Behind the Art with Melissa and Happy Thanksgiving!

To all of our friends in the U.S.

We are so thankful for YOU and wish many blessings, joy and peace to you this holiday weekend. And, if you are going out into the madness that is Black Friday... good luck! :)

I thought it somewhat appropriate to share the last layout I created using the Wisdom kit. I love the book of Proverbs in the Bible and I am very thankful for having something (the Bible) to go to for insight, encouragement and... wisdom! I decided I wanted to record some of my favorite verses from Proverbs that speak to the topic of Wisdom.

This layout will be a great resource for me when I'm leafing through the pages of my scrapbook. I love being able to document my thoughts AND document things like this to ponder later on. 

Here is a photo of the full layout:

As you can see, the journaling is hidden. The reason I did it this way, was simply for design purposes. Also, there is an element of fun in having to interact with my layout. I get to tuck the journaling away for another day. It's almost like it's my own secret to keep and ponder in my heart. 

A tab to symbolize something to remember later.  A light bulb to symbolize a great idea! A good thought! An important thought!

Where do you go for wisdom... or encouragement when it comes to wisdom and being wise?

P.S. You can see a tutorial for how I made the pockets holding the tags on my blog! 

Behind the Art with Kiki - Wisdom and Courage

Hi everyone. Kiki again with my Behind the Art for the week. This time I want to tell you about my journey I spent on this layout about Wisdom and Courage.

When I thought about wisdom, as I've said before, I didn't really reflect on my own wisdom or others around me, but what it meant as a whole. So I looked for quotes about wisdom on the internet and found one that spoke to me.

Using Scrapbooking from the Inside Out's Wisdom kit

Wisdom is learning to let go when you want to hang on. Courage is learning to hang on when you want to let go. I found this very profound especially given the time I was going through when I made the layout.

I've recently been soul searching in terms of careers and while I absolutely love teaching and training, I came to the realization that I wasn't finding joy in it anymore, at least not in the position I was in. So I searched for a new training position in the department I am in, and in my area, and there just wasn't anything out there for me in training. I knew that I had to change jobs because I was actually getting physically ill from the stress of it. So I let go of my passion for training, the job that originally gave me pure bliss and looked for something new in a new field I had never worked in before. And it was scary. But according to the quote, it was the wise thing to do.

I love all the muted tones that I worked with too. It reflected my somber decision. The peach lightened the page up though, and I think that really reflects the hope I felt in following my decision.

Do you use colours to reflect your mood when scrapbooking too?

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Behind the Art with Lori

Happy Thanksgiving week!
I am so grateful and so blessed. As you know,

we're showcasing our WISDOM kit this month. 

I'm wrapping up my posts this month with my final layout about wisdom:

This quote by Khalil Gibran really grabbed me:
"Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep,
too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself."
OH! The truth! We don't want to be wise just for wisdom's sake...
it's important to temper that wisdom with the beauty of being human.

I used a patchwork of the patterned paper to show the mishmash of life and the arrows pointing in
on "itself" as a symbol of that selfishness in which we all can get caught up.
I used last month's stencil of arrows again to symbolize
this as a reminder of which direction to take.

I like how this one turned out and, again, is another reminder to me to seek wisdom, but

also to be humble and reach out within that wisdom. 

Remember, you can get your kit here.

Our inspiration page is jam packed. 

Join us on the forums for challenges and chatter.

Make sure to check out the gallery!

And like us on facebook to keep up with all the latest!

xo

Lori

Hey You! Behind the Art with Kiki

Have you ever opened up one of Scrapbooking from the Inside Out's kits and found one thing that just spoke to you? Recently with the Wisdom kit, I certainly did. Sometimes I get a complete scrapbooker's block and can't get past it. But that's hasn't happened too often lately, thanks to the journal cards we've been getting in our kits.

This journal card, below, really helped me direct the idea of this layout. Thinking about wisdom and wise words, I thought about writing as if to myself, saying "Hey You, I've got some important things to say so listen up." 

