Rachel Kaufman, Scrapbooking from the Inside Out
Are your childhood memories ones you cherish, or ones you’d rather leave behind? The innate innocence of children is universal, but as children we aren’t always allowed our innocence. Sometimes our past holds lovely memories of carefree days and living without fear. Some of us experienced teasing and bullying, or even worse trauma that has left us scarred. And most of the time, it’s a mixed bag.
If you’ve read my guest posts here before, you know this kind of topic is just what I love to investigate with my own scrapbooking and is what we do best at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out (SFTIO). It can be therapeutic to explore and express your past difficulties and take steps toward freeing yourself from the shackles of your past.
I felt personally connected to each and every layout created by the SFTIO designers this month. How about you? Check these out:
Design team coordinator Melissa Elsner uses words that could be mine when thinking of my youth. Don’t we all, at certain moments, long for the ease of childhood—real or imagined? Playing, laughing…few responsibilities and lots of fun. Being a grownup can be hard!
The Early Years by Melissa Elsner for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.
Diana Brodeur uses a great school picture (don’t we all have these hiding somewhere?) to tell the story of her first crush at age 8. I remember mine! I’m inspired to tell that story since I recently picked up a huge envelope of my childhood photos from my parents.
First Crush by Diana Brodeur for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.
Jen Mattot creates a colorful and meaningful layout about her happy childhood, with the interesting layer of acknowledging from her current vantage point how much her mother must have been in the process of learning while she was blissfully unaware and joyful. As a new mom, I can relate!
Childhood by Jane Mattot for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.
Kate Vickers tells a truly universal story – growing up thinking that adulthood would provide all the answers. Of course, it doesn’t. I love Kate’s bravery here in admitting what most of us feel in some way – that we still hold the questions we asked in years gone by.
Where I Belong by Kate Vickers for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.
Mary Jo Rhoda sends a beautiful message to her daughter based on her own life experience. Like the rest of us, Mary Jo enjoyed her life now but sometimes recalls the ease of Saturday morning cartoons and holidays without the work! She reminds her daughter to enjoy these fleeting moments of childhood.
Stay by Mary Jo Rhoda for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out
Nicole Martel recalls being bullied as a child and losing touch with her best childhood friend. Her journaling recalls both true friends and kids she’d rather forget. Knowing her as I do, I know that Nicole’s ability to be a good friend and mom is a result of rising above these difficult childhood memories—they’ve made her more resilient and more sensitive. I certainly have some stories, as we all do, that could use some air.
St. Helena by Nicole Martel for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out.
So what childhood story would you tell to free your heart? Comment here and let us know and you might win our newest kit, Innocence.
Congratulations to our winner!
Beatrice Lawson says:
I love these pages! So wonderful to see something else than the LO we see most often – holidays and such. I would try to capture the experience of growing up in a communist country, so my son can learn about hs mom’s very different childhood and hopefully appreciate more the freedom he enjoys and is not aware of….
Watch for an email in your inbox with instructions on how to redeem your prize.
This kit’s inspired color, design and symbolism includes soft, delicate trim from Webster’s Pages and Maya Road, sweet Pink Paislee rub-ons, vintage-look patterned paper from four manufacturers and much more—including another way to create yourself—with DIY Thickers and sparkly WOW graphite glitter from American Crafts. The Innocence kit is ready for you, as is our free inspiration page will spark your inner artist with incredible layouts from our design team, links to our exclusive music, prompts, quotes, and a meaningful Pinterest board to help your creative heart and hands flow.
Our past has shaped us – for better or for worse, we are the sum of our experiences and how we process them. Join us online, learn about yourself and grab your kit and our multimedia inspiration now…we would love to welcome you and join you on your journey. Be you and explore your inner world!
–Rachel Kaufman, Scrapbooking from the Inside Out
I would tell of my first love. He is still in my heart today.
I have a bunch of fun stories of me and my sister. Also some of my brothers too, but I am closer with my sister.
I would tell a story of being so innocent and trusting as a child and being so shocked when people weren’t as good as I thought…. sometimes I’m still that naive… TFS!
