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Monday, November 16, 2009

How do you show YOUR gratitude?

"Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow." —Edward Sandford Martin

Read more awesome Thanksgiving quotes here.


Is anyone else already having dreams of a delectable Thanksgiving dinner? ...Waking up with the smell of turkey still lingering? No?? Hmmm. Well—if you do, know you're not alone. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that sometimes (okay, usually) gets the shaft from all the big stores. The minute Halloween is over Christmas decorations come bounding in. Not that there's anything wrong with Christmas—but today we'd like to take a minute to reflect on Thanksgiving. On being thankful.

People show their thankfulness in many different ways, which is great. As crafters, often we like to show our gratitude through a crafting medium! So if that's what you like to do, then here's some projects for you. *And to view more amazing products from our suppliers, you can visit their web page or blog, listed under "Sites We Love" in our right-hand column.

Say it with a card that's not only adorable, but heartfelt!

Here's a darling Sizzix idea:



































QuicKutz always has wonderful ways to show sentiments of gratitude:



































Love these Fancy Pants cards:
























Aren't these cards just lovely? There's still oodles of other ways to portray feelings of thankfulness.
Check these out.

This poignant Cricut mini album is great for storing personal treasures! This project used Plantin Schoolbook, Storybook, Wild Card, Stone Script and Design Studio:





































Or here's another great idea from our Provo Craft peeps. It never hurts to have a little reminder box—especially when you're trying to teach small children to have gratitude for all their blessings! This Cricut project uses Storybook, Opposites Attract, Street Sign, and Home Accents:




































Here's a great layout by Karen Foster—perfect for bein' thankful
and perfect for posterity:




































And we already mentioned how QuicKutz it so quick to have something grand, didn't we. This is a great idea:


































As far as Oh My Crafts goes, we're thankful for all our wonderful suppliers—and naturally our amazing customers!

Happy thankfulness-ness!!

70 comments:

  1. I not only say I'm thankful with words, I say I'm thankful with a handmade card. I typically mail it as a surprise :)

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  2. Always, always write a thank you note.

    And, for little things that ordinarily go unappreciated, like crossing the parking lot in front of cars, or having the door held open for us-- I like to show my gratitude. It doesn't take much, just a wave of "thanks"-- so many people don't do it. Even my little girls will wave a thank you now as they cross the lot or go through the open door. Doesn't it make your day when people appreciate your own thoughtfulness?

    Tracy E

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  3. I try to show I am thankful by doing the little things. For example, I try to do a bunch of ironing for my husband when I get a chance. Or, make a phone call to check on a friend or family member. I am also known for my home-made cards - I send them whenever the mood strikes. I guess I am a doer. That's how I show my gratitude.

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  4. I like to show my thanks by doing a little something in return. For instance, if the neighbor shovels my drive, I send over a plate of cinnamon rolls to say thank you.

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  5. I am a cardmarker so I give cards to show my gratitude to people, whether it be family, teachers, neighbours...I think it is nice to acknowledge people.

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  6. I like to make things for people. I think a handmade touch shows gratitude and love.

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  7. I love to say thank you by making a thank you tag or mini album!

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  8. I like to show thanks with hugs for my family and close friends. I also like to make things for them. I hope they are able to see my graditude with the time I spend putting something together for them. For me something hand made means more. I am not always the greatest with words, so this works best for me.

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  9. I like to show my gratitude with words, a homemade card, being there for that person, or paying it forward to someone else who is in need. I try to be a thoughtful person and look for ways to make someone's day a little easier and brighter. I took for granted how a smile can go a long way. Then I got Bell's Palsy (still do, LOL) and vowed to myself that when I got better, I would always remember to smile. It made me appreciate everything I have, like my family, friends, my health...It's a little thing that does so much! A smile transcends language barriers and often diffuses tense situations. When I check out at a drive thru or store, I say thank you to the cashier and I smile! :D

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  10. I like to show gratitude by giving and making cards for people.

    creativechretin@hotmail.com

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  11. I always say Thank you and I "pay it Foward". A friend of mine had her husband pass away suddenly at the age of 44. She had never scrapbooked before so I went and stayed with her the weekend after the funeral, took all my scrapbook stuff, and taught her the basics. She is completely disabled so this is giving her something to do and keep her mind busy. I left all my stuff at her house as she had NO scrapbook stuff and now no income (fightiing SS disablity)

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  12. I try to customize my gratitude. I try to be attentive to those around my and show my gratitude according to their needs and wants if I can. I like to do things for those I love and care for that is special to them and only them. That way we both get pleasure out of it. Me for doing something that I know they will like and them because I took the time to find or make something that means something to them.

