Things I Know Today--Grateful Edition

Crater Lake Oregon. Taken by me in 2006 (I think)

• I miss my mother terribly--but I'm grateful for the 14 months we had while they lived here.


• I'm grateful that my 5 year old seems to be outgrowing his speech delay and other delays in leaps and bounds. He's already starting to read to me and is hungry for knowledge each day. Go Mrs. Weldon! (she was H's kindergarten teacher as well, and she is a fantastic teacher!)


• I'm grateful that my almost 14 year old daughter still talks to me about the important things on her mind.


• I'm glad that we can spend Thanksgiving with so much of Joel's family. He's one of 9 children, and 7 of them live close enough to come to Thanksgiving. Our family dinners usually include about 50 people. One remarkable year we only had 35. I've never cooked a turkey. But I've peeled lots of potatoes (well Joel does most of the peeling) for mashed potatoes.


• I'm grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in this country. I'm grateful for the time when people work together for the greater good.


• I'm grateful for all of my material blessings. We are lucky enough to enjoy several wants and have no unfufilled needs.


• I'm grateful for the knowledge that I am a daughter of God who knows me and loves me.


• I'm grateful for an extended network of loving supportive friends. There are times when it's my friends who get me through the day.


• I'm also grateful for those who read this blog. I'd probably write anyway, but it's nice to know people are reading what I have to say.


• I'm grateful for my kids, my husband, and the togetherness our little family enjoys.


• I'm grateful for paper and crafty outlets.


• I'm glad I can sing. I love singing.


• I'm grateful for hugs and kisses from my kids


• I'm grateful my middle child H has started coming into my room to talk to me about girls before going to bed. I sometimes worry that he gets lost in our daily life. I like being able to connect with him each night.


• I'm grateful for my health. I'm learning that you can't take it for granted.

I'd like to encourage you to give some definitions to what you are grateful or thankful for. Not just because of Thanksgiving, but because it can really help your perspective. Perspective, in my opinion, is a good thing. Hopefully, you'll find you have more good in your life than you thought.

And that's the other side.

Free CD Case Calendar

I've added a link in the "free downloads" section for a Downloadable CD Case calendar. It's purposely left very bare--perfect for your inner minimalist, or decorate it up with stamps, stencils, patterned paper, and so on to fit your tastes. You'll want to cut it into 5 3/4 inches by 4 5/8 inches to fit in your CD Case. Enjoy! If you make it, link back here in the comments section so we can see it! Thanks!

Things I Know Today

Practicing "Ghost" images with H

• There's nothing quite like a Snickers bar when you've got your crave on. (although the full-size bar is almost too big!)


• In order to make life worth living, EVERYONE needs to be passionately inspired by something--whether it's a great conversation, a neat creative project, a good book, time to yourself, time with your kids, your job--everyone needs to be inspired by something to get the most out of life


• I am SO VERY STOKED about a series of classes I am designing for next year at Stampin'Cat. Called "No Ordinary Stories," my plan is to have this be part journal prompt, part personal history, part mixed-media collage, part art journal, and part bookmaking. It's going to be an awesome ride!


• A bright sunny day hovering at 70 degrees is the perfect antidote for gray, rainy, colder days.


• When the day is bright and sunny, it's nice to have one great song after another come on the radio.

Alcohol Ink Magnetic Advent Calendar

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how this turned out! This is one of my November classes for Stampin'Cat. I wanted to make a magnetic Advent Calendar for some time; I had a clear vision in my head how I wanted it to turn out. It took longer than I thought it would though! I used Alcohol Inks to change the color of the tin, and some other products from Making Memories, Paper Accents and so on. I used the Slot Punch attachment set for the Making Memories Instant Setter to make the flaps on the folded pieces.

Products:

• 12x12 Tin Sheet from Paper Accents
• Ranger Alcohol Inks in Pesto and Metallic Copper
• 2x2 glassine envelopes from Paper Accents
• "Alphanumber Backgrounder" stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms
• "Nature's Moments" Tim Holtz cling stamp from Stamper's Anonymous (link will take you to the catalog--it's in the Summer 2007 section, p. 12)
• Cranberry Crisp ink from SU
• Olive Pastel Chalk Inks
• Paper from Making Memories

This is a Service Advent Calendar. The inserts all involve things to do--some for other people ("Put money in a bell-ringer's jar") Some for yourself ("Kiss under the mistletoe"). I'll have the formatted squares in the Downloadable section of the blog in case you want to make your own. I was really thrilled with how it all went together!

Enjoy!