Femininity Kit Challenges

At SFTIO, our challenges will help you dig deeper on your LOs...and you don't have to be a member to play along - just come on by, sign up on the forum, and you can upload your interpretation for a chance to win! The biggest win, of course? Giving yourself the time, space and attention to scrapbook about your own heart.

Each of our challenges includes a design twist to get you using your right and left brain in exploring these topics. A great scrapbook page tells a story in words and design! And it feels SO good.

Here are the first three challenges for April. Entries are due by April 30 at Noon, Pacific Time (GMT-8:00).

April Challenge #1, Mirror Mirror/Mirror Image

Body Image: Throughout our lives, women are bombarded by messages about what we should look like, and the research shows that girls and young women are deeply affected by the images they see. How have these issues impacted you throughout your life? Are you happy, physically, with what you see in the mirror? Do you compare yourself to the images you see on TV, in movies, or in magazines? What different experiences do you think boys and men have about their outer physical image, and why do these differences exist?

What would you say to the mirror if you could talk back to it? What has it said to you about your outer self? For the design twist, please use a reflection of some sort - shadowing your title, a mirror image of an object...

April Challenge #2, Aging/Antique

Aging and Beauty: In a culture obsessed with youth, how can we age gracefully? Do you believe the adage that men age better than women? Where do you think that idea came from? Do you think you’ll be more beautiful with age, or do you worry about how the world will perceive you as you get older? What is the relationship in your mind between aging and health? If you’ve been through menopause, how did it impact your perception of your femininity? If you haven’t approached that yet, does it sound scary or like freedom? What did you learn from your female elders – grandmothers, aunts, about being a woman, and aging?

So much has been said and sung of beautiful young girls, why don't somebody wake up to the beauty of old women? Harriet Beecher Stowe

Please create a LO about your thoughts about aging. We've talked about writing to our past selves...how about our future ones? Or any other spin you like...

For the design twist, please antique something on your LO.

April Challenge #3, BFF/Connected

Women are in league with each other, a secret conspiracy of hearts and pheromones. Camille Paglia

Women friends are SO important in our development, our understanding of ourselves and our ability to handle life's hills and valleys.

Please create a LO about your best girlfriend, now or in the past. If she's currently your BFF, what do you love about your friendship? If she is from your past, what happened to change that relationship and what did you learn? For the design twist, please connect something visually to demonstrate your link to your BFF!

Let's see what you've got!

Love,

Rachel