Christmas Pattern Making with Ellie

Wrapping paper made by Ellie!

Ellie and I worked on making some Christmas patterns yesterday and it was super fun! Here's Ellie's project -- 

Here's what we did (and these are all Ellie's): 

1. Cut out Christmas shapes with paper and take a picture on a solid background

2. Digitize with Illustrator

3. Color and lay out in a pattern shape with Procreate

4.Use Illustrator to repeat as a pattern

Then, print as wrapping paper for a little gift and wrap! (first picture above)

#givethanks

 

by artist Kate Lee

I'm grateful for the times and ways that I feel the love of Heavenly parents and of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

 Throughout my life, I have been strengthened and upheld as I have felt my Heavenly Father's love for me and felt the reality of being known, seen, and cared for by Him. I feel grateful each day for Jesus Christ and his life, his miracles, and his healing power that is extended even to me. 

Last year, I was struck by the first line of the new Young Women's theme - "I am a beloved daughter of Heavenly parents..." As I have pondered this and other thoughts, I have felt greater than before the love of both Heavenly parents. I'm grateful also for this artist who has shared some beautiful thoughts on this and has helped remind me of how dearly I am loved. 

#givethanks

Some fun Procreate projects this year!

And I'm grateful for the the happiness I get from making.

Early this year I started playing around with this great iPad app Procreate and also tried again to really learn how to use Illustrator. (In February I even took my first overnight trip away by myself to see a favorite show and to have a little focused time to work through an online Illustrator class!) My focus has been limited this year though (!) but I feel extra grateful for the times when I've been able to work on making something - whatever it may be. (And I'm grateful for Jordan who continues to cheer for me with all of my 'look, I made this!' comments whether it's a new pattern or dinner on the table :)

#givethanks

I'm grateful for makers and artists. 

I love to see all the amazing things that people make and share on social media (like these few snippets above from my instagram feed recently). 

And this week I've loved seeing all the #givethanks posts, and how others have reminded me of so many little and great blessings that I have as well. 

#givethanks

 

Youngest-to-oldest first shot attempts on our new basketball court this summer 

I'm grateful for Jordan. 

He brings the fun and adventure to our family. (Right now, setting up with April for Thanksgiving week virtual board games :) He takes over dinner prep when I'm stumped for a night or week or month. He thinks of fun desserts to serve when I'm more likely to send everyone to bed. He's up each day starting his work day while everyone else is still sleeping. He finishes work and then jumps into tutor mode to work through Math and Computer Science with Landon. He reminds me it's okay for our kids to be a little muscle-sore when he challenges them to sit up and push up competitions.  He teases me about my messy desktop, and he made one of my designs his own desktop background. He has loved the calmer pace of these days and has helped us fill the time with great, happy, memory-making moments. 

#givethanks

Jordan and the kids on a Bear Lake bike ride 

 I'm so grateful for this family of mine. 

For our family, some things have been really hard about this Covid time (like everyone around the world!) But also, some things have been really wonderful. (Both of those things feel tricky to say - I know that many have experienced these last several months with much more difficulty than we have. And I also know that some days for us really have been difficult, despite the parts I am really grateful for!) 

For the first few weeks in the Spring, Jordan loved coming in after work, checking the calendar like he usually did, asking "what's on the calendar today?" And then he'd be so happy to say "nothing!"  

I didn't feel that way! I really missed all the things that had been canceled or that we chose not to continue. And I still grieve for some of those things (like Landon missing his first year of high school and everything that goes with it.) I'm looking forward to book groups and classroom volunteering and browsing at the library and kid play days and so many more things we'll do again someday.

But also, we have had so many special times over the last few months as we've spent so much time together. At this stage in our family when all of the events and activities for the kids were accelerating, it has been a real blessing to instead get to have this pause together. 

#givethanks

 

I'm grateful for my every day morning walks.

As I've been able to walk even more consistently this year,  I've loved seeing all the familiar scenes change with the seasons. (Like this project I did once!)  And like this lovely frost covered grassy-ness from this morning (above) that was all bright and green not long ago.  We live in such a beautiful place - the mountains! the trees! the great grassy fields of the park - all so beautiful. 

And I have felt so grateful every day that I can be walking! When I first got arthritis (and didn't yet know what was going on) there was a long time when I wondered if I'd ever again walk without pain. And even though I feel so much better now, I remember that keenly and know that many others still feel that way.  So I feel grateful for all these days that I am able to, and especially this summer and fall where I've been able to stretch my daily walks a little longer and longer. 

Probably because there has been such a lack of other connections right now, I have really loved the familiar faces I see each morning. The brisk walker that is as strong as I hope to be in a decade or so when I'm her age. The group of 4 and group of 2 chatting ladies. The quiet man with his dog who always looks up with a nod just before I pass.  The tall husband who takes his time, sometimes with a cane and sometimes without. And his can't-slow-down wife who zig-zags across the street back and forth so she can match her pace to his.The teenagers in tee-shirts shivering at the bus stops. The young family with one child in a pack, two in strollers and one more hurrying to keep up - always amazing me that they're all up and about when I'm still mostly waking up. And so many more that come and go. I've loved the chance just to see these familiar faces and say a few good mornings each day.