Gratitude is "the feeling of being thankful to someone for something" which aptly goes with the sentiments surrounding this month's upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, and hence the reason I chose it as November's smART-Word. To me, by definition, this means gratitude goes beyond saying 'thank you'. It's an attitude that remembers good things received.
The trouble with attitudes, however, is that good ones don't necessarily come naturally. Most need cultivating, and gratitude is one of those. How do I know? All I have to do is take a look at the wandering Israelites of the Old Testament, or at the lives of my own children, or dare I admit it? In the mirror... Too often, good things, even great things, get forgotten waaaaaaay too quickly.
I think that's why I've always liked the quote by Henry Ward Beecher that was rubberized awhile back, and used on this card for November's smART-Word Challenge:
"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul."
Like a delicate flower, true gratitude is a thing of beauty, that stems from deep, abiding thankfulness... It brightens the lives of all who see it, and increases the 'happy quotient' for both receiver and giver. Just imagine what the world would be like if we each kept a gratitude 'bouquet' to the Lord, and to others, sitting on our heart shelves!?!
My smART-Word Challenge card is a product-based creation -- Ranger's Distress inks (vintage photo and peeled paint) and Distress embossing powder (walnut stain).
I must tell you that I'm not a big fan of using distress techniques -- not that I don't like what I see if done by others, just that I don't like using them myself -- probably because I never feel good about the end results... Try as I will, most of the time, I just see 'messy'.
Anyhoo, this card was actually an attempt to salvage a section of file folder that I'd spritzed, rubbed randomly with the two inks, spritzed some more, then in frustration, tossed aside. The next day, after things had dried, I decided to 'do something' with the mess vs. throw it away, so pulled out my single jar of Distress embossing powder...
Used over images stamped in Versamark ink, it gave the flowers (FL-09 Darling Duo) and saying (WD-15 Gratitude) a very unique, grainy texture, almost like sandpaper. While I know you're really supposed to rub over the 'cooked' powder, and further distress, I opted to avoid additional frustration, and leave the powder intact.
I didn't seem to have matching brown stock for matting, so chose an off-brown instead, and tied in the vintage photo color by using it to stamp around the edges with a background image from BG-04 Mesh.
Now all I have to do is remember to 'cultivate an attitude of gratitude' on a daily basis, and I'll be all set.
Susan T.
P.S. To enter your 'gratitude' inspired card into this month's smART-Word challenge and giveaway drawing, just visit The smART-Word Challenge blog, and use Mr. Linky.
