Fa La La La Freebies Wednesday Winner and Thursday Giveaway and Inspiration

Happy Thursday!

It's time for yesterday's winner and today's inspiration and giveaway.



Random.org says our winner is #2:



waldenbunch said...
Being in my home with the people and things I love and cherish.



Congratulations, waldenbunch! Thanks for playing...please email me at rachinla@aol.com with your snail mail address and we'll get your prize out ASAP! Please make sure you use the email address you used to register at the website so we can match you up!

And thanks everyone for sharing yourselves with us - your honesty is refreshing and moving...

Here's today's inspiration and giveaway:

This is 'These are My Strengths' by Nancy Doren, using our Strength kit.



The gears are the perfect icon to describe strength - especially against the floral lace paper - yes, YOU TOO can be soft yet strong. Scrapbooking from the Inside Out's kits, and our industry exclusive inspiration, give you everything you need to create pages with layers of meaning.

For our next giveaway, the mini album from the STRENGTH kit:

Maya Road's Gear Coaster Album (6.2") - and you thought gears were just for boys! Isn't that a great symbol to use to explore what makes you powerful?



How can you win?

Two easy steps:

1. Stop by Scrapbooking from the Inside Out and register for our mailing list on the home page (scroll down) if you’re not already a member. If you are, you’re good to go!

2. Leave a comment on this post and tell us what your strengths are.

That’s it! We’ll announce the winner tomorrow. You have until 2:00 PM Friday (Pacific Time,UTC/GMT -8) to leave your comment to be entered to win, although I LOVE reading everything you say even if it's later. Make sure you join us!

Do you love the Strength kit featured above - grab yours! A $50+ value on sale now for the UNBELIEVABLE LOW price of $34.95, with MORE goodies than any other club's main kit + add-on for less dough. A great way to make meaning...



How this works:

This holiday season, we’re celebrating you –your heart, your emotions and your self-expression! Every weekday between now and Christmas, join us for Fa La La La Freebies - great giveaways and inspiration as we highlight some of the best emotion-based layouts we’ve seen this year. Each day you can win something special used on those pages from Scrapbooking from the Inside Out to add to your layouts, and on Christmas Day, you can win our grand prize - our exclusive January kit before it’s available to our subscribers. You’ll love it as a way to help you explore the inner holiday experience, and get ready for a great, meaningful and powerful 2010.

There’s never been a better time to join us at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out…we’ll help you every day to use your mad scrapbook skills, color, design and journaling to learn about your dreams, hopes, fears and goals and what you need to be fully expressed. With all of the feelings involved in the holiday season and the start of a new year, ‘tis the season to be scrapping! Give yourself the gift of time…at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out, it’s all about you! Explore your inner world…
Thanks for joining us...

Love,

Rachel

Strength Inspiration

It's never too late to join in and share a layout about any emotion - here's the July 2009 STRENGTH Inspiration page!

Journaling Prompts

Your Inner Reserves: It’s been said that all that you need for this journey is already within you. Are you connected to an inner reserve of personal strength? What does it look like and feel like? How do you gain access to it? Do you recall a specific time in your life when you’ve been able to connect with your inner strength and use it to move forward?

Powerful and Feminine: Some think there’s a tension between strength and femininity. What do you think? Do you subscribe to traditional views of masculinity and femininity? Do women wield different sorts of power than men? Do you see yourself as powerful, and in what ways? Who are women of great strength that you can think of, and how have they influenced your life?

Physical Strength: As time goes on, we lose some of our physical strength, and perhaps gain some wisdom. Some of us start out as physically stronger than others, and some of us build our physical strength over time. Are you physically strong – do you stay healthy? Do you struggle with health issues? Do you consider yourself a hearty soul or a sluggish one? Do you do anything to improve your health or physical strength in any way, and if so, do you do it to look good or to feel good?

Weakness: At least once in a while, it’s nice to let other people be in charge and allow ourselves to be weak. Do you ask for help when you need it? Do you find that you rely more on others, or that others rely more on you? Is weakness a fault to you? Was someone in your past a weak figure, and if so, how did that impact your view of weakness today? Are there times that you become drained – and what do you do to remedy that, or do you surrender?

Music

Quotes:

Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength. August Wilson

It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more 'manhood' to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind. Alex Karras

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Lao Tzu

I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naive or innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman. Anais Nin

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. Mahatma Gandhi

The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way. Robert Kiyosaki

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that is where I renew my springs that never dry up. Pearl S. Buck

What does not kill me makes me stronger. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Don't wish me happiness-I don't expect to be happy it's gotten beyond that, somehow. Wish me courage and strength and a sense of humor-I will need them all. Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich. Tao Te Ching

Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses Marilyn vos Savant

For an impenetrable shield, stand inside yourself. Henry David Thoreau

Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance. Samuel Johnson

Solitude is strength; to depend on the presence of the crowd is weakness. The man who needs a mob to nerve him is much more alone than he imagines. Paul Brunton

Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not amid joy. Arthur Helps

People do not lack strength, they lack will. Victor Hugo

What we actually learn, from any given set of circumstances, determines whether we become increasingly powerless or more powerful. Blaine Lee

Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself. Elie Wiesel

Strength is a matter of the made-up mind. John Beecher

All the strength and force of man comes from his faith in things unseen. He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. James Freeman Clarke

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain but for the heart to conquer it. Let me not look for allies in life's battlefield but to my own strength. Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved but hope for the patience to win my freedom. Grant me that I may not be a coward, feeling your mercy in my success alone; but let me find the grasp of your hand in my failure. Rabindranath Tagore

Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle. A tree that is unbending is easily broken. Lao Tzu

Remember, you are braver than you believe, you are stronger than you seem, and you are smarter than you think. AA Milne

Like water, be gentle and strong. Be gentle enough to follow the natural paths of the earth, and strong enough to rise up and reshape the world. Brenda Peterson

True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself. Henry Miller

I don't believe in anything and that makes me stronger than you think. Anne Rice

Storms make trees take deeper roots. Dolly Parton

Concentration is the secret of strength. Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength. Maya Angelou

There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up. Booker T. Washington

Perhaps I am stronger than I think. Thomas Merton

He possessed beauty without vanity, strength without insolence; courage without ferocity; and all the virtues of man without his vices. Lord Byron

When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid. Audre Lorde

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt

It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide on what to do. Elbert Hubbard

Although men are accused of not knowing their own weakness, yet perhaps few know their own strength. It is in men as in soils, where sometimes there is a vein of gold which the owner knows not of. Jonathan Swift

Nothing is so strong as gentleness. Nothing is so gentle as real strength. Frances de Sales

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Mohandas K. Gandhi

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. Rachel Carson

All too often arrogance accompanies strength, and we must never assume that justice is on the side of the strong. The use of power must always be accompanied by moral choice. Theodore Bikel

Strength and wisdom are not opposing values. William J. Clinton

The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same. Carlos Castaneda

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Charles Darwin

It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err. Mahatma Gandhi

Power over others is weakness disguised as strength. True power if within, and it is available to you now. Eckhart Tolle

Oh soul, you worry too much. You have seen your own strength. You have seen your own beauty. You have seen your golden wings. Of anything less, why do you worry? You are in truth the soul, of the soul, of the soul. Jalal al-Din Rumi

love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun more last than star e.e. cummings

Concrete is heavy; iron is hard - but the grass will prevail. Edward Abbey

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. Christopher Reeve

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it. Pablo Picasso


Links:
Share Our Strength – Working to end childhood hunger in America
Voices of Strength - Resources for Rape and Sexual Abuse Survivors

Network of Strength – Breast Cancer Awareness and Support

Strong Women Rule - Giveaway!

I grew up in a home with a strong mother - a woman who fought her brothers to go to school when they thought she should stay home and learn to cook and clean...who retyped her school applications when her brothers tore them up, a woman who was the only female at the boys' science college, came to America and made the life that SHE wanted. Although we don't always see eye to eye, she certainly can't argue about where I get my independent spirit!



As we're exploring STRENGTH this month at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out, I'm amazed at the great layouts we're seeing from our members about what it means to be a strong woman.

Some think there’s a tension between strength and femininity. What do you think? Do you subscribe to traditional views of masculinity and femininity? Do women wield different sorts of power than men? Do you see yourself as powerful, and in what ways? Who are women of great strength that you can think of, and how have they influenced your life?



And are we getting stronger as we get older? Is it all about physical strength, or is there a strength in wisdom?



Tell me what strength means to you and you'll be entered to win a subscriber premuum gift pack from SFTIO...please leave your comment before 5PM Pacific on Friday...

Love,

Rachel

Let Yourself Feel Weak

Is it OK to be weak? I keep hearing that we’re past the time of the 'superwoman', but based on my unscientific research, we're expected more than ever to do it all - be wives, mothers, work outside and inside the home, and be creative geniuses.



I know that’s hard for me. I want so much to make a difference and make the world better that I tend to push myself past the point of sensible effort. I’m working on it…



At least once in a while, it’s nice to let other people be in charge and allow ourselves to be weak. Do you ask for help when you need it? Do you find that you rely more on others, or that others rely more on you? Is weakness a fault to you? Was someone in your past a weak figure, and if so, how did that impact your view of weakness today? Are there times that you become drained – and what do you do to remedy that, or do you surrender?



For our third LO challenge for the STRENGTH kit, please join us and create a LO about the ways in which you feel weak at times, and how you deal with that. Do you let yourself rest, or do you fight it? What makes you weak?

For the design twist, please 'fade' something on your page - your photo, the paper by distressing, or something different!

Need a STRENGTH kit? Lookie!



CLICK HERE to grab yours, and also check out our past kits, being clearanced out at 30% off!


