One week 'til the Christmas in July Blog Hop!!!!!

The Christmas in July Blog Hop starts next Saturday, July 6, with Gift Card Holders!  

Each week there is a different theme. 

Each week there is a prize and at the end of the month there is one "bigger" prize. You can earn entries into the prize drawings by following and commenting on the blogs in the hop! The prizes are:

Week One- a Gingerbread Cart- Hop starts July 6- Winner to be drawn July 12

Week Two- a Christmas Cards Cart- Hop starts July 13- Winner to be drawn July 19

Week Three- a Trim the Tree Cart- Hop starts July 20- Winner to be drawn July 26

Week Four- a Christmas Village Cart- Hops starts July 27- Winner to be drawn July 31

And, on July 31, a winner will be drawn from all the entries for a Christmas solutions cart!  All the carts are brand new, still in the original package.

I am also having giveaways right here on my blog! Each week I'll give away an embossing folder and at the end of the month I'll giveaway one of each of the items I created for the blog hop + a little something extra.  Be sure you follow my blog and comment on each Saturdays blog post for an entry into that weeks giveaway.

You can earn an Early Bird entry into the drawings if you help advertise the Blog Hop by placing the Blog Hop Button or posting {including the photo} about the Blog Hop on your blog or FB page.  Then come back to this blog and comment on this post with a link to your "blog hop ad".  If you place it on both your Facebook page and your blog you will earn 3 early bird entries.

Here's the code for the button:

<a href="http://scrapalette.blogspot.com/"> <img height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZf6wsvDYBndhvbVW_VsQjGMYbrtBSIJ1yqsUsGqn2KBc8k37gVxINJEm6lMlnXJhVLkJYHnc7QHO0qLaGVnc1ErJBZfQWqPIAkJs62_5A8sSKMIRWOVgeuBgLvBmfzoxqFiq1jxmWbEk/s1600/IMG_2487.JPG" width="100" /> </a>

COMING SOON >>>Christmas in July Blog Hop

Hi!  Guess what?  I'm going to be a part of a great blog hop.  Every Saturday in July, we will be celebrating Christmas in July.  There will be between 6-15 blogs each week to hop to and check out great ideas for Christmas projects.


So here is the run down...

July 6 ~ Cricut Christmas Gift Card Holders
July 13 ~ Cricut Christmas Cards
July 20 ~ Cricut Christmas Ornaments
July 27 ~ Cricut Christmas Anything Goes {a gift, home decor, LO, etc}



And just in case you would like to stop by the blogs early and show a little love to the bloggers...

http://scrapalette.blogspot.com/

http://papercraftscissors.com/

http://stampcutcreate.blogspot.com/

http://carolinascreativecropper.blogspot.com/

http://dianesdribble.blogspot.com/

http://www.coolbeansbylb.blogspot.com/

http://happyscrapper64.blogspot.com/

http://addictedtothecricut.blogspot.com/

http://ladybuglair.blogspot.com/

http://www.inlovewithpaper.blogspot.com/

http://angiespaperpassion.blogspot.com/

http://lovebugtimme.blogspot.com/

http://www.withglitteringeyes.blogspot.com/

http://seaswancreations.blogspot.com/

http://betsymcreates.blogspot.com/

Not all bloggers are participating each week, so be sure to stop back by my blog for a complete list.  There will be some great giveaways too.  So be sure to stop by each blog on the list each week.
Can't wait to see you on the 6th!

Happy Scrapping
Theresa

Great Learning Opportunities with Lain Ehmann from LayoutADay.com

Hi there my scrappy friends,

I wanted to pass along some great opportunities to learn something new and exciting with my favorite blogger and scrappy webinar gal, Lain Ehmann from Layoutaday.com.

The Washi Wahoo Too! class features Monica Bradford.  It has so many great ways to use Washi tape and how to create your own.   You can watch it now for just $7 for a limited time! It's an hour of great ideas.

I'll be posting a couple of cool projects that I learned from Monica during this class in the next day or two, so keep checking back.

And just in case you couldn’t make the True Stamp 2013 event but want to scoop up some great content... you are in the right spot! Lain is offering each class individually to let you create your own custom event. Purchase only the classes you want. Get immediate access to hours of video instruction. Watch from the comfort of your own home! And at only $7 for a limited time (normally $12.95), these are a bargain. You'll love all the ideas, techniques and inspiration you'll get from these great classes. 