I found this great quote about life, and it truly reflected my artistic journey of late. I started out in art journaling, and worked into scrapbooking and very structured, designed layouts. I realized that I had lost something of the style I once had that was messier, and more carefree. So I pulled out my modelling paste, and inks and decided to get messy again, drawing without an eraser, if you will.

From the Wisdom kit, November's Scrapbooking from the Inside Out member kit

Not even the arrows are facing in the same direction, and at first it bothered me. But then I sat back and looked at the layout, and it created a bit of chaos that I was striving to get across. A real mishmash of embellishments and styles on the same page.

It felt so good to let go of rules, symmetry, and just let loose and play with paper and mediums again. I had forgotten how much joy it had given me. It's not that there was anything wrong at all with the other more tailored style. It's just that it left me feeling a bit like I'd lost something of myself. So I decided to bring it back, and I think in looking at this layout you can see that again. I went for a bright orange card stock instead of something more simple. Bold, brash. And then I used floral paper with cute patterns and stripes and even added a bit of my own drywall tape. And it felt good. Really good.

But the crazy thing is that the whole time I was creating, it felt good, and yet I had needed to push myself to do it. Fight the inclination to do something more structured. And when I sat back, after pushing myself to break the rules again, it was so worth it. Now my scrapbooking feels more relaxing again. I feel like I'm drawing without an eraser, and I'm okay with that again.

Try doing something out of your comfort zone this week. Maybe try out one of the challenges on the forum, and push yourself to do a little something different and see how you feel afterwards. Either way, I guarantee that you'll have learned something from it!

November Guest Designer: Katie Smith

We are thrilled to have Katie Smith as our guest designer this month. Let's get to know her better and learn more about one of her layouts, using the November kit WISDOM.

Hi, I’m Katie. I’ve been scrapbooking since I was about 10, and have fallen in love with scrapbooking and other crafts over the years. Recently I have been published in multiple Creating Keepsakes Magazine issues, and was a runner up and finalist in both the 2011 and 2010 Creating Keepsakes Teen Talent Contests.

I love to scrapbook my travels and events, but I also scrapbook everyday moments and journal them. Being a part of Scrapbooking from the Inside Out has helped me scrapbook and write out my feelings more than I did before.

 

My blog: www.punkprojects.com

Katie chose to share more about her layout titled "Enjoy".

For this layout I really wanted to journal about something that’s very important to me and has always seemed wise, Enjoying the little things in life. The sunrises, the laughs, favorite little things that make me happy. As I wrote in my journaling... “In the end, They’re what really matters.”
I love using quotes on my layouts. They' make it easy to use as a journaling prompt.

I used a photo I took at a recent campout we took to Lake Arrowhead of the sun setting. I think sunsets and sunrises are just so beautiful, I can just sit and watch them forever. Since the photo is from Lake Arrowhead, I used the wonderful cork arrows from the kit to symbolize that. I love the texture of those cork arrows. I also fussy cut out a few arrows from the fun arrow patterned paper in the kit.

I wanted to use multiple papers for the background, but still have plenty of white space for my journaling so I trimmed the corner of my patterned paper off at a slanted angle and layered paper and cardstock underneath it to get it back to 12”x12”. I think this adds a bit of visual interest.

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Thank you so much for sharing Katie! 

Be on the lookout for another post showcasing more layouts that Katie created using this months kit.

Behind the Art with Lori

I hope you are enjoying your November! As you know, 

we're showcasing our WISDOM kit this month. 

Here's a little insight into this layout:

When I was thinking about this month's theme, I thought about 

when wisdom is most needed....and thought about when we are faced with choices and decisions, that's when we want to be wise and make the right ones. 

I loved this quote: "Begin, be bold, and venture to be wise" by Horace. 

There are so many different choices and paths we are faced with daily, 

sometimes we just need to begin.

I pulled in the symbolism of arrows and "direction" with the patterned paper and cork arrows. 

I also wanted to use the clip to show this as a "reminder" 

of what do do when faced with a choice. 

I'm glad to have shared this...I know this is a universal struggle. We

all want to make the right choices, we want to be bold and wise and

happy. I'm glad to have the reminder. 

I hope you are exploring wisdom with us the month! 

