Thankful on the Path of Positivity

When we are children, most of us take our moms for granted. She takes care of us, cleans the house, goes shopping, cooks for us - of course she does, she's MOM. As teenagers, we often pull away from our mothers; how can she possibly know the heartbreak when your boyfriend breaks up with you? Why does she have to embarrass you in front of your friends? Why can't you have the car tonight? As  young adults, we can be so busy with relationships, friends, work, and children that mom is put on the back burner, except as a babysitter. And as mom ages, we suddenly become the caregiver, the chauffeur, the banker, the emergency contact, while still juggling job, family, home and our own health.
Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and have been lucky enough to have a close relationship with her. But as the years fly past, I am constantly reminded of how much I have to thank my mom for:

  The money she saved from using coupons, keeping those small savings

until there was enough money for a movie or a trip to Kiddie Land,

   The years she chose a family vacation over having her 

1930's kitchen upgraded,

The money she would "loan" me to make ends meet 

(and I never paid back),

Her patience while teaching me to cook, to clean, to plan a party,

to take care of my first baby, to sew, to crochet, to drive,

(and a million other things)

Since my dad's death 25 years ago, I started to make sure that the people I know and love, KNOW how much they mean to me, especially my mom. As the roles are slowly reversing for us, I remind her of the things she did that I am so thankful for. I also remind myself of the patience, perseverance and positivity she had for me, and taught to me. She is my role model I strive to mimic.

Just saying the words I love  you and thank you go a long way to comforting and reminding someone how blessed you are that they are a part of your life. Frequent contact and little trips to treat her to breakfast; sending or giving homemade cards for no reason at all, except to let her know she is in your thoughts.
Spending time and talking with her is the most important way to show you love her. I like to drop off her favorite treat, a York Peppermint Patty, sometimes in between errands when my time is short. What do you do to tell your mom (or someone you love that she is appreciated?

This month, the Path of Positivity challenge blog focuses on Thankfulness. While it is an OPTIONAL twist, I always look for ways to share gratitude whenever I can. So my card is for my mom, 86 years old and still close to my heart. She is at the top of my daily list in my gratitude journal.

I used a digi image from A Day for Daisies called Mother's Day to create my card. I love the whimsical and gorgeous digis that A Day for Daisies offers. After coloring her with my Copics, I popped her onto a piece of digital paper I had printed up in my stash. I love that watercolor look, don't you?

Both my image and my sentiment are adhered with dimensional tape. I printed my sentiment using LD Handwriting font. And my embellishments are simple lines of adhesive jewels. I know she'll love it, after I write her a personal note inside. I'll give it to her the next time we're out together. Why wait until a holiday to tell someone thank you for being you?!

  

Anything Goes at SBP Challenge Blog

Today is a new day, new month, new year AND a new challenge from Your Scrapbook Place Challenge Blog. The theme is my fave type: ANYTHING GOES. The sponsor is Sunflowerfield:

"Sunflowerfield is a small company located in Finland and we offer 'Cozy Home Products and Crafters' Essentials'. We have our own 'Sunflowerfield Designs' rubber and digi stamps designed by Vanja Stevanović and stamps from three fabulous companies: Wild Rose Studio, Whimsy Stamps and Crafty Sentiment Designs. In our webstore you will find quality ink pads, designer paper packs, different embellishments (brads, gems, pearls, charms...), wooden elements like hearts, stars, flowers... then satin flowers, paper roses, laces, ribbons, acrylic blocks and more."

For my card, I chose to create digitally. That's right, peeps, 100% digital! I have been playing in Photoshop Elements and have learned a trick or two (can you tell I'm very proud of myself? LOL) 

Besides coloring the Sunflowerfield image, I also managed to manipulate the frame, borders and snowflake brads by Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. The image itself, while Thanksgiving-themed, has been colored in a winter palette. I love using themed images in different ways, don't you?

The sentiment is mine, using Photoshop. Even the snowflakes are stamps from my software! (If you knew anything about me, you would know that learning as much as I have in Photoshop is a BIG thing) My goal for 2015 is to get even more adept at using Photoshop.

So, you have one whole month to create ANYTHING your little heart desires! Here are the guidelines for our challenges:
1. Your project must be new and fit the theme; any post containing your project must be published after the first day of the new challenge. No backlinking. 
2. Your post must name the SBP Challenge Bog and a link to the challenge post. 
3. You may enter as many other challenges as you wish.
4.  Closing time is midnite CDST on the last day of each month.
5.  You may enter up to three times for each new challenge.

Check out the SBP Challenge Blog for inspiration, then go play and create so you can enter for a chance to win a prize from our sponsor, Sunflowerfield!! Have fun!!
p.s. Lisa at Decosse's Dynamite Doodles has some freebies available for you, too!