Pages

Thursday, December 31, 2015

One Little Word

I thought and thought and thought about what my OLW might be for 2016.

It was, like so many things in this time and space, laborious.

In my own frustration, I actually said out loud, "What I really need is some time and space to HEAL!"

and there it was...my word.

HEAL



I want to make 2016 a year of conscious healing...

Healing my body - with good food and good exercise and time spent working on making myself healthy. I have not been as good to myself as I needed to be in 2015...its time to take responsibility for it and make some changes.



Healing my fractured spiritual life - with stillness and purposeful seeking of God.



Healing my artistic soul - I've scrambled and scraped and stolen time to accomplish creative time in 2015. I want spending time being creative to be something I do with purpose in 2016...not a haphazard, thrown together moment, but something that involves my whole focus.



Healing my relationships. I was very very fortunate to go on a trip this last summer that was healing in every possible way and it started a longing in me for more of it...I have so much more of this to do. More kindness to show myself and others. More grace to extend to myself and others. I have taken enough nonsense this last year and I want to really focus on my boundaries and building relationships that matter deeply and are healthy.


So here's to 2016 and to healing in a big way...

Peace, ya'll!

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Merry Christmas?

Hello, blog-land...

I'm so glad to be back!

To say that November and December were challenging for me would be an understatement. I worked some tremendous hours and it was truely a challenge for me to not have a panic attack about the pending holidays.

To say that Christmas snuck up on me would be an understatement.

To give some perspective, I shopped for my entire Christmas list on the Saturday before Christmas.

Crazy, I know.

Honestly, it was kinda lovely to go out with my husband and be in the hustle and bustle and just get it all done. And here in my part of the world, the people are so kind. It wasn't unpleasant...just not the way I typically handle Christmas.

There were some very fun things that happened along the our busy way...

Somebody lost their first tooth.



My mother, sister and I did a baking day one Saturday and let my kiddos help. That was amazing and fun and something we will do for as long as we can manage.

We also did our usual tree trimming on the weekend after Thanksgiving as a family.



There was a visit with Santa and the Coca-Cola bear (and some yummy cookies, cocoa and cider).



We squeezed in a Hornets game (12 row club seats!! AMAZING! and MJ was even there!)




And finally it came time to spend our holidays...

Here is the thing...I didn't take any pictures. Which I may regret...or not...I'm not quite sure yet. I was just having so much fun being in the moment that there are litterally like three photos of Christmas eve and one of Christmas day...

I was just in the moment.

That is the point, though...to be present.

Oh, and one more momentous thing happened this holiday season...my sweet Jayden KNOWS...sigh...

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Right Here Right Now

Greetings, my friends!

Today I'm posting my last project from Inside Out's True Story kit. 

For my final project, I reflected on a question asked by my nine-year old son - What is my big dream. 




Peace, ya'll.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Begin Now

Hey, everyone!!!  I hope this post is finding everyone well!!! I've got a new project up over at Inside Out today.

For my next project from Inside Out's True Story kit, I focused on using the Just Add Color papers from Bella Blvd. Go check out the rest of the Story Behind the Art.


Peace, ya'll!



Saturday, October 17, 2015

Playing with mixed media


One of the things I love most about paper and ink and glue and buttons...and just, well..all the lovely things I can find...is the idea of playing. 

I'm not really a player - sssshhhhhhhhh!! Don't tell anyone.  

My time to hang in my studio and do things is often accompanied by a goal...pages or assignments or cards for a party or whatever. 

I don't even experiment when I'm at crops..I plan for a crop. It has a goal! As many pages as I can get done in my alloted time. 

See, I have these little boys and they like me...so hanging out with them is very important. As such, when I get away to do a crop or retreat or even spend a few moments in my studio, I focus focus focus...

But...

BUT...

I have been doing classes from May Flaum for quite some time...and I love here anything-goes approach. 

And she plays... a LOT.

When I take one of her classes I feel BRAVE and so I get to experimenting on things I may not normally do in my studio...like PLAY with ink and paint and some fabric and some buttons and a few pins and a little embossing powder...

Mixed media is one of those glorious things...anything goes...you just make it feel right to you. LOVE that...no goal...other than "I like it!"

So...I've got a little tag to share with you.



Badly lit and badly photographed and all.

There are so many bits and pieces here..I followed her instructions and just went looking for the little things hiding out in the containers on my desk so I could rid myself of some of them.

