Pocket Life Challenge with Erica

Hello crafty friends! Erica here with a pocket page in my 2020 album for the weekly Pocket Page Challenge.

Week 32 was a big one for my family. We moved back into our house from a rental and were overwhelmed with boxes! There were plenty of cute die cuts and cards that related to travel and journey in the September kit that inspired this page.





This was actually our second, larger moving day. Round one (the week before) was everything from the rental house and round two was everything from storage. I used the Soft Mint Puffy Alphas for this title and paired it with a couple of adorable tickets from the ephemera pack.





I worked with a few digital elements on this layout. I added my journaling digitally since I had a lot to say and wasn't sure it would fit! I also grabbed the 'Where To Begin' element from one of the Travelers Notebook Basics papers to print out separately and use as a die cut.





To end our big moving day we were greeted with the most amazing sunset. I just knew this was the universe's way of saying good luck with unpacking! I grabbed some mini tile alphas and added them straight onto the photo.





Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

Life Crafted with Erica

Hello friends! Today I am sharing a fun layout in my Life Crafted album using the September The Best Parts kit.





For this funny story about a friend's cat I wanted to use multiple photos and a long title. My favourite way to use multiple photos is to make a loose grid. It's probably the avid pocket scrapper in me that makes me want to contain everything in boxes!





In each section of my grid I added an embellishment cluster. For the main cluster I used a selection of tags and tickets from the ephemera pack and a floral to hold it all together. I embellished the photos more simply to let them stand out.








































For my long title I used the Soft Mint Puffy Alphas in the shop, and paired them with an alpha from an older kit the for a pop of colour. This long title helps to keep the same shape of the photos for the grid.





On the left hand side of my spread I kept it simple and used the 3x8 Bookmark in the kit with one of the patterned papers. I ran it through my typewriter for a little bit of journaling, and then created an embellishment cluster at the the bottom to compliment the elements on the right side.





Thanks for joining me on the blog today! Go forth and be crafty :)

Open Post with Erica

Hello lovely friends! Today I am sharing the first half of a family travel story to the stunning Fiji islands! I'm going back to my 2016 Project Life album- which is far from complete. I worked mainly with the digitals this month + the Traveler's Notebook stamp and the Turquoise Foam Alphas.





I designed my own title card on Photoshop by layering the coral and starfish ephemera on this fantastic rainbow grid paper. I used the Turquoise Foam Alphas from the kit and dug into my stash for this complementary Pink Chipboard Alpha.





I printed out most of the ephemera and tags to fussy cut and use traditionally, but I added a few elements straight onto my photos when I printed them. I layered a bunch of tags on this pool photo and combined them with a couple physical ones.  I also changed the color of the ice cream die cut to contrast against the pink food card I used.





The purple card in this photo was originally a smaller black box from the Digital Journal Cards. Altering it digitally gave me the freedom to change it to a lighter colour that suited my spread better. On the lower 4x6 photo I layered a few pieces from the Digital Cutaparts.





To finish off my spread I added a few phrases from the Traveler's Notebook stamp set. The layout needed a few more pops of black after I added the date stamping on my title card.





Thanks for joining me on the blog today! I hope I've given you a little inspiration to play with digitals!

Big Photo Layout by Angela

 

Hey friends!

Angela back with a brand new project featuring True Stories August kit. Today, I am sharing a fun scrapbook A4 size page made using a big photo.

The photo is from a couple of hears ago and I took it during our travel to Sicily. I printed it at home, with my Epson printer on regular photocopy paper.

I trimmed half inch all around the photo and created two embellished corners. At the top left, I layered two different patterned papers from the kit. I chose a fresh and summery combo in orange and pink that perfectly match with the color of my title.

The title is a die-cut always from the kit and I adhered it on the photo using some foam tape to make it pop and create some shadows.

As a subtitle, I printed the phrase Ready For This with black dye ink. This is from True Stories kit stamp, as well as the phrase Wild And Beautiful underneath.

