Please welcome November Guest Designer Melissa Stinson (United States). We’re loving Melissa’s talent and how she poured her heart into our kits. We’ll be sprinkling bits of Melissa’s work throughout the month so be sure to check back in. We also love that Melissa is a Project Lifer and that made her a perfect fit with the launch of our new Project Life kit subscriptions.
Melissa based one of her layouts around winning the lottery. Check it out!
Here’s the first sneak:
Here’s the second:
And here’s one more . . .
Here’s the whole layout. (I know, we aren’t supposed to do whole page reveals yet but Melissa’s layout is just so colorful and fun, we had to share!
Melissa shares this about her layout, I’d Live On A Sailboat…” (Main Kit Only)
There’s a common question- if you won the lottery, or if money were somehow not an issue, what what you do? Some people wish for bigger houses, to pay off debt, to go back to school. Me? I always say I want what I call a “Bond villain yacht.” You know, those massive luxury liveaboards that the bad guys in action movies often use as their base of operations. While that particular dream (the boat part, not necessarily being a super villain…although…) will probably not ever become a reality for me, it’s still given my husband and I a goal that is attainable- to own a large sailboat and sail instead of flying for our vacations. Sailboats, while slower, are much more cost effective than big yachts like the one in my photo (snapped while on vacation in the Bahamas). As soon as I read the “If Dreams Were Wishes” journaling card in the November kit, this photo and our sailboat dream came to mind and I literally stayed up until 1am finishing this page!
Q&A
Each month we ask our guest designer to answer some Q&As. Be sure to read to the bottom and you’ll see some shots of Melissa’s scrapbooking space. Here’s what Melissa had to say:
1. How long have you been scrapbooking and why did you start?
I started scrapbooking when I was 18 during the summer right after I graduated from high school. My parents gave me a new camera for graduation (I was already a total shutterbug at that point), and a few weeks later I found myself with lots of new photos that I wanted to do something with. Mom and I were shopping at Michaels one day not too long after that, and I discovered the scrapbooking aisle there for the first time and used some of my graduation money to buy the latest supplies, which at the time were decorative edge scissors and books of printed paper by Hot Off the Press!
2. How would you describe your scrapbooking style?
This is always such a hard one. Some people have called it simple, some have called it white space, and some have just called it a mess! I like to go with “simple and eclectic.”
3. What scrapbookers have influenced you most?
So, so many!! Jennifer Johner, Maggie Holmes, and Marcy Penner were the three who first influenced my current style, and more recently Kim Stewart, Anna-Maria Wolniak, and Deb Duty have been added to my go-to lists for inspiration.
4. What is your favorite thing about kit clubs?
The way they simplify my shopping. With so many new collections being released all the time (and many of them are simply huge with a wide range of papers and embellishments), kit clubs are a great way to get a variety of all the new stuff without having to buy it all, with the added bonus that items from several collections are coordinated together in a single kit. It’s both a time and a money saver!
5. If you rented a villa in the south of France for a month, what are your 5 favorite scrapbooking items you would want to have with you (besides your camera and photos!)?
Just five? Oh, my! Let’s see…neutral cardstock (white, cream, gray, brown, and black) is a must for page backgrounds and die cuts, a library/roller date stamp, black ink pad (Staz-On or VersaFine), dimensional adhesive such as Pop Dots or dimensional Glue Dots, and a spray mist (Studio Calico Mister Huey or October Afternoon Sprinklers) in a neutral color such as white, cream, or gray. These are the items that I most often pack up when scrapping with my kits at a crop or on the road when I travel for work.
6. How would you describe the Citrus Twist November kit “Beautiful Day” and why does every scrapbooker need this kit?
With all the bright colors and fun patterns, I would describe this kit as “happy!” The papers are largely taken from fall collections (Crate Paper’s Acorn Avenue, anyone?!?!), but the colors are perfect for summer photos, too! I actually used the main kit to scrap a vacation photo taken in the sunny Bahamas, and the kit worked so well for it- it’s totally versatile and great for a variety of seasons and subjects!
It’s fun when our guest designer’s share pictures of their work space. Melissa’s is so well organized, too!
Ever wonder how they store all their embellies, etc.? Well check out what Melissa does with some of her project life goodies:
Here’s one last shot of Melissa’s work space. Don’t forget to leave her some love below, ask her questions or guess at what’s in her sneak! Each person who leaves a comment will go into a drawing for one of Melissa’s 5 favorite products. You have until Reveal Day, Monday, November 12th, midnight PST, to leave your comment below.