There are inks and some molding paste, some fabric, some paint, a water misting technique, metal, crocheted pieces, buttons, sequins, yarn, a paperclip...seriously...its all that and the kitchen sink!



I was so busy creating that I neglected to take photos of the process...which is precisely the point.

I have zero idea where this will get used...or if...but it sure was FUN!!!

Precisely the point!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, October 15, 2015

This Story Belongs To Me

For my second project from Inside Out's True Story kit, I really wanted to focus on the "story" part...

I'm giving the Story behind the Story over on Inside Out's Blog today...sharing how my moments make up my story...


Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, October 08, 2015

Be Moved.

Hello!  Welcome to my first project from the Inside Out True Story kit!

Have I mentioned before that I'm not so much into pink? Wellllllll...this kit might be the one that pushes me into the liking and maybe even LOVING pink category.

I'm talking about my Be Moved project and how it relates to the True Story theme over on the Inside Out blog today...


Its one of my favorites!!!

Peace, ya'll!



Thursday, September 24, 2015

You Are So Loved

Its time for my final project from the Inside Out Inner Child kit...I'm sort of sad to see this kit go.

Its been amazing for me to get back in touch with that little scamp...I'm a very serious person who has a very difficult time joking around about myself, so this month's projects have been freeing and touching and have kept me smiling from ear to ear!

For the final project, I wanted to remind that little one that no matter what, she is so loved...loved beyond reason, loved no matter what. 

You can check out all the details over on the Inside Out blog today.

Not long ago, I re-discovered a box of photos of me when I was a child. I have been thoroughly enjoying rediscovering these shots of me...and the memories that go along with them.

These two spoke to me...spoke to what I feel like my inner child would look like if she could manifest herself for real. 

The Authentique paper with hearts is just so much fun!  And I love the striped paper as a background. I used some journaling cards and a couple of the die cuts to get a bit of layering done to frame the photos. 

I used the Faber Castell brush pen to freehand some border lines for dimension and color. 


The Fancy Pants mixed alphas are perfectly playful for a title like this. It makes me think of the newpaper / magazine cut out pictures I used to make when I was a kid. 


As is my habit, I cut of the chalkboard label into to pieces to add to both the top and bottom and provide some grounding. for the rest. 


My journaling is a simple reminder to myself...you are loved. Be at peace.

As a final project, this is probably my favorite. It definitely speaks to my heart.

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Ballerina

Greetings, fellow explorers!!! Felecia here with my third project from Inside Out's Inner Child kit...

This time I'm tackling my ever present dream of being a ballerina.

You can see the whole story behind the art over on the Inside Out blog today:



Peace, ya'll!


Saturday, September 12, 2015

Retreat games

If you are attending a retreat of any kind, games are part of the fun.

Since I attend a retreat once per year (at least) and also many crops a year, I have seen my fair share of games.

Some of the fun ones:

Bingo...there are a ton of Bingo Card generators on line that you can use to make your own. The one I personally found the easiest is called Bingo Baker...you can try it out here:  https://bingobaker.com/view/505824.

Who's Got the Bear (or dolphin, or doll, or elf, or monkey or whatever you have handy). In this game, the leader must first set a timer for some random amount of time. We used a kitchen timer. A very large and very purple bear (this game works best if the toy is QUITE visible to everyone in the room!)  is earned when a task is complete...say, completing a scrapbook layout. You keep the toy until somebody else completes a task and then they take it from you. You win if you are the holder of the toy when the timer goes off.

Who's Got A...This game is just one where the leader calls out a random object that might be found in a purse, pocket or scrap bag.  First to the front wins.

Yankee Swap...this has a ton of variations, but essentially, everyone brings a gift (legit, not funny) of a certain value, cleverly wrapped so as to entice. Numbers are drawn and each person in turn can either take a gift from the collection or steal from somebody else. if you lose your gift, you in turn can do the same. Some of the variations could be unwrapping the gift on your turn rather than at the end,  a gift can only be stolen X number of times, and allowing the last person to choose to swap again after all gifts are unwrapped.

This time, I've arranged for several games that I've seen played in my kids' classrooms of all things...

First up, the How Many game...For us, there are three jars included - one washi, one buttons and one brads...we have to guess how many there are. The number is tucked inside an envelope. Closest without going over wins...






Second is the Chocolate Scramble - this is a game that gets played at showers. There are a ton of examples out there. I searched for one that was printable that looked fun. Its just different names of chocolate treats that are scrambled and need to be unscrambled.

