It's Ornament Thursday, the theme is gratitude, and, I'll have to admit, this subject had me stumped. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for so many things in my life. I have wonderful, loving friends and family who I can laugh with, cry with, and share my life with. (A few of them may even give me grief over ending that last sentence with a preposition, but they mean well.) I have a silly sense of humor, a good head on my shoulders, my feet on the ground, dreams yet to be achieved, and an ever-changing career that continues to challenge me. I have the desire to create, and I've had the chance to nurture that creativity and explore paths and hobbies that bring me joy. I'm grateful to be in good health and that true tragedy has not been part of my life. I have people who touch my life in unexpected ways or at unexpected moments: a friend who recently sent me a photo of a 'gator that made me laugh; the woman who wants to learn chainmail after we chatted and laughed the entire flight back from Salt Lake City; a fellow CHA board member who inspires me (and I imagine everyone she meets) to boldly pursue my dreams (thanks, Elizabeth); a friend from decades back who just recently emailed. I truly am grateful for everything.
All of that said, it's difficult for me to turn all of THAT into a project for Ornament Thursday. But my dear friend, carpool buddy, and editor of Art Jewelry magazine, Hazel, reminded me that I DO have the perfect project for Ornament Thursday's gratitude-themed posting. Let me tell you about it after I share the works of the other creative Ornament Thursday posters, for whom I am also grateful.
Brandi's gratitude journals
Check out Brandi's stamped journals
Cat's Attitude of Gratitude
Michelle at http design has a fun take on gratitude - think about it - what do cats give you when they love you? Mice!
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Cindy's grateful for Ornament Thursday!
Gratitude Screen
Michelle's grateful for OT!
Lisa looks at the meaning of the word
Just some reflection this month
Ornament Thursday - Gratitude
I am grateful that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
There are so many ways to say thank you
Helen from http design puts wordle.net to work to create these earrings which say thank you in so many ways.
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After my grandmother passed away almost 10 years ago now, my mom and her sister were charged with going through the things in Grandma's house, including her photos. This one from 1925 shows my Grandma Edith (kneeling, left) and my Great Aunt Ella (kneeling, right), their mother (center), and their grandparents.
My great grandfather was a very old-fashioned man and didn't believe women should have short hair. I imagine that he ran a pretty tight ship, so, as you can see on the left in the picture, both girls had their long hair rolled in buns covering her ears--pre-Princess Leia--Edith's are much more obvious in this photo. (The "1927 Ella and Edith Bob Their Hair" rebellion is a great family story, but I'll save it for another time.) But this picture always makes me reflect on how different life was back then.
Speaking of a different life, back to the shadowbox. The house in the background is actually the house where I was raised as well. I imagine my great grandmother, grandma, and great aunt all embroidered, crocheted, knitted, and sewed in that house. I have a quilt that the girls made together before they were married off, and I'm grateful to have that. In fact, Ella was a prolific knitter and crocheter right up until the end of her life a few years ago and when Edith passed, there were at least a dozen stamped pillowcase sets to be embroidered and various other needlework supplies. So to create this shadowbox, I mounted in on a softly patterned, off-white paper, added the scrollwork watercolor-looking page embellishments, inserted the silk lilac to commemorate the lilac bush that grew outside the living room window, and crocheted a piece of lace from instructions that I found in my grandma's needlework supplies. To me, this shadowbox reminds me of where I come from, the things I love, and all that I have to be grateful for.
This weekend, I hope to work on a few other projects that express my gratitude for creative endeavors. I'd like to make some seasonal cards, I've got some earrings and chain to make, I might dive into the fabric stash and get the new ones from my little shopping excursion into the proper containers, and, on Sunday, I'm quilting a lap quilt my mom made on a quilting machine. (I'm so grateful for Mom--she bought some bags of cut quilt blocks at Goodwill and turned them into a quilt! She says she's not a quilter, so it's REALLY inspiring!) Let me know what you're grateful for--leave a comment below!