The SHINE Kit is Live: Let your light SHINE.

Be true to you - and let it all be seen! Your story is full of  both light and dark...and it's the shading that gives it dimension.

We want to inspire you to shine, glow and celebrate all that you are. What fills you with radiance? What light inside you do you want to set free and use to light your life and the world?

Paper:

Pink Paislee Citrus Bliss lemonade                        

Pink Paislee Citrus Bliss bloom              

Pink Paislee Citrus Bliss citrus                  

Pink Paislee Citrus Bliss squeeze                            

Webster's Pages #Happy sprinkles                           

Webster's Pages #Happy stargazing               

Webster's Pages #Happy surprise                             

Webster's Pages #Happy dancing

Embellishments:  

Crate Paper Craft Market Marquee Chipboard Thickers - Aqua

Webster's pages #Happy mini alphas - pink            

Webster's pages #Happy storyteller sheet 1          

Webster's pages #Happy storyteller sheet 2

Ranger  TH Findings Mirrored Stars 5-6 pcs

Crate Paper Craft Market Puffy Stickers   

Pink Paislee citrus bliss ephemera pack - 21 pcs

Queen and Co twinkle stars clear, 10 pcs

        

Color:

Faber-Castell Big Brush Pens  light cobalt blue 154                 

Technique:

The Crafters Workshop Carmen Medlin Stencil  sunlit forest             

Cardstock:

My Mind's Eye fireflies canvas             

My Mind's Eye french rose dot             

My Mind's Eye pink delight glimmer                

My Mind's Eye white classic    

The Story Behind the Art with Felecia

For my first project for the I AM Kit, felt a little bit...well..intimidated. The first thing I did was rifle through all the amazing supplies and sort of segregate them out into groups I thought might make good projects. 

I have to admit I was more than in love with the gold "beautiful" and the gold "I Am" stickers. 

But I thought, "NAH!!! I can't do a layout about how beautiful I am!" 

And then I thought...well...why not?!??!?!  

My inner dialog is a very special thing, my friends. I'm so glad I get to filter it just a bit. 

Suffice it to say, I had a bit of an argument with myself over WHY I couldn't do a project about being beautiful...

And THAT is where my journaling came from.

You know, I obviously have some things to work out in this area...but I really doubt I'm alone in this struggle.

And its really time that I personally address where my perceptions of beauty come from.  Not because I'm looking for any external affirmation, but just because I need to give myself a foundation of appreciation over my own inner and outer beauty, over what makes me "me" and over how little the magazines know about what MY life is like. 

I AM beautiful...

Peace, ya'll!

The I AM Kit is Live

It's been said that there are no more powerful words than I AM for what you place after them shapes your destiny. 

This is your time...be who you are and BEcome who you want to be. Let your hands create your heart. 

Buy now by clicking on the image above.

Behind the Art with Jen

What can I say?  Little things make me happy.... Like pedicures and pretty feet.  It's snowing and in the negative digits outside right now!  I don't care... I want my toes to look pretty!  So, I take a little time for myself once a month (okay, sometimes twice a month!).  It is my time to relax and have someone pamper me.

I love the warm water, the soft lotions, the massage chair, and the time to sit and read alone.  It's such a  funny thing to go to my favorite nail place and see, not only women but men who are getting their feet smoothed and polished.  The last time I went, all the chairs were taken by 30ish year old men.  It was a riot!  They loved having their feet done!  It's good for everyone!

 

 The journaling of this page was almost entirely from one of the cards in my kit.  I loved the statements of relaxation... the list of reasons to chill.  So, I underlined or set off a few that really captured my page.  I only added a few written statements under the photo.  I also love the rub-ons to add to my photo!

 The cork and kraft accents made me so happy!  I love them so much! 

 Do you get pedicures to escape reality or to relax?  Does it revive you?  I know if I didn't go at least once a month, I would have nasty looking feet but also not have that time to unwind.  Take time to revive yourself!