Remember, you can get your kit here.

Our inspiration page is jam packed. 

Join us on the forums for challenges and chatter.

Make sure to check out the gallery!

And like us on facebook to keep up with all the latest!

xo

Lori

What makes a person wise?

Welcome everyone to Behind the Art with Kiki! I'm glad you dropped by to visit to check out another layout done with the incredible Wisdom kit.

I've said it before but I'll say it again. This kit was chock full of wonderful papers and embellishments and was a joy to use for my assignment this month. I thought this week I'd show you the layout I created called Wisdom is Fleeting.

I would have to say that this kit challenged me to think outside the box about the wisdom theme. It would have been easier for me probably to find a group of memes on Facebook or Pinterest that highlight wise quotes or sayings. But I really wanted to think about wisdom and how I felt about it. It took me a while to reflect on wisdom and how it fits in my life, or in some cases, doesn't. In this case, I decided to take a look at whether or not I could truly say that wisdom was a part of my life, my personality. And I'll be honest...I just didn't know at the time. 

From the November Wisdom kit

For whatever reason, this year's birthday was the one that struck me as a milestone because I felt older. My brother would probably laugh and say that I was officially middle-aged. But it truly made me feel like my life was now different somehow, and that by now, I should have life figured out, and show that in my thoughts and actions. Only when I thought about it, I realized that I couldn't really say or not whether I had acquired wisdom in my more recent years. 

This kit had some great embellishments to help me express how I was feeling. This was a layout about my life, documented. Life should be a great adventure, delightful, full of joyous memories. And I realized that often young people view life this way, but the young are often considered foolish. Age is supposed to bring wisdom - so was I now wise?

And in the end, this small ticket, this one small embellishment in the kit was what spoke to me about true wisdom. It doesn't matter how young or old you are to understand the wisdom in that one ticket. Life is too short to be worrying about whether you are living your life the way others think you should. You need to live life your way and choose to be happy on your own terms, not someone else's terms. So if I have my foolish moments and don't seem like such a wise middle-aged woman, from time to time, it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, unless I am happy with my life. And the starting point for true happiness is to choose to be happy. What wise but simple words.

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Behind the Art with Melissa

Have you ever taken a personality test? One of my favorites to take is the Myers-Briggs. I take it every couple of years just to see if I've changed. I've been an ENFP for the past 8 years and embrace it. Which... is pretty natural of an ENFP to do. 

I've also taken a quiz through Strengths Finders. At a past job, we all took this as an administration staff. It was cool to hear what everyone was. One thing I learned about myself is I have wisdom. 

Interesting. 

I don't usually feel very wise! And yet, I've had people in my life tell me they are thankful for my wisdom. 

What am I suppose to do with that? I don't know I have it in my head that accepting the fact I might possess wisdom, is selfish. Because it is not. 

I decided to document how I felt about this and the conflict that goes in my head, when accepting this. I've used the contents of this kit to showcase that conflict and I'll walk you through that now. 

Combining textures: I layered the canvas leaf with the gold to create some contrast. I struggled combining these two elements of the but embraced the symbolism of "conflict" they can bring. 

Literal symbolism: How perfect to include that owl! We all know owls are wise, right? ;) 

I love the stencil this this months kit. I decided to double up the title but do it using different elements. (conflict!!!) Design note: I used modelling paste on the stencil to create the title card. Simple and adds great dimension.

I used the Thickers and stickers to repeat the title of the layout.

I love layering and combining patterns. I've not always been very brave in doing this but, over time, it has gotten to be lots of fun to experiment. I created a pennant end because I like the movement it adds, as it takes your eye around the layout. 

In the end, I do accept that I might possess some wisdom but, I'm also careful to not boast about it. I'm not going to hunt you down to share with you everything I know. That would just be wrong! But, what I will do, is when I feel led to share, I will.

Thanks so much for swinging by today!

For more inspiration, make sure to swing by our industry exclusive Inspiration Page! 

Behind the Art with Lori

Hi everybody! As you know, we're showcasing our WISDOM kit this month. 