I would tell about how hard it was being raised in a home with my sister. She always had anger and was a difficult child and I was younger and quite and always tried to sink in the background because I didn’t want to cause anymore problems for my parents. I feel apart of me was lost along the way!
I’d tell about going away to college. I was so anxious to get out of the house, but when I got to college I realized it wasn’t the ‘promised land’ I had thought it was. That I was homesick, but neither did I want to go home. It was a huge learning experience that just because you don’t like one thing, doesn’t mean that something else is going to fix that or you.
I am not sure exactly what I would tell about. The pages are beautiful and inspirational!
I’m 57 years old and just beginning to explore the years of neglect that have led to a lifelong depression. I have just the picture in mind to tell the story.
I would tell about my years of being bullied and “labeled” as a teen and HS student, how I over came being “quite and shy”, am now a successful professional and have kept going forward despite a hard past.
What gorgeous pages! I would tell the story of growing up with two other sisters and the joys and sorrows that often occurred!
I would tell about some of my favorite people: teachers, neighbors, etc.
As I watch my little one get on the bus to school, I remember my days of bus riding and the interesting kids I met that way. I would use this kit to tell about that experience. Thanks for the inspiration!
I have a number of great stories of growing up with my brothers, both good and bad.
I would tell of different stories about walking to elementary school–my best friend, the boys who teased us, the boys I had crushes on, the big dog we were scared of, the day my friend fell in the rocks, etc.
Awesome layouts! I think I’d tell one about being a teacher’s daughter.
I would tell the story of unrecognized gifts. As a child I had a love for paper and pens. As an adult I’m finally realizing the satisfaction that comes from using our natural interests to express who we are. I still love pens and paper, and paint and anything else that gets my creative juices flowing.
I think I would tell of a growing appreciation for my mother and all she sacrificed for us. We were so into ourselves that we didn’t realize or appreciate all she did to make our lives what they were.
Not only have I scrapbooked my daughter and her children’s innocence, but my parent’s and siblings as well as my own. There are pages I have done with a collection of photos with each member of the family on a pony- including my dad from circa 1917 spanning over 90 years and in each one of them, the child has a look of excitement and glee. I have also done collections of photos with each family dressed for Halloween or playing in snow and bundled up warm spanning all the generations. So fun. Thank you for this chance to win a prize! and BTW? MY mother’s real name is Innocence- Innocenzia in Italian!
I would tell the story of my neighborhood, where we would play outside until dark. We would run to each others homes, play in the woods nearby. Climbing the fence into my neighbors yard for a shortcut to my friends’ homes. My mom still lives in the house, but sadly the neighborhood has become a place of drugs, violence, and fear. No longer can kids play outside, climb over the fence into a neighbor’s yard, and the little woods has been replaced with a building. Praying my mom would move out of that neighborhood, but she’s stubborn and independent.
I’d love to tell the story of my days spent playing on my uncle’s farm.
I would like to tell the story about how my oldest brother tormented me and how that shaped my feelings about how I raised my four boys.
I love these pages! So wonderful to see something else than the LO we see most often – holidays and such. I would try to capture the experience of growing up in a communist country, so my son can learn about hs mom’s very different childhood and hopefully appreciate more the freedom he enjoys and is not aware of….
I’d tell the story of playing on the front stoop playing with my doll on a saturday morning while my mom listened to music while cleaning. I will never forget the feeling of being relaxed and safe, knowing that all was right in my world. When I hear songs from Frank Sinatra today, I am transported back in time to that day.
Maybe my childhood obsession with singing Carpenter’s songs all day long…over and over and over. The rest of my family can’t listen to them to this day!
I would share the story of my Dad’s illness and passing when I was 13; how it shook me awake from the dreams of childhood and ultimately connected me with my creative voice.
I should really tell the story of my first successful “project” – a dam built with two neighborhood boys; I have always been proud of how strong we built it. I think the story shows how the gifts I have for organizing, for gathering people together for a task, for gauging progress, for using tools and materials were all there when I was really just a very little person – and that maybe I have other gifts that I “don’t need to learn” to use in THIS phase of my life.