Day Three of "Home for the Holidays"


My special guest today continues to amaze me. She is talented and energetic-better than any Energizer Bunny! I met Elena for the first time at Winter CHA 2008. She was passing out “Scrapbook Royalty” buttons during a photo shoot for the Fiskateers at the Fiskars booth. I still treasure my button. We’ve emailed, chatted in chatrooms, on messageboards, in the aisles of CHA or eating Pizza and we are proud to be Fiskateers together. I loved how much fun it was to hang out with her at the Fiskars 360 Party in July at Disney’s Ecopt. Elena makes everyone, individually feel very special. It is her gift.   Welcome to Debby's Dare Elena Etcheverry.


Side story. I had made some gifts to giveaway to everyone at the party. One of the gifts was “ear charms” (for our orange Mickey Mouse ears). Somehow Elena did not get one. She would ask and ask for one. I had one in my hotel room and it found it’s way to Elena by the end of the show. I felt honored by this talented lady that she asked for something I made.

I asked Elena for links to her projects or blog. “How can I share you with people who read Debby’s Dare?” Elena’s response was not her own personal blog The Traveling Princess. It was not her awesome project of the Lucky 13. It was Scrapbook Royalty, her heart and soul.

Elena is the Founder of Scrapbook Royalty, Charitable Crafters for Noble Causes. A 100% volunteer run Non-Profit Organization dedicated to raising money and awareness through unique crafting and scrapbooking events. Since it's inception in April of 2006, the charity has raised over $180,000. I have been an avid crafter all my life, and have also taught scrapbooking, stamping and crafting classes in the US and Taiwan for the past 7 years.

"I love crafting for charity, cute piggies, glitter, pretty shiny things, and sugar-free rock star!"

If you will be in the Anaheim, CA area Saturday January 23, 2010 attend Scrapbook Royalties attempt at the world record for the Worlds Largest Crop. You can read more about it on their website and blog.

Ms. Elena Etcheverry
What is one Family Holiday Tradition that was handed down to you from someone in your family that you continue to observe?

Not really one that was handed down since my family is from Taiwan where they have just begun celebrating Christmas in the last decade or so…but I love the tradition of waking up on Christmas morning as early as possible and waking everyone else up to open presents. I was always the over excited kid just dying to tear into the wrapping paper. Even if I know what is inside the thrill of it still excites me! Living in separate places from my mom and my brother means that I now have to wait for them to come over to open gifts but I still wake up early and call them to wake them and nag them till they get to my house!

I am a scrapbooker so I take photos of every single present that gets opened. I used to do 12 x 12 layouts with the photos but now I’m more a mini-book person. So I make sure and print the photos – NOT LEAVE THEM ON MY COMPUTER!!- and I try to put together a little something to remember the fun morning sharing and giving with my family. I also always set up the self-timer and go to town on the family portrait and we always take a series of funny photos. I love it when my family gets to ham it up! See if your camera has a custom setting on your self-timer. It is the most fun. It takes multiple pictures in a row several seconds apart. It is like having your own photo booth. Think of cute words to get everyone t make faces or act silly. The photos come out awesome! Notice my mom is too dignified to make a funny face in any photo but she loves it all the same.

(program for slideshow no longer exists)
Tomorrow's Guest Blogger:  Lisa Pace
Gratitude List
1. Elena’s heart and her example to me
2. family, my family
3. strength
4. celebration all around me
5. God in His Son gives me the reason to celebrate and live

Comments

  1. Debby, when you picked Elena, that was a great decision. She is warm and caring, beautiful and sweet with a heart of gold. The money she has raised thru her charity, Scrapbook Royalty (everyone, check it out!!) is amazing. Just click on the link on the right side of your front page.

    WTG Elena!!!

    PS Scrapbook Royalty, the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation and CHA are attempting to host the World's Largest Crop at the Consumer Show in Anaheim in January. Come and crop, meet celebrities, ooldies of goodies and lots of fun.
    See you there!!

