Giving Thanks: Freebie and Warm Wishes

Good Monday, all!  I hope everyone had a nice, peaceful weekend!  Here, in the US, we are celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday.  There is always something special about the whole family, standing around a well-laid table, with prayers and blessings for all that we have to be grateful for.  We take turns, sometimes, telling what it is for which we are each thankful.  It's fun and sweet to hear what the little ones say.  If you've never done this, give it a try.  Tape it, if possible, with video cam.  It will be fun to compare them from year to year.
Anyway, I thought I would take a minute, before I give you the last two parts of this month's freebie collaboration with Miss Edna's Place, "Giving Thanks", and tell what I am thankful for.  I am thankful for all the sweet and kind gestures from all the people I meet online.  I am grateful for some wonderful friendships that have risen from meeting folks with similar interests.  I was reading an entry over at "Free Pretty Things for You" blog about how Keren met her online friend, Angeline, from "Ruby Jean".  They spent some time together and even created some pretties!  (See either blog for details and links)  It reminded me of my own chance to meet Miss Edna, earlier this year.  Thing about it is this:  you met, in the first place, because of your love of similar things.  When you do meet, it is like spending time with your oldest, bestest friend in the whole wide world!  You already have so much in common!  If you ever get a chance, you really should try to get to meet some one you've known as an online friend.  They're unique friendships.  But, either way, I am just so grateful for the folks I have met.  I only wish I could be a better friend than I am, what with my incessant and frequent bouts of 'down' town.
Last week, one of my close friends from my Digital Whisper group suffered an horrific, tragic loss in her family.  Cindy Powell, or Cynthia, as you may know her, has suffered an immeasurable loss, losing not only her lovely DIL, but, two of her grandchildren, as well.  Please, take a moment, visit the page Cindy set up and pay your respects.  This has got to be the hardest thing in the world for any mother to experience.  It is because so many of us are mothers that this event has devastated the entire scrapping/digi-art community.  It is very sad!  When you say your blessings, keep Cindy and the rest of her dear loved ones in your thoughts.  Cindy is an integral part of the scrapbooking community, with a store at DigiScrapStation.  She has a blog, "Art Studio", with all kinds of great tutorials and workshops for a myriad of techniques.  She also does a lot of digital art and this is how we met.  I made the connection to the scrappin' Cindy just recently.  LOL  I'm a bit slow!
So, at this time when so many of us are counting our blessings, I also think about those who have so much pain they must bear, like Cindy and her family.  I think of my own pain and realize it is far better than it could be!  I'm grateful for that!  I think about how it would be nice if I could have all three of my children together on Thursday, but, I am just so grateful that they are healthy and happy.  It seems a shame to think of my blessings when a friend has suffered such a loss.  But, I know that all will be 'alright'.  We have a common source of comfort - our spirituality.  The love, the karma, if you will, that we all share in our kind gestures and writings, reigns supreme.  We all connect on a certain level that supersedes the physical realm.  In this level, we give our love and friendship to those we meet and we receive that same love back ten-fold.  I have become richer than ever in the friends I've made.  So, I share the wealth and say to you all, Peace and Love, my friends!  May your blessings and prayers at Thanksgiving, and the whole year 'round, be granted speedily.
This is the time for the freebie!  Today, Miss Edna and I give you the last two(2) parts to our collaboration, "Giving Thanks".  The previous four(4) parts are in previous posts, still available, as are all of my past freebies.  Click on the first preview to go to Part 5, and the second preview to go to Part 6.  Then, click on Miss Edna's preview to go to her blog to collect her parts, too.
Part 5

Part 6

Miss Edna's Preview

Alrighty, then!  That will do it for this month.  December will bring another pretty collection, so, be sure to stay tuned.  Enjoy your Thanksgiving.  If you are in a place that doesn't celebrate this holiday, take a minute to be grateful, anyway, for all the blessings we have in our lives.  For, we are blessed!
Until next time...

Enjoy a virtual kitteh kiss!  Or, perhaps you prefer a 'Goggie' kiss!

