Is it... Destiny?

I'm baaaaaaack!  It's time to dig deep with another challenge.  Is it Destiny? 

source

Please create a scrapbook page, art journal page, mixed media piece OR... just write some responses down to the challenge below.   Share your heart with us in our community, or below in our comments... or link us up to your blog featuring your creation. 

Ready?  Set?  Go!

Destiny: Do you think your future destined or planned before you were born? How much control do you believe you have over your future? Are you fated to achieve certain things, or face certain difficulties? What, if anything, do you do to maintain a positive attitude about your future? Has something come your way that felt like it was destined all along…meant to be?
Please create a layout about something that you thought was meant to be. Were you right?
Let us know by using MEANT TO BE in your title with punctuation that tells the story. 

Hmmm... this is a good one.

I once had a psychology professor in college who started his class with a "debate" on free will versus predetermination, or destiny.  This man was quite irritating, by the way... someone whom, to this day, I would be happy if I never crossed paths with.  He was very emphatic in his debate and very strongly argued "for" predetermination.  "You have no choice in life, everything is predetermined."  He would get so forceful in his argument that he made several people heat up and get angry and I witnessed at least one girl crying after he cut her down.  And then, he'd end the lecture with, "but I do believe in free will."

I struggled with the course.  It was a tough one, and he was a hard person to learn from.  Sad for me, I ended up not getting the minimum grade needed in order to count toward my major course of study.  So, I had to retake the class.  HE was the only professor who taught this subject, so I found myself, once again, sitting in his classroom on day 1, listening to him expound on free will versus predetermination.  Beyond irritated at this point, I was ready for this "new" course.   This time I came prepared and I argued against him until we were at an impasse.  He was clearly not "pleased" as he truly enjoyed pounding his argument for predetermination into the ground.  Perhaps he was "studying" our reaction, psychologically speaking.  After all, he was a psychology professor.  Me?  This second time through his course, I spent a lot of time arguing against him, when he would wander off the course topic.  I remember being extremely satisfied once when I made him speechless with some of my retorts.

To this day I often question if he passed me because he didn't want me to return to his classroom again, or if I really did learn the subject.  Regardless, he taught me a lot about free will, and destiny.   And even if I struggled with the subject he taught, that man taught me more about debate, psychology of personal interactions and choice.  Maybe nearly failing his class the first go-round had a purpose.  It was my destiny to re-take the course and really learn from this man who, in general, just irritated the crap out of me.  Was it meant to be?

Looking forward to seeing/hearing your take!

Picture This: Fortune

Photo Source (All):  stock.xchng

Behind the Scenes with Lori

Hi everyone!

LORI here to give you a little insight into my

layout:

What prompted you to pick this take on FORTUNE?

I love this quote and am really focusing this year on being brave in my life.

Why did you choose this photo?

I consider this more of an art journal page and want to show the versatility of our kits. I find that sometimes not using a photo is a great way to draw the eye to the images and/or words I want to be the focus.

How do you feel about the message of your layout?

I think that painting the title shows boldness...just what I wanted.

What symbolism did you pull into your design?

I tried to find several ways to use imagery and symbols on this page. The jars, to me, show fortune or "wishes", I used the watercolor paint and the bright colors to reinforce boldness and the little envelope as kind of a reminder that I have that boldness and bravery inside. I just have to "let it out"...of the envelope...to open the jars and see what's inside, etc.

Tell us a little bit about how you feel now that 

you have "let it all out" on this page.

I want to be bold in my life...I think reminding myself through my art

and then sharing that art

is like making that promise to myself.

Make sure to check out our Design Team Gallery to

see all the different ways we interpreted "fortune"!

Friends are my Greatest Fortune

Everyone who knows me well knows that I don't differentiate between family and friends. On the contrary, I believe that friends are the family we choose - and do choose of our own free will. I cherish the wonderful people who have come into my life throughout the years.

Although I work hard to cultivate relationships, I've made my share of mistakes. And there are times that people just aren't meant to be together. As we grow and change we don't always grow in the same direction.

Even when I've been the one to choose to separate from a friend, it's caused me great pain to know that our paths were diverging. 

I made a layout last year with our GRACE kit to explore my feelings about the loss of some valuable friendships over a long period of time...one in 2000, one in 2005 and one in 2008.

