Behind the Art with Melissa

I'm going to vent for a minute... 

I am so tired of people thinking that if someone is quiet, demure, poised or soft-spoken then they are so very mature. 

If you are loud, goofy, a bit of a slouch (because you kind of don't care), and maybe forget to say please then, that means you are immature.

Grrr...

Okay so, here is the deal.. I went through a period of time when I was a personality test junky. It started with the Myers-Briggs test and went from there. When I received my result (ENFP), and read the description, I was floored. And so very excited! 

Do you want to know why?

It revolutionized how I view myself. 

Yes, I'm loud. Yes, I'm a bit of a goof. Yes, I don't always sit up in my chair. NO, I really don't like to wear dresses but will if I have to. No, I don't like to be alone and yes, I love being the center of attention!

But, according to the ENFP personality profile, that is exactly how I should be and I am not immature. 

So there! Nyah. Bleh. Poo on you!

(Yeah, okay that was immature.)

What I'm trying to get at is, I feel empowered with who I am and can confidently get past others when they tell me to grow up. 

I am grown up. I have a job. Live on my own. Pay my bills. Drive myself where I need to go. Have moved away twice and did some big things on my own. I can have a deep conversation and I love sharing what I have learned from life. 

I chose to do a tilted design to showcase my defiance and love to stir things up. :) I also chose a lot of different patterns together and the alpha was too perfect.

Are you confident with your personality and who you are? Can you relate at all? Sometimes us ENFP's are so very misunderstood, aren't we?

More Pages from our Guest Designer: Jana Maiwald-McCarthy

Hi everyone,

Normally our guest artist would have posts every Friday during the month but, mailing overseas can be a little tricky. Better late than never is my motto! So, without further ado, here are the last two gorgeous pages, with a little "Behind the Art" info, by our talented Guest Artist, Jana Maiwald-McCarthy.

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From Jana: "On this layout you can see me at the end of 2006, after 18 months I found a new love! the beginning was not as easy as i thought! i was very suspicious... but we made it! We got married in December 2008 and "our" child was born in October 2009... this layout made me smile! I had fun creating it!

I love how Jana showcases how our dreams can end in a completely different way. Still beautiful but, not always taking the route we had envisioned. I love that she has found her happy and was able to celebrate that through her page.

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From Jana:  This layout sums up my life together! I am a creative person from head to toe. I love to make art in every kind of mood. It helps me to get out of sad times and it makes me even happier in happy times! The stencil in this kit was perfect for a layout like this! No photo needed, right?!

Jana is living her creative dream! Are you? 

Behind the Art with Felecia

I've got one final layout to share from the Inside Out Live Your Dream kit. 

This time, I addressed a dream I only get to indulge in once in a while, but that I hope to indulge in more as time goes on - the beach.

I LOVE THE BEACH.

Its not for everyone - I get that. Some people are mountain people and some people are desert people and some people are city people. But I love the sand and the sound of water in waves and the smell of salt in the air. 

I pray to one day have a house on the water, where I can just throw open the windows and listen to the waves.

The Pinkfresh Studio paper is just awesome..I love this line!

I tried out my new layering technique again and really liked how the papers all stacked up to make some dimension.

Once again, the letters included in the kit are the PERFECT size and shape, but didn't pop for my layout...so I colored them with a teal pen and got just what I was looking for. 

I ended by splattering a little gold mist and adding some washi from my stash to make "waves" and "sand".

This one dream I hope to be living more sooner rather than later!!!

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Jen

Hi Artsy friends!  Do you always use a photo on your pages?  For this one, I didn't. I used a picture from the kit.  It was more about the journey or process for this page.  I started with the white paper and knew I needed to get some color on there!  I started with some Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gold Texture Luxe brushed on the right hand side.  I then used the marker to color on a non-stick mat and added water to create a puddle.  I pressed the paper onto the puddle and allowed it to go where it was pressed. Serendipity!

 I loved the papers and wanted to create layers of shapes. So, I cut 3 pieces using Cricut's Close to My Heart Artbooking cartridge.  I chose different sizes for each layer.  When layered,they create different levels of shapes and positive/negative space relationships. I tucked the little card in there to connect the idea of the journey (or process).

 I never knew that I would crave exercise. Actually, I avoided it.  Sweat, sore muscles, and time were my excuses.  I just didn't know how much I needed it.  Once I got passed the difficult start, I was hooked.  I need it everyday!  Now, my dream includes setting fitness goals and breaking through them. I've run up to 6 miles and my speed is faster than I thought I'd ever go!  My body is changing in a positive way and my mind is clear and focused when I run. It's not just about goals, it's about being healthy and getting what my body needs.

