The Wonder of it All by Amy Tara Koeppel.  Supplies:  Paper:  Making Memories, Chipboard Letters:  BasicGrey, Leaf Pins:  Maya Road, Gems:  K & Company, Paint:  Ranger Industries, Transparency:  Office Depot, Letter Stickers:  Making Memories, Font:  Papyrus, Other: cardboard.

Journaling:   I love to travel.  I must have gypsy blood in me.  I've experienced incredible places from the awe-inspiring reefs in our vast seas to majestic mountaintops where you feel you can almost "touch" god.  I've been humbled by (title) THE WONDER OF IT ALL.  However, no place has touched me more deeply than the little central American country of Guatemala.  I actually cried when we left.  I was caught off guard by the visual and sensual experience of Guatemala's uncomplicated, raw, natural beauty. We traveled up the Rio Dulce river.  The warm sticky air went virtually unnoticed because it just seemed to "fit" the environment.  The water was green and glass-like.  It reflected the lush tropical foliage surrounding it, filling me with a sense of its richness.  The water was pure and clean.  The air smelled fresh and sweet.  There was no pollution... how could there be with no electricity, roads or modern conveniences.  This was a step back in time.  Large trees with their thick satiny leaves and palm trees with their prickly fronds lined the waterway providing the perfect textural backdrop for the warmth of the rustic homes dotted along the river's edge.  Imagine walking out your front door in the morning to a floating bed of sculptural fragrant lily pads.  This was really quite breathtaking. As poor as this country is, there is no hunger.  The river and vegetation supply an abundance of good healthy fresh food daily.  Fishing and gathering native fruits and veggies provide plenty for all.  Transportation along the river is found in the hand-hewn log canoes residents create.  Even the children canoe to their make-shift schools.  Most homes are huts with a thatched roof although a few (and the schools) have metal sheeting.  Cooking is done by campfire or a small open flame pit in the home.  No bathrooms or telephones, no computers or lights, everything is still quite primitive. Every single person we met smiled from ear to ear.  There was a genuineness about them.  They were as warm, friendly and inviting as their surroundings.  They were generous to a fault. In the simplicity and richness of Guatemala I found beauty and warmth and compassion for the land and its people that I had not felt before.  I can't wait to go back.

Here I Am Free by Laura Achilles.  Supplies:  Paper:  Fancy Pants, BasicGrey, October Afternoon, Die-cuts:  Fancy Pants, Letter Stickers:   My Little Shoebox, BasicGrey, Making Memories, Stickers:  Sassafrass Lass, Ink:  Clearsnap, Punch:  Martha Stewart, EK Success.

Design Notes:  Because I feel so strongly about this place and how free I feel I extended it to my design choices.  I specifically chose papers and design elements from various different manufacturers because there is so much freedom in designing!  Sometimes I think we get stuck in a rut to use all matching papers and embellishments from one manufacturer solely on our work.  When really sometimes you can have the freedom to mix and match from many different manufacturers if you like.  You never know, you may really like the end result!