And another close friend chose to depart the scene soon after this LO was made...I wondered if I needed to add her to the page.

I like to think that the universe removes relationships that no longer serve us and brings back what we need when we need it.

In the last few months, I've been blessed to reconnect with two of the friends pictured above, and the one who almost made the add on...hearts opened on both sides, and, with time ever marching on, we remembered the value of deep and decades-long friendships. In the interim, marriages ended, some began, careers changed, children were conceived, pets were lost and adopted...and we had missed the opportunity to share our joy, our grief and our human experience with each other.

One of those children was born yesterday, and although the rebuilding of that friendship is still in its early stages, I'm feeling fortunate that I have the opportunity to really see whether our new lives are a fit and our paths are truly crossing for our benefit once more.

Because with that sweet new baby girl, with those beloved new spouses and cherished new companion animals, new family is born. Their families, my family, the family I choose to enrich my life.

So what's your greatest FORTUNE? Put it out there, open your heart, take responsibility for whatever part you've played in the separations you've experienced. Express it on a LO during your creative time this weekend, and maybe the good FORTUNE of loving friends will visit you too. 

I sure hope so!

Wishing you a weekend filled with love and creativity.

What Do You Treasure Most?

© Hiddenhallow | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Guess who's here to challenge you to play?  Yep, it's time to dig deep.  Let's look at Fortune from the "treasure" perspective.  Please create a scrapbook page, art journal page, mixed media piece OR... just write some responses down to the challenge below.   Share your heart with us in our community, or below in our comments... or link us up to your blog featuring your creation. 

Ready?  Set?  Go!

Treasure: What do you treasure most in life? Has what you treasure changed through the years? Is what you love most now what you thought you would love or are you surprised? What is the thing you worry most about losing?

For the design twist, please use an image or icon that related to value or currency - maybe the sparkly green coins in the kit or a treasure chest, dollar (or pound, or local currency symbol for you) sign...

My take? 

After pondering the questions above, I had quite an epiphany.  I realize that what I treasure most, right now, is myself.  It has taken a long time to think of myself as valuable... and I certainly am.  I think I'd love to do a layout with pictures of a few other items I value, with an actual dollar sign and amount next to them, but then... a picture of me with the huge title of PRICELESS!  Yep, yep.  I think that's my direction...

Can't wait to see/hear what you come up with!

Behind the Hand...

Hi!  Jen Matott here to share a bit more about one of my projects this month.  I loved this kit so much for it's colors and theme.  The April Kit "Fortune" had my ideas flowing!

What prompted you to pick this take on Fortune?
 I immediately thought about being lucky when I heard the word "fortune" but wanted to create a page that showed a different take on it. I was looking up quotes for "luck" or "fortune" and one was "Don't push your luck".  Perfect!   I was actually dealing with a situation with someone who was not being truthful with me.  It's hard when it's someone who you thought you knew well at one time but is bringing drama into your life.  I don't have time for people who lie to me or create negative drama in my life.  This page was about not pushing your luck with me when I'm done with the mind games! If you are stuck and need inspiration, check out our Inspiration page!
Why did you choose this photo?I had this photo of my hand in front of my face for this page. It was a visual statement and provided me with a space to add "Talk to the hand" on the photo.   When someone is annoying me or being difficult, I just want to give them the hand and walk away!
How do you feel about the message of your layout?
It's a statement of frustration when someone is pushing your buttons and making you feel frustrated.  I had to tell a former friend that I didn't want to renew our friendship after several years. It was just too draining emotionally with her mind games and drama.  I did it for my sanity. It was super hard to be that blunt but it felt right. 

What symbolism did you pull into your design?
The photo is the main symbol but the text paper gives it the "talk" imagery.  

Tell us a little bit about how you feel now that you have "let it all out" on this page.
 I felt good getting this out and it's a fun way to vent my frustration.  I love that the kit's theme seems to coincide with my life and what is happening at the time!  I never have a problem relating the theme to something personal.  I LOVE this page and feel so good about my fun approach to the theme.

Mixed Media? Me?! Yes, YOU!

Hi everybody! Lori here to chat a bit about mixed media.

"But, Lori, I can't do mixed media! I'm not artsy!"

I beg to differ!!

