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?

Design Team Call!

Scrapbooking from the Inside Out is a monthly kit club, inspiration source and online community. We are holding a Design Team search. Inside Out is a different kind of kit club – we use scrapbooking as a form of self-exploration, self-expression and self-discovery. Our goal is to encourage the use of scrapbooking as a way for us to tap into our deep inner worlds in the midst of our very busy lives. Every month Scrapbooking from the Inside Out creates a kit that uses the freshest supplies along with symbolism that helps scrappers tell their real story. Our industry-exclusive FREE Inspiration Page each month provides a multimedia support system - including deep journaling prompts, a music playlist, quotes, photos and evocative challenges to make tender hearts and creative minds and hands flow.

We will be taking submissions from now through May 5, 2011. Announcements will be made on or before May 26, 2011.

We are seeking talented designers (including overseas), who are passionate about scrapbooking and personal growth to share in this journey, to add to our team. As a Design Team member, you will serve a critical role in promoting the kits and the website on message boards, the blog, and representing the company where ever you can. We ask that our designers not hold design team positions with any other kit club or online scrapbooking retailer. Manufacturer design team appointments and teaching at your LSS are fine.

As a member of our Design Team, you will be asked to:
1. create 5 self-focused layouts using 80% materials from our kit and relating to the theme of the month
2. contribute two monthly articles for subscriber-only content (tips or techniques with step by step photos )
3. participate on our message boards at least 4 days per week
4. design for Inside Out for a 6-month term, beginning on June 1, 2011 (starting with the July 2011 Kit)
5. post your Inside Out LOs as requested by us at scrapbook community sites
6. submit your LOs for publication as requested

All projects made with the kit are yours to keep, and when used in the newsletter or on the website, you will be given full credit. As our designer, you can also submit your own work for publication as long as you give Inside Out proper credit in the contents list.

Your compensation will be:
1. Free monthly kit with no shipping charge from July-December 2011.
2. Recognition on our website with a link to your blog.
3. Incredible friendships, publishing opportunities and creative insight into your heart!

To apply, please email the following to scrapbookdesign@aol.com (subject – Design Team):
1. photos of 4 layouts of any size. All 4 projects should be about your inner world – your thoughts, feelings, dreams, fears
2. links to your online gallery, blog and/or resume, if available
3. your full contact information: name, phone number, email address, and mailing address
4. a short paragraph or two about why you want to be one of our designers – why this concept matters to you
5. a list of your current scrapbooking commitments – other DT work, etc.

We’re a passionate and creative team looking for like-minded people who love to share their thoughts and feelings using our craft and foster a supportive and welcoming community. We look forward to getting to know you!

What it Means to be Vulnerable

Only You by Nancy Doren

What is vulnerability?

vul·ner·a·ble

/ˈvʌlnərəbəl/ [vuhl-ner-uh-buhl]  

–adjective

1. capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon: a vulnerable part of the body.

2. open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.: an argument vulnerable to refutation; He is vulnerable to bribery.

3.  (of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend: a vulnerable bridge.

---

Origin:
1595–1605; < Late Latin vulnerābilis,  equivalent to Latin vulnerā ( re ) to wound + -bilis -ble;

—Related forms

vul·ner·a·bil·i·ty, vul·ner·a·ble·ness, noun

vul·ner·a·bly, adverb

un·vul·ner·a·ble, adjective

It's a topic so many people spend a lot of energy protecting.  We are taught to be tough, to hide our sensitivities, to show no weakness.  Yet, at Inside Out we're asking to you push all of that hogwash aside and rediscover those hidden, sensitive, vulnerable sides of you. Take a moment... take several moments... and explore vulnerability.  Delve into it, let yourself BE vulnerable.  We'll be gentle, we promise.  We'll even help you start exploring, just ponder these questions...

• When do you feel most vulnerable?  

• Who do you turn to when you are feeling vulnerable?  

