2012 MMDT November Photo Challenge #1

I am Grateful for...

That was the lead in to our current challenge, so appropriate for the month of November with the Thanksgiving Holiday next on the celebration list! "Take pictures of things that fill your heart with gratitude...include journaling on your page."

As with every challenge I began to make my lists. A pattern began to develop and I decided to go with these three main things that everything else can fit into...My Faith, My Freedom and My Family.

Beginning with Paprika colored grid paper and several shades of complimentary colors was really too much sameness and so changed the base to Cocoa Grid paper (I hope it's back in stock soon!) ...this added the right pop and a bit of warmth too. A golden patterned paper from Sandylion has been in my fall stash for a long time, but it seemed to go so nicely with the other colors I thought it would be right for a base for the letters. It has a light leaf pattern on it so it is perfect for the season, without screaming "fall". Almost all the photos are matted to bring a little color throughout the layouts.

My journaling block began with "I am Grateful for..." but I also featured three large text blocks with the three categories. the font for those three titles is Coventry Garden and the Silhouette cutter was used to cut it out. I've had the machine for a long time, but I've hardly used it. The fact that I can use almost any font on my computer and cut it out is one of the nice things about it. The leaves were also cut on the same machine. The top leaf stem carries over onto the second page of the layout. 

This is the text from my journal block:

As the days of November begin, out thoughts are turned to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Each year we prepare a feast, a time to be with family, to enjoy the fall events…but there is also a time to be thankful…or grateful for what we have. As I considered this I found I could sum what I was grateful for into these three categories…My Faith…My Freedom…My Family.  My Faith…the Pilgrims who first settled the land, celebrated with Thanksgiving to God for preserving them and providing for them. I, too, am grateful that God has provided for us, our needs and often more than we could expect, as a widow it is good to know He cares for me. In addition, He has given us the written Word that directs us how to live and know Him personally.  I’ve been able to participate with Bible Study Fellowship to study the Bible and I have a place of worship where I can attend and participate. This leads to My Freedom. Living in a country where freedom to worship and practice my religion has been a defining feature. From Sea to Shining Sea this nation is governed by laws that protect all. We have a history of valiant men who have fought and died to preserve that freedom, sometimes against all odds and to the death. The final point of gratefulness today is My Family. I recognize that the struggles of generations past and their perseverance in them have contributed to who I am today. I never knew my grandparents but the stories I have unearthed in the past few years have truly touched my heart. My parents each left their homes for a new land…and found each other. They would again venture to new country and begin a family. I married and in time, my children grew and a new generation has begun with my sweet Isabella. The future is bright

                                                                                           For all God has given…I am grateful.  

page one:

page two:

I gave My Family a full page to work with because I have included not just my kids (by now you may recognize them) ..but my parents, grandparents and great grandmother. As I have been working on my family's tree over the past several years I have unearthed a history that is rich with lessons of persevering in times of great difficulty and have come to appreciate what those who came before me went through in order for me to have all I have today. The larger portrait of the newest member of our family, Isabella, now 9 months old, is featured as she represents the future of our family and what is yet to be...life continues on, and I am so thankful for that promise of things to come. 

close ups on family page:

Tami's Impression Obsession rubber stamp set CL 108 Autumn Seals were stamped with VersaMark watermark stamp pad for a tone on tone image. 

I hope that this year at Thanksgiving you too will have much to be thankful for and maybe as you plan to take photos of the days events you might just include some journaling notes that includes all the things  that each one is thankful for. I wish for you a very happy holiday season. 

Thanks for stopping by...

andrea