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Great layout! Will the kit have the little bag and some buttons? I really love how bright and vivid the colors are, and LOVE Melissa’s scrap space…the dining room is just not as alluring as an actual room. Can’t wait to see the rest of Melissa’s projects!
Thank you, Miriam!
The little bag was actually part of the kit packaging- some of the embellishments were tucked inside it. And, yes, buttons! Love the color mix in this kit!
I love the layers!! Melissa’s scrap space rocks too!! I love the paper lanterns! Super cute!
Thanks, Alicia! Those lanterns are one of my favorite things in the room. I actually have a Death Star one (from Star Wars) that I need to hang up soon!
This layout is awesome! I totally know this isn’t the reason for this blog post, but is there any chance we could get a close up of that washi tape and bakers twine (I think that’s what’s on top, but can’t see) storage container? I would love to see that solution close up!
Thanks, Lara! And I don’t have any photos of that storage up close (and honestly I’m a bit embarrassed at the size of my collection- LOL!), but I’ll try to take some this week to share.
If it helps, the storage container is a 4 tier revolving rack from Harbor Freight tools- it was only $20, and I even had a 25% off coupon when I bought it! http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/bins-containers/12-inch-revolving-four-tray-bin-94050.html
Lara- I tried to leave a comment with a link to the storage unit on my desk, but I think since I included a link, Trina has to approve the comment. Hopefully she will be able to do that soon!
Comment approved
Thanks, Trina!
And I remembered that I DO have photos of it close up! http://www.scrappyjedi.com/2012/02/harbor-freight-spinner-rack-brad.html
My room was in a different configuration then, but the storage idea is still the same.
1) how did I miss out on this kit club? 2)love your “sneak” Melissa and always love your articles on you scrapping space/organizing
Thanks, Jill!
I recently discovered Citrus Twist, myself, and I loved playing with the November kit so much that I’ve signed up for a subscription starting in December.
Your page is fabulous Melissa! I love your style and I am so glad to have you design with us this month! (Rocking scrap place too!)
Thanks so much, Nathalie!
So fun to hear everyone loving on Melissa and her work. We have more fun layouts coming from Melissa’s scrappy space this month.
I LOVE Scrappy Jedi – her blog is one of my favs. So excited she is the guest designer!
Yay! Thank you, Stacy- so happy to be here!
Beautiful layout Melissa! love the layering! I am going to visit your blog!
Thank you so much, Amelie, for the kind comments here and on my blog.
I have been a follower of Melissa’s blog since I first laid eyes on it. I mean, Scrapping and Star Wars… what more could a geek like me ask for?? I love her craft / guest room and can hardly wait to see the Death Star lantern. The current collection in its colorful glory is a joy to see. Whatever kit goodies she comes up with will be worth waiting for!
Thank you, Beatrice- let’s hear it for the geek girls!!
Love your room and the kit! Your layout is awesome.
Thanks, Jen!
I love your room! Oh so organized@@@! I am jealous! I get mine together and then well….need I say more. When I get to scrapbooking I forget about being organized and the next thing you know I am in there for several hours trying to put it back like it was. The lanterns and colors really give it a happy look!
Oh, Becky, mine gets that way, too! It was just barely organized in the photos, and if you could see it now…well, you’d probably think it’s been ransacked- LOL!!
And thank you!
another die-hard scrappyjedi fan here.. great layout melissa and it was fun to readthe interview with you too
Hi, Ruth! So happy to see you over here!!
And thank you!
Great scrap space. I’m so excited that Melissa’s the guest designer this month!
Yay! Thank you, Marsha!
Yay, Melissa. I can’t wait to see your complete work with the awesome November kit
Thanks so much, Nina!
Welcome Melissa!! Love the layout! I share a very similar style: simple and clean are my go to styles with white space, however I am trying to step out of my comfort zone more and more with sketches
TFS!!
-Gabi from Denton, TX
PS – Such a great room!!
Thanks so much, Gabrielle!
And I’m with you on the comfort zone and trying to step out once in a while. For three of my GDT layouts this month I stuck to my normal style, and for one I tried to step out and use more paper and larger embellishments. It was definitely a challenge for me!