Growing in Faith | Tara

Good morning friends! Today I'm sharing a little bit of love for May's GraceBox kit. It's packed with so much color and goodness, I couldn't wait to dig in. I find myself enjoying time with God creating and crafting. I usually take a step back to first read and re-read the verse or chapter a few times before diving in!

I use the YouVersion bible app in conjunction with my NLT bible that I create in. Having different formats available make it really easy to read, go over, and research when diving into scripture. The app also provides a verse of the day. I focused on May 19th's verse (2 Corinthians 4:16), but took it deeper with focusing on the entire chapter, 2 Corinthians 4.


I loved the circle stamp with the hearts and stamped it a few times to create a background. I later added some watercolor throughout the page for more of a pop.

I kept it simple, making a little cluster with the fun gold vine trim and some die cuts. I added some of the word stickers and cut down the long "meet Him in the margins" to fit my journaling page better. I chose a few word stickers that helped highlight some key phrases and take away points from the chapter.


The new alpha stamp is so fun and is the perfect size for all types of projects. I left myself a little phrase of encouragement, "Don't lose heart." This entire chapter really helps bring His light into my life and is such a good reminder of how the best is to come.

I loved using the alphas from April's GraceBox kit with the word stickers. There are so many possibilities!

Here is a closer look at the bottom of my journaling page.

I am often reminding myself to dwell in him and be filled with His Spirit. It's so easy to get stuck in your own way instead of letting Him lead.

I hope you are encouraged to dig deep and find time in God's word along with creating and crafting. What are ways you grow in faith? We would love to see them shared on our Citrus Twist Kits Fan Page or Instagram.

Have a lovely day!

Xxo, Tara

Tuesday Tutorial - Bible journaling with Rachel

Hey there it’s Rachel Lindas on the CTK blog today giving you a tutorial on my process for Bible Journaling.

In the May Gracebox kit we were given the Illustrated Faith Fruit of the Spirit Ephemera. The die cuts are personally one of my favorite supplies to work with in my Bible. They are the perfect size for my margins and it’s easy to just use one or later them in your margin. For this page I’m using Galatians 5:22-25 “The fruit of the Spirit...”

When I was reading through the verses the words in verse 25 really spoke to me. (If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.) I knew I wanted to highlight those words in my margin. Then as you will see I just began using the die cuts and layered the fruits in the margin as my base. I added the the text ( Keep in step with the Spirit) on top of the fruit. I then added paint strokes, some stamping, and finished with some paint splatters.

Here is the process video of how it came together!

Bible Journaling | Unfailing Love

Hello friends, it's Tara here on the blog today sharing a quick and easy bible journaling page today. I kept it simple and clean, focusing on the verse and my prayer.

I have been working on being more intentional with starting my day in God's word. Sometimes it's so overwhelming thinking of all the different studies or methods to choose from. I found a really simple, 3 minute routine thanks to Hello Mornings. I love how it's all about GodTime, PlanTime, and MoveTime.

Kat, the creator of Hello Mornings suggests starting with the verse Psalm 143:8.

I used a few bits and pieces from April's GraceBox kit. I wanted to keep this journaling page really simple and bold with the black and white. My favorite elements to use are the Twilight gold foil rub ons paired with the Illustrated Faith clear sticker alphas.

You can faintly see the smaller dot stamp up on the top of the journaling page using a pale seaglass ink and down below using a past GraceBox stamp with lines using a pale pink ink. I wanted to add a few hints of color here and there that was just barely noticeable.

How do you start your day with God? I would love to hear what you do in your daily or even weekly routine.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a wonderful week!

Blessings!

xxo, Tara

Tuesday Tutorial with Tara | Label Love

Hi friends, Tara here today for another installation of Tuesday Tutorial. I'm sharing an easy way to stretch your stash. I love little bits of ephemera and sometimes have a hard time finding the right phrase or the right size for a certain project. Here is an easy way to create your own labels and ephemera to fit your needs.

Grab some ink pads, clear blocks, and stamps!

I start by using this awesome label from the Detours stamp.