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  13. ght make a card or two...but always express it verbally!

    Melissa W

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  15. I like to make cards and little handmade things that I know people will like. It really shows that I took the time to think about them.

    Erin Bohland

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  16. I like to bake so I tend to make things that I know the person would like. I then will add my own personal touch by attaching a card or a tag made just for them.

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  17. i LOVE to make cards to show people how thankful i am for them!!! i imagine the grin on their face as soon as they see my lil' card in the mailbox. ;o)

    this year i am EXTREMELY THANKFUL that my sailor hubby will BE HOME for the holidays!!! they leave for another 7 month deployment on Jan 2nd. he has currently been at sea for a few weeks and will be home monday...he doesn't know this but he will be coming home to a fully decorated house! i want him to be able to enjoy the Christmas decorations for as long as possible!!!

    i am also thankful for the opportunity to win this amazing giveaway!!!

    THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

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  18. I am thankful for each day!!! When someone has touched my life, I always make a card, sometimes I mail sometimes I deliver it. I practice random acts of kindness and send something handmade to someone for no reason at all. It's a day brightener for the recipient as well as for me.

    Thank you for the opportunity to win a fabo prize!!! Patty Taylor

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  19. I love to send thank you cards to friends and family who have gone out of their way to help me. For small,everyday thanks, nothing beats a big smile and the words "Thank You!!"

    Lisa K.

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  20. I have been blessed with a Beautiful dog which became a Therapy Dog at our local Hospital
    Skyler and I visit once a week and then I volunteer for another day.
    Skyler has brought sooo much pleasure and delight to the patients and to the patients families. I have been blessed that skyler found her way into our family. Our volunteering has been an asset to both of us and the Hospital.

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  21. Being thankful and showing graditude comes from the heart and happens year round. I show my graditute with words of kindness, phonecalls and visits, a smile to strangers, a special hug for family, etc. I send handmade cards gut most of all I try to express my thankfulness with a good deed. It's priceless!

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  22. I like to show I am thankful by appreciating everything I have and my loved ones. I enjoy giving cards and saying thank you!

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  23. I am thankful for my many blessings. I cook a great big family dinner so everyone can be together for the day and share a little bit of time together. Food, family and friendship go a long way.

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  24. I tell people thank you by letting them know how what they did affected me, and letting them know tht it was truely appreciated.

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  25. I think thank you is never said enough, even for the little things. My family is always there for me and I know that will not change, and a little thank you is just amazing. I love to send little cards I make for all the holidays. I always send one to my sister with a little thank you and how proud I am of her. Thank you is only two little words but mean so much.

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  26. I like to leave a note, card or tell the person(s) that I'm grateful for them!! Any way that works at the moment -
    Serena Lindsay lindsay_serena@hotmail.com

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  27. As a way to show thanks I always make faily members a card and sed it out to them. I make a little note of WHY I am thankful for them. Each year I try to pick somethig different!

    Another "thankful" way we celebrate, is that we each go to the grocery store and pick out two cans of a fruit or veggie, or what not, that we are thankful for and donate it to a local food bank. Last year we donated a jar of Peanut butter, a can of Tuna fish, and 1 can of each peaches, pears tomato sauce, Mushroom soup, Princess Chicken Noodle Soup and Clam Chowder.
    I told my children that it is a way to show that we are thankful for all of the people who grew the veggies, can them, and bring them to the store. And that we are fortunate to be able to go to he store for them, while so many others are not. It is a tradition the kids look forward to every year! I wonder wht they will be thankful for this year....

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  28. I always say thank you in words, but also in cards. :) It's always nice to have something tangible as well as thoughtful.

