished page and all my other pages with these kits in the Gallery!

Thank you for sharing my excitement :)