Behind the Art with Melissa

Hi everyone!

Melissa here with you today sharing another page I created using the Shine kit.

Sometimes, I go onto Pinterest and look up quotes that pertain to our monthly themes. I do this when my brain just isn't doing a very good job thinking up good journaling. 100% of the time, a quote jumps out at me. It's exactly what I need to read at the right time.

I found this quote: Dream Big. Sparkle More. Shine Bright.

I love that! I'm such an optimist and dreamer that, after reading that, I got a little giddy and couldn't wait to record my thoughts about it on a page.

My personality is an ENFP. That's from the Myers-Briggs personality test. I've taken it many times in different ways and always get the same result. My personality is one that shines, naturally. It can't be helped. And I love it! I'm an extrovert to the core. I love people and I love being around them. So, it's easy for me to shine around others! 

I decided that this newfound quote was going to become my mantra. Because, let's face it, even though my personality is a positive and exuberant one, we are all human. I still go through moments of depression or angst. And, I can get very dramatic. It goes both ways. The positive and the not so positive. Ha! 

I used a cut file for the backdrop of this page to symbolize sparkle. It reminded me of how the sun sparkles on top of water. 

Hey, did you know we have a Pinterest board each month for our kits? It's a great place to go for some added inspiration. Head over and I hope you can gain some inspiration, like I did, for this journaling page! 

Thanks for joining me here today!

Behind the Art with Melissa

Hi everyone,

Melissa here with you sharing a page I created using the July kit Shine.

The theme of this kit intrigued me. Mostly because there are so many ways one can approach this. So, in my usual ways, I jotted down a bunch of phrases pertaining to shine and my inner world:

- shine from within
- light
- reflection
- brilliance
- radiate

Radiate caught my attention. So, then I began the thought process of, "What is it that I radiate?" "What do I think I should radiate?"

Something I hear, time and time again, is that I'm a joyful person. I'm optimistic and I radiate JOY.

A Ha!

I do tend to agree with that and I love that part of my personality.

I did something quite purposeful with this page. It still makes me nervous but, I'm sticking with it! The title is placed over my face because, I want to symbolize how my JOY is something I want people to notice first. It isn't something blocking me or getting in my way... but, it is something that I embrace about myself and I love sharing WHY I have that joy deep within.

How perfect is the sentiment on that vellum piece? TOO perfect! Right??? 

There is a lot to be joyful about lately and it was fun to record this. The journal is hidden since I had a lot to say but you can read it here...

My journaling is mostly focusing on the moments when I don't feel joyful. I really do know that I'm a positive person, overall but, sometimes those moments of feeling stressed and not so joyful come up. Because, well let's face it, we live in an imperfect world and that's how it is. But, I still here from others how calm and joyful I seem... even while on the inside I'm feeling knots and twists and all kinds of uncomfortable feelings. 

I really do love that! And after thinking about this page some more, I LOVE an embrace this part of my personality!

So, what do YOU radiate? Record it with one of our kits! Grab yours HERE.

Brave You

Hi everyone,

Our Brave kit is live!

We want to see you be Brave. We really do. What can you do to step out of your comfort zone and get BRAVE?

Allow me to help give some inspiration by sharing a little bit more about one of my pages.

This kit is so full of amazing symbolism... not to mention amazing product!

Recently, I have taken the step to take back my health. A group of friends and I have started the Whole30. Some might say it's scary, difficult or takes some guts but, I have not felt any of those things.  In fact, I'm so tired of living in this body and feeling the way I do, I'm actually excited!

I think what makes me Brave, is my willingness to share and be transparent. What I have learned is that by stepping out of my comfort zone, I find that there are others in this world that are experiencing the same thing and that is invigorating!

God. My friends. A good attitude. All these things are helping me step out of my comfort zone and, not only improve my health but, also be public and transparent about it. I plan to retake a photo of myself in the post after the 30 days. And, I'll repeat. If taking care of me is Brave... then it's pretty easy.

