Welcome to Authentic You

It is December and we are ready to reveal the latest visual journaling kit.

http://www.scrapbookingfromtheinsideout.com/inspiration/kits/authentic/

This kit is all about recording the real you. Words that come to mind are genuine, real, one of a kind and legit. Through out the month we will explore how you find yourself authentic; what characteristics do you feel you possess that make you genuine. Embrace the true YOU because YOU are valuable. 

We've got lots of wonderful, latest and greatest, product in this kit:

Select papers from Jubilee Sherbet by My Minds Eye and It Factor by We R Memory Keepers.

Embellishments from It Factor and Jubilee Sherbet and so much more!

Take a look at a few pages from our very talented pool of Contributing Artists:

Contributing Artist: Felecia Krech

Contributing Artist: Jen Matott

Lead Contributing Artist: Melissa Elsner

Contributing Artist: Stacey Michaud

We hope you join us this month as we explore our inner worlds together. Grab your kit today while they last!

Behind the Art with Stacey

The minute I saw the paper with all the funky lines, I knew I wanted to make them a part of my design.  I imagined using arrows to go with the lines, creating a sense of chaos, yet balance.

That is exactly how I feel about my life as a mom.  I get my life energy from my kids.  At the same time, they drain me.  It is ironic.  A cycle that keeps turning.

I like how this page moves around.  It is a bit disorganized, quite like my life.  At the center are my two beautiful children.  That make my life a work in progress and I adore them.  I placed the heart transparency right near my photo to symbolize that they are my heart.

I used the arrows, triangles and circles are repeating elements.  I wanted the eye to bounce around the page.  I decided to make my title, Zap, for when being a mom drains me and, Bam, for when I am filled up again.

I told the story of how they affect my life energy.  Mostly, they fill me up and help me realize my life's purpose.

Behind the Art wtih Stacey

This month is all about energy.  I loved using the prompts to help me think about page ideas.  I decided to scrap about an event that gave me so much energy.  It was a unique experience that my husband and I shared together. 

We went to Sedona, AZ this past spring and it was a one of a kind experience.  We had our best day on the last night of the trip.  I don't think I will ever forget all the cool moments of that afternoon and night.

I decided to use rectangular elements and arrows to create a lot of movement on this page.  It is about the energy of the vortexes.  I think the back and forth of the lines creates a cool vibe.  I hand cut the title from a sheet of paper and grounded it with the arrow sticker.  I used the "Scenic Route" card to match the theme.

I journaled above and below the card, telling the story of the day.  We saw the most amazing sunset.  But the day wasn't about what we saw.  Instead, it was what we felt.  The energy was unbelievable.  We both felt the same sensation that God was with us.  Nature was fierce and amazing.  We were so solid. 

It was a moment that can't be put into words.



Behind the Art with Stacey

Can you believe it is March already?  A  new month brings a new kit and this one is about honesty.  I took honestly to a new level on my layout.  Another word for honesty is candor.  The art of being direct and frank scares some people.  I happen to appreciate that approach, particularly when it will help me grow.

My page features a good friend.  We straight shoot, call each other out and talk with great honesty.

 

I wanted to add very structured elements to the pages to represent the straight shooting and clear lines of communication.  I also placed down some very feminine touches like the rhinestone details and hand cut florals.  We are both women who need friendship to guide us through being teachers, moms, wives and friends.

 

I chose to use a large Thank You placed within the sticker frame.  The telephone dial is symbolic, although texting would be more realistic.

 

In order to put some interest on the page and bring attention to the story, I used the stencil near the photo.  We share the stories and events of our lives with each other, like photos on the frame.  I repeated the circle in three places because I like to use repetition on every page.

 

I love the reds and yellows in this kit.  There is so much potential to help you scrap your story.

 

 

Behind the Art with Stacey

Hi everyone!  We are just loving the kit this month and hope you are too.  The theme is intention, which is one powerful word.  I truly believe in the idea of intention and how it leads us in life.  My first layout celebrates my word of the year.  Each year, I chose one word that I try to focus on and incorporate in my life.  This year my word is whisper.  I explained why in the journaling on the page.

