Let's Get Digital - Rise + Shine Daily Grind by Wendy Morris-Saponaro

I’m excited to join you all again this month as Guest Designer for Citrus Twist Kits! The Life Crafted™ kits are literally giving me LIFE and just the ticket to capturing the everyday life!

As a Hybrid Artist, I’m truly loving the digitals that coordinate with the kit and how they design up perfectly to use with the embellishments already in the kit.  I’m visiting with you all again this month to share more inspiration with the April digitals.

 

On a side note, the Citrus Twist Kits Puffy Stickers are just “puffy perfection”.  You know how some puffy stickers can be too puffy?! I know you feel me.  Yep. However, these puffy stickers are just the right amount of puff and not too fluff (rhyming not intentional) which is great for my Traveler’s Notebook pages without the bulk.    

Coffee lovers unite! 

The April Life Crafted™ “Make It a Venti” kit was created JUST FOR YOU!  I will admit that I’m not a diehard coffee fan (as in need a coffee or caffeine STAT upon waking up).  I’m more of a 99% milk, 1% coffee kinda’ girl.  Ok, I’m weak. Ha! I’m more of a Frappuccino lover.  However, my husband, on the other hand is Southern Italian and takes his coffee VERY religiously (or seriously).  We have the Breville espresso machine at home and he takes his caffeinated espresso “shot to the blood” first thing in the a.m.

So, if you are in the similar league, you will love the kit this month! Also, you might want to grab up the April 2019 This Is Life “Daily Grind” Stamp as well since it screams coffee magic from top to bottom.  The “rise + shine” phrase was included in the March Life Crafted™ “Life Chapters” kit.

I re-sized the digital Life Crafted™ “Life Chapters” Journaling Cards – April 2019 to a “mini version” in a project template after the Print & Cut feature was applied to each image.  Also, I used some of those awesome Citrus Twist Kits puffy stickers to complement among the mini pocket cards. 

I wanted to mimic the Starbucks holiday “red cup” from my photo.  So, I used the similar cup stamp from the April 2019 This Is Life “Daily Grind” Stamp  and stamped the image three times onto red, kraft and white cardstock.  Then, I cut out the areas from each cardstock color and layered them.  It’s all about expanding the use of your stamps, right?!

The April 2019 “Make It a Venti” Cutaparts has labels that can be re-sized and used for stamping phrases, words, tidbits of journaling and even adding the fun rose gold letter stickers (included in the kit this month).  The labeled tabs from Cutaparts are a fun touch to add in layering up or spotlighting a photo on your layout.  

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.

If you’re looking for more hybrid scrapbooking tips and tricks, then check out my Guest Designer March 2019 “Let’s Get Digital” blog post here. 

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.

Gratitude Wreath by Wendy

Hello everyone and happy happy Wednesday!

Wendy here to cheers with you to the Fall season for all things pumpkin spice, comfort food, and just feeling gratitude + thanks for a beautiful season!  Although I must admit, Fall is not so much in the air where I live on the Gulf coast in Florida.  Summer is still speaking to us in a big way with her temps and sunny blue skies! However, the "change in season" always makes my heart swell with reflection and love for what I have and just to be thankful for the blessings in my life.

Something in the air gives me the DIY bug to create something seasonally fresh and new.  I was recently on a Target run and bought a Fall wreath for our front door from the Magnolia Hearth & Hand collection that released on Nov 5th.  Oh man, I love a good wreath.  Even though we have palm trees in the front yards around here, I have a bit of Fall welcoming guests at our front door.  So, I was inspired to bring a touch of the wreath love to my 9x12 layout share for you today.

Let's DIY this shall we....

To design out your wreath, you can use the elements from the November 2017 Main and Pocket Life kits.  The element packs in those kits this month are ON.POINT.  I hope you were able to grab them up for the month.  If not, don't miss out on December!  

I love the gold foil elements and berry colored florals in the element packs.  So, I drew a large circle very lightly on my background paper.  Then, I started to play around with the placement of the florals and interchanged stamping from the The Is Life "Gathering" stamp set for November (also available over in the CTK shop). The floral sprigs in the stamp set coordinate perfectly with the elements in the November kits.  

Feel free to randomly play play play with the curves of the elements.  Did you know you can take the CTK stamps and curve them a bit on your acrylic block when stamping?  I used this technique when stamping around the curve of the wreath shape.   

Also, check in your CTK stash for any past shapes that can coordinate with this project.  Remember these wood veneer floral sprigs from a past CTK kit?  Yep, a past kit that works great with this month's kit too! The beautiful thing about CTK kits...timeless and interchangeable . 

Super fun cork leaf shapes in the November kit too! I added a finishing touch with a CTK exclusive puffy sticker ("gratitude") and stamped ledger + phrase (from a past CTK stamp set).

Feel and share your gratitude this season (and maybe in squeeze in a fun DIY project too)!

Hope you enjoyed my project!

Wendy 

Sunday Sketch with Wendy

Hi all! Yay for September!

Wendy here with you and I'm ready ring in the start of September with a Sunday Sketch!

First of all, my favorite part of this sketch is the film strip. Did you know we have the film strip as a cut file available as a FREE download over in our Citrus Twist Kits Facebook Fan Page?! You can simply use your favorite electronic cutting machine (i.e. Cricut, Silhouette) to size as you please and cut. Easy peasy.

OR

I used the diecut slide shapes that were included in the August 2017 kits. I framed my photos behind the slide shapes and voila, an instant filmstrip effect.

Here are some close up pics from inside the film strip...

I used the stamps in the September 2017 kits to make my title work along with the letter stickers included in same kits.  The "crazy good" script stamp is pretty fun, eh?

Also, there is quite a mix of stars - from chipboard star stickers, puffy stars and gold foiled stars diecuts - in the September kits which provides a nice twist on texture and dimension.

To finish off my layout with one of the many puffy phrase stickers in the September kits, is the perfect ending touch.

To play along with this week's challenge, create a layout inspired by the sketch above, upload it to the Citrus Twist Kits Gallery with the sketch date (9/3) in the title, and you might win a $5 gift certificate to the CTK store.

xx Wendy