Merry Christmas in July!!!

Today is the actual day of my traditional Christmas in July Celebration. Overeating, secret santa gift exchange, and Christmas carols will begin around 6:00pm. I'm looking forward to it, but not nearly as much as I am looking forward to announcing the winners of my giveaway from the Scrap Our Stash Blog Hop!

I am so appreciative of everyone who stopped by, made comments, and became followers of my blog! I hope you all enjoyed the hop and found some inspiration along the way!!! I wrote everyone's name on a piece of paper, turned them over, shuffled them, and drew names for the winners. I usually have help with this part, but I wanted to get these posted sooner rather than later



The winner of the December Daily album and leftover supplies is:

Froggy530

Froggy530 said...
Your mini album is too cute. I really love that line of papers and embellies. thanks for the chance to win!
July 22, 2010 7:44 AM

The winner of the random Christmas RAK from my stash is:

Michele

Michele's Scrapy Creations said...
Just love your Dec Daily. I'm planning to do one this year. I can't wait to get start.
July 22, 2010 6:50 PM

Please contact me via email at RachLHawkins at gmail dot com with your name and mailing address and I will send these out ASAP!!!


Some exciting events are on the horizon here...

On Wednesday I will debut a new topic on my blog and I'm so very excited about new adventures!

The All About Me 1 Year Anniversary Celebration will begin on August 1st

We will have fabulous challenges, a blog hop, and many chances to win some FABULOUS prizes!!!

SOS- Christmas in July Blog Hop

Welcome to the Scrap Our Stash Christmas in July Blog Hop. If you did not come here from Scrap Our Stash go back and follow the blog hop in order. This will allow you to discover the secret phrase which will make you eligible for the grand prize.

One of my favorite traditions is Christmas in July. At Horn in the West, we are only together from June until August, but we are like family and it is tradition to celebrate Christmas in July with a huge meal and a gift exchange. I'm so happy to share this with you all through the Scrap Our Stash Blog Hop.

Last year was my first time participating in Ali Edward's December Daily and I LOVED IT! Christmas is my favorite time of year and it was such a blast creating an entire album for December. Since I loved it so much, I decided I was definitely going to do it again this year. I pulled out last year's Little Yellow Bicycle collection- which I love- and created a mini album for this blog hop!








My word of the secret phrase is : of

Since I'm in the Holiday spirit- I'd like to give away two prizes to anyone who comments on this blog post.

The first prize will be the December Daily featured in this post and the coordinating papers, tags, and stickers that are leftover so that you can put your own finishing touches on the album.

The second prize will be an assortment of Christmas themed goodies from my stash (the challenge blog is called Scrap our STASH!) which includes pretty papers, stickers, chipboard embellishments, ribbons, and who knows what else I'll throw in there!

All you have to do to be eligible for my prizes is comment on this post! I will draw names on Monday morning so, make sure you have commented by Sunday evening- 11:59 EST.

Happy Hopping- your next stop is Angie's blog.

Scrappy: My Demons

The second July challenge at All About Me is all about your demons. This layout has a lot to do with my previous layout about my biggest fear. My demons are cruel voices in my thoughts that tell me that I'm not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough...





The past couple weeks I have been running myself ragged and have realized that that is when my demons come out to play. When I'm tired and emotional, they really seem to ruin things for me. Creating this page was very therapeutic and allowed me to snap out of the funk I've been in for the past couple of weeks.

You can check out the other DT member's take on the challenge and find out how to win this month's prize here!!!

Scrappy: July*4

The July challenge at Scrap Our Stash is to use brads or eyelets on a project. I created this layout about the traditional July 4th celebration that
I participate in each year. I looked EVERYWHERE for brads in my stash,
but didn't find any! I resigned that I wouldn't have any, so I
substituted buttons for brads for this challenge and used them in the
center of my flowers. When I was looking for my cutting blade to cut
the 2 pages apart, I found some brads so I added them to the upper
right corner to add some extra detail!



Pictures are: a dulcimer player, firing shots with each of the 13 toast to the 13 colonies, and hanging King George to be burnt in effigy.