• What do you do to protect your vulnerable sides?  

• What scares you about allowing yourself to be vulnerable?
• Have you ever felt empowered just from allowing yourself to be vulnerable?

Be vulnerable with us... explore and make a layout (or two, or ten!) about your vulnerabilities.  Join us and share in our community and watch for more inspiration throughout the month here.

No Fuss About It...

It's me again, sharing some of the great tutorials from Inside Out.  If I've said it once, I've said it... well... at least more than once (grin), I love the exclusive Design Team content over in our community.  Every month, each member of our design team shares tricks, tips and full-blown tutorials using the various goodies in the kit.  You don't need a kit to get some great ideas from their words of scrappy wisdom.  Check out this fussy cutting tutorial by our very own Diana Kennedy:

Fussy Cutting Your Layouts

by Diana Kennedy

This month’s Reflection Kit is full of gorgeous papers that are simply perfect for fussy cutting. The term fussy cutting actually came from quilting and means to cut out a motif or an interesting design.

When I fussy cut I think about how I can create texture or build height and dimension on my layouts. I look at the paper as a whole and pick out elements that would give my layouts details that are extra special.

For tools, I would recommend some small sharp scissors like Cutter Bee and/or an Xacto knife. I keep both on hand as they both serve their purposes for cutting out images or carefully making fine cuts in the paper.

On the Pink Paislee resist paper, I loved the little butterfly that I just had to have on my layout. I also loved the card pattern on the Kaisercraft paper and wanted to have that butterfly motif as part of the layout to create interest and a bit of a surprise!

I cut out one of the cards and the motif inside. Traced it over the butterfly on the Pink Paislee paper and cut it out. I then placed the butterfly underneath the Kaisercraft card design to create a new card.

And here is the final result of how I used the butterfly in my layout!

The Kaisercraft papers give us crafters so many possibilities…one of my more favourite papers are the ones that look like different kinds of ribbons.

Here I just simply pick out what I like and what I am going to use on my layout. I often cut the paper into strips using my paper cutter or fussy cut around the edges of each individual ‘ribbon’.

I know that I wanted to create depth and dimension to my layout and used foam pop dots to create height and layers on the final product.

The 7 Gypsies paper is a fussy cutter’s dream come true! The birds, moths, butterflies and eggs present a unique opportunity to add visual interest to one’s layouts. You can cut them out and use them as embellishments on their own or together to create something entirely new.

This time, I used my Xacto knife to carefully cut the moths and eggs out as the paper and the images are more delicate in nature. A trick on using the Xacto knife when fussy cutting is to always follow the natural movement of the hand and turn the paper as you are cutting to prevent any uneven edges or mis-cuts.

Have fun!

Like Di, I love to look at a piece of patterned paper and find ways to fussy cut the design out of it to pop it off of a different background.  I love some of the tips she shared to make use of this great technique!  My own weird bird phobia notwithstanding, the layout she made is fabulous!  Don't you think?



How About a Challenge?

So, how did everyone do yesterday with the giveaway?  Did you win?  Let us know!  We certainly want to see your layouts, whether you won the kit or not.  Join us with this month's emotion: Reflection, and share some of your inner world with us!

To help you out a little, how about a little challenge?  Each month on the Inside Out community boards, we provide little "pushes" to help you get thinking about the topic and get you started to scrappin' those thoughts.  So here you are, the first challenge of the month for Reflection:

Mirror Image: In what areas of your life does seeing things backwards make a difference? Do you ever take a purposeful look at a situation from the opposite angle you'd usually take? If you could write yourself a note in the steam on the bathroom mirror, or have someone else write it for you, what message would you want to read, knowing that it would disappear and you only had a few moments to take it in?
For our first challenge, please create a LO about choosing to look at a situation the opposite way you normally would. For the design twist, write yourself a note as you would on a bathroom mirror...lots of interesting messages and materials to use!