On the opposite corner, at the bottom right, I cut a rough triangle shape from another piece of patterned paper. I adhered it creating a pocket to hold a tag where I wrote the journaling. To avoid that the tag get lost, I stapled the string directly on the side of the page.

I added a few embellishments on the corner and by the title, like this cute little shallow and I finish off with some machine stitching. 

As I said, I printed the photo on photocopy paper so, to reinforce and make the layout sturdy, I adhered the page on an A4 white heavy card-stock.

That's all for today my friends. Thank you so much for stopping by the blog. I hope you like the page and feel inspired to create with True Stories Citrus Twist kits!

XO, NG

More with our Guest Designer - Jess Forster

 

Hello everyone!

We are so lucky to have Jess join us one more time this month!  She is an amazing documenter and friend, and you are going to love her new pages... I leave you with Jess..

Hi Friends! Happy Wednesday! I am happy to be back today, sharing two more entries in my Calypso Life Crafted summer moments album. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I decided to create a summer 2020 scrapbook as a way to celebrate family moments in this current uncertain time. By using the August True Story Kit in this creative way, I not only have had fun but I have had an outlet to deal with stress! Have a look:

 

 

In my first entry, an asymmetrical pocket page, I documented the story of a recent tempo run where I logged my fastest pace to date! I was inspired to tell this story after seeing the 3x4 “small happiness in daily life” card which is found in the True Story Kit. Perfect for the album, I love when journaling cards, prompt us to record details that under normal circumstances, I would overlook. Hooray!

 

 

After recording my story, I then printed out an enlarged 4x8 photo. Pairing it with the colourful 3x4 flower filler card, I decided to highlight the colour pink and blue on this layout by using hearts, labels and puffy stickers on the photo and flower filler card. I finished by stamping the word “story documented” on a bright pink label. 

 

In my second entry , a double, 4x8 pocket page layout, I recorded the story of my daughter getting her ears pierced. Inspired by the peach 4x6 “Good Times” title card. I decided to ask my daughter, what her favourite memory from this summer.  Outsourcing your journaling can be a great way to find material and record multiple perspectives in your scrapbook.

 

 

After recording the simple question and answer on two 1.75” x 1.75” canvases that I created in Photoshop Elements, I then printed out four, 1.75” x 1.75” square photos. I arranged the photos in a checkerboard pattern. From there placed three butterfly diet cuts as well three turquoise stars in the visual triangle around the page. I finished by stamping the word “candid moment” on a coral label.

 

Telling small summer stories can be a great creative outlet and help you deal with the stress of the unknown. Whether you want to tell the stories of summers past or present, I hope my pages have inspired you to document! Thank you for reading +  and a BIG thanks to the Citrus Twist Team, including, Trina and Nathalie, for asking me to be their guest designer this month. I loved playing with all the pretty & fabulously designed products!!

We love what Jess has created with our kits this month! Her love for recording stories is palpable in this pages.   Remember to follow Jess on her social media, and if you are lucky to attend one of her in person classes, then you will fall in love with her radiant smile and love for documenting!   THANK YOU JESS for joining us!

Life Crafted with Erica

Hey crafty friends! I hope you are all well. Today I am sharing a Life Crafted page made entirely with the True Stories August Digital Files!





I was inspired by this Bear Crossing ephemera piece from the Digital Tags and used everything from the papers (patterned and travelers notebook!) to the free Cutapart Elements to bring it to life. The digitals are a great option to consider with the whole world experiencing shipping delays right now.





I used Photoshop to create this spread, resizing elements and combining different papers. On this first page I combined one of the Travler's Notebook Basics pages with a Pattern Paper. Then I resized some of the flowers and butterflies from the Ephemera to layer under my tag.




To stop this layout coming out completely flat I added some texture by popping the tag up on foam. I also printed the flowers and butterflies separately. That simple additional layer of paper adds so much visual interest.





