Behind the Art with Sofia - Guest Designer

Here and There

This layout is a very personal one and I actually still can’t believe that it is up on the web for everyone to see. 

This story was a fun one to tell. The past 7 months of my life have been taken over be a long distance friendship/relationship. The reason why it’s crazy is because this is really my first relationship. I’m not freaking out really, I am taking things one step at a time. As I am writing this before I leave for the airport, I can tell you that I can’t really eat my breakfast and I am not interested in eating (which for me is crazy because I would marry food if I could) and I have the most active butterflies in my stomach. But it’s all excitement and will hopefully die down a bit as the day goes on.

I used a lot of symbolism in this layout. I first want to point out how many patterns and colors and stuff there is on this page. Feeling nauseous? That was the idea. Whenever I tell people Max and I’s story (which you may read on the journaling close up), I pretty much always get the reaction of, “Oh my God that is so cute! Barf…” So I sort of wanted to put that on the page. 

Another symbol would be the clouds on the bottom of the page. I put everything above the clouds because when I am on my way to him, I will be literally flying above the clouds! Also, the top pink calendar is situated to show January to June which are the full 6 months that we have gone without seeing each other and keeping in touch through Skype dates and Whatsapp.

I really enjoyed doing this page. I feel pretty good about the way s came out. The one thing is I still don’t feel like it is finished! I have never felt this way, I usually always feel done but not with this one. I’m wondering f it is because I’m still not sure where this relationship is going quite yet. Even though I have a pretty sure feeling about where it’s going I’m not totally sure! 

Enjoy!

Sofia

Behind the Art with Sofia - July Guest Designer

Wanderlust

To be perfectly honest, the word perspective really scared me. I didn’t think I had anything to scrap about or a story to tell. I then realized that Perspective can be anything because it is how you see things! 

How do you see the world around you, people, things, experiences? I think that is a really good thing for you all to hear in case you are thinking that the theme this month is impossible to scrap about. It was definitely a challenge and made me really think. I then found that my journaling was really hard to make short, I had tons to say!

I am a world traveler and always am looking for my next destination. Ironically I am in Germany as you read this! From the moment my mom dragged me (pretty much by my hair because I really didn’t want to go) to Europe I was hooked! I saw things that I loved and the world became bigger. I had no idea what was out there! I had once been a home body; never wanting to leave my Santa Monica bubble but now I just want to leave all the time! But I also do love my home and my city and am very proud to live in Santa Monica. I feel grateful for what I have every day.

The photo that I used is a photo I took on my last travels to Germany. This is an amazing place called Rothenberg ob der Touber. It is my favorite place that I have visited on my travels so far because it’s not only Christmas time all year round but it’s breathtakingly beautiful!

I have to admit that this page was more fun than anything. I didn’t really dig deep on this page like I have in the past but it was still fulfilling. I always enjoy scrapbooking and I think that this page is very pretty. I am super happy with how it turned out. 

Have a great day!

Sofia

Introducing Our July Guest Designer - Sofia Ehrich

Hey everyone, we have a very special guest with us here at SFTIO this month. But she's not really a guest, just a guest designer...

Sofia Ehrich has been part of the SFTIO family for a long time! As a neighbor and friend, she's been in my life since she was six years old. As a fellow crafter, we've been scrapbooking together for about 5 years.

And now, she's not only my amazing assistant - anticipating every need just before I get to it (remember Radar O'Reilly, anyone?) but she's also coordinator of the Design Team for our BRAND NEW Teen program, launching this fall (with a top secret name...shhh...) and is the mastermind behind this month's kit theme.

Hello my fellow creative people! My name is Sofia Ehrich. I live in Santa Monica (best place in the world) right next to the amazing Rachel Kaufman and go to Santa Monica High School. I am 17 years old, a Creating Keepsakes Teen Talent Search competition runner up and I LOVE to scrapbook! My mom got me into scrapbooking when I was 4. We would go on family trips and scrapbook memories. 