Here's a little more about this layout:

I found that most of my work this month was a little more "clean" than usual. Maybe the idea of "wisdom" seems more cut and dried?
I loved this quote by the great Maya Angelou: "The desire to reach for the starts is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise."

As an educator for 17 years now, I felt touched by this quote.
My fellow educators know we don't go into this for the fame or the money (ha!)
...but for the hearts.
It's amazing to me how much of an impact I can have on so many of my students,
most of the time without even realizing it.
I wanted to pull in several of the different papers on this piece...and to show a bit of a "patchwork" to symbolize all the ways and people I have desired to touch in some way.

This was a good reminder for me that the desire to make a difference in kids' lives
is good...it is wise...it is something of which to be proud.
Even on the days when it feels quite the opposite!

If you want to explore wisdom with us this month, 

you can get your kit here.

Our inspiration page is chock full of good stuff. 

Join us on the forums for challenges and chatter.

Make sure to check out the gallery!

And like us on facebook to keep up with all the latest!

xo

Lori

Behind the art - with Kiki

Hi everyone! Kiki here with my behind the art for this layout, Which Way Are We Going?

I have to say that when I received the Wisdom kit, it surprised me, and really got me to thinking. I was surprised because everything was so pretty and bright, with oranges and teals. It is a very upbeat, positive kit in terms of colours and embellishments. It got me to thinking though, because when I thought about the theme of wisdom, I didn't feel positive. I just felt the lack of it in my life, or the apparent lack of it.

Using this month's Wisdom kit.

For this particular layout I decided to focus on using all the arrows that I found in the kit. To me they symbolized direction, and a pushing forward. I also found that it was easier to use the hard lines of the orange paper and the larger cut arrow to show the direction or heavy push I was feeling inside.

I chose to focus on bold colours and lines, the arrows all pointing in the same direction. And I knew right from the start of layering these pieces, that this was going to be a photoless layout. This was going to be journal-based, an expression of what I was feeling about wisdom, or rather the lack of it I was feeling.

I really felt like society is pushing us forward despite not having their decisions based solidly on true wisdom. As my journal reflects, we often hope to elect and follow people that are wise, in our government, our society, our spirituality, but are often left feeling without direction, or misled and being pushed in a direction that we don't want to be, and so I was left with the questions of which way we are going as a society. Honestly I don't really know, but I also know that going forward is probably the only way to find wisdom, by learning from mistakes others have made, and using that wisdom to move through life.

Once I had put that onto the page, I felt a little sad, but quite glad that I had expressed it, because it came from a part of me that expressed a need for understanding, a need to state what I felt was going on around me, without creating open conflict or discussion, because I wanted to just think about it myself and process it without dialogue from others. And it gave me a chance to reflect on my surroundings and what I can do to change them if I see a need. This layout by far has been the most open and raw journaling I've done in scrapbooking, and I'm glad to have done it.

Take some time this month to use the Wisdom kit, and think not only about your wisdom but how wisdom in your current surroundings affects you. Dig deep to find something about it that you may not be comfortable saying out loud, but once on paper will help you process a feeling, or emotion. You may find that sense of release, relief or peace once you do scrapbook from the inside out.

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Behind the Art with Melissa

I love how the monthly emotion seems to coincide with what I am going through in life. It never fails. I'll see the word and think, "you have GOT to be kidding me!"

It happened again this month. Right before receiving the kit, I was already going through making some decisions that were difficult but necessary. I immediately had this phrase in my head - "Sometimes the wise choice is the most difficult."

It isn't quoted from anyone specific. It's just something I've learned from experience. The most difficult choices I've had to make... with the outcome I might not prefer... have usually ended up being the best choice I could have possibly made and, therefore, the wisest.

This kit is so rich with symbolism! I'm excited to share with you how I put it all together with this photo-less layout. 

Arrows are PERFECT symbolism for a visual journaling page about making decisions. Which path shall I take? Which direction is the right one? Should I have gone the other way? I love the texture of cork and that it can symbolize pinning something up as a reminder or a "to-do". 