Now, have your creative juices started flowing?  Give us your thoughts on how you'd scrapbook this challenge around a piece of your inner self?    Or, better yet, share your layout in a safe environment with the rest of our Inside Out community!

Let's Reflect & Journal

At Inside Out, we have all kinds of inspiration just waiting for you to grab a hold of it and RUN with it.  Have you seen our amazing Inspiration page for Reflection?  If you haven't, why not?  My goodness, it's FREE and there is so much there for you to read, see, and hear... just ready for you to bend it to your creative will! 

Well, heck... maybe I should share some with you here.  You know, to whet your appetite... (or is that, wet your whistle?)  Well, it's your lucky day... read on...

Let's look at some images depicting reflection and talk about a few of the journaling prompts.  For example:

Water: Water can take many forms - solid like ice, liquid, and vapor - steam or fog. Even on its surface, there can be stillness, rippling, waves and tsunamis. How does the image of water affect you? Is it calming? How does your reflection appear in different literal and symbolic states of water, and what does that represent?

Or take some time and look at and in and around a mirror.  Check out these mirror journaling prompts:

Mirror Image: In what areas of your life does seeing things backwards make a difference? Do you ever take a purposeful look at a situation from the opposite angle you'd usually take? If you could write yourself a note in the steam on the bathroom mirror, or have someone else write it for you, what message would you want to read, knowing that it would disappear and you only had a few moments to take it in?

And my personal favorite topic in any aspect of my life, nature:

Nature: What do the images of birds, eggs, branches and botanicals say to you? Do you feel close to nature or removed from it? Is there a different power and meaning in live plants and animals vs. those recorded in books and in museums? Do these images make you feel more alive, or not?

These are just a few tidbits out of a plethora (isn't that a great word?) of ideas, prompts and other insights over at Inside Out.  Make sure you visit us to see all of our monthly inspiration.

Of the few I shared here, what speaks to you the most?

Stop on the Inside Out Hop

Hi everyone, and welcome to SFTIO's first blog hop!

Today is all about sharing what's unique, different and amazing about Scrapbooking from the Inside Out's kits - all-in-one, huge, stylish, each different, up-to-the-minute and DEEP. No one else provides the content, meaning and inspiration that we do to scrapbook about your thoughts, dreams, fears and hopes. At SFTIO, we share our hearts on the page and with each other!

This month's kit, ANTICIPATION, is all about life's perched moments – ones in which we anxiously await our next steps, or the path that life has chosen for us. Sometimes we wait with patience and tranquility; sometimes we’re vibrating with possibility and ache to reach out with both hands toward the future.

Each of our designers is going to share the behind-the-scenes view of how they were inspired to create one of their ANTICIPATION themed layouts.

Your first stop? Head over to see what our brilliant DT Coordinator Nancy Doren's blog. She'll direct you from there, but make sure you stop at all the stops to maximize your chances to win! See you back here at the SFTIO blog at the end of your trip, where you'll need to comment as well to enter.

This is the prize...

Our May Kit, ANTICIPATION!



The giveaway will end Wednesday morning at 8:00 am PDT (UTC-8) and we'll announce a winner here on the SFTIO blog.

When you leave your final comment here, make sure to tell us what YOU'RE waiting for!

PS - to make sure you keep up with our new kits, special offers and giveaways, make sure to sign up here as a follower, join us on FACEBOOK, and scroll down on the home page of the website to add your email to our mailing list!

Love,

Rachel

More Safety Challenges and Awesome Inspiration

We're continuing our exploration of Safety at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out and our challenges are in full swing...here are five (that's right, FIVE) more for you!

Remember - our industry-unique Inspiration Page provides a music playlist, journaling prompts, quotations, links and photos to spur your creative spirit. Our thought-provoking challenges include a prompt and ask you to dig deep by including a design twist - something visual on your LO that connects to the challenge. All challenge entries are eligible for fantastic prize giveaways from the best manufacturers, and one overall winner is selected from subscribers' entries. To enter, check out our Challenge forum on our Community Page, and upload your LO in the Challenge Gallery. If you have any questions, you can always email us at info@scrapbookingfromtheinsideout.com!

