Individuality

From everyone at SFTIO we hope you have had an amazing holiday season. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and may this time of year have been spent with those you love creating memories that will last for years to come.

We are so excited to start 2012!!! Our first kit is just GORGEOUS!!! Here is a sneak peek....

Absolutely gorgeous papers from Basic Grey, Webster's Pages and Crate Paper. You will find lots of trims, lots of bling and we KNOW you will find LOTS of inspiration to make this one of the most fun kits to work with.

Keep an eye out for the first peek of the kit RIGHT HERE! Then for the day when the big reveal happens. We know you are going to be thrilled.  

Borrowed from Daily Om...Being Real in the Face of Uncertainty

I read this recently and it put me in mind of how we can all be more authentic. When we aren't, we are giving in to the uncertainty we feel about whether we are ok being ourselves and will be accepted for being real...and all of who we are.

More on this from me soon...

Taking the Risk
Permission to Be Real

People who keep it real present themselves as they truly are, the good parts and the parts most of us would rather hide.

Most of us are familiar with the idea of keeping it real and have an intuitive sense about what that means. People who keep it real don’t hide behind a mask to keep themselves safe from their fear of how they might be perceived. They don’t present a false self in order to appear more perfect, more powerful, or more independent. People who keep it real present themselves as they truly are, the good parts and the parts most of us would rather hide, sharing their full selves with the people who are lucky enough to know them.

Being real in this way is not an easy thing to do as we live in a culture that often shows us images of physical and material perfection. As a result, we all want to look younger, thinner, wealthier, and more successful. We are rewarded externally when we succeed at this masquerade, but people who are real remind us that, internally, we suffer. Whenever we feel that who we are is not enough and that we need to be bigger, better, or more exciting, we send a message to ourselves that we are not enough. Meanwhile, people who are not trying to be something more than they are walk into a room and bring a feeling of ease, humor, and warmth with them. They acknowledge their wrinkles and laugh at their personal eccentricities without putting themselves down.

People like this inspire us to let go of our own defenses and relax for a moment in the truth of who we really are. In their presence, we feel safe enough to take off our masks and experience the freedom of not hiding behind a barrier. Those of us who were lucky enough to have a parent who was able to keep it real may find it easier to be that way ourselves. The rest of us may have to work a little harder to let go of our pretenses and share the beauty and humor of our real selves. Our reward for taking such a risk is that as we do, we will attract and inspire others, giving them the permission to be real too.

Uncertain Inspiration

With all of the things going on this month, I was uncertain about scrapbooking this month's topic.  Thankfully, that's the topic: Uncertainty!   (I think I heard groaning.  :) )  So, I'm right on task.  As I was contemplating some of my personal "takes" on the topic, I thought about sharing some of the inspiration I was finding on our Inspiration page with you.

Check out some of these quotes for Uncertainty:

So what do we do? Anything. Something. So long as we just don't sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we've satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.

Lee Iacocca

Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don't let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity.

R. I. Fitzhenry

Maturity is the capacity to endure uncertainty.

John Huston Finley

What do you think?

I'll be back soon with more inspiration: music, pictures and some of our Design Team layouts!

And We Have a Winner...

Last month we invited you to take part in our Iron Scrapper challenge.  Inspired by that reality TV show involving food, we provide you with a "secret ingredient" (scrappy related, not foodstuff). Those who accept the challenge incorporate that secret ingredient into a layout.  We teased you with a partial view of our secret ingredient last month, inviting you to visit our community for the full detail and to play along.  Here's what we teased you with:

Well, the full picture was a beautiful white peacock:

We had wonderful participation in this Iron Scrapper challenge, all with different perspectives and heart-felt designs inspired by the above photo.  Truly amazing, heartfelt layouts.  For the Peacock Iron Scrapper challenge, Miss Jaime was our winner.  Would you like to see her winning layout?  Of course you would!  Here it is:

Jaime's hidden journaling reads: 
The peacock is a symbol of renewal. Since joining SFTIO in April of this year, I have undergone a personal renewal. I hadn't been able to scrapbook for over a year. I found no joy in it. I couldn't bring myself to create anything. Grief had taken over my life. It took away my desire to do anything that brings me comfort. I knew I needed my creative outlet back. I happened upon SFTIO. I`m so glad I stayed! Being able to scrapbook about myself has renewed me and given me more clarity about myself. I have a better sense of who I am and what I am all about.
Jaime will be receiving some scrappy goodies for her fantastic layered layout.  We are so very glad to have her as part of our community and, if you're not already there, we would love for you to please come join us! 