Do you ever use stamps and paper on one layout? How about stencils, mist sprays, and markers? Modeling paste and ...gasp...PAINT?! 

Guess what? You are MIXING MEDIA!!!

mixed media

pl.n. (used with a sing. verb)

1. A technique involving the use of two or more artistic media, such as ink and pastel or painting and collage, that are combined in a single composition.

So, literally, all of us who use two or more mediums in our artwork are creating .....drum roll please....mixed media art!!! 

Now, obviously, there are artists who have extensive schooling, training, and experience as mixed media artists and I certainly don't want to minimize their work.  

I simply want to empower those of you who are feeling like this area is

somehow out of reach for you!

Simply put, I love to play with all kinds of media in my artwork: paper, glue, buttons, flowers, ephemera, paint, ink, spray mist, pastes, markers....etc.etc.etc.

In my DT layout this month using our April FORTUNE kit, 

I wanted to play a bit.

I used the Balzer Designs stencil from Crafter's Workshop and mixed some Liquitex Light Modeling Paste with turquoise paint and smooshed it through the number parts of the stencil. Then I dribbled some Deep Violet Liquitex Acrylic Ink, sprayed white mist through some punchinella, and used a scrap of corrugated cardboard to make some lines with white paint. 

Here's another one I did this month and used watercolors:

So, my challenge to you is to try something new...splash some watercolor on your background, use some ink or spray, use markers or paint through a stencil...just try it! 

Link us up on the blog or in our 

GALLERY.

You can do it!

A Wealth of Inspiration!

Have you seen our FREE Inspiration page?  No?  Well, don't wait any longer - it's a fantastic source for you.  For every topic we pack our inspiration page full of quotes, music, layouts, and more!  What more could there be?  The hottest new "sharing"  site out there:  Pinterest!  Talk about a wealth of inspiration!  Just check out a few things we have gathered on our Fortune Pinterest board:

Want more inspiration?  Visit our Inspiration page (more to come!) and then share with us how Fortune has inspired you today...

Childhood Misfortune

When I was a child, I used to believe that my family had the worst luck.  Everyone in the entire world was more fortunate than us.  (Aren't these the global, dramatic statements made by many a child?)  I was convinced that we had consistent bad luck!

photo credit

I grew up in an old farm house.  The farm was no longer a "working farm" but there was an old barn across our driveway in which I used to play, and the house was old and rickety.  Looking back, it was the absolute best place to grow up and I would never change a bit of living there.  But during my childhood, all I could think about was how my friends' houses were better, newer, shinier... whatever.  How my friends' parents' cars were better, newer, shinier than ours.  How I lived in my sister's hand-me-down clothing when my friends were wearing Jordache jeans. 

Sometime in my middle-school years, I learned the legend of the horseshoe:

When kept as a talisman, a horseshoe is said to bring good luck. Some believe that to hang it with the ends pointing upwards is good luck as it acts as a storage container of sorts for any good luck that happens to be floating by, whereas to hang it with the ends pointing down, is bad luck as all the good luck will fall out.  (source: wikipedia)

We had a  horseshoe as one of the many bits and mementos decorating our enclosed back porch.  It hung upside down, with the ends pointing down and I remember sitting on the back step, listening to my parents talk in the background and staring at that... blaming that rusty old horseshoe for all of our misfortune.

Of course, so many years later, I look back and realize how very fortunate we were.  My parents worked hard at many jobs, to raise and support five girls.  We had clothing, food, heat, a roof over our head and, in later years, cable TV with premium movie channels (oh-so important to a teenager growing up in the 80's with I-want-my-I-want-my-MTV).  The cars we drove were always beaters, held together with gum and duct tape (I do exaggerate a little here), but you know what?  They ran.  They got us from point A to point B.  We were all healthy.  I had a natural playground in my yard with an acre of land that backed up to woods and a creek.  It was a fantastic childhood. 

It wasn't until now... when Inside Out started to explore Fortune... that I looked up that old legend of the horseshoe.  I wanted to see if I had heard that correctly, which I had.  But then, I found this:

Others believe that the horseshoe should be hung the other way (with the ends pointing down), as it will then release its luck to the people around it. (source: wikipedia)

And looking back, you know what I think?  I know that this is what is true.  I had a very fortune-filled childhood. 