Scrapbooking from the Inside Out's Safety Kit: molto delicioso!



August Challenge #3, Outside the Zone/Door or Ledge:

It takes the bravery to risk in order to gain great rewards...

When you have come to the edge of all the light you have
And step into the darkness of the unknown
Believe that one of the two will happen to you
Either you'll find something solid to stand on
Or you'll be taught how to fly.
Richard Bach

When do you step outside of your comfort zone and risk feeling unsafe? Why do you do so, and if you've done it in the past, what rewards has it brought you? How did you feel being in that emotionally 'unsafe' or insecure place? If you wish to step out of your comfort zone in some way now, what do you want to do and why? How will you get the support you need to take some brave steps? For the design twist, please use a door or ledge on your page to represent stepping out of your comfort zone...

August Challenge #4, Vulnerability/Delicate:

We all have a vulnerable side – that soft part of us that feels things deeply and is sensitive, for better or for worse. What makes you make contact with the vulnerable parts of yourself? When do you feel sensitive, and how do you handle it? What makes you feel susceptible to harm or danger? Do you see your vulnerability as a liability or strength? Explore your vulnerable side on a LO with us....And for the design twist, please use an image of something extremely delicate...

August Challenge #5, Safe Place/Nest:

Safe Place: Is there a physical pl ace you go to feel safe – a room in your house, a favorite park, or the home of a trusted friend or relative? What makes that place safe – is it the people you love, or the memories you have of that place? Or perhaps, your safe place is inside you…are there memories you pull up, or a lovely image you focus on when you need it? When do you go to that place? What does it do for you? Where do you go, in real life, or in your mind, to feel safe? For the design twist, please use a cozy nest image to demonstrate the security you feel...

August Challenge #6, What Scares You/Monster:

Please create a LO about what scares you most - one or more things. Sometimes, just getting them on paper helps to lessen their power over you. For the design twist, use a dark, scary or monster image...

August Challenge #7: Bumpy Road/Bumpy Road

God promises a safe landing but not a calm passage. Bulgarian Proverb

Have you been in an unsafe or unsure situation, physically or emotionally, and come through it safely? What did you learn from the journey? Did the bumps in the road add to your understanding of yourself? In what ways? Would you go back and change the bumpy road to a smooth one? For the design twist, please use a bumpy road or obstacle image.

Check out my previous blog post to see challenges 1 and 2...here.

You can win big this month by posting your interpretations of these challenges by August 30th...come on by!

Love,

Rachel

Designer Spotlight - Laura Croft

This is the lovely Laura Croft. No, not the tomb raider. That's LARA Croft, silly! The scrapbook artist!



When Laura applied for our design team, I knew we had found a gem. As an Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor, she has dedicated her professional life to healing. Since I developed the SFTIO concept by using scrapbooking in my own therapy, I felt like I had found a kindred spirit.

Laura’s ability to express her deepest emotions through her journaling is unmatched. No topic is off limits for her, from her inner struggles, to the ticking of her biologic clock, to her desire for true love. She recently spent a month in a residential treatment program to work on an eating disorder, and graced us by sharing her inspirational story with us. Her heart shines through in each project she creates, and her unique honesty and bravery motivates me to try to live up to her example.

Here are some of my favorite LOs of Laura's:

The Patience Kit, reflecting on how she taps into her more patient self:



The Compassion Kit, letting go of negativity to show herself compassion:



The Spirit Kit, demonstrating some authentic attitude:



The Clarity Kit, getting ready to embark on a brave journey:



The Renewal Kit, taking the time to care for herself:



Laura enjoys a large and supportive community of friends and family, and especially loves her little niece, Kiran, featured in many of her LOs. She's a member of ATL Peas and gets in tons of fun scrapping time in with the friends she's made. Laura is truly a kind soul, who recently donated 9 inches of her hair for a program sponsored by Pantene, Beautiful Lengths, which uses donated hair to create wigs for women with cancer. She's also mama to her little rescued Bichon, Lila, and kitty Sampson, and is passionate about mental health, animal rescue and the Indigo Girls!