Next is How Well Do You Know Me? Again, there are a ton of variations of this game. I made up my own with fun questions like "What is her middle name?" and "Favorite musician?".

Finally, we will be unwrapping this gift...don't be fooled. Its much smaller than it looks. It is gift-wrapped I-don't-know-how-many-times...I do know I ran out of two rolls of wrapping paper to get it wrapped...its got like four or five or six or seven kinds of wrapping paper....the last one to unwrap the REAL thing WINS...and its a doozy too!!


Peace, ya'll!

Friday, September 11, 2015

Scrapbook Retreat Swag

My friends and I out retreating for the weekend...a lovely mountain retreat with great food and outdoor time, great friends and, of course, paper crafting!!!

For this retreat, I really wanted do some great swag bags...

Every retreat I've ever been to has swag or gift bags for the guests. I think a lot of retreat hosts are trying to provide a LOT of swag instead of trying to provide QUALITY swag. I also think sponsors sometimes go to the stock they can't sell as give away items so retreaters get leftover product that nobody else wanted...generous, but not necessarily desirable.

So, for this retreat, I was looking for new things that were fun, useful and also top notch. I happen to have been able to get everything reasonably priced in my own way...this is how it all played out:




First, the bags are Rume Classic totes in the large size...If you've never seen these before, they are amazing. They hold up to 50 pounds, are washable, and they fold up into a little tiny roll so you can throw it in any bag as a spare for coming back - essential for retreat shopping!!! 

The bags are in different colors, according to their recipient.

Each bag has a 12 x 12 paper pad included. The paper pads are also chosen based upon the recipient.


There is a color-coordinating drink cup included in each bag. These are Aladdin Aqua To-Go.

I found an amazing company called Ex Libris Anonymous that hand makes journals from vintage books. Each recipient got a journal with a cover that associated to one of their hobbies or interests. Every journal I got was beautiful! There are tons of choices and the customer service is excellent!

I also included a craft book...for this bag, it happens to be the Dylusions Distinctly Dylusional by Dyan Reaveley.


There is an EOS lip balm and an EOS hand lotion. Each bag has scents that are specific for the bag recipient. I got these at Target on one of my regular Target runs!

I also got the sample size Wet Ones at Target from the sample rack.

There is a StazOn ink pad and fine line black pen.

Kind of hidden in the background there are three custom card kits I made as make-n-takes.


Finally, there are two Heidi Swapp Color Shine sets. Both of these happen to have come from Micheals...But when I went to look them up on Heidi Swapp's site, I found a whole bunch of them!  I see Color Shine sets in my future!

What you don't see here are the "treats." I included some nuts and a Kind bar for each bag as well.

There you have it...my kind of scrapbook retreat swag bag. 

I'll post some more on our games...so stay tuned!!!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Dear Inner Child

As I worked with the amazing Inner Child kit from Inside Out, I realized I probably owe my inner child an apology for shushing her all the time...

And I kind of wondered if I'm the only person who does that...



I'm over on the Inside Out Blog today Sharing the story behind the art...head on over and read the whole story!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, September 03, 2015

Possibility

I am SO in love with this new Inner Child Kit from Inside Out.  Its absolutely in my sweet spot both colors and theme....

My first project is a picture-less paper piecing project featured over on the Inside Out Blog today...


Head on over and take a look!

Peace, ya'll!

Tuesday, September 01, 2015

Inner Child - the latest from Inside Out

There si a beautiful new kit out TODAY from Inside Out...its called Inner Child.


Its is just amazing, with papers from Fancy Pants Designs Flutter line and Authentique's Playful line.

There are some amazing cardstocks from My Minds Eye and tons of fun embellishments to explore with.



I had an absolutely amazing time creating with this one...

So get yours HERE, then come on over to the Members Exclusive Page on Facebook and play along with our Inner Child challenges this month!!!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Beach Dreamin'

I've got one final layout to share from the Inside Out Live Your Dream kit. 

This time, I addressed a dream I only get to indulge in once in a while, but that I hope to indulge in more as time goes on - the beach.

I'm over on the Inside Out Blog today to share the Story Behind the Art. 



This one dream I hope to be living more sooner rather than later!!!

Peace, ya'll!



Tuesday, August 25, 2015

The Dentist

I'm not sure entirely why, but I have the urge to add a "DUH DUH DUH" to that...

So...the kiddos went to a new dentist here in town.

They loved it.

Which seems counter-intuitive if you had the dentist of MY childhood...

I guess going to the dentist isn't the horrible experience Bill Cosby made it out to be.