The color of gold is so rich! Making these difficult choices that will lead to growth and end up being the WISE choice... are RICH choices. The reward at the end is priceless and so worth it. I love how the bauble reminds me of a looking glass. I like to think that gives imagery to getting a tiny glimpse of the future. 

For design purposes, I love mixing alphabet. It adds so much to the layout. Especially as I'm a clean and simple scrapper. Combining so much color and texture with the letters can help make the layout not feel so empty. I guess there could be some symbolism here too... I just make a decision so I'm going to use it all! Haha! 

And the journaling. 

I chose to not use a photo for this layout because I wanted the journaling to take center stage. Instead of creating a "layout", I really wanted this to be a visual journaling page. I used the kit contents to add to my words and create some symbolism. Plus, there is something special about journaling and expressing my emotions through art. 

Thank you so much for swinging by! 

There are still a few kits left. Lucky YOU! Click here to get one. Don't wait!!! 

Behind the Art with Lori

Hi folks, and welcome to November!

We're showcasing our WISDOM kit this month. 

I wanted to start with this layout:

I start my process of designing each month by looking through and/or pinning to our

Pinterest Board.

I find so often that what I want to say about the emotion

can be expressed in a quote. 

I veered off my usual messy route this month and focused on a fairly clean and simple layout. 

I loved this quote by Socrates, "Wisdom begins in wonder."

This rung so true for me...we must wonder and experience things in order to have the desire to learn more and grow in wisdom. 

I pulled in the feathers in the kit to show an element of nature...that's where I

go to really ponder things...outside. 

I wanted to keep this one pretty plain and simple, 

because that's what the quote is...short and sweet, but truth.

If you want to explore wisdom with us this month, 

you can get your kit here.

Our inspiration page is chock full of good stuff. 

Join us on the forums for challenges and chatter.

Make sure to check out the gallery!

And like us on facebook to keep up with all the latest!

xo

Lori

Embrace Your Inner Wisdom

As the seasons turn and the years go by, what do you learn about life and about yourself? Find out with us as we begin our month-long exploration of WISDOM.

Imagery in the WISDOM kit includes arrows to help you define your trajectory, cork for tacking up those important notes to self, clothespins to attach reminders you need. We've also included fabric, foil and cardstock feathers for an airy feeling of truth floating your way, lightbulbs for flashes of brilliance, and tickets to pass along your wisdom to the next generation, or the new you.

Paper lines include the beautiful and autumnal Basic Grey Persimmon, My Mind's Eye Cut and Paste - Charm and Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky. 

Is WISDOM something that you gain with age or is it something you must cultivate with purpose? 

Join us!

Contents:

Patterned Paper:

Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky Perky
Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky Easygoing
Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky Carefree
My Minds Eye Cut and Paste - Charm Smile - Shine
My Minds Eye Cut and Paste - Charm Hey You - Route
My Minds Eye Cut and Paste - Charm Carefree - Mellow
Basic Grey Persimmon Pecan Pie
Basic Grey Persimmon Butternut Squash
Basic Grey Persimmon Harvest Cider
Basic Grey Persimmon Crumb Cakes 

Alphas:

Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky Alpha Sticker
Studio Calico Thickers Rockabye Cork

Embellishments:

Prima Pebbles Faceted Gemstones 6 pcs.
Fancy Pants Artist Edition cork arrows 12 pcs.
Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky Ticket roll 8 pcs.
We R Memory Keepers Harvest Life embossed frame
We R Memory Keepers Harvest Pure bliss embossed frame
Maya Road Kraft Eureka - white 3-4 pcs.
Basic Grey Persimmon Printed Feathers 4 pcs.
Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky Clothes pins 2 pcs.
My Minds Eye Cut & Paste Charm Smile enamel dots 1/4 sheet
Basic Grey Capture Attach Me Stickers - Brown/Cream 4 pcs.
Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky Large decorative tags 3 pcs.
My Minds Eye Cut & Paste Charm Hey You - journal card

 

Cardstock:

American Crafts Butterscotch
American Crafts Smoke
American Crafts Rocky Road
American Crafts Storm
American Crafts Squash

Color:

Ranger Tim Holtz Gathered Twigs Distress Marker