 I have more crafts for the family. As it says on the box, for kids as young as three and as old as 103. So here we go. After this pandemic, I think we're all ready to celebrate the 4th of July in a big way. Involve those kids and grandkids in the home decorating with these crafts. The first one is just a matter of buying some "Do-A-Dot Art®". Or you can get some finger-paint and some sponges. I think the "Do-A-Dot" markers are much easier. You'll also need a star stencil or pattern and let them paint around it. Very easy for even three-year-olds.   It says right there on the box that 3-year-olds can handle this art. It's also washable.  Apparently it requires opening your mouth as you go around the stencil.   We tied it to make a mobile. We hung it in the entry hall.  It can also be hung in a window. The next one is for the older kids. It involves hammering nails in wood and stringing embroidery thread so you'll have to be the judge for what your grandchild can do. Our grandson is seven and going on eight, and he was just fine with this craft. It might be easier to show you the finished product before I go into any kind of explanation, so here is it.  Here's the finished string art craft. Much easier to explain if I start with the end project. As you can see, this involves a 5 inch by 16 inch piece of lumber, nails, red, white and blue string, and a 4 inch star pattern. Simply trace the star pattern on the board in three places, mark where you want your nails, hammer them in (but not all the way of course), and string the heavy thread. Voila! You've got yourself a pretty decoration for home or patio.  Supplies: heavy embroidery thread, nails, and a 16 inch long board.  Yes, grandson did MOST of the nailing.  Here's the stringer in action.  Finished display. By the way, I did the red star, and my 7-year-old did the white and blue stars. As you can see, I made mistakes--he didn't. And there you have it--two more crafts you can do with your children or grandchildren. They love it when you make decorations together and love it even more when you use those decorations in your home. They beam with pride. We sent the string art home with our grandson so he could hang it in his house. We also put a sticker on the back telling the day it was made and signed it. If it survives his childhood, he'll have something to hang in his house and tell his kids that he made it when he was a boy.
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 Creating handmade items for this big summer holiday with the kids and grandkids! I keep my seven-year-old grandson in the summer. And I recently had my 13-year-old granddaughter come to visit as well. I decided to plan some crafts for us to do while they were here. I thought I probably should use the time with my granddaughter to work on her sewing skills. She spent the night one night so we could work at the sewing machine without her 7-year-old cousin underfoot. We would do a craft with him when he came the next morning. Making Pillows out of Tea Towels: My granddaughter's family has a lovely outdoor sectional on their patio. We decided it would be great to make some patriotic themed pillows for that couch. I took the easy way out and just bought some 4th of July tea towels. That way my grand just had to fold, sew up the sides and bottom and we were ready to stuff those pillows. Easy as can be!  The finished products. I think the tea towels made great pillows.  They look great on my couch outside, but they went home with my granddaughter. A Patriotic Ribbon Banner: The project we all three did together, and that's suitable for the younger kids (at least if they know how to tie a knot), was a 4th of July ribbon banner made of red, white and blue ribbons. We started by walking in the woods to find some sticks and twigs that would be suitable for us to tie our ribbons to. After we settled on the size and look we wanted, we brought them back to the craft room and began to cut our ribbons. We had an assembly line to measure each strand of ribbon and cut. I had already bought the ribbon when the craft store had rolls on sale at half price. Then we were ready to simply tie the ribbons on the stick in any patterns we chose. An easy craft for young and old alike.  Hopefully a fun bonding time for these two cousins.  Concentrating on the task at hand.  Even 7-year-olds can tie knots--the task required for this craft.  Our finished product. One can find wonderful ribbons at the craft store. We used twine for the hanger. This can be hung indoors or outdoors. I've even seen them pictured on the garden gate.  We made enough for each kid to take home and send one to their great-grandmother for her porch.  I think he's proud of his creations.  There you have it. Two easy summer crafts with the kids or grandkids. And it's a fun indoor craft--too hot in Texas right now to do anything outside.