I then add phrase stamps from April's GraceBox kit, along with other stamps from past GraceBox kits. I prefer to go for mostly neutral shades but added in a bit of color too.

For a little bit of a fun twist - I also stamped on some vellum paper and loved how it turned out! Test out a few different types of ink. You can see the top left "Say Yes" circle smeared pretty badly. 
TIP - ink on vellum takes longer to dry so give it some time before cutting out your ephemera. I have to say the Illustrated Faith ink pad was my favorite to use!

When you have some down time (for me it's usually watching a show or listening to a podcast), I find it very relaxing to cut out the little ephemera labels and bits.

I didn't have a large enough circle punch, but made wonky circles by using the Rise and Shine stamp set circles and cutting it a bit off to the side. I love having a little pile of bits ready to add to projects.

I stacked up the circle, label, and and old phrase stamp to give this tab a layered look. I love how the layered ephemera looks using this month's GraceBox kit and some watercolor.

Here is a look at the entire journal entry.

I hope you find some inspiration to create some labels, tags, and/or ephemera. Please share your creations in the Citrus Twist Fan Page. Thank you for stopping by!

Scripture Challenge Share

Hi friends, Tara here today! I'm one of those people that love a good daily challenge. I get so excited but a week into them I'm burnt out and so behind! I'm really loving The Reset Girl's Faithful Life Challenge. It's a weekly challenge and you can do 1 or 4 different scripture writings for the week! I love having options for weeks that are packed full of things, or being able to do more when I find more time.

Here's a little peak at my traveler's notebook entry for Week 2 using the September GraceBox kit.

I started off using some Prima fluid chalk edger with a wipe and made the pink background. Then using this month's stamp set, along with an older GraceBox V4 stamp, I added crosses and stars. I'm loving the awesome alpha stickers that came in the kit this month! I couldn't get the true color to show up but they are translucent and so lovely.

Here is the full traveler's notebook entry. I love writing scripture! It helps me memorize it and I enjoy being able to go back and meditate on different messages from the bible. 

This verse is one of my favorites - it reminds me that life isn't meant to be easy or without struggles. We can find our strength through Jesus. I'm so thankful for that!

Thanks for stopping by today! Be blessed, xo - Tara

GraceBox Kit with Dedra

Happy Friday Eve lovely friends!

The GraceBox Kit this month came with a double sided journaling card that really resonated with me. The front of the card says "Your praise will ever be on my lips." I immediately recognized it as one of the lyrics to one of my favorite songs.

On the back of the card is a verse from Psalms 100:2
Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him with joyful songs.

The song "Ever Be" is one I sing at church and often in the car. It is one of those songs that you can get stuck singing after the song is over. It was a wonderful to document and reflect on the verses of the song as well. When my daughters look through my journaling bible they will definitely know the power this song has over me and my relationship with the Lord.

I really loved the floral die cut cardstock piece that came in the kit but as the page came together I felt like I needed two floral pieces to make it feel cohesive. So, I cut the floral piece in half and that did the trick. It was a great way to stretch the embellishments.

Another piece of the kit that I really LOVED was the stamp set. It was SO fun to work with and will be one that I use over and over again. Finally, I used the stamp set to blend the journaling card into the page.

Thanks SO much for stopping by and I wish you a blessed weekend ahead! 

xoxoxo

Dedra

Gratitude Log with Tara

Hello friends! It's Tara here today sharing a little bit of something I've been working on. For months now I have been thinking of how to include writing out daily gratitude to welcome each day as it comes. When I start my day with a heart filled with love, my entire mood and attitude is different as I conquer the big and little challenges that come my way.

I decided to use a passport traveler's notebook undated weekly insert. I love how portable this size is! I'll be traveling this week so it will be easy to add this notebook with my small stash of supplies. The blank canvas of spaces wide open is just waiting for me to create something each week and record my gratitude.

I used this month's GraceBox kit and it's filled to the brim with bits and bobs of colorful goodness!

Here are the supplies I used:

I added in some washi tape, distress ink, and mini mister from my stash along with some past GraceBox stamps.

Here is my first week in August so far.

