Grateful U

Back with another freebie for today as I'd hoped! This expresses so eloquently and simply how I feel about family and friends. How about you? :)

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More ThanksGiving

Today's posting is a quick one. My sisters brought Mom to my house so that she can spend Thanksgiving with my husband and me -- but she got sick on the way. She still feels rotten this morning -- so much so that she didn't even get up to say hello to my husband before he left for work (he's her favorite!!!). So, now we're faced with the decision of knowing if it would be better to take her back home because we know her own bed and stuff are increasingly important to her when she feels unwell -- or taking it minute-by-minute throughout the holidays. She can get stubborn about people trying to help her (and she wonders where I get that from!!), but I'm hoping that she'll allow us to set her up by the fire to get cozy. I felt sooooooooo guilty leaving her to come to work so will try to get away as fast as I can.

I know you can all relate.

I wanted to add more Thanksgiving word art to your collection today, but couldn't resist the one about the elastic waistband (see below). It fits on so many occasions (especially for the guys as they watch sports games on television), but seems particularly appropriate at our Thanksgiving time.

Hope you'll forgive me for again promoting my Faithful Season 1 traditional carols lyrics package. I was hoping more of you would want them, but I'm so very grateful for those of you who have ordered them and appreciated hearing how a couple of you plan to use them. As I mentioned before, any donation would be greatly appreciated.

I may pop in before the day is out with another gift if I have time. Until then, I hope that those of you celebrating Thanksgiving this week have a meaningful time.

Melanie

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CARE

After I prepared today's quotations, I realized that plants in my house don't have a chance -- I have the opposite of a green thumb -- but I PROMISE I pay more attention to my marriage, and would love to shower that kind of care on children if I were so blessed.

When working on the colors, I was thinking about the words: "remember" in red as a TAKE NOTICE command; "children" in purple because that's the color you get when you combine blue and pink for boys and girls; "marriage" in platinum to symbolize the rings that bind us; "flower gardens" in green, for obvious reasons(!); and "care" in a teal color to represent the mingling of the other colors. Does that make sense? Hope so!



Many thanks to those of you who are helping by ordering Faithful Season 1. Through your donations, any assistance would be a great blessing.

Hope your day goes splendidly well,
Melanie

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Christmas Music Overlays

As I often mention, I enjoy making word art to post on this blog and love to hear from you with your comments and layouts.

Things are tough all over, and they are at my house, too. My medical bills have been exorbitant this year and I'm trying to find ways to take care of them. In that regard, if you are interested in these FAITHFUL SEASON overlays and would consider a $2.00 USD donation, I would be extremely grateful. My plan is to make more next week, with, of course, plenty of freebies along the way. As soon as I receive a receipt, I will forward the link to you.

Thanks for your kind comments and continued encouragement!

Melanie

ThanksGiving Thoughts

Lynette Jacobs sent this cool layout over the weekend. She used a word art I'd made some time ago and pieced it together in a way that suited her purposes. Nice job, Lynette! Thanks for sharing.



Of all the things my British husband, Stephen, had to adapt to, a new set of holidays has been an interesting change for him since we've been married. Even though we've been married for six years now, he's still not accustomed to the fact that we don't have Guy Fawkes Day or Boxing Day as work holidays. However, he has heartily embraced our Thanksgiving and truly enjoys it as a time of gathering with family as often as possible. Just as long as he's not made to watch any football games, of course. :)

I'm supplying you with two because of my absence on Friday.

Blessings,

Melanie

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Language of Friendship

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Learning from Trees

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Children Teach

I'm sorry for not spending much time on my blog -- I'm still incredibly weary. I'm diabetic and just haven't gotten my body back in sync over the past week. My apologies.

As I post this word art today, I realize that the shape somewhat resembles a tornado!

Blessings on your day,
Melanie

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Passionate Colors

The second word art for today was inspired by the current slogan of a popular American toy manufacturer.

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Legacies

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After all these years

Yes, I'm back from my convention. It was exhausting. I was so very fatigued yesterday that I was doing well just to get a word art piece done and posted! I'm planning to do a lot of catching up tomorrow, to formally acknowledge the awards I've received and the extra word art for those who sent the layouts.

In the meantime, I hope you can use today's word art. I've been enjoying listening to the group JOURNEY decades ago. I'm not big into rock music, but somehow always enjoyed most of their music, and missed it when Steve Perry left the group. It's not the same now, but the new guy who joined as lead vocalist (from the Philippines!) is extraordinary and hauntingly similar to Steve Perry. Their newest release is one that I enjoy listening to every day on the radio during my drive time.

All that to say, that those lyrics inspired today's two pieces of word art.

Blessings on your day,

Melanie

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Journey Inward

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Mr. Mischief

Very belatedly, I'm posting some layouts I received in response to my "challenge" to use the YOU CAN'T MAKE UP THIS STUFF word art. I still owe these participants the extra word art, and haven't forgotten!!!

The talented Sonel sent this fun one:

Karen Souther sent this of the unexpected adventure of her Lorna ... climbing a tree all the way to the top. CUTE! Thanks, Karen. :)

This funny one was sent by Angelia, showing her Freya stuck while carrying a chair. One of those moments that you don't come to the rescue until you've taken a photo!! Thanks, Angelia!

Now, for a confession. Two of the people who sent me layouts? The e-mails vanished and I can't retrieve them. PLEASE re-send them. I'm so sorry to cause trouble, but would love for you to send them again, please.

Then, Denise Rich sent this beautiful layout using some other word art I'd put together. This is a very special one to her, you can tell. Thanks, Denise!

Now, for today's word art:

And a layout using it -- this is my youngest great-nephew who is a hoot-and-a-half!!! [I used my November Gloaming kit.] He's a bundle of mischief, but so cute. His family found a gi-normous possum curled up in the garbage can yesterday morning, and had great difficulty getting it to go away. Mr. Mischief insisted that it was a rat NAMED "Possum" and refused to believe anyone that it was a whole different animal from a rat.

Finally, I want to thank you for the particularly amazing comments you've been leaving lately. It means a LOT. Thanks, too, for the affirmation about the "Grace" word art. I thought that the anonymous commenter had misinterpreted the quotation, too, so it was nice not to feel alone in that thought!!! Thanks so much, CactusFreek and Sonel for expressing your thoughts so well.

I'm leaving today for a convention out-of-town, for work, so will be away a few days. I'm hoping to post a few additional word art pieces to make up for it. I'll be back Wednesday with more!

Grateful for your encouragement and support,

Melanie

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Guardian Angel

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In Everything We Do

And here's my November Gloaming kit, for my participation in KimB's Color Challenge at DSO:

Here's to many happy memories,

Melanie

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Grace

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Special Memories

I've just come back from a weekend with family. You see, we had an early Thanksgiving gathering because one of my nephews was leaving today to begin his new life in the US Navy. While in training, he will miss Thanksgiving AND Christmas celebrations with us. We used the time to make new memories together.

We had all his favorite dishes, and I think he filled his plate 3 times. No worry, though, because he's in excellent physical shape.

Oh, how I'm going to miss this very special guy. We also acknowledged the 10th anniversary of my Dad's death -- which is today. He would have been SO proud of Jesse; the two of them had a very special relationship. I still miss my dad so much, but know that he's still with us in spirit.

It was lovely to come back to some special comments, which I'll address later today. Thanks to you all.

I found the quote that inspired today's word art on a plaque at my brother's home where we gathered this weekend. It was irreverently (lol) placed in the bathroom. It made me smile, so I hope you can use it.

Blessings on your Monday,

Melanie

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