As I always say, doing arts-and-crafts with the young kids is such a great bonding time. You can talk, share ideas, and learn what's going on in their lives. And you have cute pillows and a wall-hanging for Independence Day!  The best gift for Mother's Day? Something written or created by her children or grandchildren of course! I was reminded of this recently. It was my youngest son Travis' birthday. My husband asked our grandson (Travis' son) what he would like to get his dad for his birthday. He went through the usual list of daddy-gifts, and then said, "My dad has everything. I want to get him a card and write on it, 'I promise from now on I will listen to you.'" When my husband told me that, my heart melted, and I told my husband, "That's exactly what he'll get him." Poppa took him shopping that day to pick out a card, and I helped my grandson write his promise to his dad. What a treasure that is. I think things like that are the best gifts of all. A heartfelt promise written in your own hand. A poem to your loved one that you compose. A sweet essay about your mother. Those are wonderful gifts!  A questionnaire about mother for older kids~ I did this a few year ago with my grandkids for their dad on Father's Day. There are some great questionnaires online. They were older, so I printed out the questionnaire and had everyone go to their own corner and answer the questions. Then I printed their answers in a book. But you wouldn't have to go so far as to publish an online book. You could simply have them answer the questionnaire and fold it up in a sweet Mother's Day card. I'll post a website with appropriate questions about mother at the end of my blog. Some examples are:
 A questionnaire about mommy for the younger kids~ There are online questionnaires that are more appropriate for younger children. You can ask the questions and record their answers. You can do it in person, or over the phone or during FaceTime. And once again, tuck it inside a card and send it to their mother. Also, I'll give you a link for these questionnaires for the younger kids. Some examples are:
 Asking the younger kids questions about their parents, turns out to be the best fun of all. When my oldest son was four, he went to a child development lab at a local high school. At Thanksgiving, he was interviewed (as were all the students) for a cookbook for their mothers. One of the questions was to share a recipe from his mother. I can't remember the recipe, probably how to cook a turkey, but his recipe began, "My mother washes the dishes once a week and then she . . . " I still laugh about that one. So I hope you'll interview your kids, grandkids or even great-grandkids. Their responses to such questions are priceless!  Sample questionnaire for the older kids: www.imom.com/printable/15-questions-for-kids-to-answer-about-mom/   I found another craft idea for us retired folks! Painting bricks or pavers. Yes, it happened again. I paint kindness rocks, and I was on Pinterest looking for more ideas for my simple, little rock art. And lo and behold, I found an idea for painting on bricks. So if you're looking for a hobby, or simply want to mix things up in your craft room, you might want to try this. My husband is a gardener, so I knew I had to paint him a brick to place in his garden.  Very simple directions for this little craft. You can buy bricks or pavers at your home supply store. You might even have some stashed in the corner of your yard or in your garage. Then just get some craft paints specifically for outdoor use, and some acrylic to seal it when you're finished, and you are done. You might want to make one for your yard, garden or front door. Or perhaps a friend or relative for use in their garden or entranceway. I think they are really sweet.  You'll need bricks or pavers and paint and paint pens.  Don't forget the top coat to seal it!  My finished product. After I completed the paver, I looked for a place to put it in one of my husband's gardens. I tried several locations.  I tried out several spots around the yard and garden.  More spots I tried out. Then I realized I really should let my gardener husband choose the spot. Next you'll want to decide on the sentiment or quote you want to write on the brick. I considered several, and I'm sure you'll know exactly what you want to write. I tried to keep it as short as possible. Here are some ideas:
 I found this pretty one on Pinterest, but there was no credit or website given.  Love the addition of a ribbon on this one. And there you have it--another craft idea to add to your repertoire. Retirement can be the best time of your life. It's fun to fill it up with lots of crafts, sports, travel, and other activities. Go for it!