Behind the Art with Melissa

Hello and happy Tuesday!

Okay, so I'm going to need you to bear with me here. I know this can be a touchy issue for those going through recovery. But I'm all about being real and honest. I'm not apologizing and, at the same time, I just want to give you the warning. I'm talking about libations here...

As I was going through Instagram, as I often do when preparing these pages, I noticed a plethora of photos I took of my libations and cocktails. I'm not a heavy drinker but, I do enjoy something tasty after a long day at work. Naturally, I had to record this.

Now, I'm not sure how conducive this is to restoration but, I will say, I usually feel pretty relaxed and find myself enjoying the time with my friends on these evenings (and every blue moon... an afternoon!)

I pulled a lot of the lighter colors and butterflies for this page because this isn't a heavy subject matter for me. It's suppose to be light hearted and, gasp, humorous. I'm kind of teasing myself too because of all the photos I found I took of my cocktail nights.

But, honestly, those times are so important to me when it comes to restoring my brain and allowing the stress to dissipate.

So, what is it for you? Tea? Ooooh... chamomile tea... See? That does it for me too. I feel relaxed just thinking about it. Or maybe you love your water and a good book to go with. 

Take time for YOU! 

Behind the Art with Melissa

Sometimes there is a kit that just hits me in the gut and it was this one.

The name along - RESTORE - should be a perfect indicator as to the journey my heart would be going on as I recorded my pages.

The first page I am sharing is one that records WHAT things or living objects restore my soul. What can I count on, physically around me, to continually be a source for soul restoration... the place I go to feel peace and healing. To quiet my raging mind and heart and listen to the words God wants to whisper to me.

Naturally, I had to record about where I live. I absolutely love the Pacific Northwest. I love where my little hamlet is nestled. You see those islands out there? That is the tip of the San Juan Islands. Yep... that's my back yard. I am one blessed chica! It is beautiful on a clear day! There are some amazing parks and, one in particular, that I frequent. I can't even begin to describe the overwhelming peace that flows over me when I walk out by the water.

I used a lot of the "natural" elements from the kit for this page. Browns... earthy colors... and a lot of the cork. I think, from a design perspective, it plays off nicely with my photo. And from a symbolic perspective, I love the nitty gritty it provides. Because when we do REAL restoration of our souls, you gotta strip stuff away... prime it... and make it beautiful. 

A mix of earthy, blingy and stitching... it all goes together, don't you think?

Behind the Art with Melissa {PLUS a GIVEAWAY!}

Happy Birthday!!!

Wait.

What?

Yes, you read that right. Happy Birthday to ME! I love celebrating my birthdays. I've reached a point where I'm trying not to get wrapped up in the number but, instead, celebrate the year previous and anticipate the goodness that is to come. Count my blessings and move forward in life. I think you could do the same! Right?

Sure you can!

Well, I'm not only here to share more about one of my pages BUT, I am sneaking in a GIVEAWAY! I like to give away things on my birthday. :)

Stay tuned at the bottom of this page for more about the giveaway. In the meantime, let's take a closer look at this page I made, using the January kit FORWARD.

When I think about Forward, I think about movement. Keepin' on keepin' on.

But... I think that it is okay to ponder the past too. For example, my page is documenting the thought of everything I have been through this past year - the good and the bad. The exciting and the painful. And I look at it all with optimistic eyes. Each moment of this past year was a learning opportunity. I grew, I was molded and can see the better within as I type this.

Some of the kit contents I pulled for this page were quite intentional. I used the paper that looks like darts because I like the idea of having a bullseye... a target for my future. Something to work towards this coming year and using what I have learned from the previous.

The wood because it reminds me of being raw and real. When you chop down a tree, the inside of the log reveals the trees age. I like the thought of wood symbolizing me revealing what is going on inside my head and heart. 

The mask because of the words. That's pretty literal.

And a heart because, honestly, we have to love ourselves in order to truly take care of ourselves. 