Behind the Art with Felecia

“Everything begins with a decision. Then, we have to manage that decision for the rest of your life.”  - John C. Maxwell.

When I heard John Maxwell explain his statement about decisions, I found it profound. it got me thinking about some of the things I may have decided long ago that I am just managing - good or bad. 

I really started paying attention to how my decisions make me feel  - some make me feel helpless while others are empowerin. One of my decisions has been to plant good things in my brain - Garbage in, Garbage, out, right?

For me, that means my Bible - and a cup of coffee. This daily ritual, something I do every day...even if its at my desk with an on-line Bible. I find things like Proverbs and Psalms so inspiring, and honestly, quite practical. 

I have often used butterflies to symbolize the lightness and freedom that certain things give me. My Bible time does this for me...it gives me lightness and a great sense of excitement. I look at my world with a sense of expectation that something wonderful is going to burst forth.

These small moments of restoration refresh my eyes and my spirit to pay attention to the marvelous things that happen in the world, to focus on joy and kindness, to see and be excited by the spontaneous goodness around me. 

Moments of restoration don't have to be long spa days or days at the beach (although i'm never going to turn either one down!)- they can be moments of simple grace you give yourself in the midst of your day...

Peace, ya'll!

Behind the Art with Jen

When I turned 40, I realized that all my life I was always working at losing weight for whatever reason or another.  I would beat myself up about having a bad food day or feel guilty about it all.  Now I realize that each day is a chance to make good choices... it's all up to me and my mindset.  If I make bad choices, I feel bad BUT tomorrow is a new day.  I choose to live life in a healthy way now. I don't want all the junk that makes me feel bad or guilty.  If I want to splurge, it has to be worth it to me. I don't want to feel bad about my choices. So, if I see a dessert and it is my favorite (key lime pie or birthday cake) then I will not deprive myself, but if it's just convenient or there and I don't really love it, then it's not worth the calories!  It's not worth the regret I will feel over it.  It's about realistic choices.

My daily life is full of family, responsibilities, work, my art, and the activities that keep me healthy and feeling good.  I don't feel guilty about taking time to myself to workout, take karate, or run. Those times are my escape, renewal and "me" time!  I used to hate working out and getting sweaty. Now, I schedule it in like a meeting... I need it!  When I don't workout for a couple days, I am antsy and agitated.

 

 It's not just food or workout choices.  I have to choose to be positive or negative.  Do I respond with love and understanding to others or be impatient or unkind?  I have the power to change my mindset and control what I say and do.  No one else can do that.  But my choices do have an effect on my daily mental attitude.  I need to take care of myself so I can take care of others! 

 Is there something in your life that renews you?  What is the something that gives you strength and keeps you motivated?

Behind the Art with Jen Matott

Hi friends!  I wanted to share a page that I created with the new "Restore" kit!  It never ceases to amaze me how Rachel puts these kits together with a word that complements the imagery, designs and gorgeous colors! This one was no exception!  It's dreamy and beautiful.

For this page I knew I wanted to use that woodgrain textured cardstock for a background!  I sprayed some of the walnut spray near the center of the paper and allowed it to drip a bit.  Once it was dry, I used the Crafter's Workshop stencil and Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Whipped Spackle to create a little texture on top of the sprayed area. Lots of drips and some embellishments make the page!

 I knew I wanted to create a page that was framed by the soft greens and pinks.  After a visit to CHA 2015 in Anaheim, California I came back refreshed and excited about all that I had seen and those that I talked to!  Even though I love to travel, I always find it hard to recreate a space for myself that feels normal.  I have a workout routine that I do at home and when I'm in a strange place, it can suffer.  I want to create a similar routine while away.  I did run one day and let me tell you how nice it was to do that without coats, many layers, and snow! 

 Being home in the cold can really wear on you!  I think when I visited Cali, I felt that I was restored inside and out.  I did my best to keep to a schedule and find time to relax, work, and exercise.  I was renewed visiting a warmer climate even when it was below zero degrees at home!  I could've gotten very used to the California winters!  It made it easy to keep up with my routine but also allow for special events and meeting up with friends!