The link to that last brick idea: bkwilliams-catskidsandcrafts.blogspot.com/2011/08/brick-craft.html  Calling all grandparents! I found another way to use those photos on your phone! I recently did a blog about using your phone camera to take pictures of gratitude. You can either create a photo gratitude journal, or simply scroll though them at the end of the day to count your blessings. www.gigisseasonings.com/blog/pictures-of-gratitude Then I realized I had a lot of photos on my phone, and that I really should do something with them. I found numerous websites, and tried out some of those ideas. I shared them with you in another blog: www.gigisseasonings.com/blog/making-use-of-the-photos-on-your-cell-phone With this week's blog, I'm sharing another idea I found--decoupaging photos on a block of wood. My husband had some 2x4's that I decided I could use. I had him cut me blocks that were 4x8. That turned out to be a good size for this project. I stained them before I proceeded.  My hubby cut me some 4x8 blocks. I stained them with various colors of stain we already had on hand. And then I sealed them with some acrylic. Next I played around with various photos I wanted to use. I opted for a favorite photo of my grandkids. Then I searched through vacation pictures and pictures I had taken on walks around my neighborhood.  I knew I wanted to use this photo of my grands.  I searched through vacation pics of a vacation trip to Utah. But you can certainly use favorite pictures you take on your walk.  Mod Podge (available at craft stores) is perfect for this task. There are various videos online with step by step instructions. Simply google "how to decoupage on wood."  I printed the photos on card stock. I played around with various sizes that I thought would work on the block of wood.  After I completed the task and they had dried, I searched for just the right spot in my home where I could showcase the photo.  In my search, I opted for this spot.  I did the same thing after I finished with the photo blocks of my vacation trip.   But wait! There's more! There are other materials you can use for your decoupage. You can use a stretched canvas that you get at the craft store; a slate tile, and even a 12x12 terra-cotta floor tile. The list is endless.  My sister-in-law took this one of her father's beloved cactus garden.  The cactus garden in bloom was simply done on stretched canvas.  I found this one in a shop in New Orleans. It was decoupaged to a slate roof tile. So there you have it--more craft ideas with those photos on your phone. Besides enjoying them as you scroll through your phone, or placing them in a gratitude journal, you can decoupage them to display around your home and enjoy again and again.
And if you're looking for a craft idea to fill your days, this just might be it. Until next week!  Tell your family's stories. George H.W. Bush said it best: "You are the living link to the past. Tell your grandchildren the stories of the struggles waged, at home and abroad, Of sacrifices they made." I've written about this subject before, but I don't hesitate to write about it again, as I think it's that important. And some of my readers weren't interested before. But perhaps now, in this time and place, you might give writing and telling those stories a try. The seed for this blog came about through Facebook. During Black history month, there were some great stories posted. And now it's Women's History month, and again, wonderful stories. We all have some great women in our own families--strong women--with wonderful stories that should be told to our children and grandchildren. And no matter how small the stories may seem, it makes those ancestors come alive for all of us. Do you have some relatives or friends still alive who were part of the Greatest Generation? Interview them and tell their stories while we still have time! My husband and I have one parent left from that generation. It's my mother-in-law, and she's sweet to let me interview her. We all know how the older generation loves to reminisce, so I actually think she enjoys it. Ask questions about some world event. You get a lot of insight into their soul when you frame questions around some struggle they went through. For my mother-in-law it was World War II.  I loved asking her this question. I need to know and certainly my children and grandchildren need to know. That war was certainly much more than the facts we memorize in school. These were real people, OUR people, that went through this. And their tales are not about the glory of war, but of the day to day struggles of ordinary people. She told me about rationing and food scarcity. She recounted how German planes were shot down in the area of her farm, and how they feared that an enemy might be hiding in the countryside or in a neighbor's barn. She told about sirens going off which meant you had to take cover.  My mother-in-law. . .a young English girl who lived through a very BIG war.  My father-in-law who was stationed in England during the war. He had a lot of stories to tell as well.
