I am really happy to share with you a special place that is near and dear to my heart. Besides being able to write and create for the most awesome online magazine in the industry, I also get to work with a talented group of women at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out. We feature manufacturers and inspirational websites here on the ScrapStreet blog and today I get to share a kit club with a unique approach to scrapbooking. Perhaps you have heard of people using scrapbooking as a way to creatively journal through life and you have contemplated exploring that area of our favorite hobby.
Every month Scrapbooking from the Inside Out creates and emotion-focused kit that brings you the freshest supplies along with symbolism that will help you tell your real story. Each month's delivery is a unique, stylish creation that will take you to new places in your heart and your crafting.
Let's take a look at one of our journaling prompts for this month and a few of the Design Teams approach.
Your Ledger: Sometimes life can look like an accountant's balance sheet...you give and you take, and the ledger isn't always balanced. How much do you invest in the + side of the ledger? For yourself, do you carve out time for self-care and rest, or do you go until you drop?
Melissa Elsner (Me!)
When doing for others, do you give until it literally
hurts, or do you know when to reserve and conserve your energy? Do you
allow yourself to be nurtured by others as well, to give yourself the
gift of balance, or to allow them to feel good by being of service?
Is
there a specific energy drain (person or activity) in your personal
balance sheet?
Leave a comment here answering how you might approach this journal prompt. If you create a layout, even better! Share the link and you will be entered to win the lovely September Balance kit. I will come back and draw a winner on September 14th. All comments are eligible but make sure you let me know how you would approach this prompt, okay?
And do come join us online and grab your BALANCE kit and our free inspiration now... we would love to welcome you and join you on your journey. Come on by and explore your inner world!
- Melissa
P.S. Want to really dig deep? Registration is open for our premiere boutique in-person weekend retreat: CRAFT: Creating Reflective Art for Transformation, on the sand in Santa Monica, CA, November 11-13, sponsored by American Crafts, Prima Marketing, Lily Bee Design and more! Instructors include Linda Barber, Stacy Cohen and Amy Tan. Click here to read all about it!
Wow-I really don't think about it much, but I do need to take more time to focus on myself. I spend so much time as mom, wife, friend,daughter-that I forget to renew my own spirit sometimes!
ReplyDeleteI don't think of myself as a control freak, but I do need to let others do a bit of nurturing me from time to time, it's hard to let go and relax.
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't know how to take time to focus on myself. I put more than 110% toward any job or really any activity. I had to quit my full-time job because I tried to conquer a mountain each day--that is very difficult when you have lupus!!! So, I love that Rachel has made this kit on balance! Of course, I would love to win it! Her kits really are the best out there!!! Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteoh, balance....that elusive goal. i think we are all always hoping to attain it....i wish it were easier to do so!
ReplyDeletethanks for the giveaway! :)
Kits definately sound interesting - on my way now to check them out
ReplyDeleteWhat an appropriate series of questions for me. I have been struggling to find balance in my life recently. Balance between work and home. Balance between my own health and wellbeing and that of others. Balance between my old home and my new, married life.
ReplyDeleteI know that I can only do for others when I make sure that my tools are sharp and I am working to the best of my ability, but working in mental health, I’m so used to constantly giving and not recharging my own power cell.
Melissa- I love how you used the journaling cards on your layout.
A beautiful kit!
beautiful giveaway! for me--finding a balance between being a mom and being with my significant other. finding balance with personal and emotional issues that I'm facing and not let it define who i am as person..
ReplyDeletemichelesscrapycreations35 at yahoo dot com
oooh.. balance.. that's a tough one for me right now. I'm a mommy, a wife, I work full time, I love to craft and am addicted to exercise.. I have so many projects going at any given time. I am going to work on my "me journal" where I add my artwork and craft ideas, thoughts and feelings. It truly helps to release the inner dialogue going on in my overloaded mind.
ReplyDeleteI love these kits and all the prompts to go along with them!
balance...a word that is pondered upon in my mind daily and quite often throughout the day! with being a full time worker with a son and hubby...that's easily pushed on the back burner! Small steps is my game plan to focus on me...I am actually going to eat dinner with some friends this weekend, good start huh!! I have also starting crafting reguarly..which I missed doing!
ReplyDeleteBalance is very hard for me to achieve. I tend to dive in completely to whatever I am focused on at the time. Last is where I usually find my needs, so much so that at times I don't even remember them. In two short years my nest will be empty and the scales will rebound in my direction...then...I have no idea what I will do.
ReplyDeleteYes, balance is definately what I need to achieve! I have been struggling all my life to give, give, give, and then am disappointed when family members don't seem to appreciate or contribute to the efforts to bringing us all closer. The CRAFT retreat sounds wonderful and am so grateful that their blog brought me here!
ReplyDeleteokie .. balance .. this is one thing which i have been searching for like so long .. my life is full of drama n failures .. and all i m trying is to get the balance back // i try to be less impulsive .. and i try to utilize my time in a proper way to achieve balance .
ReplyDeleteI dont even remember when was the last time I laughed like a small kid . Small things do make me happy and i want my life to be a fairy tale .. but it is not possible to have a smooth life .. without turns we would never know .. what is right or wrong ?
hugs
Mallika
mallikakejriwal@gmail.com
now ur follower !
i like focusing on myself .. and i try to achieve it by my own .. rather allowing anyone to nurture .. small things effect me .. and i gotta change myself .
ReplyDeleteI think a layout with a pic of the thing/things that take "it" out of you would be great. I think I'm going to work on that SOON. I pic of my FB page...a pic of my stove...a pic of my LAUNDRY pile...all things that take the most out of me each day :) Thanks for the great idea.
ReplyDeleteI definately have an energy drain that I work with. She completely has me hating my job
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew how to deal with it better.
This is an awesome prompt! As far as balance I may be the opposite of most people because I have "Only Child Syndrome" and I can be notoriously selfish with my time. hehee!! So for me I think I would document how I need to balance my time and stop being so annoyed when people interupt my "me time"! :)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to put the truth on a page like this but I'm afraid someone might see it and I'm not ready to be that honest yet. After that, it would probably be a discussion of introvertedness and extreme selfishness of the way I spend my time... hmmm... gotta work on that. :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely give of myself too much. At least, I think I give more than I receive but that's just good karma to give more than I receive. I probably give too much to my parents, husband and son. It makes me happy when they are happy. I should do a happy scrapbook page...just be happy.
ReplyDelete