Love,

Rachel

Power Up With a Strength Challenge or Two

One of my favorite things about what we do at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out is the way we approach challenges. I love thinking about how the theme of the month inspires me, and I try to develop challenges that encompass different faces of each emotion plus an opportunity to delve into 'visual journaling' as Nancy has described it, the use of visual elements that reinforce the content of the LO.

Here's an example of how Nancy used these techniques in one of her DT LOs for July's STRENGTH kit:





Can you pick out the visual ideas she used? Gears from the kit of course, but linked together to show how Nancy and her hubby work together like a well-oiled machine. She painted and used glossy accents on the gears to show their strength. She also created a frame around the gears and photos to show their unity.

Here are our first two STRENGTH challenges - please try them to create a LO that includes visual journaling and explore your inner world with us! I'd love to see what you do!

STRENGTH CHALLENGE #1: YOUR OWN STRENGTH/FRAMED

Is there a moment you can recall when you realized your own strength, either physical, mental or emotional?

For the design twist, please use a unique 'frame' around your page's elements to symbolize the focus and definition of your strength.

STRENGTH CHALLENGE #2, WHAT DOESN'T KILL ME/RISE UP

What have you survived that you thought might kill you or your spirit? How have you triumphed and become stronger?

For the design twist, please use an image of rising up or going beyond...

The STRENGTH kit is still available - CLICK HERE to grab yours before they're all gone!



If you'd like to see more, please come by the website and check it out! I'd love to personally welcome you...

Love,

Rachel

Strength Kit at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out

Feel your oats and flex some muscles. This month, we're exploring STRENGTH at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out. This kit has one of the most unique color palettes yet: Navy, Pale Green, Fuschia and Goldenrod. It’s a powerful mix that will inspire you to show us your tough and tender sides. It's also perfect for the hot sun of July as it illuminates you.

The kit include gears, the perfect symbol for might and tenacity, bricks for your unbreakable spirit, and frames to anchor your emotions. Materials include chipboard, pearl paint and grungeboard: like your spirit, it bends, but doesn't break…

You'll enjoy two gorgeous paper lines: American Crafts' Character, with typographical elements that speak your truth, and Little Yellow Bicycle's Zinnia, with floral gear like elements, designs that are a throwback to the old toy, spirograph, spot-varnished and glittered finishes, and the most cool lace floral paper die-cut in a circle.

We also added some beautiful Hambly on kraft, rub-on frame labels, vinyl and chipboard flowers and shapes, Prima pebbles, THICKERS, and a mixed set of blue Prima letters, half flat and half chip for funky, chunky layered titles. Be strong, speak your mind and express your heart with STRENGTH!

What can you do? Check these out! LOs by our stellar NEW design team - Andrea Davenport, Nancy Doren (our ongoing and fearless DT Leader), Rita Barakat,and Siobhan Fry, respectively.



Please join us at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out, the inspirational source, kit club, and online community to help you Explore Your Inner World!

Love,

Rachel

PS: make sure you check out our clearance sale on the BUY page!

STRENGTH Contents:

7 Sheets Double-sided Patterned Paper:
* American Crafts Character Times
* American Crafts Character Chronicle
* American Crafts Character Planet
* American Crafts Character Gazette
* Little Yellow Bicycle Zinnia Zinnia Bloom
* Little Yellow Bicycle Zinnia Zinnia Dots
* Little Yellow Bicycle Zinnia Zinnia Garden Stripe

4 Sheets Specialty Paper:
* Little Yellow Bicycle Zinnia Green Floral Ledger (die cut)
* Little Yellow Bicycle Zinnia Flower Patched (spot-varnish and glitter)
* Little Yellow Bicycle Zinnia Pink Blossom Lace (die cut)
* Hambly ATC Patchwork Purple on Kraft Embellishments:
* American Crafts Thickers – Typo, Mustard, full pkg
* Prima Alphas Sticker and Chip,Blue, full pkg
* American Crafts House Collection Chipboard Character, 5 pcs
* Basic Grey Bling It - rhinestone squares, indigo-sky, 1/2 sheet
* Maya Road Chipboard Sets Gears, 6-7 pcs
* Maya Road Chipboard, Scroll Frames, 1/3 sht
* Prima Pebbles J, 2 pc
* Ranger Tim Holtz Sprocket Gears, 4 pcs,
* LYB Zinnia Journaling Pieces, 1 sheet
* Hambly Elegant Labels Rub-on, Magenta, 1/2 sheet
* American Crafts House Collection Vinyl Character, 5 pcs
* Magenta Felt Border Yellow Flowers, 1 border
* American Crafts Character Ribbon Italic 6 Yellow, 1/2 yd
* American Crafts Character Ribbon Bold 1 Pink, 1/2 yd

Cardstock:
*American Crafts - Mustard
*American Crafts - Sky
*American Crafts - Denim
*Core'dinations - Love Potion

Color:
* Ranger Perfect Pearls Silver Pearl Paint

Alterable Item:
*Ranger Grungeboard Basics Stripes 5x8, 5 pcs

Stamp:
*Prima Stamp, Collage, Brick

Contents may vary slightly.