    Kendall (ohxsoxwrong@yahoo.com)

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  29. I say thanks to my friends and family by telling them w/words, sending cards, just calling them for no reason, doing special things for them that I know they would like. I thank God everyday for my family and my life thru prayer and by trying to spread His word.

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  30. A write a thank you note and leave a little gift ... most of the time...candy for the "sweet" things they do or say.

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  31. I always try to do for others what I would like for myself. A simple thank you means so much. Even if I thank someone personally, I still want to send a card to let them have a memento of my thankfulness for something they have done for me.

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  32. I always tell my children that I love them after ALL phone conversations. This year my Cricut will help me say 'Thank You' with the words of Charles Swindoll by saying "Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection ... an annual reminder that God has, again, been every so faithful. The solid and simple things of life are brought into clear focus." I began my cards today by cutting pretty little windows on the front cover with my Cricut. The words above will tell my dear ones how much they mean to my husband and myself. Family is everything and telling them so with special handmade cards is a must for me.

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  33. I love to bake through the holidays. This year I plan to send homemade treats to a friend's son that is station in Afghanistan for his second tour of duty. I haven't seen this young man since he was 6 years old but I want him to know how gratiful I am for his service to our country and to let him know that we are all family.

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  34. I believe in hugging! A good hug can say so much! I have many new cyberfriends I have met thru scrapping, and even to them I am always sending HUGS their way! OMC Rocks!

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  35. I usually show my gratitude with a home baked goodie.

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  36. by writing one word meaning on a half a dozen rose petals for my husband ie caring loving, giving, encouraging. ect ect i have given him 365 candy kisses. a kiss foreach day of the year. never want him to go a day without one.

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  37. I always write a thank you note but I also think HUGS are a great way of saying "Thank You"

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  38. I like to say thanks by giving random gifts at unexpected times, usually with a hand written note, or a card if I have the time to make one. I love surprises, and like to surprise others; and it's even more special when it's heartfelt!

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  39. It depends on the person. For my husband, I wrote 100 reasons why I love you. I have also written thank you notes in eyeliner on the bathroom mirror.

    To thank my kids I have left them notes in their lunches or in their bookbags. Kids deserve to be appreciated for what they do too :)

    Thanks for this great contest and for giving me a reason to reflect on what I have to be thankful for!

    Warmest regards,
    Sue Bermudez

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  40. I show gratitude towards people with cards and other things I make with my scrapbooking supplies like mini albums. I also bake a lot so I do send out a few things here and there.
    Recently we had new neighbours move in and I took them over a altered tin of cookies!
    Jody V

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  41. I love to hand-make everything (and anything). I have developed an extremely painful disease CPRS which has left me the use of only my right arm (most days). On a good day - I really take advantage of being able to use my left arm also and quickly make and save as many hand-made items as I can. I am thankful that I was able to cook dinner two nights in a row (a new record)! I write down when someone tells me something they would like and then make it on one of my "good days". I totally subscribe to the pay-it-forward theory - especially to a stranger in need. I am thankful that I still have a couple good days each week and can still be a good mom for my children!

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  42. Always say thank you even when you don't think someone is listening. Always hug someone even though your not sure they need it. Always listen to a friend when all they need is to vent. And Always, always, give thanks for the people in your life that make the every day, tedious, stressful situations just a little easier to bare.

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  43. Love the projects. Wish there were detailed explanations of how each were made. Thanks for the contest.

    ~Crystal
    cmiller20@hotmail.com

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  44. I show my thankfullness looking the person in the eye and saying thanks weather it's a stranger or a family member holding a door open or doing something else I want to acknoweldge my thankfullness to them. For family and close friends I show my thankfullness by making handmade cards and sometimes baked goods.

    Jennifer Wheeler

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  45. I take care of my brother who is mental retarded and has cerebral palsy. If I had not gotten sober I wouldn't be able to do this. That I am very grateful and Thankful for.

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  46. I try to show my gratitude by never letting my appreciation of people go unsaid.