I was really drawn to the feathers and the strong natural colors in the kit.  It seemed earthy and gave me a sense of zen.    I love the watercolors and knew I wanted the green and blue as my base.

 

When choosing the page elements, I was drawn to the feather card.  Whispers are soft and airy, quite like the feather.  To enhance the theme, I cut a couple of more feathers and layered them.  I also placed down the dream catcher behind the cards and overly because it fits the idea of achieving my goal. 

 

The way those birds are soaring from the feather....swoon!  I really wanted to carry that same feel throughout the top of the page to join the title to the photo.  I used the white marker in the kit along with the stencils to make tiny hearts, stars and circles.  I randomly placed the stencil along and through the title area.

The title was cut from a journaling card...how perfect is that saying!  The technique of using the marker really grounds the title.

 

 

I ended with my journaling.  I drew lots of lines so I could record why the word whisper means so much to me this year. 

 

 

I believe that writing down my intentions and sharing them here will make them come to fruition.  There is power in words!

What is your word of the year?  We would love to see you document it on your next page!

Guest Designer: Stacey Michaud

What an incredible month of exploring Ambition with everyone and we have VERY much enjoyed having Stacey Michaud joining us. Earlier this month you got to know her more and I hope that you visited her gallery on the SFTIO page.

I pulled a favorite layout to share with you today.

Stacey is always brilliant when it comes to using the kits down to the little details. Whenever I look at her layouts I am always gasping with delight when I see how she cut something or tweaked it to make it her own. Such is the case with the paper with the heart. It seems so simple! But, it provides the perfect pop of color below her photo and symbolism.

 

Looking closer at the ladies, I notice she used the embellishments at the appropriate place. It looks like those powerful and colorful ladies are marching with bright stars and hearts in their hands. And I KNOW Stacey is a lover of banners. Placing them at the top to help balance the movement at the bottom was perfect.

Reading her journaling is enough for us to see that Stacey knows the benefits and rewards of visual journaling and scrapping from the heart. 

Thank you so much Stacey for joining us this month! 

Visit Stacey's blog here: It's Just Paper

Journaling: Vent Session

vent¹

vent/

verb

1. 1.

   give free expression to (a strong emotion).

   "he had come to vent his rage and despair"

   synonyms:

   release, air, give vent to, give free rein to, let out, pour out, express,give expression to, voice, give voice to, verbalize, ventilate, discuss,talk over, communicate More

Sometimes it feels good to let it all out.

It's healthy too. Just think about volcanoes. It's good that they puff out steam every once in awhile. Otherwise, all that steam and such is going to keep boiling and boiling. Then, what will happen?  A huge explosion that will affect more than just the immediate surroundings.

While we should probably be careful about who we vent to and we should take care not to confuse venting with taking our frustration out on others, it's good to have a good journaling sesh.
Let the tears flow.

Let the tension ease.

It's good!

I love how our Guest Designer Stacey Michaud put this to practice. Her take on Ambition is an interesting one with this layout. While the photo is of her children and their own ambitions, if you read between the lines, you can see that Stacey used this opportunity to vent. "Just Get Along!"

If you are a mama, maybe you can relate???

For my layout, I vented in a round about way. Something that I'm getting so tired of is my laziness. No motivation. Just sheer laziness. Literally. Laziness. And I've had it! So, what better kit to let it out and make that thought public than by journaling it out on a layout.

It felt good, I tell ya! And now you all know and will hold me accountable, right?

Journaling is so therapeutic. 

Use it with the product and symbolism in our kits and you've got yourself the best visual journaling page just for YOU. 

Now... go let it all out!

September Guest Designer - Stacey Michaud

We are so thrilled to have the lovely Stacey Michaud guest designing with us again. We just love her style and that she truly gets the heart of SFTIO.

Hi all! My name is Stacey Michaud. I am a teacher during the day and an avid scrapbooker by night! I use the creative process to keep my sanity and record my stories. Paper serves as my muse and I love gaining inspiration from the products around me. I like to call my style clean and linear with a twist. Journaling is a must for me. I have been blessed enough to be published in Scrapbook Trends and Creating Keepsakes!  I currently design for Webster's Pages, Teresa Collins Designs and Lily Bee Design.