 Part of my mother-in-law's memories was about some of the fun times they were able to have. She and her sisters loved going to the movies when they could.  My mil told about food rationing which we also experienced here in America. She said the children in England even got candy rations.  Photos I found on the Internet that capture what life was like in her English village.  I added my mother-in-law's story/mini-book to my box of ancestor stories.  But you might rather keep a scrapbook of your stories and your family's stories. A favorite memory (for me) reveals so much of our ancestors' love and humanity. My mother-in-law recounted about some of the fun times that they did have during the war. She and her sisters would walk to town and go to the movies. It was war-time and England suffered from constant bombing from German bombers, so at night, there were no lights turned on--it was a total black-out. The girls would have to walk home in the dark, and as they crossed the final fields to their farmhouse, they could see a tiny light in the distance. They knew it was their daddy puffing on his cigarette and waiting for them by the back gate. My mother-in-law said that would make them feel so safe, to know their father was there waiting for them. I think that is the sweetest memory and speaks to me, and I hope my children, across time and space. A father's love and care--something we can all relate to and makes our ancestors real.  Our family matriarch berry picking in England.  Our family matriarch today with one of her great-grandchildren. I hope they enjoy her stories as much as I loved writing them. I hope you'll interview some of your older (or younger) friends and relatives--an aunt, uncle, older cousin, parent, grandparent, great aunt, or a friend from church or work. Just the asking of questions is important. It's great for the interviewer as well as the interviewee. And then repeat some of those stories to your children and grandchildren. It's all good! And if you're writing your story or stories of your relatives, please share your ideas with me. I love to hear, and I promise to share in this blog.   You have your grands after school, or for a surprise Saturday visit, but you're stuck in the house? And you have exhausted all your usual indoor activities? I've got some ideas for you. Get out your flashlight/s and begin! First suggestion: Go for a search in the dark. This activity is kind of like an Easter egg hunt, but it's in a darkened room, no eggs are involved, and your grandchildren have to have flashlights. Flashlights just add to the fun. You simply hide some items available around your house. It can be anything really. At Christmas we hide Christmas bows in the dark. You can hide ABC blocks if you have them in your toy chest when the kids come to visit. It so happens that at my house, my grandson had a set of small toy dinosaurs which we choose to hide. When he was younger, we used to say we were going on a dinosaur hunt. And you can add to the fun by letting your grandchild hide the items for you sometimes--they seem to enjoy that as well. I'll let these photos tell the story.  Some tiny dinosaurs my grandson collected from a gum ball machine. Okay, okay, there's one ninja in this collection. :)  We store them in a tin box we got at a dollar store.  Hide them about the darkened room.  Grandson finding one of the dinos by shining the flashlight on it. Second suggestion: look for flashcards in the dark. My grandson comes to our home after school. This was a suggestion from his first grade teacher as a way to practice his sight words. You might remember from school or from your own children learning to read--sight words are high-frequency words that you just have to know by sight--a child really cannot "sound them out." In school now they are often called popcorn words because they pop up in your reading a lot. The teacher's suggestion was to make flashcards with them and post on the wall. Then darken the room and give your child a flashlight. You can do several things with them--call out a word and they have to find it with their flashlight; they can read all the words as they shine a light on them. Or you can shine the flashlight on the card and they have to read it. It's such a simple activity, but my seven-year-old grandson loves it. You might not have flashcards to do this activity, but searching for anything could be a fun rainy day activity. Perhaps you could play eye-spy in a dark room with a flashlight. One idea always leads to another. . .  Sight words we taped to the wall. By using Scotch tape, we discovered that tape did not damage the wall.  For some reason, when we photographed the beam of the flashlight on the card, it did not photograph well, but you get the idea. Call out a word and he has to shine the light on the card. Third suggestion: create constellation shape on paper, place on flashlight and project on wall or ceiling. Rather than try to recreate what we did, I'll just share the PBS website from which we got this idea. It's a good one too, and is perfect for a rainy day. www.pbs.org/video/flashlight-constellations-fkad7b/ Spring break is coming! It just might be that you FINALLY get to see your kids. And as always seems to happen during spring break, it just might rain. Now you have some rainy day fun with these suggestions. Until next week! Remember~ An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again!  