What is Delight, Anyway?

I'll be honest. It's not automatic for me to see the DELIGHT in life. I've often imagined that great, blissful happiness would come with the big picture 'wins' - success, love, etc...whatever those things mean.

In our culture, it's easy to compare yourself to others, as we discussed last month with our April theme, CONTENTMENT. There will always be someone, no, let's face the truth, millions of 'someones' who have more, do more and accomplish more. And of course, millions upon millions who are on the other side of you, struggling, in pain and dealing with very difficult life circumstances.

It's taken a number of things, some in my control and some out of my control, to improve my ability to see the joy and mirth in life, to go beyond CONTENTMENT and touch DELIGHT. If you're struggling with seeing the positive, here are some suggestions...

• Consider therapy. It's not the same as talking to a friend. Having someone on your team who is completely focused on helping you achieve clarity, with no personal stake other than your happiness and growth, is amazing. It's the best financial (and other) investment I have ever made. And if money is what's stopping you, look into your insurance and then ask around for referrals. Someone I know is on an insurance panel and charges $20 a visit as a copay. You're worth it. There are some amazing, loving, healing people out there waiting to be of service.
• Remember that life isn't a bed of roses, but it's not a giant thorn bush either, although it feels that way at times. Yes, there are losses...but there are gains too. Those of you who have been reading for a while know that I lost two of the great loves of my life in 2010 and suffered greatly. I think of Bart and Barry every single day. I missed them especially yesterday on my birthday.

• Scrapbook about your journey. Telling these stories has helped me consolidate my emotions and express pain in a way that enables healing...and it took me time. I couldn't scrapbook about either of these losses for just under a year.

As seen in Creating Keepsakes' January/February 2012 issue. Copyright Creative Crafts Group. Posted with prior permission from the publisher.

• And (not BUT) I also choose to take delight in the new additions to my life. Georgie and Huxley are so precious, in part because I am now so keenly aware of the fragility of life and the quick passage of time.

 

And when you see these smiles, it's hard not to join in, if you let yourself; it hasn't been easy, but a slow, gentle allowance and patience with myself has opened my heart to the great blessings the universe has bestowed.

 
So what is DELIGHT? It's the big things, it's the small things, but mostly it's giving yourself the gift of seeing what's in front of you...and jumping in.


Love,

Sketch It Saturday!

Hi Everyone! I thought that I would take time again to show you some places where you kind find the resources for some GREAT sketches...

One of my favorite resources is with Creating Keepsakes Magazine. 

They make it SO easy!! 

With every issue you can find online the sketches... how much easier could it be???

Here is the link for Creating Keepsakes March/April 2012 Issue Sketches

And.. the best part.. it tells you on what page the layout is on.. and that can spark LOTS of inspiration.

How can YOU use the NEW Grace kit and create with sketches?

See you tmrw!

CHA Day 2 and 2 Days Until The DREAM Kit

Fantastic day 2 at CHA...so much to report, but the hour is late!

Here were some of our faves today...

Basic Grey's Plumeria Line

Gunmetal Bloomers Trim from Webster's Pages

Pink Paislee's lovely Prarie Hill

 

Webster's new Clean and Simple Lines for each new collection...dream come true!

Fancy Pants 'Be You'. How very apropos.

 

Dyan Reavely's awesome signature line for Ranger...Dylusions! Fantastic rich color spray and much more...

We also had an amazing time with our friends at Creating Keepsakes Magazine - wonderful women who truly understand and value our mission! Stay tuned for upcoming BIG news on our joint future plans!

And as promised, we're counting down to the release of our newest kit, DREAM. Three days until we can share DREAM with you in all its delicate, deep and dreamy glory... Here's a second closeup of the DREAM kit...can you pick out the products in this sneak peek? Name three items by manufacturer and you'll be entered to win our February countdown giveaway...Tim Holtz' Wings and Crown Metal Embelishments, a recent subscriber bonus. Make sure to submit your guesses here in the comments today and on the posts for the next two days of the countdown and you can walk away with these goodies! This giveaway ends at Midnight Pacific time on the 31st.

What do you see?

And don't forget ANOTHER way to win...if you start a new subscription or renew your current one on the DREAM kit release date, February 1st, you'll be entered to win a a huge set of paper and embellishments from four collections courtesy of our friends at Authentique. Make sure to come back each day and go for the win!

Stay tuned for more tomorrow!

 

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