 Who would have thought that I'd be doing this 2 years ago.  I started this journey a year from March and I have achieved more than I thought I could.  I am setting new goals, however scary they are (can you say 1/2 Marathon?) and I will achieve them!  I am confident now that I can!

 What dreams do you have that you set but really didn't know if you could achieve them?  How do you feel when you do achieve them? It's amazing what achieve a goal does for your self-confidence and mind!

Behind the Art with Melissa

Hello everyone,

I would like to be your living testament to what it's like to make your dream reality. Is there something burning deep inside of you that you've wanted to do? Perhaps you've caught yourself daydreaming about a certain possibility and just haven't taken the next step.

Well ladies (and gents if you're out there), I'd like to push you off the cliff of daydreams and longings. Just go for it! Don't let fear stop you. Don't let others voices of negativity hold you back. You know yourself better than anybody and if you've got a dream that just isn't leaving you alone then you best be trusting that gut and following through.

I am living proof that doing so is the most exhilarating and character growing action one can make. 

Well yeah Melissa, you say, but what if I do that and it all falls flat. 

Then it does.

What, you say, are you serious? My life will be over!

No it won't.

Whatever lady, you say.

Listen, let me tell you a little bit more about my perspective with this - life is too short to not take that first step. 

Will it always end up exactly how you envisioned it? Nope. 

Are you going to get some scraps and bruises along the way? Quite possibly.

But, the beautiful part of it is that you will gain confidence. You will become stronger. You've got to choose that, though. It's all a matter of how you choose to handle it!

For me? I finally learned to grow. Sure my dreams may have not lived up to my expectations. Sure, I may have been ready to give up almost as quickly as I put them into motion. Sure, I had people tell me I was crazy or not giving it enough thought. But, you know what gosh darnit? I tried and learned and grew as a woman. And that's a pretty beautiful thing!

I love this kit Live Your Dream. 

LIVE YOUR DREAM. Live it! Don't just imagine it. Freaking live it woman! You totally can.

I loved this photo I found with the feet next to the cliff. How scary, right? Have you ever gone cliff jumping? It's so scary but, the adrenaline and feelings of conquering something huge are sooooo much bigger than the fear. That few seconds of fear dissolve so fast after the jump is complete. 

Can you think of any dreams you want to set in motion? Grab a kit, use our prompts and imagery to record those dreams. But, don't just leave it on the page.

Go out and make it your reality!

Guest Contributing Artist: Jana Maiwald-McCarthy

Hello and happy Friday everyone!

I am so happy to introduce you to our guest artist Jana Maiwald-McCarthy. We are a little late bringing you her beautiful pages thanks to the ever amazing international mailing system. But, I am a firm believer in "better late than never" because her pages are surely going to inspire you!

She is sharing some Behind the Art with two of her pages using the August kit Live Your Dream.

Here is what Jana shares about this page:

"i was on a girls trip back in april. as a mom of 3 it´s pure luxury to have a weekend off! the photo shows me infront of a big mirror in the 5 stars hotel! this weekend filled me with happiness! i really enjoyed the process of this layout... the journaling is nearly the same i told you right now"

How many of us have dreamed of a weekend away? Jana did a beautiful job capturing a moment that was very meaningful and luxurious for her. 

Here is what Jana shares about this page:

"when i was 25 yrs old my world stopped for a while! my husband left me... and i was alone with 2 (very young) kids! i believed in us, in him... but i failed! false dreams, false paths! it took me a few months (10 to be serious) to get back into my "normal" life! the process of the layout was not so easy, i felt the pain i felt 10 yrs ago... i cried! but i am happy this happened... i am a better me, a stronger me!"

This powerful page is such a beautiful way to express your inner world. Your deep, heart emotion. Those difficult moments in life can be hard to go back to but, oh so healing after a good creative journaling session.

You can see more of Jana's work via her blog and Instagram.

Next Friday we will share her other two pages created with the August Live Your Dream kit.

Behind the Art with Felecia

Hello, fellow artists!! How is everyone faring with their Live Your Dream kit???

As I explore the idea of living my dream, I have to say that I am living dreams now that I didn't even have an awareness of not so long ago.

If those who knew me 20 years ago could never have imagined me a mom who cooks and loves just being a family person.

As life has unfolded with my husband and two boys, its clear that life with these three other people is certainly living a dream...but until they came along, I wouldn't have called it my dream.