Anyway, I didn't get to take them to the appointment...so my sweet husband made sure I got the play by play for their visits.




Where were the cool sun glasses when we were kids, Huh?

Peace, ya'll!


Monday, August 24, 2015

Baby shower gift tags

Occasionally, I get asked to craft some awesome things for parties...

I love taking time out of my normal art process to make commissioned work...its refreshing and gives me the opportunity to try things I might not normally try.

This time I was asked to make a tag for a baby shower favor - Its a Girl nailpolish by OPI. The theme for the shower was "Vintage botanical" and the party hostesses had already come up with a banner that had the colors / theme.

Colors were a coral pink, chocolate, white, brown and pale gray with touches of yellow and a spring green...so so pretty!

So...I came up with these little things.



The butter fly is punched using a three step EK success punch...note to self...MUST get me more of these....

The stamp is an old Hero Arts stamp.



There are some doily pieces, some Heidi Swapp Gold mist and finally a little pearl in the middle.



They turned out so cute. They look SO CUTE nestled together on the table...





Peace, ya'll!!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Unexpected Dreams

Hello, fellow artists!! How is everyone faring with their Live Your Dream kit???

As I explore the idea of living my dream, I have to say that I am living dreams now that I didn't even have an awareness of not so long ago.

I'm unpacking this idea on the Inside Out blog today...head on over and take a look and while you're there, share your unexpected dreams!


Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, August 13, 2015

by Design

One of my most exciting dreams that I have the incredible blessing to live is designing for Inside Out. I have to say that there would be a LOT less of me in my own pages without this amazing company. 

Today I'm talking about this great opportunity and my project to document it over on the Inside Out Blog. 



Artistic endeavors are soul filling and I'm extraordinarily blessed to get to do this with a company that is really focused on healing, exploring and filling our souls through art...Its a once in a lifetime gift!

You can get the whole story HERE.

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, August 06, 2015

One More Time

I had mentioned in my post from July 23rd. that I was heading to California to do a reunion concert with some folks I sang with many moons ago...

How amazing and timely that we would get the amazing Live Your Dream kit for THIS month so I could document my amazing trip!




Head on over and get the fun details behind this fun layout with the amazing kit!!!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Note to Self

Sometimes you just have to remind yourself in the darkness to hang  your own twinkle lights...

And that is what I did with this project, my final project from the Inside Out Shine kit.


I'm over on the Inside Out Blog today, sharing my story behind this art. 

Peace, ya'll!



Thursday, July 23, 2015

Weird is Beautiful

As you read this, I will be on the west coast, soaking up the sunshine and participating in a long planned reunion of some of my old music friends.

I am so excited for the opportunity to get to sing with the folks who were really my first foray into singing the way I dreamed - as a rock singer.

Singing is something that always made me feel like shooting star - even if it was in the dingy rehearsal room at the back of a old building in a little old suburb San Bernardino, CA. 

Something else that has always made me feel like bright and amazing is being weird.

http://scrapbookingfromtheinsideout.blogspot.com/2015/07/behind-art-with-felecia_23.html

What if...what if truely being a shining light, a city on a hill, a lamp to others means embracing that nothing is wrong with me. RADICAL.

I'm telling the rest of the story behind the art over on the Inside Out blog today.


Check out my feelings on being weird!

Peace, ya'll!



Thursday, July 16, 2015

You Shine

Once again, I really am so in love with the newest kit from Inside Out - SHINE is just full of beautiful, warm, sunshiney papers and images.



I had such a BLAST with this theme...For this project, I was going through some of my old photos and came across these two old photos of me.


I'm over on the Inside Out Blog today with my You Shine project;



I was so inspsired by the kit and these pics that this project came together in less than 30 minutes...For me that is a serious record!!!

Is there a photo of you as a kid that shows your particular uniqueness and shine???? Does it make you smile to think of the moment or the person in that photo?  

I'm so interested in how you think of this topic! 

Head on over to the blog and check it out...

Peace, ya'll!


Thursday, June 25, 2015

I Am Enough

Am I the only one here who suffers from the anxiety of inadequacy?  It feels like the pressure of life grows "out there" in the world.

I suffer from perfectionism - as in I want everything to be...Usually I'm quite aware...sometimes it creeps in on me.

But, as they say, knowing is half the battle...

I have to remind myself often - I am enough.

On the Inside Out Blog today, I'm sharing my final project - I Am Enough.


Because I am...and so are you.

Peace, ya'll!