When Rachel found out that I loved to scrapbook, she took me out and that is when the creativity flowed. Ever since then its been going up hill, and I’ve learned that I am really into design and pictures. I also love movies and watching TV. My friends make fun of me because IMDB is my favorite app on my phone. I love, love, love to travel, (you probably noticed from my layouts), I love going to Starbucks and taking walks with my dog, Fawnzy. To me, The Beatles were the greatest band ever and I am marrying Justin Timberlake. Also, I currently work for Scrapbooking for the Inside Out, I put together the beautiful kits and I very much enjoy using them also.

A little fun fact, when I went to CHA with the SFTIO team this winter, I actually thought of using the word communication for a kit. I feel like it is such a fun word and there is a lot to talk about especially with how much social media we work with on a daily basis. There are so many forms of communication too: email, Facebook, instant messaging, talking on the phone, in person, snail mail, animals, babies, people…. The list can go on and on. I hope that you have as much fun with this kit as I did. 

And in case I haven't mentioned it, she's one great scrapbooker. I am so proud of what Sofia has accomplished so far and I'll just say, Scrapbook Industry, watch out!

Sofia created some wonderful layouts about communicating across the miles and using social networking to stay connected that l absolutely love. Here are a couple to whet your whistle...

For more, please come check out the GDT gallery for this month. And stay tuned for a feature on Sofia going behind the scenes on one of her LOs later this month.

Thanks 'My Sofia'!

 

PS: Make sure to check out my guest blog post over at the Creating Keepsake Editor's Blog today for a chance to win the Communication kit!

Sneak Peek of BALANCE and a Giveaway at CK

Sneak Peek of the September kit: BALANCE

Our September kit is about how your life feels - in harmony, filled with peace...or not? How do you keep your composure and your equilibrium in this complicated and mysterious world?

Mid-century modern imagery mixed with a nod to simpler times. Strong color, presence and strength mix with delicate details.



Come and join us September 1 and get your life in BALANCE.

Creating Keepsakes Blog Post and How-to on Visual Journaling

My newest post is up on the CK Blog here with tips and tricks on how to deepen your layouts by adding visual symbolism.

Some peeks:







Come learn more, share your insights, and you'll have a chance to win the GROWTH kit before they're all gone!



Click here - and we still have these subscriber bonuses left with your six month subscription or renewal...




Have a beautiful weekend, and if you're on the east coast, stay safe, stay dry and stay home!

Love,
Rachel

PS - Don't forget that voting for the CK Teen Talent Search is unlimited...so vote as many times as you can! Click the widget at the top right of the sidebar. And thanks!

Support Teen Scrapbookers with Soul!

My sweet friend and local Santa Monica girl Sofia Ehrich has been selected, from hundreds of entrants, as one of 11 nationwide finalists in the 2011 Creating Keepsakes Magazine Teen Talent Search contest! I've watched Sofia grow up, watched her art develop, and am always blown away by her maturity, her poise and her creativity. She truly embodies the spirit of art+heart, and the inner core of what we do everyday at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.

The page, independently selected by the editors at CK, is about the nature of time...Sofia lost her cat, Garcia, about a month before she created this LO. She wanted to capture the idea that her precious companion, who was as old as she is, spent his whole life with her, and to her that time went by as if it was an hour. She used the clock image and butterflies so meaningfully...and please do click on the photo to read her journaling...





Voting begins at midnight tonight (Thursday 8-24 into Friday 8-25) and runs through Labor Day, September 5. Voting is unlimited, so people may vote as many time as they'd like while the contest is open - so if I remind you more than once, bear with me! The entry which receives the most votes wins, so anything you can do - posting this to your Facebook, tweeting the link, blogging about it, and forwarding this email to your contact lists will be most appreciated.

You can vote at http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/contests/teen-talent-search-2011.html

Her layout is #11 in the slideshow, so all you need to do is click 'last' at the top right of the choices and you'll be able to cast your vote(s) there.

Please join me in supporting Sofia's artistic dreams, and her emotional expression. It's not often that I come across someone so young who can express such deep feeling in her writing and her art and use it to help soften one of life's most difficult and early losses.

Please vote early and vote often! Thank you in advance for taking the time to help this amazing 16 year old achieve one of her most cherished goals.

Warmly,
Rachel