Here is one of the layouts, created by Stacey, using the September kit AMBITION:

We love how Stacey is able to record a layout with her kiddos and use it as a way to vent!

Stacey will be back later this month to share a little Behind the Scenes of one of her layouts. 

To view Stacey's SFTIO Gallery, click here.

To visit Stacey's blog and stay up to date on all her happenings, click here. 

Behind the Scenes with Stacey Michaud

Hi everyone!

It has been such a treat to have Stacey Michaud guest designing with us this month. If you haven't had the chance to visit her gallery, please do so by clicking here. In the meantime, Stacey is graciously sharing some "Behind the Scenes" information for one of her layouts, using the JOURNEY kit.

A Brother Meets Sister - Part 2

By Stacey Michaud

What prompted you to pick this take on Journey? 

Journey truly fits my life these past couple of years.  I have had the opportunity to heal some childhood wounds, ones that run quite deep.  It has been an unexpected and exciting journey.  I have met my siblings from my biological father, something I never thought would happen.  My biological father passed away a few years ago so I thought all associations with him and my siblings would end there.  Not so.  Not only has it been an emotional journey, but a physical one as it required travel.  I wanted to share both sides of the journey on this page.

Why did you choose this photo?

It is the only photo of my brother and me alone.  I love this picture and think you can just see the happiness on my face.

How do you feel about the message of your layout?

The message is positive and full of joy.  I really tried to capture my feelings and reflections.  It is almost as though I am as excited as if I were a young child.  I hope it conveys how much the experience meant to me.

What symbolism did you pull into your design?

In a way, the diamonds are somewhat masculine, yet have playful and femine patterns.  I incorporated the pink and the blue in more vibrant hues to match the brother/sister theme.  The garland is celebratory in nature.  I wanted a lot of clean, white space to really make the photo stand out.

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

It feels great to capture those moments and record them.  I don't want to forget the details of what happened.  It was a big deal and I wanted my layout to show that.  I always feel like I honor my history and my inner spirit when I scrap the most meaningful moments in life

Beautiful. Thank you so much Stacey for not only sharing your amazing talent but also for sharing your tender heart with us this month. 

If you love Stacey as much as we do, you can keep up with all her creativity on her blog here: It's Just Paper. 

October Guest Designer - Stacey Michaud

Hi everyone!

Happy October and welcome to my favorite season. I love the Fall! And what a fabulous kit for us to be kicking off the Fall season with.  I've got some more fun news... I have the distinct privilege of introducing to you our October Guest Designer - Stacey Michaud!

Stacey has such a great style to her layouts and we love how she focuses on the journaling. This is paramount to our "Inside Out" approach! For this post, we're going to get to know Stacey more and see one of her layouts. Later, this month, she'll be sharing some "Behind the Scenes" of one of her layouts.

Stacey Michaud

Guest Designer

Hi all! My name is Stacey Michaud. I am a teacher during the day and an avid scrapbooker by night! I use the creative process to keep my sanity and record my stories. Paper serves as my muse and I love gaining inspiration from the products around me. I like to call my style clean and linear with a twist. Journaling is a must for me. I have been blessed enough to be published in Scrapbook Trends, Creating Keepsakes and Memory Makers magazine as well as several idea books!  I currently design for Webster's Pages, Teresa Collins Designs, and Lily Bee Design.

Full Circle:  I have recently gone through significant life changes involving family.  I have had the chance to meet my half siblings for the first time.  It is an opportunity I always dreamed of, but never thought would actually happen.  My mom keeps telling me that my life has come full circle.  That saying repeats in my head quite often.  I wanted to document it on a layout about me and this personal journey.  The design of the page is important to me as I want it to convey a certain feeling.  I chose to use the Kraft circles as a symbol.  I also integrated the bird to give the feeling of being free. The large title is meant to make a big statement.  It is as if I am yelling this out so everyone can know how healed I feel.   My journaling tells about how the little girl with the big dream feels happy...happy enough to spin with arms wide open.

Stacey's Blog: It's Just Paper

Stacey's SFTIO Gallery: Click Here