And its so amazing, because having them has unfolded other dreams, deep desires, I have...to be a good cook, to live in a way that supports their uniqueness, to be the "stay at home mom" (which is TRULY not a dream I ever expected!), to see them succeed and fail and laugh and grow and discover..all these things were never part of my original plan!

May layout is EXTRAORDINARILY simple...pictures and journaling, a title. I loved the images on this paper, and couldn't bear to hide them behind pictures, so I just cut out those that were behind my photos and popped them up with some dimensional adhesive.

I used the amazing gold pen to outline my pictures and underline my journaling to give it a bit of pop. 

I wonder if you've got any dreams that have unexpectedly unfolded before you. Have you awakened one morning to find that you are really in the midst of a dream unfolding and it is not at all where you anticipated being?

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Jen

Hi Artsy friends! 

Jen here to share one of my favorite pages from the Live Your Dream kit this August!

 I immediately was drawn to this painterly dots paper from the kit and knew exactly what photo I wanted to use!  It's a photo that was taken in the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft booth from last CHA.  I had worn heels all day and by the last hour, I took them off for some relief but kept right on demonstrating and helping others create! I didn't think anyone would notice my bare feet on that white sumptuous carpet!  A friend took this photo and shared it with me!  I was at first embarrassed to be caught with a less-than-professional shot but laughed because it totally was the photo that summed up that week!  Full of creation and feet aching!

I'd like to think that I created inspiration for the people that came to the booth looking to see the newest mediums and colors.  I absolutely LOVE working with their products and demonstrating their awesomeness is easy for me!  It was a thrill to hear people thank me and get excited about what they created and the products!

 I used some Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft products on this page too.  The "create" was created with Whipped Spackle through the stencil from the kit! I did that three times around the page.  Threes are good in that they create a visual triangle that pleases the eye and brings the viewer around the area. The scribbles and splatters were created with the Stamper's Bit Brush pen in Black & PITT Artist pen in Gold and Black.

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 I'm so drawn to circles and all of these colorful circles made me so happy!  I added some scribbly ones with the pens to create landing points for the viewer's eyes and some flair!  The puffy stickers were also a favorite so some of those went on the circles and I scribbled around them.

 Aren't those letters adorable?  I love the artsy feel they gave the page without being too in-your-face about it!  They are super sweet!  Here's a close up of the pen. I added a bit of Texture Luxe too in there just for the gold splatters.  I love this page.  It sends me back to last January and all the fun, memories, and friends I made at CHA Anaheim!  I hope I inspired you to get that pen out and scribble on your pages! 

Behind the Art with Felecia

One of my most exciting dreams that I have the incredible blessing to live is designing for Inside Out. I have to say that there would be a LOT less of me in my own pages without this amazing company. 

And I also have to say that the monthly themes get a lot more of ME onto the page. I really enjoy thinking through each one and determining what is important to me about each topic. They stretch my creativity too because the products are not products I would normally purchase for myself. (Lets face it...my world is filled with boys and most of my scrapbook work is about them!) 

So...THIS is most certainly living a dream for me - a creative dream that stretches me, fills my soul, breathes new life into my art and helps me to get me in those pages...I couldn't ask for a more rewarding opportunity!

I really just wanted to showcase this amazing paper...so I just painted a bit of white paint to mute the background.

I've been learning and experimenting with a more free-form layering technique and gave it a shot here with both the A and B sides of the Webster's Pages papers plus a little bit of cardstock. I LOVE how it turned out - dimension and color that still fits into my pretty clean style. A little paper clip form the kit draws your eye to the picture.

Of course, I had to throw in some shiney bits - so I just color matched a few sequins here and there to pop the background.

The letters are such a magnificent shape, but the colors didn't pop when I tried the title...so I colored them black with a marker to make them stand out. This actually worked well for me on another layout as well.

Artistic endeavors are soul filling and I'm extraordinarily blessed to get to do this with a company that is really focused on healing, exploring and filling our souls through art...Its a once in a lifetime gift!

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Melissa

A dream was placed in my heart several years ago. My restless heart that always has to be on the go! I had visited Chicago multiple times and, each time I left, a little piece of me stayed.

Well, that dream finally became a reality in 2012. I sold my car and all my furniture. Packed the rest of my life into 4 boxes and 3 pieces of luggage and moved across the country. I didn't have a job but, did have a place to live. 

I still can't believe it happened.

During the months leading up to the move, I created many pages about my thoughts. I'm sure people were getting annoyed with how much I talked and created about Chicago. 

Chicago. Chicago. Chicago.

But, it was that big of a deal to me at the time. HUGE in fact. And, a big move is a pretty significant life turning point. 