Laura, my deepest thanks for always sharing so much of yourself with us...

I'm grateful...

Love,

Rachel

May 2009 Kit of the Month: HOPE

HOPE springs eternal in the newest kit from Scrapbooking from the Inside Out. This kit, with its peaceful vibe and optimistic symbolism perfectly captures the spirit of looking to the future with a soft smile and a wishful twinkle in your eye.

The kit has a beautiful array of patterns and colors – pale yellow, sky blue, and hot pink with a touch of grassy green. You’ll find soaring birds and buzzing honeybees, a beautiful peacock just waiting to be trimmed out, chipboard butterflies and felt leaves.

This month’s alphas give you a ton of choices, with a total of 5 full letter sets – 2large and three tiny. You’ll also get some glitz ‘glitzers’ bird and butterfly stickers with the bling built right in and a huge sheet of Chatterbox rub-on thoughts so you can express everything in your heart and mind. Also, an overflowing handful of prima flowers, a pretty background stamp a new, tiny SEI inkpad, and the only-found-here EXCLUSIVE SFTIO ‘starter spots’, beautifully created by Nancy Doren to get your journaling flowing.

You’ll find so much to say and create this month as you explore everything you HOPE for. Please join us! Click HERE to go to our buy page!

8 Sheets Double Sided Patterned Paper:
* GCD Bright Skies Cirrus Shapes
* GCD Lost in Paradise Sunset Sillhouette
* Magenta Printemps Passion Peacock Blue
* Magenta Printemps Passion Spring Rhapsody
* Magenta Printemps Passion Spring Tapestry
* Websters Pages Feather Your Nest Flutterby
* Websters Pages Feather Your Nest Morning Glory
* Websters Pages Feather Your Nest Spring Rain

4 Sheets Specialty Paper:
* 7 Gypsies Chat Fabulous Glitter Blooms (Glitter)
* GCD Canta Pin Drop (Die Cut)
* Maya Road Sheer Sheets Butterfly - white (Sheer and Die Cut)
* Prima Signs of Spring Magenta Bird (Die Cut)

Embellishments:
*American Crafts Thickers – Rainboots - Powder, full pkg
*Webster's Pages Cardstock Alpha Stickers, Storytellers - polkadot, full pkg
*Glitz Designs Garden Glitzers, 1/2 sheet
*My Mind's Eye Penny Lane - Tiny Dancer Transparency, 4x6
*Kaisercraft Pearls, Denim, full pkg
*Magenta Butterflies/Flowers Chipboard 6x6 sheet
*Vintaj Brass 'Dream' tag, 1 pc
*Vintaj Brass Bird, 1 pc
*Vintaj Brass Bee, 1 pc
*Chatterbox Fabulous Rub-on Thoughts, full pkg
*Prima Devines Blue, 1 pc
*Prima Sunshine Flowers, Lizzy, 12 pcs
*SFTIO EXCLUSIVE journaling 'starter spots', 2 pcs
*AC Occassions 4/Stem 1 ribbon, 1/2 yd
*AC Haute/Glamour 4 ribbon, 1/2 yd

Cardstock:
*Core’dinations – Buttercup
*Core’dinations – Grassroots
*Core’dinations – Tidal Wave
*Core’dinations – Fuschia Fizz

Color:
*SEI Square Ink Pad, Lime

Alterable Item:
*Maya Road Journey Tins, Large Square (2.25"x2.25")

Stamp:
*Prima Collage Stamp, Diana

Contents may vary slightly.