Yes, of course. Making scary faces in the dark with a flashlight is fun too!  Tell your stories! We're the link between the generations. How many times lately have you said something like this. . . I wish I'd asked my mother what it was like on the Homefront during World War II. I'm sorry I didn't ask my grandfather about Vietnam. I regret not asking my parents about the Great Depression. I should have asked my aunt about the Kennedy assassination. And the list goes on and on. And it's likely that your children and grandchildren won't think to ask you. But that doesn't matter, you can write about it, and leave it for them to read. Someday they will really appreciate that. And another thing! We're still in a pandemic! I know a lot of you have had your vaccine, but health specialists are telling us don't get out there yet. We're still being cautious and staying home a good deal of the time. After almost a year of this, you're probably looking for something to do. Such a good time to write or record your memories. Good for you and good for your family--JUST DO IT! You find writing about your childhood to be tiresome? Pick a news event that you lived through and write about that. That will recharge your batteries! Want to know how to do that? Perhaps these tips will get your started.  Simply write down any and all big news events from your lifetime. And yes, you can google it. I did. Just look for world news from any decade, the 1970's, 1980's, and so on. You'll find some things you hadn't thought of.  Just choose one that you have many memories about. And you don't have to start in writing your account--just jot down any facts or anecdotes that come to mind.  Here's my random list about Watergate:
And the list can go on. . .you get the idea. The next step is to decide how you want to record it for posterity. You can~
 A mini-book. . . I chose to make a mini-book about some of my "Eyewitness to History" events. It satisfies two needs of mine. My need to do something "artsy-crafty," and my desire to write my memories down for my children and grandchildren. I keep all my mini-books in a large box that I purchased at a craft store. I'm a visual learner myself, so I'll just show you with pictures:  The box I store all my little stories in. I found it at the craft store, and I decoupaged it in antique-looking papers, and with titles I thought appropriate for my box.  A peek inside my box. As you can see, they are very random stories, but hopefully something that my children will find of interest.  This is just one news event that I chose to write about and make a book about. It was so impactful, I had to write about it.  A peek inside my mini-book about the JFK assassination. You can find all kinds of pictures on the internet for your book.  This is such an iconic photo of little Jon-Jon that I had to include it on the back cover. Please, please, please understand. I do not share this with you to brag or pronounce, "Look what I've done!" As I've stated many times in this blog, I've never had an original idea. The seed for this was planted by an Austin friend who did mini-books in her classroom with her students. I also got the idea from a friend who makes beautiful greeting cards from gorgeous papers and fabulous images she finds. To get one of her cards is a treasure. I wanted to try that craft for myself, and I chose to do it with these little books. I also share because it might give you an idea of what you can do with your stories. I think that is what life is about--live and learn and pass it on! And finally I did this blog today as I think it serves two purposes. This is a blog mainly for grandparents, and we are of an age where many of us want to share our stories. If you haven't started writing some of your stories down, perhaps this will encourage you to do so. And I find mini-books to be such a fun craft. In these days of the pandemic, perhaps you are looking for a craft--this is a fun one--something to occupy your time. I'll close with a testimony from a high school friend, Tricia. I copied her comment (with her permission) from a Facebook post: "I've been hand writing a book for my daughter who will share with grandkids or anyone else someday. Just stories about my family, first memories, etc. Really just those stories we tell our kids, but in writing. It was her suggestion. Been fun to reflect on my life too. Working now on adding my feelings and thoughts about monumental world events during my lifetime." Blogs I've previously written about mini-books and memoir writing: www.gigisseasonings.com/blog/the-big-events-of-our-lifetimesharing-the-part-our-grandparents-played "Each of us is a book waiting to be written, and that book, if written, results in a person explained." Thomas M. Cirignano *Whoops! I almost forgot. I titled today's blog, "Telling Your Stories, Part III". I have no idea how many blogs I've written on this subject. I fudged on that title.  A home craft just in time for Valentine's Day! Last week's blog was about using photos for your gratitude journal. I listed suggestions for photos garnered from the internet. But it occurred to me that we could also put those photos to good use so others could enjoy them as well.  