 What renews you when the weather is harsh?  What kind of routines do you need to keep while traveling?

RESTORE Yourself in this Month of Love...

Restore your soul and reach for your inner peace with our new kit. Cork elements create a focal point for your most central and inward-focused to do items. Hand-drawn images and words evoke daydream-y doodles and love notes. Heartfelt cards and papers with romance themes remind you that loving yourself is the pre-requisite for all other love. 

Send your heart and soul a love letter with RESTORE and remember your essential and honest self-worth.

Subscription and other membership options available HERE

Why subscribe?

- high quality art materials worth $55 for only $39.95
- members-only deep and meaningful weekly journaling prompts and guidance
- exclusive private FB community and webpage with quotations, music and images to stir your creative heart
- monthly free (for members) emotion-centric live presentation workshop with Inside Out founder Rachel Kaufman to create and be inspired (recording available)

Paper:

Crate Paper Notes and Things So Simple            

Crate Paper Notes and Things Noted   

Crate Paper Notes and Things Honest 

Crate Paper Notes and Things Inbox    

Crate Paper Notes and Things Signed  

Crate Paper Notes and Things Schedule             

We R Memory Keepers Love Notes French Doors     

We R Memory Keepers Love Notes Secret Crush      

We R Memory Keepers Love Notes Sweetheart       

We R Memory Keepers Love Notes Heartbeat           

Embellishments:

Crate Paper Notes and Things Thickers Alphas - Wood Letter Stickers 

Websters Pages All That Glitters Little Letter Sticker - Mint             

Crate Paper Notes and Things Rubons 

Jillibean Soup Soup Staples III kraft tags circle, 6 pcs

Jillibean Soup Mini Placemats Here's the Story, 3 pcs               

We R Memory Keepers Love Notes Love Notes Cork Stickers, 1/2 sheet

We R Memory Keepers Shine Shine Acrylic Shapes, 1/2 sheet

We R Memory Keepers Sequins Pink Sequin Stickers, 1/2 sheet

We R Memory Keepers Love Notes Journaling cards, 1/4 pkg

Color:

Imagine Crafts Walnut Ink Cherry Blossom Mini-Spritzer

Technique:

The Crafters Workshop Ronda Palazzari Beaded Curtain Stencil

Cardstock:

American Crafts White   

American Crafts Dark Kraft            

American Crafts White Woodgrain            

American Crafts Chestnut Woodgrain 

Behind the Art with Jen Matott

Moving FORWARD or onward. I like the thought of moving forward even when I'm wishing time would slow down.  It doesn't make sense to me to stand still where it's comfortable.  What has always been is comfortable.  Change is hard and scary! 

  I had taking this photograph in the driveway of my parent's house. It is symbolic of a couple things: 1) Autumn leaves signify change to me.  The season's change and the trees change.  You can't prevent the leaves from changing color and falling any more than you can stop time.
2) I'm always coming home to my childhood residence because my parents are still there.  They have been a constant in my life but even so, it is different being an adult and realizing that life must not have been easy for them, as parents.  I know it's not easy for me at times!  I appreciate them so much and am thankful that they encouraged me to grow up and move forward even if that was really hard for them to let go.

 

 These kraft triangles are adorable and I layered some bits of papers behind them.  The gorgeous glimmery spray was perfect to add a touch of sparkle to the papers.

 Arrows were symbolic in this page for moving forward even though I can look behind me and remember where I came from.

 Now that I'm 40 years old and a parent, I think it's especially important to look forward and plan for change.  I love my kids and my family!  It's amazing to notice how big my kids have gotten and how much they have changed.  It makes me sad some days and I want to slow time down so I can keep them little for a little longer.  Ultimately, I know I can't do that.... so I have to remind myself to just keep up... Keep moving

 It also means that I keep moving forward in my goals!  This past year, I started on a fitness and nutrition goals and I want to keep momentum on the progress I've made! 

What do you want to move forward with this year?