Designer Spotlight - Laura Croft

This is the lovely Laura Croft. No, not the tomb raider. That's LARA Croft, silly! The scrapbook artist!



When Laura applied for our design team, I knew we had found a gem. As an Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor, she has dedicated her professional life to healing. Since I developed the SFTIO concept by using scrapbooking in my own therapy, I felt like I had found a kindred spirit.

Laura’s ability to express her deepest emotions through her journaling is unmatched. No topic is off limits for her, from her inner struggles, to the ticking of her biologic clock, to her desire for true love. She recently spent a month in a residential treatment program to work on an eating disorder, and graced us by sharing her inspirational story with us. Her heart shines through in each project she creates, and her unique honesty and bravery motivates me to try to live up to her example.

Here are some of my favorite LOs of Laura's:

The Patience Kit, reflecting on how she taps into her more patient self:



The Compassion Kit, letting go of negativity to show herself compassion:



The Spirit Kit, demonstrating some authentic attitude:



The Clarity Kit, getting ready to embark on a brave journey:



The Renewal Kit, taking the time to care for herself:



Laura enjoys a large and supportive community of friends and family, and especially loves her little niece, Kiran, featured in many of her LOs. She's a member of ATL Peas and gets in tons of fun scrapping time in with the friends she's made. Laura is truly a kind soul, who recently donated 9 inches of her hair for a program sponsored by Pantene, Beautiful Lengths, which uses donated hair to create wigs for women with cancer. She's also mama to her little rescued Bichon, Lila, and kitty Sampson, and is passionate about mental health, animal rescue and the Indigo Girls!



Laura, my deepest thanks for always sharing so much of yourself with us...

I'm grateful...

Love,

Rachel

Designer Spotlight - Nicola Booth

For our next designer focus...here is the lovely and talented Nic Booth!



Nic joined our DT for the January-June period this year. As our first UK DT member, she has played an important role in helping us connect to our UK members. She established a thread on UK Scrappers, the big UK scrapping site/message board. Even though the exchange rate has made the kits a bit more expensive for the UK gals, she's kept everyone together! In fact, three of the UK gals got together to crop recently, which I think is awesome!

It is really hard to believe that Nic has only been scrapbooking a relatively short time. Her work is so layered, with lovely little bits everywhere you look, and arrnaged in the most perfect ways. I have relished the moments when her DT LOs have arrived in my email. I would spend a LOT of time poring over every inch of her pages, where there were always treasures to find in her designs.

Here are some of her wonderful LOs. You won't be able to look away...

The Patience Kit, reflecting on patience vs. instant gratification:



The Compassion Kit, exploring her passions:



The Spirit Kit, being grateful for life:



The Clarity Kit, seeing clearly by looking within:



The Hope Kit, wondering if she dreams in vain:



The Renewal Kit, telling the truth about juggling a busy life:



Nic's other amazing strengths include a fantastic ability with self-portraits (including adding props, interacting with elements outside the photos and how she captures her beautiful and expressive face), being a whiz at texture, and most important, her heart shines through in every layout - she really knows how to access her soul. All her LOs are uniquely about her - she really took on the challenge we issued to our team to look within. I have learned a lot from reading her journaling, and it has made me more reflective.

Nic works full time, and is mum to her teenage son and their cat, Mr. Kits. She's now on the DT for the UK shops/ sites Sugar and Spice Crafts and Willow Tree Crafts - lucky them! Keep a special eye out for her...she's just getting started! Nic has been a truly dedicated ambassador for SFTIO and I hope very much that she will stick around so we can glean more goodness from her!



Thanks, Nic!

I'm grateful.

Love,

Rachel

Designer Spotlight - Bjay Jaminal

As our first anniversary approaches, I want to spotlight and thank our fantastic designers who have given so much to Scrapbooking from the Inside Out over the past year...so without further ado, let's start with 2008 Design Team Member Bjay Jaminal!



When I first saw Bjay's application for the inaugural design team, I was really excited to find someone who scraps entirely in 8 1/2 by 11 - it's a great shape to work with and lends itself to unique design opportunities. I absolutely love how adept she is at combining papers from different manufacturers to great effect and her fantastic hand cutting skills. NO ONE can break down a piece of PP like Bjay! She truly creates her own unique embellishments with her sharp eye (and scissors!)

One of my favorite things about Bjay is her ability to convey her profound emotional connection to her family in her LOs. I can really feel the love she shares with them. She's a deep thinker and a fun loving gal at the same time. She seems to really appreciate and enjoy the small pleasures of life, and also is able to dream for the future and really look at herself.

Here are some of my favorite LOs of hers...