Still UNCERTAIN?  Well, then this is the most opportune time to join us since that's the emotion we are exploring Right Now!  As always, inspiration is at your fingertips on our site.  Buy the Uncertainty kit and be even more inspired with the gorgeous papers and embellishments within. 

Need more incentive?  How about joining us for the next IRON SCRAPPER CHALLENGE?  It's already posted in our community boards.

See you there!

The UNCERTAINTY kit. Make it Your Own!

Our December kit, UNCERTAINTY, will give you the special opportunity to explore what you don’t know…yet. Life is full of mystery…some of it is unknown, and some is unknowable. How do you handle the ambiguity, confusion and unpredictability that is a natural part of the complicated lives we lead.

The symbolism in this kit is unique to you…go on and make it yours! Tell your secret stories with a great mixture of beautiful paper and embellishments from Basic Grey’s Little Black Dress, My Mind’s Eye Lost and Found 2, and Jenni Bowlin’s Haven.

Black, Cream, Oatmeal and Nude let you customize your layouts your way. We’ve added in a sweet array of naked embellishments in all different materials – a chipboard signpost to determine your direction, Pink Paislee mistables die-cut tags, fabric flowers and trim. Alterable alphas and two custom mini bottles of Tattered Angels glimmer mists!

Your life is what you make it – complex, rich, and imbued with the color YOU decide. Join us!

CLICK HERE to buy your kit now!

PATTERNED PAPER:
Basic Grey Little Black Dress Swanky Grand             
Basic Grey Little Black Dress Charisma                    
Basic Grey Little Black Dress Tuxedo            
Basic Grey Little Black Dress Foxy Posh                
Basic Grey Little Black Dress Drama Mod             
Basic Grey Little Black Dress Modern Vogue                     
Basic Grey Little Black Dress Dashing                    
Jenni Bowlin Haven Peeling paper                 
Jenni Bowlin Haven Cherries Ripe                  
MME Lost and Found 2 Sunshine Lovely Sewing          
MME Lost and Found 2 Sunshine Lovely Plaid  
MME Lost and Found 2 Sunshine Memories Sweet

EMBELLISHMENTS:
Basic Grey Little Black Dress Elements Stickers, 1 sheet                    
Creative Impressions Trim, Oatmeal Giant RicRac, ½ yd.       
Maya Road Kraft Time Flies Clocks, 5-6      
Maya Road Kraft Notecards and Envelopes, 2
Pink Paislee Mistables Fabric Journal Tag, 2 pcs
Pink Paislee Mistables Fabric Flowers,1 pc    
Pink Paislee Mistables Fabric Pleat Strips, 1 pc
Prima Typography Romantique Alphas           
Prima Fleur De Lys Chorale, 1 pc      
Sassafras Mini Alphas Blue Graph                 
ScrapFX Signpost                 

COLOR:
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Trunk Bay, 1oz
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Mel's Diner, 1oz                

CARDSTOCK:
American Crafts Pomegranate     
American Crafts Slate     
American Crafts Fountain

Thanks to our outgoing DT gals, Laura Croft, Mette Kallander and Jamie Long for their amazing work on this final kit for them...they have shared so much of their hearts and souls with us and I am grateful. Stay tuned all month to see their layouts (and those of ongoing DT Coordinator Melissa Elsner) here on the blog,  or come on over to the website now to view the Design Team gallery on our Inspiration Page and leave them some love in the Message Board gallery! They sure deserve it...

Love,

Rachel