A Peaceful Thanksgiving

We stayed home and kept it simple this year. The free-range turkey was tough, but the pie was great. Oh well, we stuffed ourselves anyway and there are lots of leftovers so I don’t have to cook for a while. Now onward to crafting….cards, ornaments, decorations, and gifts galore! In the coming weeks I’ll try to share my creations with you.
Oh, the last time I shopped at Ben Franklin Crafts I found a bargain bin of bracelets at the Bead Shoppe. While the bracelets would be suitable for young girls, I purchased some to take apart for the cute charms. I think the little purses, butterflies, hearts, etc. will make inexpensive embellishments for scrapbooks, purse pulls, bookmarks, and more. Also from the store I bought many new Sanrio products. Besides the perennial favorite design, Hello Kitty, there are many new characters, which are sure to please the little (or big) kids on your shopping list.
On the craft club website I have posted the instructions for making a Gratitude Journal. I have never been able to write an entry in a journal on a daily basis, so I made this one so I could just jot down my grateful thoughts for the month. By putting each month on a chain I should be able to attach it to somewhere convenient (maybe even my purse). Then at the end of the year I can link all the months together. Because the journal units require only one 12 x12 sheet, you can afford to pick your favorite paper every month. Using the same folding method you can also make a coupon holder and if you fold down some of the pages diagonally you will have easy access to the coupons. (See photo.)
A while ago I said I would show you the blank journal I made from a recycled marble tablet. (See photo.) The secret to coloring the intricate rubber stamp design is to stamp first on sheer white washi paper (with fibers or metallic inclusions). Use waterproof black ink or emboss with black detail powder. Glue colorful printed washi scraps to the back of the designs. Nori glue works well for pasting down the washi to almost any surface. As with any new project, test out your supplies for compatibility. Using just one stamp you can make lots of handmade cards for gifts by just changing the color palette.

More later,
Lynn