On the second page I layered to my heart's content until I was happy with it on Photoshop. And one cool thing I found with the digital ephemera was that the background parts that would normally be white card stock are clear digitally, so layering looks even better! Then I printed out everything except the bottom paper as one layer and adhered them together. I added the tiny flowers and butterfly on top as I did with the first page.





Using digital files really opens up a whole new world to resize and play with the content as much as you want. I had so much fun creating this layout with just the digitals this month and I hope this has given you some ideas on how to use them!

Instax Pocket Pages with Shannon

 

Hey there, fellow scrappers! Shannon here with an exciting new product coming to the Citrus Twist shop soon - Instax pocket pages for Life Crafted albums. The variety of page protector configurations is one of my favorite things about Life Crafted albums and I'm so excited to have another one to add to the mix. Let's get the nitty gritty out of the way - the smaller pockets hold inserts that are 2.15" x 3.35" and the larger pocket holds inserts that are 4.25" x 3.30". Are you ready to see how they look?

They're great, right? Don't worry if you don't have an Instax. We have a free Photoshop template so you can print your own faux Instax photos on a 4x6 photo print. Check out the Citrus Twist Fan Page on Facebook to snag those. I decided to turn some of my pool photos from this summer into Instax prints for my family Life Crafted album. And, of course, I had to add all the color using the August True Stories Life Crafted Kit.

On the top right, I cut down a journaling card from the August True Stories Life Crafted Kit. This card worked well because there was plenty of white space on either side so I didn't really lose anything from the card. I used some foam alphas to add a sentiment. The card on the bottom left was the tall 3x8 "bookmark" card that came with the Life Crafted kit. The sea theme was perfect for this page so I just cut it down to fit the pocket. I made a small cluster on it using a label, a puffy sticker, and a stamped sentiment using the True Stories Kit Stamp. 

On the right side of the spread, I kept up my theme of adding one embellishment to each photo. I did this to keep color running throughout the whole spread and because, well, I love embellishments and adding sentiments to photos! I tried to stick to neutral colors for the embellishments used on these two photos because I have so much color in the card below them.

I made the bottom card by cutting down a piece of the patterned paper from the August True Stories Life Crafted Kit. I'd been wanting to use the "oh, hey!" embellishment since the kit arrived at my door so I built the card around that. After sticking it in the corner, I balanced it out by using foam alphas in the bottom right corner. Then I added a stamp from the Stories Stamp Set to surround the alphas. That still didn't feel balanced so I added two hearts to the card. It still needed more so I popped on two labels and a bit of journaling. Then it clicked! Sometimes you just have to keep going until it feels done.

I hope you enjoyed this peek at these fun new pocket page protectors coming to the shop soon! Don't forget to stop by the Citrus Twist Fan Page on Facebook to grab your Instax Photoshop template. I can't wait to see what fun things you do with these page protectors!

MEET OUR August 2020 GUEST DESIGNER - JESS FORSTER

 

Hi there!

Today we are so excited to introduce our August 2020 guest designer.    Many of you might know her from social media, and her beautiful projects.  But  those don't match the beautiful person she is in real life!  Please help us welcome, JESS FORSTER  to Citrus Twist Kits. We are so honored she is here, so let's learn a bit more about Jess, on her own words...

Hi Everyone - My name is Jess Forster, and I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with my husband Aaron, my daughter, Rowan, and son Sam. By day I am a medical social worker working children and families diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes; by night, I enjoy being active and getting creative. I love using pocket pages and paying attention to life’s little details via heartfelt journaling. Memorykeeping helps me to make sense of the world and everything that is happening in it. I am so excited to be Citrus Twist’s Guest Designer for the month of August and especially love the theme of True Stories!

I have been on a variety of creative teams including Becky Higgins Project Life Creative Team (2014); Ali Edwards Creative Team (2017-present) and Elle’s Studio Design Team (2018 - present). I have  taught online at Ali Edwards. Com (2019) at Big Picture Classes (2015-2016), and at in person events at Crop and Create across Canada (2016-2020).