Hugs,
Su

Holiday Heart and Freebie Parts 3 and 4

A good Monday to you all!  Ready or not, the holidays are coming at us!  Soon, we will be knee-deep in family, feasting and goodies galore.  For fear of sounding negative, why is it that people save their 'best' for the season?  People pull out their best china for the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, but, what about the rest of the year?  We dress up on Christmas, but, what do we wear for a typical Sunday dinner?  I've noticed a trend where folks volunteer at the homeless shelter on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but, there are needy people 24/7/365.  We shop for months, stashing up a horde of gifts to give at holiday time, but, what do we do for those same people the rest of the year?  See what I mean?  I don't criticize any of these actions, at all.  Rather, it makes me wonder why people, and I, don't do these things all year long?  
My family and friends mean a lot to me, as, I am certain, does everyone's.  I want them to know that year round - not just one or two days a year.  There is a magic that seems to abound during the holidays.  It is a feeling of warmth, home, and connection through love.  Where did it go the rest of the year?  If folks donned their 'holiday heart' all year long, we'd live with that magic on a daily basis.  Wouldn't that make for a wonderful world?
The holidays have been the time when everyone reaches out to those they love.  We let everyone know what they mean to us via pretty cards and unique gifts.  Because we typically only do this at holiday time, it does make things special.  As a child and then, a parent, 'maybe Santa will bring it to you' has been a catch phrase used year round when a child wants a nice, new toy.  It lends a 'special' status merely by the mention of Santa.  Yet, there are times throughout the year when someone could have used a perk or reward for doing things well, like a good report card or after a winning game. 
The holidays have always been special to me, mainly as my birthday is two days before Christmas.  Not many people can say that, on their birthday, there were lights and decorations and family and friends coming to call. A birthday without a Christmas tree wouldn't feel right to me.  I wanted that feeling to last for the whole year. It can, sans the presents and cake, of course.  LOL  And, folks can be warm and generous and friendly all year long, even without a tree and carols.  
I propose to you folks, my readers, that we find a way to exhibit out 'holiday heart' not necessarily daily, but, each and ever week that goes by, every month or even several times a year.  Bring out those fancy dishes one evening.  Serve lemonade in crystal glasses on the patio in the summer.  Give a needy family a gift card for incidentals in a sweet card in late summer so they can have the things they need for the children to start school.  Drop by and visit an elderly or infirm friend or neighbor one Saturday afternoon to see how they are and if they need anything.  You know what I mean.  Spread the love all year long!  Maintain that 'holiday heart' and you will find that what you receive back feels just like Christmas morning did all those years ago as a child.  The rewards to giving are as precious as the receiving.  What it boils down to is this, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'.  We 'reap' what we have sown, so, imagine how rewarding a generous, touching gesture can be.  It would feel like Christmas every day!
Alrighty, then, as I wipe that tear away and get down to business.  Today, Miss Edna and I give you two more parts to this month's free give-away, 'Giving Thanks'.  Last week we gave the QP's and this week we give you all the papers and elements for you to make your own layouts.  As we give the freebies away by the week, we each give two parts a week for three Mondays of each month.  That totals twelve parts you can collect!  All of my previous freebies are still available and I believe Miss Edna's are, as well.  
My previews are separated by papers and elements, but, each part has a scattering of both.  Click on the element preview for 'Part 3' and the paper preview for 'Part 4'.  (Parts one and two were the two QP's.)  Then, click on Miss Edna's preview below mine to go to her blog for her parts.  I do hope you enjoy!
Part 3

Part 4

Miss Edna's Preview(click to go to her blog)

Aren't they beautiful and warm?!  LOL  Don't forget to come back next week for the final parts to this sweet collection.
'Til then, 

See?  You're smiling!!

Hugs,

Su

New Freebie - Giving Thanks

Good Monday, All!  I'm going to be short this morning.  I have a half-way busy day today.  It's a new month and a new goodie for ya!  Miss Edna and I are bringing you "Giving Thanks", a pretty, little set of goodies to scrap what is important to you.  I made a list for a project recently of things for which I am grateful.  Family was at the top of the list.  Health, friends, shelter and my art were some of the things I wrote.  Then, I realized, my 'needs' have changed through the years.  Well, obviously, but, what used to be important to me when younger, isn't as important to me now.  And, things I never would have thought of are now paramount to my needs - like health.  I sure wasn't worried about that when I was young!  Now, it is a fact of life that my health is not that great.  The thing is, we change and our world changes along with everything else.  Our priorities change, too, as we grow.  Is there one thing that I included then and now?  I guess the one thing I am the most grateful for is wisdom.  I pray for the wisdom to understand life and to grasp all that I can from it in my short time here.  A lot of it is based on hope.  I hope to understand.  I hope to live long.  I hope, I hope, I hope....  But, if we didn't have hope, there would be no point in moving forward.
One of the Quick Pages I did today is about listing that for which you are grateful.  Maybe, it will inspire you. Miss Edna and I start out our freebie give-aways with a couple of QP's for you.  We do our give-aways on Mondays, but, not the first Monday, of each month.  We give away two(2) parts a week, each, for three weeks.  That ends up being a total of twelve(12) parts you get, for free, from us in a month.  All of my old links are still up if you want to go back and see what there has been.  I believe Miss Edna's are still available, too.
So, today, Pts 1 and 2, two(2) QP's are ready!  Click on my preview to download my QP's, then, click on Miss Edna's preview to go to her blog for her downloads.  The next two weeks will be where we give away the elements and papers and such for you to create your own layouts.  Here ya go:

And, click on image to go to Miss Edna's Place:

I must be going, but, I'll be back soon.  Until next time...

Smile!  You never know who is looking!
Hugs,
Su