This is my first double page 8.5x11 layout and I really enjoyed creating it. Will I ever go back to 12x12 paper?

July 4th

As the holiday weekend approaches, I look forward to the traditional celebration that we have at Horn In The West each year. On the 4th, we celebrate with a traditional ceremony that includes 13 toasts to the 13 Colonies and a burning of King George. (Sorry George!)

Here is a layout I created last year that show King George being burnt in effigy and shows the toast that I read for the celebration!




I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and if you are in the US that you find a wonderful way to celebrate our country!

Scrappy: My Biggest Fear

I have some wonderful, exciting news for All About Me! Melissa and the Design Team are featured in this month's Scrap Street The current challenge is "My Biggest Fear". What a hard topic! I chose to talk about my inner fear- failure.





What is your biggest fear? Come share with us at AAM for a chance to win a fabulous prize package!

Scrappy: Tiwanaku

The current sketch challenge at Scrap Our Stash was certainly a challenge for me! I don't usually use multiple pictures and the sketch called for FOUR! As I built this page I was uncertain about it, but I think I managaed to pull of the sketch while working within my personal style!



On our last day in Bolivia we went to Tiwanaku, the ancient ruins near La Paz. The site is currently under excavation, which I think is really neat- new things are being discovered daily. I didn't get to see the whole site because I had an asthma attack hiking around the hills. I went to the bus to lie down and regain my breath, but it never came back. It was hard to breathe for the rest of the day at that altitude. I'm so glad I have these gorgeous pictures to remind me of that day because my memory is a little bit foggy now.

The SOS Sketch Challenge is open until July 14th! At least one winner will be chosen and given the opportunity to become a Guest Design Team Member for the following month. Come check it out!

Scrappy: Grandma

The new challenge is up at All About Me! This one was fun, but tough at the same time. The challenge is to create a layout about your idol. I have so many people that I look up to, but I rarely create about someone who is so near and dear to my heart- my Grandma.



The journaling is hidden behind the picture and reads: She is kind and caring and is always the peace maker of the family. She loves everyone equally and makes the best macaroni and cheese in the world!

Once again, I dug into my stash to play with some of the papers that I hoarded. I love this collection and I like using it more than hoarding it! WHO KNEW?!?!

Scrappy: La Cancha

Since I have a lot of new pictures to scrap, I'm finding tons of inspirations through sketches. I love how quickly a layout comes together after I plan it out when I'm in class (don't tell my professors!!). This layout is based off of the Sketchy Thursdays GDT Sketch:

I do not even have the words to describe how WILD our trips to the Cancha were in Cochabamba. It is an open air market where we bought most of our souvenirs and I learned to bargain. I think on our last trip (which is when this picture was taken) I was buying things just to bargain with the vendors. It was such a strange thing for me to get used to- being able to ask for a lower price and then having to walk away if you didn't get it for the price you wanted. Walking away was almost always the way to seal the deal for the price I wanted.



I dug deep into my stash as I'd really like to make room for a few new releases this summer. I loved these Pink Paislee papers, so much so that I hoarded the majority of them. It felt good cutting into brand new papers that have just been sitting around for over a year.

Scrappy: Cristo de la Concordia

This month's challenge at Scrap Our Stash is to stitch on your projects. Luckily for me, faux stitching was included in the challenge! I had a run in with a sewing machine in middle school. My homeroom teacher was the Home Economics teacher and so before school would start she would have me help with some projects. One of the projects was to make a bajillion bean bags for the PE teacher. I must have sewn every morning for two weeks. One morning a boy snuck up behind me and I ran my finger through the machine. It wasn't a terrible injury, but I have pretty much avoided sewing machines ever since.

The journaling reads: "Cristo de la Concordia is one of two "protectors" in Cochabamba. While I enjoyed seeing the statue up close, I really loved looking Him from afar- I felt safe and always protected. 11 Mayo 2010"





I was inspired by this Page Maps sketch by Becky Fleck:


I loved the sketch, but had to modify it to fit with my 8.5x11 style. I like to scrap in 12x12, but a lot of the time I feel overwhelmed by all of that room. I like keeping things simple, which in the long run saves me money and supplies!