When I am is not getting crafty or making memories with her husband and two kiddos, Rowan and Sam in the Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto, ON, you can find me listening to podcasts, watching stand up comedy, running or drinking too much coffee.

Q & A with Jess

1.When did you start scrapbooking?  I started collecting scrapbooking supplies in 2008. My husband and I had finished our masters programs, got married, and we bought a house all in one year. Life was changing in new & interesting ways and I knew that I was to document that creatively. In 2010, I finally put those supplies to use after participating in Ali Edwards Week In The Life Project. After completing that project, I knew I was hooked. I have been crafting / keeping my memories / playing with pictures ever since.

2. What is something most people would not know about you?  I’ve had short hair for most of my life. For a brief period of time in the 1990’s I had the 90210 puff - but it wasn’t pretty. Although my short style has changed, I don’t think I will ever grow it out again. #Short hair don’t care! 

 3. What are the 3 scrapbooking products you can’t live without? Great question! After a decade of scrapbooking, I realize that I gravitate towards 

1 - 3x4 journaling cards

2 - Number stickers 

3 - Heart / star embellishments.

It’s true - I never met a heart / star embellishment that I didn’t like! Ha!

 4. What do you love about the August Life Crafted kit – TRUE STORIES -?   Not only do I love the bright bold summer time colours in the kit & the heart puffy stickers, but I am fan of this months theme. Stories / storytelling has always helped me to process what is happening in my life. Whether it’s “in the moment journaling” or reflecting on something that has happened in the past, storytelling is a huge part of my identity.

 

5. Finish this sentence “If you could see my scrapbooking space now . . . “ You would notice that my desk top is cleaned, my bins are somewhat organized and that the there are a ton of supplies / layouts / albums in piles on the floor that need to be put away. You would also find random scrapbook supplies around my house! Lol!

 
Documenting Small Summer Moments

 

 Hands up if you LOVE summer? I know I do, for sure! Although our family plans have been slightly altered thanks to the worldwide pandemic, I am trying to enjoy and celebrate the smaller summer moments by myself and with my family. This summer, I decide to house these stories, a collection of warm weather adventures, in the Calypso life crafted album.

 

In my first entry, a double, 3 x 8 pocket page layout, I recorded the story of my bike ride through the waterfront park. One of my favourite things to do as a kid was to ride my bike. I love the joy it brought me as a child and I also enjoy the wind on my face as an adult.  I used two, 3x4 journaling cards, one to tell a story of the past and the other to tell a story of the present. I stamped ““the story of me” on one card. I then used two arrows and the “finding my bliss” chipboard on the page in a visual triangle to draw the viewer’s eye around the page.

 

In my second entry , a double, 4x8  pocket page layout, I recorded the story of our recent trip to the playground. After our province entered into phase 3, which included opening up playgrounds to the public, I wanted to tell the story of going back and hanging out in one of our favourite weekend spots. I love the perspective of the top down photo of my son Sam playing on the wooden castle that I made that picture the star of the show.

 

Both excited and nervous, I used the 4x6 journaling card to share my thoughts and stamped the word “True Story” on the card below. I also incorporated the stamps, “The story of Today” and “family story” on the layout. I then created a visual triangle with the heart puffy stickers from this month’s kit. Gosh I love the colours of those embellishments!

 

Whether you want to tell the stories of summers past or present, I hope my pages have inspired you to document your small summer details in your life crafted albums! Thanks for looking! 

I have had the pleasure of seeing Jess teach and share her passion for documenting in real life, so i know how much of her she shared on these layouts.   They are amazing!   

Be sure to check Jess' Instagram account for lots of inspiration, and if you are lucky to find one of her classes, take it!  You will learn so much and will love every minute of it!  She will be back later in the month, but remember to leave her some love!

XO