For more perspectives on our topic of the month, Fortune, please come visit our message boards... join us in our exploration.  Or share your fortune stories in the comments below - I'd love to hear them!

Is There Such a Thing as 'Luck'?

Happy Friday friends! It's been a busy week here by the beach at SFTIO HQ as we received (almost) the last of our shipments from Winter CHA orders. Our DT is about to begin work on the May and June kits and these kits are full of gorgeous paper lines and unique embellishments - I'm personally really excited to get my creative hands on them!

I hope you're loving the behind the scenes look shared this week on the blog into symbolism and design of the layouts and art journal spreads created by our DT with the April FORTUNE kit. I'm always amazed at how our designers are able to create their own interpretations of the symbols we include in the kits. There's always something new to discover.

Yesterday, Kai shared with us a cloud of synonyms and offered some thoughts on her favorites. One of the definitions that jumped right out at me is luck. As I get ready to post this month's challenges, I've been thinking...is there such a thing as luck, or is what we call luck actually the residue of hard work.

The use of the word 'luck' sounds to me to be an expression of things, good or bad, being somewhat out of our control or beyond our ability to make an impact.

Am I lucky if I get a great job, or did I work to create the circumstances that led me to it? If I find the love of my life, is it because I'm lucky, or because I put myself in situations where I was likely to encounter people with similar values?

And of course all of this begs a larger question - is what we call luck actually what comes our way by design from a higher power?

Random...impacted by my actions...or destined...

I don't know for sure. Maybe it's some of all three.

As I've grown and changed as a person, I've increased how much responsibility I want to take for my own circumstances. Generally, I don't want to believe that life is a series of random events...so I vacillate between seeing life as the direct outcome of my choices and it being a series of blessings and challenges - brought to me by whatever force binds us together.

I want to believe that there's a purpose and a meaning in all of what life brings me. There are just too many magical, connected and mysterious events in our lives for me to believe it's all a roll of the dice. And I want to have an impact on those events by making the choices that feel authentic to my soul.

So let the chips fall where they may...as long as they're my chips and they were given to me by a loving power that wants the best for me.

Enjoy the coming weekend and the FORTUNE kits that are zipping their way across the globe to your doorsteps. Our deep and meaningful challenges begin next week!

I look forward to welcoming you soon...

Pick Your Fortune...

We always explore the topic of the month in many different ways.  What better way than to look at various synonyms and antonyms?  There are many facets of Fortune.  Let's take a look:

Please click to enlarge Taxedo word cloud.

I love playing with words. I like to say them out loud and see how they feel rolling off the tongue...sharp or soft.  What fun it is to transfer them into a layout or an art journaling spread.  My favorites right now are Kismet, Karma, Serendipity and Fortuity.  Now to play with those words and create my first Fortune piece of he{art}.

Do any of these pop out at you?  What rolls off the tongue or makes you snap to attention?  Pick your favorite Fortune synonym(s). I'd love to hear your take!

Celebrate Today!

Hi everyone! I'm so happy to be here on the Scrapbooking from the Inside Out blog! I can't tell you how much I've learned about journaling, and being purposeful in thinking about symbolism, meaning behind your scrapbooking.

Let me tell you a little about one of my latest art journal spreads, using the April Fortune kit. First off, it's so full of wonderfully patterned papers. I'm on a real chevron kick lately, and this kit gave me that in spades this month. So let me get to our Behind the Scenes questions and then I'll tell you more about my process, and what really drove me to create this spread.

What prompted you to pick this take on Fortune ?

It seems to me that what is typically thought of as fortune, that is, riches, is very fleeting these days. Countries like the United States and Canada have come through some very tough financial times lately, and my husband and I have felt the pinch, to be sure. But I didn't want to journal about money. To me fortune is about what you do have in your possession that you are grateful for, today. And so I created this art journal spread around that idea: Celebrating today and all that you have now.

Why did you choose this photo?
When I art journal I rarely use photographs at all. To me, the spread is not so much about the photo documentation, but rather the process. 

How do you feel about the message of your layout?

To me, the title of this layout says it all. But it's the journaling that gives you an insight as to what I was feeling at the time that I made the spread. I've been enduring a difficult time lately at work, and felt as if I was falling into a depression, or really down mental state. But something changed this past week... I took positive steps to change my situation by changing my outlook. And the sky was blue again. Nothing physically changed for me. I didn't get richer. I didn't get healthier. But I appreciated what I had more. I felt grateful for the help I received even if they were just words of encouragement. It made my life feel more rich.