I'm so excited for this coming year! I'm excited to recall events, thoughts and feelings from 2014 and see how they relate to what is coming up. 

And with all this birthday excitement, I want to give you a gift.

The AUTHENTIC kit...

If you are not a subscriber yet nor someone who has checked out our kits, I want you to experience the amazing and liberating feeling that comes with creating from the inside out! 

This lovely gift will go to one lucky commenter who will celebrate my birthday with me! 

How to be eligible? 

I'm going to make it simple for you...

Simply leave a comment telling me one thing you are looking forward to this year. It can be anything. Make it short and sweet or tell me a story. Make sure to leave me a way to contact you (email) should you be the winner!

Bonus points for sharing this giveaway OR our current kit FORWARD on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter. Just let me know in the comments that you did that and I'll add another little notch next to your name. 

The giveaway will close on Monday, January 12th, 9 p.m. PST, and the winner will be announced with my next Behind the Art post on Tuesday, January 13th. 

Behind the Art with Felecia

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!  Felecia here to share a bit about my layout "Kiss"

It seems appropriate on Thanksgiving that I would share a layout about kisses from Heaven...

I'm a fan of modern dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp. I find her aesthetic at once beautiful, quirky, original and mesmerizing. 

I also find her approach to creating and creativity very accessible...its about process and preparation. Like Julia Cameron, she advocates being READY for the spark of creativity and she fully endorses working hard at perfecting your craft, especially when you are not feeling creative.

A few years ago, I bought and immediately devoured Twyla's book 

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life

In it I found this quote and it has remained one of my favorites..."Whether or not God has kissed your brow, you still have to work. Without learning and and preparation, you won't know how to harness the power of that kiss."

I LOVE this...that we are gifted, kissed by heaven...but that we still have to WORK to develop and grow and learn. The kiss itself is not enough. We must hone our skills, try new things experiment, seize opportunities to use our gifts, be open to failure so we can learn to how to appropriately use our gifts. 

When I was thinking about the word "Lucky" this quote immediately came to mind. Most of us "make our own luck", if you will...by working hard and harnessing the power of our heavenly kisses.

I wanted to make the layout ethereal and play with the stars, to reflect the Heavenly aspect of "the kiss"...really this was just one of my experiments that happily turned out well.

I used the star stencil and some golden/yellow ink to make stars...and then just went crazy with mist.

The enamel stars are my favorite element..they just jump right off the page and give the perfect focus to Twyla's words. 

It really needs no more than the stars and the golden mist and the quote. 

Peace, ya'll.

Behind the Art with Melissa

Happy Tuesday!

So happy to be with you all here today.

The page I'm sharing with you today was inspired by one of our journaling prompts:

Lazy: How generous are you to yourself when it comes to ‘lazy days’ and giving yourself a break from the hubbub of life? Do you feel guilty when you’re not producing? If so, why? What inside you, or outside you, pushes you to create or build something in your life? How might you reimagine ‘lazy’ to mean something more like ‘self-protecting’? What would fit into your best ‘unenergetic’ day and how would it change the day after?

I really appreciated this side of Energy. In order to "bank it", we must fuel it, right? It's good to rest our weary bones. Take a nap! Go on vacation! Read a book! Go sit in a mall! (To understand that you'll have to see my Behind the Art from last week.)

For me, it is taking some time with God.

I'm not very good at sitting still. My mind wanders. Or I think about all the things I could be doing instead. But, when it comes to my faith, and how it relates to Energy, it is so important to stop. Rest. Take a break. Protect my soul.

The typewriter transparency is two-fold for me when it comes to this page. I like the idea of being transparent when it comes to my faith. God sees the deepest parts of me and I want to not try to hold onto something that I don't need. Also, the typewriter. It's pretty simple symbolism when one thinks about that... recording thoughts. Writing it out. Processing it.