I love using the Illustrated Faith stamp pad - it doesn't bleed through the pages. I will remember to stamp before I use distress ink - the numbers (Traveler's Notebook class stamp set) smeared a bit. They don't bother me as this week's pages were meant to be a bit messy!

Thank you for stopping by today. I can't wait to see how you use your GraceBox kit or document your gratitude. 

Have a lovely week! Xo - Tara

GraceBox with Dedra

Hi there friends! Dedra here with my latest journaling bible entry using the fabulous GraceBox Kit.
When I opened up this kit and saw the cute doilies and die cut cardstock pieces I kind of new the direction I wanted to go and the scripture I wanted to focus on.

Layering stickers, and stamps underneath the doily and then cardstock pieces, more stickers and stamping on the top of the doily as well. 

When I added the light pink floral stickers they sort of disappeared and since I wanted them to stand out more I traced them in black which made them "pop" more. One thing I have learned over the years is not to be afraid of altering embellishments to fit your vision. 

For a finishing touch I added metallic watercolors to the floral leaves to give them some extra shimmer. Wishing you a blessed rest of the week friends! 

xoxo, 

D.

GraceBox Kit with Dedra

Hi there sweet friends and happy Wednesday! Today I wanted to share a bible journaling page I created using the latest Citrus Twist GraceBox Kit and the most common process I use when I'm bible journaling, especially when using watercolors.

First, I always prep the page with clear gesso. My two favorite tubes of gesso are from Dina Wakely and Prima. Both will give you very nice, smooth coverage and will prevent the watercolors from transferring to the opposite page. 

To apply the gesso I have a bowl of old gift cards I use to "scrape" it across the page. When I first started using gesso I was struggling with how to scrape it on the page without ripping it. Since the pages of a bible are usually super thin, the best way to apply it is to turn the bible sideways with the page turned closest to you. Put your bible mat, cardboard or a piece of cardstock under the page so you don't transfer the gesso onto the pages below. Grab your bottle of gesso and squirt it directly onto the page. Take your scraping tool or old gift card and spread the gesso from the center of the bible toward you until you have covered the entire page or the area where you will be using watercolors, stamps or any medium that you do not want to be seen on the opposite page.
Since I'm really impatient I use a heat tool to dry the gesso. Your page will be a little wrinkled and feel limp, but that is totally normal.

Next, I grab my watercolor tins. I use a spray bottle to mist the watercolor pans I would like to use. This gets them wet and ready for my watercolor brush. You can get your watercolor and wet with your watercolor brush as well, but I just prefer to use the spray bottle so I'm not refilling my watercolor brush constantly. Just my personal preference. :) :)

There are many ways and different techniques that can be used to create a watercolor effect. For this particular page I used some plastic packaging I had laying around. I added watercolor directly to the packaging and "smooshed" it onto the page in the areas I wanted color. Through a lot of trial and error I found one of the most important things to remember when using watercolor is to let each layer dry before adding another and that each time water is added the layers of color will react. So, have fun experimenting and if you're feeling nervous try experimenting in an art journal or notebook, etc. something that is not important if you mess up. 

One of my favorite things to do in my journaling bible is to stamp. Whether it's florals, patterns or in this case, hearts, phrases and arrows. 

When stamping and using watercolors or any form of mixed media the archival ink from Ranger is my go to. The awesome thing about archival ink is, once it's dry it's permanent. You can use any form of mixed media and it will not effect your stamped image. It's truly magic and hands down the best option.

I like to add stickers, washi tape, die cut cardstock pieces, tabs, etc. anything that will add that "finishing touch."

Lastly, and most importantly, I make sure to leave room in the design for journaling. Sometimes I have a long message, whether it's a prayer that I have for my girls, husband, mother or talking directly to our heavenly father. Sometimes I'm thanking Him for all of the gifts he has bestowed upon us. Whatever he is putting on my heart is what I want to document. For journaling my favorite "go to" pen is the Micron .03 or .05. Once dry it never smears. 

One of the things I love most about the Citrus Twist GraceBox Kit is the exclusive, wonderfully designed, stamp sets and journaling cards and the amount of embellishments that seem endless!