I survived the big city for two years. I lived in a neighborhood called Logan Square and worked downtown. I walked among the skyscrapers, ate Chicago pizza and became a local. I mastered the Chicago Transit system and got annoyed with people who said they lived in Chicago but, actually lived in a suburb. (No, it's not the same thing!) I lived through major storms and even experienced a few tornado warnings. I learned the Chicagoans do not deal with the rain quite as relaxed as I do and cab drivers are crazy. I became a Blackhawks fan and will remain one as long as I like hockey.

It was an amazing time as a dream of mine became reality.

I was definitely living my dream.

I loved the mask included with this kit! I love the arrows and directional symbolism they give the layout. I liked using them for bits of journal type words and to show how actually getting off your tushy and moving is what makes your dreams come true.

I will say, sometimes the reality of our dreams are not how we envision them. Chicago ended up blowing my mind. I grew in my character and found out how much more I'm capable of. I still love that city and am so thankful for the experience.

However, sometimes dreams and reality shift. I've been back in my pacific northwest hometown for a little over a year now. I'm so happy to be back and have some incredible memories to ponder from my two years as a big city girl. 

What about you? What dreams are you or have you made reality? Why not grab our current kit LIVE YOUR DREAM and create about it! Your heart and soul will thank you.

Behind the Art with Felecia

I had mentioned in my post from July 23rd. that I was heading to California to do a reunion concert with some folks I sang with many moons ago...

How amazing and timely that we would get the amazing Live Your Dream kit for THIS month so I could document my amazing trip!

I had so many ideas for this kit...I was really bursting at the seams to do some layouts!

So in this one, I just really wanted to get the memory of doing one more show with these guys out on paper. This is something I have thought about often over the years. 

It was AMAZING fun to be with these guys and meet the families they have all grown over the years, to see the kids I've not seen since they were toddlers and to meet the new kids.

I love each and every one of them so much and it was an exciting and heart-filling trip. 

THIS was my dream once...to be a singer in a rock-n-roll band. It still feels very natural after all this time and once I got a few songs down the road, it didn't seem like any time had passed...

Well...except the high notes just aren't what they used to be. 

I really wanted to convey how amazing and fun the event was!  The colors from this kit are just out of this world and it was EXACTLY what I needed for these pics. There were a lot of pictures, but not enough to really do a double page layout any justice, so I printed them all in the three inch range and clustered them together for effect. 

The horizontal bands of color give focus and organization to the pictures and the journaling without diminishing the fun and exuberance. 

Not to mention the journal card sentiments and the stickers...oh! Just perfect! I cut the sentiment out of one and anchored my title with it. 

A friend told me when I was contemplating this reunion that sometimes you just can't go back. I think in many ways, he's right...but THIS was not so much a going back as a moving forward with new peace and love for the people I did this with once upon a time.

Sometimes Living a Dream means giving an old dream new life in a new form and with a new heart and new eyes.

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Melissa

I am very aware that I'm a dreamer. I'm constantly living in a state of visualizing my future or dreaming up ideals of scenarios that could or should happen. It's part of who I am. In the past, it was an escape. Now, I use it to catapult myself and launch into stepping out and making those dreams reality. 

It can be lots of fun.

It can be extremely frustrating.

But, it's me and I've learned to embrace it and value it.

I really wanted to use this kit to it's full potential. When I saw the patterns from the Pinkfresh Studio papers, I loved all the movement. It reminded me of my dreams and how random and chaotic they can be. But, strangely enough, in the midst of that chaos, there is order too.

I grabbed the paper with the large lines and used that for the backdrop. Sure, it adds a bit of chaos but, to me, lines symbolize stability and direction. Then, I added the layer of circles. I cut strips of them from the pattern paper to layer behind my photo. Circles remind me of bubbles and bouncy balls. They are all over the place. But, someone usually catches one. Right? The same with my dreams... and how I make them reality.

Stars were a fun element to bring into this page. Something I've really grabbed onto is that my dreams are part of who I am. And I've gained confidence in myself so, the natural thing to do is SHINE. (Hey! Like our kit last month!) Plus, don't you think of the stars and the moon and all kinds of dreamy nightscapes when it comes to the theme of DREAM? 

So, am I livin' the dream right now? I think I'm living a dream that I couldn't have come up with on my own. My life is pretty awesome right now and I'm enjoying every minute of it. It far exceeds my dreams. 

Grab an August LIVE YOUR DREAM kit, from Inside Out Visual Journaling, today! Explore and express your inner thoughts, dreams, hopes, desires and loves. It's easy. It's amazing. It's healing.