I used the crosshatch stencil on this layout because I like to think that my faith and the rest of my life are interwoven. It's what holds me together. And taking these moments of resting, finding comfort and peace in those quiet moments, help me be stable and live out the hubbub of life.

I also used some tilting. Think balance. Balancing it all in the day to day! Balancing my energy with moments of quiet time are what will make me thrive in life. I also like that thought of using the feathers. I find feathers to symbolize protection. I'm protecting my soul when I make time for those moments to rest and refuel.

Thank you for joining me today. See you next Tuesday!

Want more inspiration? Visit our Inspiration Page here!

Want to see more Contributing Artist examples? Visit our Flickr gallery here!

Want to join an awesome community encouraging one another to dive deep? Join our Facebook page here!

Are you ready to dive in? Grab a kit, while supplies last, here!

Behind the Art with Melissa

Happy Tuesday!

It's my day on the blog this week to go "behind the art" with me and one of my pages.

This kit was really heart opening for me. Actually, every kit that I dive into here is heart opening. I learn something new about myself every month. I like what I'm learning, too. And that's what it's all about!

The page I'm sharing today captures my personality. Have you ever taken the Myers-Briggs personality test? I gotta admit, I'm a personality test taking junky. It is validating in a way! It's like you have this test result giving you an excuse for all those quirks! Ha!

I always knew I loved being around people. I do value my alone time but, it's not where I go to for filling up. I need activity around me. I need to hear voices and see movement. There have been times when I actually wanted and desired to go hang out in the mall just to get my people fix.

When I feel depleted; when I feel blah... I head to the coffee shop, the book store or wherever I know there will be people.

So, for my page I really and truly wanted to embrace ENERGY. Literally.

While living in Chicago I took public transportation everywhere. It was a blessing and a curse! I loved not having to worry about car maintenance and I adored the automatic extroverted-ness of being around people gave me. Of course, there were days when I really missed that time, alone, in my car. But mostly it was when some dude was coughing or someone forgot to put on deodorant. 

Some symbolism: I used paint splatters to give off that textured energy. I cut out the phrase. I specifically chose the phrase that was bright and loud. ON THIS DAY. Backing it with the black transparency helps it pop. Two things... hearts because I love being an ENFP. I embrace it. And, if you read up about an ENFP, that totally makes sense. ;) The other is the geotag clip. Marking my place in this world. Been here. Done that. Felt that.

The background strip, I specifically chose the paper with the brush strokes. I love the energy that large, messy brush strokes exude. Every time I glance at artwork with big brush strokes, I move with it. I feel my body pulsate. I was excited to find that and use it. I cut out the strip with the patterned squares to layer on top. The repetition of the cut out "zig zag" gives it a heartbeat. a rhythm... and that's how I feel when I'm getting my "fill up" of being around people.

The top strip is calm. Some of that has to do with design but, it also has to do with the type of energy I am feeling. See, I don't believe that energy is always the "hyper" kind of energy. Energy can center you. Which, in turn, calms you. I like that thought and wanted to combine that with this page.

Now, all that to say, I do not miss riding the CTA at all. It was great for awhile. But, now I'm back in my hometown, driving a car and getting my people fill in other forms.

Thanks for joining me today. See you next Tuesday!

Want more inspiration? Visit our Inspiration Page here!

Want to see more Contributing Artist examples? Visit our Flickr gallery here!

Want to join an awesome community encouraging one another to dive deep? Join our Facebook page here!

Are you ready to dive in? Grab a kit, while supplies last, here!

Behind the Art with Melissa

Hi everyone!

Do you have a special place that you feel ALIVE while there?

That's how I feel when I'm near the water. And I'm really picky as to what kind of water. 

You see, something I learned when I was living in Chicago, was that I really love ocean water. I feel like the air is fresh and the sky sparkles.

I know. It sounds crazy. But, if you ask anyone that lives on the west coast, they will tell you that the sky does, indeed, sparkle over the ocean water. It's quite lovely. 