Just click on the pics or the links located on the side bar and start having fun and learn something new!

Want to learn something for free???? Join Lain on June 12th for a free webinar. Just click on the pic.  Hurry! The price goes up after the event.


Happy Crafting!
Theresa (aka Scrapsbygracie)

Why LOAD (Layout a day) ?????

I thought I'd share a few things that I've learned as a first timer during LOAD513 and a few things that a multiple time Loadster has to say about it.

Multi-Loadster says:

I´m not a LOAD-newbie anymore (this is my 6th or 7th?), but some things that I learned so far:

• don´t overthink too much, whether it´s about using the ´perfect´ supplies, design or technique. That is a great time saver right there!
• let go of perfectionism - the result may not always be as you envisioned, but that is OK.
• scrapping often throughout an extended period will help you develop your own style. And once you realize what your style is, scrapping will become faster and easier.
• making a list of topics to scrap + have pictures printed in advance makes it easier to grab & go.
• no matter how many pages you made (or did NOT make) throughout LOAD, it´s more than before you started. Life happens. There´s no guilt in scrapbooking, it should be fun!
• let go of self-imposed ´rules´: don´t scrap chronologically, mix double pagers and single LO´s, mix formats or media etc.
• it is inevitable that I´ll lose sleep during a LOAD-month because I tend to lose track of time when working on a page *LOL*
• dabbling in doing digi pages can be fun!
• it is OK if your style is clean & simple, and you don´t like too much ´stuff´ on your page.
• sometimes covering up ´mistakes´ on a page makes it look better than before.
• LOAD is a great incentive to use those ancient products in your stash!
• LOAD will make you create pages about topics you never thought about before - and they will become the LO´s you´ll love the most in the long run

WHAT I've learned from LOAD 513...

1. Not every layout has to be perfect.  For me into isn't about perfection, it's about documenting the moments in our lives for my family today, in the future and for future generations. As the family historian, trying to find out who some of the people in the pictures from my grandparent's collection is almost impossible.  And how wonderful would it be to know not only the who, but the where, why, how they are related and so much more.
2. You CAN fit time to be creative into every day.  Sometimes it is only 10 -15 minutes but if you are organized (which I am thanks to Tiffany Spaulding at Thescraprack.com and her wonderful Organization Challenge), prepared (photos printed, paper & embellies chosen, journaling notes written), and determined, you can really create great pages in a short amount of time.   Before the next LOAD challenge I will be even more prepared!  I will create page kits ahead of time (which I do already when I go to crops).  I will make sure to have an idea of what I want to scrap and just let the prompts take me to which kit to create that day.  Sometimes the prompts will help you tell a different side of the story than what you had originally thought of, but that is often the best way to tell the story and may just become your favorite layout.                                                  If the prompt brings to mind a something else, I'll just pull the pics and supplies and create that page.
3. Don't get to hung up on the prompt.  If the inspiration isn't there, just create a beautiful page.  You are not penalized for not following the prompts.  LOAD is about scrapping more, not being stressed out about using the prompt given.  
4. Scrap with what you have on hand!  Use up the stash that you have so lovingly purchased and painstakingly organized (or not).  Mix and match techniques and products, colors and patterns have fun.  I tend to be a very simple scrapper, but LOAD has me inspired to try new things.
5. HAVE FUN! Scrapbooking should not be stressful!  This is not a chore but a happy, joyful expression of the love you have for family and friends. 

I hope you find that you might consider joining LOAD the next time it comes around, but if not hopefully you can take these thoughts and use them as you journey through scrapbooking on your own.  Maybe you'd like to challenge yourself to a layout a day, maybe not for a month but for a week.

Here's a few of prompts to get your started:

• Timeline? 
• Create a two page (or more) spread that creates a timeline. Your life, one of the kids, your relationship with your spouse or BFF.

• Create a page about a favorite activity, place or thing and have everyone in the family do a journaling block/tag about it.

• WHO? 
• Who are you?  
• Who is your child, from your point of view, from the dad's p-o-w, or from their p-o-w?
• Who most influenced you and why?

Have fun and happy scrapping!

Theresa