Wishing you a blessed week! 

xoxo

Dedra

3 to Inspire

Hi friends, Tara here with another "3 to Inspire" challenge for you. You can find this challenge here every Saturday for those who need a little extra creative push to get scrapbooking, keep scrapbooking or for those who just like a challenge! Don't forget to read through the end to see how you can enter to win some Happy Mail.


My prompts for you today are:

1. stamping a patterned background 
2. adding color with mixed media
3. long journaling/story telling

Here is my finished layout in my traveler's notebook for this challenge:

I recently celebrated my birthday last month. I had some goals I wanted to achieve before this birthday and I realized I haven't reached any of them!!! Instead of beating myself up and feeling sorry for myself, I took this birthday as an opportunity to start fresh. We are always so hard on ourselves and this year I am practicing more self-love. I took this as a great opportunity to share that in my spread here.

I really wanted to work more with some mixed media and decided to break out my acrylic paints that have been sitting barely used. I started with a layer of white Gesso smeared on the page. Then I alternated using blue, coral, and yellow paints on a gift card to get the little smears. I went vertical and horizontal for a more messy, but colorful look. I wanted to tone it down a bit so I added a light layer of Gesso again. Then one more layer in a few places of the three paints. I made sure to use my heat tool (you can use a hair dryer too) to dry each layer. at first I wasn't sure if I would love it but in the end it was just perfect!!

I then added my stamping background using the "XOXO" sentiment from the June GraceBox kit. I wanted to make sure it had the stamp throughout so I stamped around my photo that I already glued down.

I love all the little sentiments in the kit. I added some of the die cuts and a sticker from the kit, as well as an old wood chip piece I had from a previous kit. 

Here is a closer look at my journaling.

I used the washi sample included in the GraceBox kit and the scallop stamp from the Scripture Doodles stamp set. I also drew a box around my journaling. I really love how well the Illustrated Faith pens work on top of mixed media. They are truly the best ever.


I'm completely smitten with the gold and cork hearts in the Sprinkles kit this month - I wish I had a lot of extras for my stash! I used one of the heart leatherette stickers I had left over from a kit and added a homemade enamel dot. There is a little bit of light layering with vellum and a bit of the Elle's Studio paper from the June 'Boardwalk' PL kit.

I also used the fun "On Record" stamp from the Boardwalk kit. I know I"ll be using that stamp a lot. I love the font so much!

Now it's your turn! To play along, simply create a project (scrapbooking, pocket life, bible journaling, etc) using this week's prompts. Upload it to the Gallery with today's date (6/3) in the title, and you will be eligible to win some Happy Mail from the CTK store. I can't wait to see what you create.

Have a lovely weekend! Xxo, Tara

May Grace Box Kit - Dedra Long

Hi there friends!

It's Dedra here with you today and I'm SO excited to be here! I just wanted to share a journaling bible layout I created using the May GraceBox kit. 

When I opened the kit, the first thing that intrigued me was the little wooden crosses. These crosses are perfect to include in your journaling bible or faith planner or notebook. They are thin, come in various sizes and I couldn't wait to use them.

If you follow me on any other social media outlets you will know that I LOVE to use stamps, watercolor and mixed media in my journaling bible. This kit includes the CUTEST set of layering floral stamps and words of encouragement.

For this journaling bible entry I chose Romans 12:9-13.

Love must be sincere. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Reading this piece of scripture was such a good reminder to be kind to one another. Be giving, loving and it also reminded me of a quote that I see often and love - Spread kindness like confetti! 

For this entry, I first prepared the page with clear gesso, once dry, then watercolored some leaves to "frame" the page. 

Next, I pulled out those cute floral layering stamps and got started adding them around and in between the leaves. 

The "be kind to one another" and paint stroke stamp was added as a header to start the journaling off. 

To finish the layout I added those super cool wooden crosses, as well as some yellow paint splatter.

Thank you SO much for stopping by and hopefully you were inspired to dig into His word and create something beautiful that makes your heart happy! 

You can snatch up the May GraceBox kit here.

Much love friends!! 

xoxoxo D.