It never fails on days that I'm feeling down, after a walk along the bay, my spirits are lifted. Water soothes me. It makes me feel invigorated. Alive. Refreshed. Renewed. Ready to sprout new leaves. 

The symbolism I pulled for this page is rather literal. From the smiley face, to the leaf stencil and bright colors, I wanted to exude that feeling of HAPPY and the THRIVING.

The orange in my photo was nicely complemented by the colors in this kit. 

And let me tell you, the colors in our THRIVE kit are BRIGHT. and HAPPY. And drip with all kinds of symbolism when it comes to thriving and growing and blooming. Such a positive kit! I love it!

Are you ready to join us? I think it's time. You can easily subscribe for our beautiful, life-changing kits HERE.

Join us on FACEBOOK for all the latest news and inspiration.

And feel free to share, right here, where your happy place is. I'd love to hear!

Behind the Art with Melissa

Happy Tuesday!

I'm really excited to share this layout with you all today.

This layout is about living the letting past hurts go.

My childhood is not filled with all pleasant things. In fact, at a young age, I experienced something no child should ever have to experience. And it took me many years to understand that. I grew up not really grasping that what had happened was terrible. I knew it was wrong. But, in my own young, naive mind, I thought it was also normal. And I thought people would know.

Over the years as I grew deeper in my faith, I learned what forgiveness means. It didn't mean that I had to have a relationship with someone who hurt me. What it means is, freeing myself from the shackles that person had over me... all these years. I didn't need a response from them. I didn't need to speak words to them. (Although I did do that and it is part of the healing process...) It was more for me.  

This is a prompt from our Inspiration Page that inspired this page:

Let off the Hook/Pardon: Who have you had to forgive, or who do you still need to forgive, from your past in order to move forward powerfully in your life? If you’re holding onto anger or resentment, why? What keeps you stuck in the past? Is it ego, history, or something else?

I shared a sneak photo of the layout above... I love the symbolism of the transparency... it shows my willingness to let others see inside of me. I've gotten to a point where I freely share my story because it not only helps them... it also helps me. I hear the words I say. I read the words I write and it helps my heart continue to heal. 

As a result of that... I feel the freedom... the liberation to dream BIG. 

When I finally felt the TRUE freedom that comes from forgiveness, I felt free to be the real me. I got to know who the real me was. And from there, I have made some decisions I never thought I would make... or want to do. 

That's powerful stuff!

We are not licensed therapists here at Inside Out. However, we are women with a story and have experienced how amazing it is to work through these areas of our lives. If you find yourself reading this prompt and thinking you've got some things you'd like to work through, I encourage you to look for someone in your area to meet with. It's so worth it! It really and truly is! 

Thanks for swinging by today!

Not sure where to start? Check out our Inspiration Page here for some helpful quotes, word play, musical and visual inspiration.

Or just dive in! Join us and grab your Liberation kit HERE. Welcome to the family.

Behind the Art with Melissa

Hi everyone!

I saved my favorite journaling page for last, with all of you!

This page is all about the future. When I think about Direction, I think about the journey to come and it makes me excited. All the possibilities. All the new opportunities. Who will I meet? What will I do? What will I learn? And really, it can only make me a better person.

I cut the strips of pattern paper into pennants and banners. A simple way to showcase movement and direction. Lots of arrows going different directions. I really do believe the world is our oyster. So many possibilities! 

I love the metal geo tag clip. The rings help to symbolize freedom but it still is something to mark where I've been and that I loved it. It's a memory to put in my memory bank.

And now for my favorite part of this layout. This is more design than it is symbolism. Even though the arrows and compass like shape of the mask definitely symbolizes direction, I just LOVE the look of this blue paint and modeling past on the white cardstock. I was so excited when I lifted the mask! Haha! It was super easy to mix up the paint and modeling paste. Then I spread it over the mask with a craft knife. After lifting it, I flipped it over and did the print on the bottom right of the page. 

Thank you for swinging by today! I can't believe July is right around the corner!