What symbolism did you pull into your design?

In terms of symbolism, I found that it just felt more natural to have the chevrons facing up, like life was looking up. The hearts symbolized my gratitude and the running horse represented the freedom I felt. Freedom from feeling down, and overly concerned, worried, and fatigued. I felt exhilarated as I created this art journal spread. I felt positive and uplifted.

Tell us a little bit about how you feel now that you have "let it all out" on this page.

This page holds a very special place in my heart now, because there is so much meaning behind it, and such a positive force in it. If I ever lose sight of how "rich" I am again, I will open my journal to this page, and read the journaling card that I wrote, and remember how much I have, and how to celebrate every day!

You can read the positive message that I tucked into the envelope here:

You will notice that I took quite a few strips of the papers and laid them down in a grid pattern. Sometimes I cover them up with gesso, and sometimes I leave them completely exposed. This combination provides lots of texture to the page. I also used one of the die cut word art pieces as a stencil. I painted through the stencil with the distress paint in pink and let that dry. Then once that is done, I layer down the paper.

I loved the words that were printed at the bottom of some of the patterned papers. Instead of just the name of the paper, it had cute sayings. They spoke to me, so I used them too. I cut out the strip of washi paper that had the word "today" repeated and used it in a few places. And then for a grungier look that I love, I stamped some texture onto the page (life isn't always nice and clean is it?), and sprayed some pink drips and light blue glitter paint (I always love to have a mixture of shine and grunge).

When I find that something is too bright or just doesn't "go" with the feel of the page, distress paint or gesso does a wonderful job of toning down the colour so that the focus of the spread stays where you want it.

I hope you enjoy the spread and take encouragement from it somehow. If you think you need more in your life to consider yourself fortunate, take another look. I'm betting that if you look around, you'll see just how rich you are.

You can find more of my design team work at my blog: http://kiki-halbert.blogspot.com

Feeling Lucky? The FORTUNE Kit is LIVE!

Fresh, new and full of light, bright elements, get lucky with us and the FORTUNE kit.

Dear Lizzy's Lucky Charm, Crate Paper Maggie Holmes and Fancy Pants Trendsetter bring you a stylish mix of navy, berry red, pink and green.There's an extra bonus paper in every kit because we just loved it too much to let it pass us by!

Charm bracelet icons, Jenni Bowlin dominoes and Webster's Pages sequin coins join trend-forward die cut cards, fabric polaroid style frames, patterned cash envelopes for your journaling, numbers and chunky glitter Thickers blend beautifully to help you express what you value most.

This month's BONUS with your subscription. Supplies are limited!

CLICK HERE to buy your kit now...and become part of a community of women striving for self-awareness and growth using our amazing craft!

I can't wait to welcome you.

11 Sheets Double Sided Patterned Paper

American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Wild Hearts     
American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Noteworthy      
American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Raindrops       
American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Rainbows        
American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Dreamcatcher     
Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Dreamy             
Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Happy Day           
Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Remember This         
Fancy Pants Trendsetter Digits
Fancy Pants Trendsetter Star          
Fancy Pants Trendsetter Vogue      

Embellishments

American Crafts Thickers Treasure-Spearmint      
Basic Grey Basics Micromono- White Cap       
American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Bits Die Cut Shapes, 6 pcs
Crate Paper DIY Shop Washi Paper, 1/2 sheet
Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Ephemera Pack, 11-12 pcs
Fancy Pants Artist Edition Quote Stencil- Live For Today, 1 pc
American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Thickers Accents, 1 sheet
Jenni Bowlin Chipboard Dominoes, 4-5 pcs
American Crafts Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm Die Cut Cards, 2-3 pcs
Fancy Pants Trendsetter Envelopes, 3 pcs
Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Fabric Frames, 3 pcs
Websters Bulk Green Polkadot, 2 pcs

Color

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Paint Spun Sugar      

Technique

Crafter's Workshop Julie Balzer Life Months 6x6 Template      

Cardstock

American Crafts Vanilla              
American Crafts Surf
American Crafts Fireberry       
American Crafts Oatmeal       
American Crafts Stargaze