July 2008, the FREEDOM kit, celebrating the freedom of the Philippines and the pride she has in her Nieces:




August 2008, the CONFIDENCE kit, looking at her own strength and abilities:



September 2008, the COMFORT kit, reveling in the quiet peace of home:



October 2008, the JOY kit, appreciating the little moments that make life fun:



November 2008, the GRATITUDE kit, making contact with her spiritual core and her own personal belief system:



December 2008, the REGRET kit, making peace with her past:



Bjay currently serves on the design team for the amazing Aussie manufacturer Buzz and Bloom. Not only has she created great LOs for them, she also writes the best blog posts describing her LOs. She loves her childhood sweetheart/hubby, is a fan of all things 80's, and is a new mama to her little doxie-girl, Bailey.



You will for sure be seeing lots more of her work as you travel around the scrapbook world...stay tuned! We're so proud to be a part of her brilliant trajectory...you go, girl! I'm always so happy when I see her online at SFTIO - she's been a great supporter, cheerleader and friend. Thanks, Bjay, for taking a chance on a brand new enterprise and believing in our mission!

I am grateful for you!

Love,

Rachel

Renew Yourself Now

Everyone needs ways to recharge when they’re feeling down or out of energy, whether in physical, mental, emotional or spiritual terms.

What do you do to renew yourself - do you spend time in nature, in prayer or meditation, running, reading or watching your favorite movie?

Do you make different choices about how to recharge depending on what you’re missing?

Here are some of the fantastic LOs done by our exceptional Design Team with our fantastic RENEWAL kit:

Design Team Coordinator Nancy Doren is refreshed by Summer in Colorado:


Nicola Booth plugs in her iPod and lets loose:


Laura Croft dives into the cool, fresh water:


Anam Stubbington gets girlie:


Guest Designer Summer Johnson wants a vacation with her Hubby:


So how do you RENEW?

Love,

Rachel

Hitting the Reset Button

Do you ever have an overwhelming desire to hit the reset button on life and clear everything out? I do. Things can get overwhelming sometimes, trying to balance life's demands and our goals - family, friends, work, business, not to mention the day-to-day of being an adult - groceries, cleaning, cooking, paying bills...yikes!

We're going to take a few days to hit that button this coming weekend, with a quick road trip up to the Napa Valley, one of my favorite places in the world.



I'm not really a traveler, but there are some places that I simply long for - Napa is one of those places. Only about 6 hours by car, it's a haven for me that provides rest and relaxation, romance, beautiful scenic views, and more incredible cuisine and wine than a passionate foodie like me could even begin to take advantage of.

I'm looking forward to using these experiences to reconnect to my inner scrapper - I think this should be the perfect opportunity to make contact with my need for a fresh start and to explore what I can let go of in my life to make that happen. You'll surely be seeing some LOs from me soon about my internal reset...

If you need some inspiration to renew yourself, check out our fabulous RENEWAL kit:


Click HERE to buy one before they get away...

With Scrapbooking from the Inside Out 's 1st anniversary coming soon, it seems the right time for RENEWAL - a chance to refresh our concept, keep what works, throw out the rest, and move forward in brand new ways in our quest to imbue the scrapbook world with more meaning.

Is there somewhere you go that helps you renew? Tell me!

Love,

Rachel

Getting Ready for Our Anniversary - Big Sale at Inside Out

We're getting ready for our big FIRST ANNIVERSARY at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out and as our first celebratory experience, we're clearing out our remaining previous kits for $34.95 each - that's a whopping 30% off!

Here are the gorgeous goodies you can get your hands on at a fabulous discount. If you've been waiting to explore your inner world with us, this is the perfect time. If you've missed a few kits but love the themes, you're in luck!

Email me at rachinla@aol.com for more information, detailed contents lists, and more! You can always have access to our unique Inspiration pages - just search the blog for the name of the kit!

To buy, click here to go directly to the BUY page!

Hope:



Clarity:



Spirit:



Compassion:



Patience:



Regret:



Gratitude:



Joy:

Close Up on RENEWAL - Our Newest Kit!

Here are some detailed photos of the June kit, launching today! Want one? Come on by Scrapbooking from the Inside Out and grab yours!











Revive, refresh and restore with the newest kit from Scrapbooking from the Inside Out, RENEWAL! This kit is the embodiment of summer in a box, perfectly fit for expressing all the ways you rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit.

The colors are so fresh – evocative of ocean, pool, and grass. We’ve included lot of up-to-the-minute modern vine imagery to put you in mind of growth and change, and circles to symbolize the rotation of the seasons, the earth, and the cycle of life. There are also a large set of customizable turns, including a whole bunch you can add to lots of pages and a huge, fun 6” round chipboard turn to alter into a most meaningful project.

Of course, we’ve also included Patchwork Thickers, Lime Ice Stickles, a brand new Donna Downey canvas tag from Prima, a large, yummy Prima Fiesta flower, pretty Maya Road Trinkets Leaf pins and a cute stamp kit from Prima complete with ink pad, journaling spots and the cutest little bird and branch stamp you’ve ever seen! P

Please join us to explore and express the ways in which you are changing, evolving and being reborn!

Love,

Rachel