Did you know that November is designated as National Gratitude month? It's a time to recognize and appreciate the positive aspects of life and how they contribute to our overall well-being. As November rolls around, we gather our loved ones to share in what is often considered the most significant meal of the year for many Americans. Encouraging our family and friends to join us in expressing gratitude is a value we can cultivate together.
You have the opportunity to promote this behavior. When you invite your family and friends, let them know that you are aiming to establish a new tradition for Thanksgiving by inquiring about what they are thankful for this year. While many people do this during dinner, here's a unique idea: Provide a blank lined journal for each of them to write down their gratitude before sitting down to eat. You then may pick someone to read everyone's contribution in the journal while everyone eats desert. Each year you will be able to go back and look at the memories of gratitude you have collected. You will see your grandchildren's gratitude grow and may have memories from
a previous year from someone who is no longer present. It would be a poignant memory to treasure Grandma's final Thanksgiving gratitude, written in her own hand. This is a way to establish a family tradition that can be carried on by your children and future generations.
To keep the younger children entertained, consider having the older children oversee their drawing and coloring activities, where they express gratitude for this year. Afterwards, you can gather their artworks in a notebook, creating a memory book to which you can add next year's creations.
One more enjoyable suggestion for Thanksgiving while everyone is gathered is to organize an art challenge that all can join. Keep the creative ideas open so that everyone can showcase their unique talents. For instance, you could share a cherished family recipe, create it, and present both the dish and the recipe to a chosen individual. The options are endless, such as crafting artwork, woodworking, up-cycling thrifted clothing, crocheting a blanket, or creating junk art. The concept is versatile. This activity can later be turned into a gift exchange for Christmas or included in a white elephant gift swap. You might even introduce categories like most beautiful, most creative, or the most peculiar. Offer a small prize for the person with the most unconventional creation. The items don't have to be costly; it's just a delightful way to enjoy time with family and establish a potential tradition. If preferred, this can be a separate event from your usual gift-giving routine.
As an individual, there are numerous ways to celebrate the Month of Gratitude through journaling. Simply jot down a thought about something you are thankful for in your life at this moment, such as that first cup of coffee, a delightful dessert, or quality time with a loved one. Another option is to dedicate a separate art journal specifically for expressing gratitude. You can include a single word that resonates with you or incorporate a heartfelt note from a special person. We all accumulate various little treasures that hold significance to us, and an art or junk journal can serve as the ideal space, along with your creativity, to preserve all the cherished memories of gratitude.
Year in Review
This year has presented challenges for many of us. I encourage everyone to find something small to be grateful for each day, as this can foster hope for the future. Embracing gratitude as a daily habit can lead to feelings of joy, peace, and potentially offer valuable lessons for self-improvement.
This year, I have learned a lot and have many things to be grateful for, ranging from small joys to overcoming challenges on my own that I never thought possible before. Beyond my family and close friends, what I am most thankful for is a newfound insight. During the summer and into the fall, I struggled with having numerous creative ideas but not being able to fully express them. I realized that I needed to enhance my skills and techniques in order to bring my ideas to life. It took some time, but I finally had a breakthrough and now feel like I am progressing and able to sell my artwork again, despite discarding most of my summer work. I understand that we all face similar stages, but the key is to persist until we achieve that breakthrough and can move forward. This is what I am grateful for this year. Therefore, my focus for the remainder of the year is to cherish my family and friends. Looking ahead to next year, my goal is to begin identifying the enhancements I need to implement in my business.
I will keep growing my mailing list for my website, creating a comprehensive inventory of my artwork for future reference, and enhancing the quality of my website photos. These are aspects I will further develop and elaborate on when preparing next year's business plan.
Let's get the Holidays rolling
Let's enjoy a happy and thankful time and commemorate the peace in our lives. Embrace gratitude for the present moment and what you have now. By the time next November comes around, aim to take a daily moment to appreciate something small in your life. Research indicates that cultivating gratitude can enhance positivity, boost health, and foster meaningful relationships. As we approach the coming year, don't postpone practicing gratitude until next November. Begin today. What's holding you back?
May this bring some joy to your upcoming holidays and inspire you to start considering a personal mission for the rapidly approaching new year. Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here in the United States.
Freebie/Drawing Template
This month's Freebies are geared just for you. A "Thanksgiving to Do List so you can organize everything for this special day. List all the things you need to do from creating a grocery list, gathering recipes, guest lists, making seating place cards and so on.. so many little things you don't want to forget. So make a list of everything now then take each item on your list and do all the tasks and then you will be able to move to the next item.
Entertaining Recipe
I've conducted some research on your behalf. Here's a simple appetizer recipe that's perfect for a chilly day, being both warm and enjoyable. Don't forget to include the ingredients in your shopping list.
Recipe is from Pinterest
Tips/Books
I thought this was worth mentioning to you in mind with gift giving or treat yourself. A book or magazine subscription could be a wonderful gift for someone creative in your life. We all appreciate and desire high-quality, beautifully curated content. Who among us doesn't enjoy the feel of a book in our hands, the turning of a page, and discovering the content within? I have the Art Supplies book, and I must say, the cover itself is delightful. I also appreciate that she provides a video showcasing the books, flipping through each page so you know what you're getting. I can't wait to buy another one. For more information, visit https://www.uppercasemagazine.com.
What I'm working on
I'm continually developing my skills and techniques, and I suspect I always will be. To teach myself to loosen my brush strokes, I've been applying decoupage papers to panels, enhancing them with paint, and extending the paper's design to cover the entire canvas. This approach has encouraged me to confidently lay down a bold brushstroke and leave it untouched, something I haven't managed in my original paintings. I hope this will enhance my abilities as I
work on my own original pieces. These small, quick paintings are easy to create and make an excellent mixed media project that can be mass-produced for art fairs.
I understand how busy everyone is during the last quarter and the holidays, but I can't resist creating lists of plans for the next year and organizing to start fresh. I'm exploring new revenue streams, tidying up my photo files, and making lists of new projects for each month. I should focus on current tasks, but I can't help myself. I suppose that's just how my mind operates. I've stopped trying to process things in an order that's considered acceptable. I find freedom in this approach and seem to be achieving as much, if not more. The goal is to keep moving forward, which means allowing myself some grace, and I hope you're doing the same for yourself.
New on my website
As I previously mentioned, I've been working on embellishing decoupage papers on panels and canvas to loosen my brushwork. To personalize this process, I've been using my own
photos, printing them onto decoupage papers, and embellishing them similarly to the beautiful papers from Whimsykel Designs that you can see on other canvas and panels I have done. If you haven't explored her stunning papers, they are available on her website
https://www.whimsykeldesigns.com or through her stockists. Some of the paintings I've created are available on my website, and they are all small pieces, perfect for affordable holiday gifts.
Inspirational Quote
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