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  2. Debbie7:51 AM

    Great guest blogger today. I enjoyed finding out more about Elena and her family traditions.
    My sister,brother and I always enjoyed a special Christmas treat that was made when we were younger. For the past number of years I have wrapped one of these treats up and put them under the tree for my sister and brother..they always guess it is from me and the 3 of us have our picture taken eating our treat. Debbie C(#4668)

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  3. What a wonderful thing she's done with Scrapbook Royalty. I've bookmarked her site.

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  4. I love the concept behind Scrapbook Royalty. Just wish they had stuff a little closer to me so that I could attend.

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  5. I too love SR. And you couldn't have picked a better guest blogger today. She is such a joy to read. I love that she and I share the same favorite time of Christmas day. Even though my tradition is Jesus' Birthday Party, I do love tearing into those gifts.

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  6. I love Scrapbook Royalty for everything it means and everything it can do for those around us!!

    My comment involving a tradition passed down involves going to the candlelight service at church. It's usually the last one of the night and my favorite part is singing Silent Night by candlelight. My grandfather used to sing it in German at that service. A few years ago, he passed away right before Christmas. Now, my sister and I sing it in German - with tears streaming down our faces - in his memory. It doesn't matter if everyone else in the church is singing it in English... we still do it in German in his memory. It's hard for us but it is still one of the best things about Christmas for me.

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  7. Enjoyed reading about Scrapbook Royalty and looking at family pictures are fun.

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  8. Thanks for sharing Elena! What a great idea to set the timer on the camera. Then I would actually be in the pictures! lol It's always fun to have the goofy ones to scrap!...Nancy :o)

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  9. Tina S9:48 AM

    Scrapbook Royalty is such a great idea! Wish I lived closer. I love the tearing into the presents, too. We do it one at a time, kids first, so we can all see what everyone got and we can say proper thank yous. BTW, those envelopes are the best!

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  10. I love the idea behind Scrapbook Royalty. It is just beautiful. You are a great person.

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  11. Anonymous11:02 AM

    Elena's charity Scrapbook royality is a great cause.Her Charity does great work.I loved reading about Elena and her family's Christmas traditions.

    Joan Fiskateer #808

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  12. Elena deserves to be wearing a crown!

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  13. Nice to met Elena and learn some new techniques and ideas from her.

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  14. Anyone who has such fun with Mickey is good in my book. Off to read more.

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  15. Elena,,,your story made me giggle....we have our Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve so I don't know about the waking up early thing....thanks for sharing...

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  16. Love Elena! She has helped me grow as a person and I have cherished my time talking with her. She is a sharing and kind person.
    Love the envelopes-how cute!

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  17. I think it is funny that you "might know the contents" of a gift! I remember peeking (opening the wrapping while mom and dad weren't home!) a couple of times a child. Then I realized it was just not as exciting on Christmas day! Thank you for sharing! I love the idea of making a slide show out of several takes in a row with the self-timer.

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  18. Love this envelopes so yummy !

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  19. Nice to meet Elena! Love the idea of Scrapbook Royalty. That is awesome!

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  20. Thanks for sharing with us Elena!

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  21. am working on my 12 tags now..am aware of Scrapbooking Royalty since they were gonna have an event in Goshen NY but it got cancelled! Love the idea of minibooks-they are tons of fun and quick!

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  22. It was nice to learn about Elena and Scrapbook Royalty. What a wonderful thing she is doing!

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  23. Elena and Scrapbook Royalty are super--great job! I also love Elena's photos and story--so very sweet and cute!

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  24. I love Elena & SBR!!

    It's great to wake up early on Christmas morning & have the first thought come in your head that TODAY is Christmas & spring out of bed...fun!!

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  25. Elena does some marvelous things with Scrapbook Royalty - I will join with the rest of those that say - why can't it be closer

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  26. Definitely awesome! I love her works. So creative and so fresh!

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