My husband took this picture of a monarch butterfly in our backyard. Craft idea #1~ Simply frame your photo. My husband took this picture of a monarch butterfly visiting the milkweed in our backyard. He liked it so much, he framed it. That's easy--we can all do that, and I'm sure you have.  He liked it so much, he framed it, and it's hanging in his office. Craft idea #2~ Use those photos for notecards, particularly those nature photos you take on your walk. Simply find those photos and gather them up. Decide which ones would look good on a note card.  Nature photos you can use for notecards. You can either have your favorite printing place print up your photos, and then simply glue them on your notecard. You can find blank notecards at craft stores or stationary supply stores. They even come with envelopes. I am fortunate to have a printer at home and the PrintShop program downloaded on my computer, so I can create my cards at home. I just use card stock, and can make them any size I want.  I made my own notecards with my PrintShop program on my computer. That way I could make them any size I wanted. I placed the photo on the right, so when the rectangle was folded, the picture would be on the front of the card.  I think this little square one is the perfect size for a quick note to a friend.   Since I was making my own, I could personalize the greeting on the front.  This little garden gnome is in my backyard. I thought this picture was perfect for sending a birthday greeting. Craft idea #3~ Make postcards! Then you don't need envelopes and you can save on postage. How delightful for friends and family to receive one of your postcards in the mail. Same technique. Just find those nature photos from your walks or from vacations and make postcards. Look for those panoramic views that would lend themselves to a postcard size. And my PrintShop app has postcard-making in one of their projects, so all I had to do was download my photos to that. But if you buy card stock and make your own, a typical postcard is 4x6 inches.  Nature photos from my camera phone that I deemed the perfect size for a postcard.  My PrintShop app has a postcard project, so I just downloaded my photos there.  Just remember to print on card stock. Then you can use the back for a message, postage and address.  A few of my homemade cards. If I can do it, you can do it! Important reminder: When making postcards, DON'T use photos printed on photography paper. Print those postcards on card stock or have your local print shop do that. Craft idea #4~ And I think this craft idea is the most fun of all, and can be used for gifts for the upcoming holiday--Valentine's Day! I did this myself to give for gifts on Valentine's. I chose to use family photos rather than nature views. I made one coaster for each of my immediate family. I made four--one for my daughter-in-law, one each for my two sons, and one for my husband. I imagined that they could use them on their desks at home, work, or school. I chose photos that would appeal to each of them, in this case, a family photo, an individual photo and for my husband, a picture of all his grandkids.  The how-to's of making coasters using photos~ Now mind you, I've never had an original idea. I just googled crafts using photos and discovered these ideas. I only share with you in case you might not have thought of it. That's how I get ideas besides googling and looking on Pinterest. Oftentimes my readers share with me or one of my friends will tell me about their latest project. My motto is, live and learn and pass it on! Now back to how to do this. The website said to get some of those 4x4 ceramic bathroom tiles. Guess what? When I went to my big box home improvement store, THEY DON'T HAVE THEM ANYMORE. But I told the clerk what I was looking for, and he said he had 4x4 samples of flooring. And guess what? They were FREE!  Customer take-home samples of laminate flooring--they are the perfect size. And they were FREE! Also note, the website at the end of my blog says to put cork backing on the tile. But with these you don't have to, they have a foam backing that's perfect. I found images that would work with that 4x4 size. The one of the four grandkids that I was making for my husband didn't lend itself to 4x4. So I printed it out 2 1/2x4 and I think it looks just fine.  The one of our four grandkids was perfect for Poppa.  The photos I chose. One from a golf trip and one from a family vacation. All perfect for that 4x4 tile. Finally. . . Print your image on card stock (DO NOT use actual photos printed on photography paper) and simply decoupage them on the tile. Paint Mod Podge on the tile and place the photo on. Use a roller or ruler and press out any air bubbles, etc. After you let that dry, spray with several coats of spray acrylic. And you're done. I'll post a "how-to" website at the end of this blog.   The finished products!  Perfect for Poppa's desk.  Hey! It's a coaster after all--perfect for Poppa's coffee mug. And there you have it. Now you don't have to leave those "pictures of gratitude" on your phone. You can share them with others. When I found this idea on Pinterest, I knew I had to share.