Do you have any money saving tips?

Scrappy: Paris- Sketchy Thursdays 6.03

This week's sketch at Sketchy Thursdays is fabulous and comes with a note to get messy. Seeing as though my hands are blue, and there may or may not be blue on the carpet...I think I succeeded in getting messy!!!




How have you gotten messy lately?

Scrappy: Why I'm Worth Knowing

The current challenge at AAM is brought to you by yours truly. I'm so honored to be on this DT and I have loved all of the prompts so far! The challenge is to create a layout about why you are worth knowing. The inspiration came from one of my classes in which the professor was talking about how every person would be lucky to know that they are worthwhile and worthy of being known and loved.



Come join us for a chance to win a fabulous prize! The next couple of months are going to be fun filled and fabulous at the AAM blog and Facebook fan page- you have to come check it out!

Why are you worth knowing?

Scrappy: Sketchy Thursdays 5.27 Sketch

I'm so happy to be reunited with my scrappy supplies! This week I was in love with the Sketchy Thursdays Sketch. As soon as I developed my Bolivia pictures, I knew I had to scrap the pictures of the beautiful Lake Titicaca. I'm not sure I did the pictures justice, but here is my take on the sketch:

The journaling reads:

Even though I had altitude sickness and was exhausted, this was one of my favorite days in Bolivia. Simply Breathtaking.

The day that we vistied Lake Titicaca I was so tired due to the altitude and having an asthma attack, but it was such a gorgeous day, I had to do the best I could to enjoy this day.

Paulino Esteban- what an amazing man! So honored to have met him and see these amazing reed boats up close!


Delicious trout fresh from Lake Titicaca.


Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Memorial Day- remember those who have and continue to serve our country in times of wartime and in peace.

Scrappy: In Our Shoes

There are still a few days left for the current All About Me Challenge- In Her Shoes. The Design Team interpretations are fabulous (as always). I was so busy preparing for my trip, I was unable to create a layout for this challenge, but I think it was meant to be that way because my inspiration came while in Bolivia.

Shoes. I've never been the most fashionable with my footwear. I have always preferred comfort over fashion, and now I have to choose comfort because of my arthritic toe. I bought a new pair of tree hugger shoes before going to Bolivia- some would call them ugly, but I LOVE THEM. Come to find out- I was not alone with my footwear choice.





I used this month's sketch by DT member, Vicki as my inspiration! Thanks Vicki!

Come share your favorite shoes with us in a layout at All About Me!

Scrappy: La Campiña

This is a layout that I created for the Scrap Our Stash May Challenge to scrap outside your box. I distressed and inked which always makes me nervous. Also, I used a ton of layering, but kept my simple style at the same time. I also dug the punch out of the bottom of my scrap bag for this layout- I love punches and they way other people use them- but I really struggle to make it work for me.

This picture was taken while in Bolivia. We went to a fabulous restaurant called La Campiña which also had a Zoological park on site. They had tons of exotic birds and several alpaca. The garden here was amazing as well!



Other pictures from La Campiña...







My favorite-minus the chicken wire.

Bolivia- part four

I returned home early Saturday morning, but I feel like I've been in a fog ever since. My last two days in La Paz were spent being out of breath and easily exhausted. The altitude really took a toll on my body and I was unable to really enjoy my last two days in Bolivia. I wasn't ready to leave, but there were some things (and people) I was ready to get back to.

Lake Titicaca and the restaurant that we ate at. The trout was amazing!!! I wish I had felt better this day, but I'm glad that I was able to see such beauty.


Reed boat built and sailed by Paulino Esteban. We were blessed to meet this man and see all of his handiwork. These boats are simply amazing...


The beautiful, amazing city of La Paz. I'm not sure I have the words to describe my days in this city.


The ruins at Tiwanaku-pretty amazing sites...


A look at the Witches Market...


A closer look...




So, long story short, I loved my trip. I'm happy to be home, but I don't feel like my work in Bolivia is done. I feel such a connection to the country and the people. I don't know what that means quite yet, but I look forward for the lessons that I will learn in the coming years...