Giving Thanks

The Shabby Tea Room has a wonderful challenge up (and at this point, it's almost over!)..."What Are You Thankful For?" Let me say, for starters, I'm thankful for this challenge blog! It gave me my start in "challenge blogging" and something that has been such a wonderful creative outlet for me. Just last week, I was looking back at old posts (like I had nothing else to do!!!) and reading old comments on past projects. I met so many wonderful people in the Tea Room, and was so encouraged by the feedback I received there! And I was so pleased to see that their current challenge fit perfectly with a project I needed to complete this week. (Actually, I should have completed it 2 weeks ago, but let's not go there, shall we NOT?)

My dear sweet sister has a late October birthday and I really wanted to give her something handmade. She has been working feverishly preparing her home, not only for the normal Thanksgiving crowd, but for some extra-special guests from Guatemala who will be visiting through the holiday. Since she has been working so hard to have her home ready and comfortable for everyone, I wanted her gift from me to be something special she could display for the Thanksgiving holiday, and something that would remind her of this extra-special Thanksgiving for years to come.I bought some pretty gold glittered K & Co. sentiment stickers and found a $1.99 whitewashed frame at JoAnn's last week to alter and embellish for her. I also used my very most favorite K & Co. rub-ons and my PTI Leaf Prints stamps and dies. The leaves are cut from burlap, felt and watercolor paper. I have used a variety of Tim Holtz distress inks EVERYWHERE for soft color, and used some on just a bit of a paper doily to add to the top of my tag. I also added part of an old screw-back earring to embellish the tag and ribbon. The outside dimensions are about 8" x 8", and I think she'll like it. Her biggest problem, with 4 grown children and little Maria and Nola, will be deciding which small picture to put in it. Oh, well...I better figure out how to pack it up for next-day delivery mail tomorrow. I would love to be there when she gets it out of her mailbox! Her company arrives tomorrow and I am counting on her being too busy to be checking on my blog.

Thanks so much for stopping!

I pray that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love!!

Geri