Until next week!  Back to my blog! I've missed you people. We've been through a crazy ten months what with this pandemic and all. It was hard for me to get to my keyboard and write a blog during this time. My blog is about grandparents and grandkids and that was hard to write, what with most of us grandparents being isolated from our families due to Covid. But things are looking up a bit, so I'm writing my blog again. Besides, it was on my new year's resolutions--tee hee. A reminder about Gratitude Journals~ I've written about gratitude journals before. I also think they are/were a great way to get through this pandemic. When the days seem long and you can't be around friends and family, you can go to your gratitude journal...or START ONE! It's like the old church hymn--"Count your blessings, name them one by one..." But I was reading about a twist on this. Take some pictures for your gratitude journal. This piece of advice posted on Facebook reminded me of this endeavor:  There are at least three ways to use photos on your cell phone to make you feel gratitude. The first one is listed above, simply take photos as you go through your day. Now mind you, you don't have to do this every day, but sometimes. It is fun to go back and look at photos. Sometimes on Facebook, a friend will suggest posting the last picture on your phone, or the 12th...whatever it is. I always get a kick out of going back to see what was the last photo. It's just small things like this that get us through the day and bring a smile. The second one is about using a list of specific photos to take as you go on your morning walk or as you travel to the grocery store (wearing your mask of course!), or bop around the house. Here's a silly list to complete as you take those photos:
 We're lucky to have our youngest grandchild come to our house after school. Who doesn't like to take a picture of a sleeping baby or child?  Walking to our vegetable garden to harvest some greens, I caught a glimpse of this garden gnome that my husband had moved from it's usual spot. I had to snap a picture--it just made me happy--this gnome peeking over the flowers.  This one is from the list--it said to take a picture of a cozy spot. This is my cozy spot.  Back in the spring when we were home-schooling, I snapped this picture of my husband and our grandson. It simply made me happy.  Of course when you're on a nature walk, if it's at sunset, you've got to take that picture.  I live in Houston, so often times when I'm walking, I can snap a picture of some water fowl. But wait! There's more! The third idea is to simply have a photo gratitude journal that is nothing but photos of things you love or enjoy. Or just slip those pictures into your regular journal. It's all about living in the moment and realizing your blessings. It simply makes you happier! My precious 90-year-old mother-in-law loves photos of her kids, grandkids, great grandkids and soon to be great-great grandkids! She doesn't want photos texted to her. She wants what she calls "hand copies." You know, photos she can hold in her hand. When we send her pictures, she keeps them all in a box, and delights in pulling out that box and going through those photos again and again. I think a lot of us do that. So you might try it--keep a PHOTO gratitude journal.  A peek inside my gratitude journal. It can bring you much joy if you decide to try it. One last idea for picture-taking that I happened onto~ This one was billed for young parents, but of course it's great for us grandparents too, when we are fortunate to have our grands or great-grands visit once again. I think there are some great ideas on here. I'll post the link at the end of my blog.  And there you have it! A different take on gratitude journals using photographs. I think in the past year we've gone through some difficult days--from the pandemic to the trying times in our nation. I'm always looking for something that will put a spring in my step once again. I think a gratitude journal is one way to go. Try it, you'll like it. And as I always say, if you have some ideas for gratitude journals or family photography, please share. I love to hear from my readers. Until next week just sign me, Gigi of Gigi's Seasonings. "Taking an image, freezing a moment, reveals how rich reality really is." Anonymous The website with ideas for taking candid shots of your children: cravemycreative.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/30-day-photo-challenge-of-your-kids-december-16-january-16/?epik=dj0yJnU9MkRUM2hQRlM4LVgzck5jSy1OMlRTbDRlRC1yTmtKQVomcD0wJm49bnVyNjhZMmJIUXNTREhMU05IYmJLQSZ0PUFBQUFBR0FUSG9R |
AuthorRetired school teacher and now full time grandmother sharing ideas and looking for new ones about grandparenting! Archives
June 2021
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