    Here's how we're showing our gratitude this Thanksgiving Day:

    When my daughter was 5 I made a "Thankful Tree" using construction paper and adding leaves that were a tracing of her hand. On each leaf we wrote things we were thankful for. It was so cute. This year, 10 years later, I'm using my Cricut to cut out the leaves and placing three fall colored cardstock leaves and a pen at each place setting. I'll encourage each person to write something they are thankful for and add it to the big vinyl tree I'm applying to the wall. We're having 19 for Thanksgiving this year so our tree should be pretty full! I'm going to photograph each leaf and make a memory book of our Thanksgiving adding a group photo of our 09 event.
    Joy
    http://joyslife.com/

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  47. These are SO cute and such great ideas! I like to give people stuff. And, of course I like to say thanks!

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  48. Giving thanks could be interpreted in manys. When given a gift, card, or even a mear lesson that i learn from someone i make sure to thank them with a card. I give thanks to god for giving me each day by doing as much community service and service to my kids schools as much as possible. The smallest things we take for granted like being in line with one item at the supermarket and the person in line before me asking me to go infront of there huge overloaded cart. I show them gratetude by thanking them and giving them a big smile.

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  49. I show my gratitude by saying Thank you. I like to make my own Thank you cards. It's more special that way or I bake something. It feels so good.

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  50. I send little thank you notes with a goodie or a trinket that makes me think of the person I am thanking.

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  51. I like to say thank you with kittle awards I make with my Cricut machine along with a card to say thanks. I do them ramdonly and for many different reasons, like if I catch someone being extra helpful or nice in a giving manner then I reward them.. Thank You for this contest

    Deanna Andrews

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  52. I say I am thankful with cards or bookmarks or some other handcrafted sentiment. I prefer to maake something that can be used again & again so that the recipient has a reminder of my sincere gratitude!

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  53. I show thanks by simply saying the words. I also like to give handmade treats in cute little boxes (which I, of course, make myself). People know you really and are appreciative care when you make them something from scratch.

    dtaebel@earthlink.net

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  54. I show my gratitude for the things I am grateful for by having the holidays at my house and doing all of the cooking. My family is about 50 people... I give each family a homemade gift that includes pictures of us and pretty embellishments that they can remember the times when we were thankful for the stress of family.

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  55. I usually say Thank You with a card in the mail. Who doesn't like getting actual mail - no bills! I also make sure to say it to people.

    Sherri Cunningham
    scunning74@gmail.com

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  56. I like to say thank you first of all by actually telling the person thank you face to face. I also like making cards to let someone know that I appreciate them.

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  57. I say thankyou by sending homemade cards to my friends and family. I say thankyou to anyone who does anything nice for me....like hold the door open for me.
    Pat
    pwells1@hvc.rr.com

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  58. I like to say I'm thankful by giving a little surprise gift. Not anything big or grand, but just something that I have made or picked up on sale. It's unexpected and I think that they really appreciate it.

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  59. I like to show my gratitude by giving help to whomever needs a little help. Usually it encourages a "pay it forward" situation, and that's the "thanks" I get!!!
    Grams716

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  60. My family loves Thanksgiving almost as much as Christmas. We love to decorate the table with seasonal crafts. We have so much to be thankful for! You have highlighted so many beautiful Thanksgiving papercraft ideas. Thanks!

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  61. I like doing things anonymously, or by surprise. I love sending handmade cards, or even a set to someone to use as needed, as a way to say thank you. Even the box or container the set of cards is in is a gift in itself, and it just tickles me pink to think of them opening it!

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  62. I like to show thanks by giving something homemade - cookies, cupcakes or a craft project.

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  63. I like to show my gratitude by giving back, it may not be to the one who showed kindness to me and frequently its to a complete stranger(anonymous is best!). It can be a challenge sometimes to do things for people outside our circle of friends but I like to think we all have the power to profoundly affect the way even strangers look at the world

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  64. Whenever possible I try to show gratitude with a photograph (hopefully of the event, episode or person/family)usually framed and giftwrapped.

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  65. I LOVE to make people aware of my gratitude - for big AND little things. When I'm grateful, words just pour from my heart - in person or wrtten in a special hand-made card.
    PS Thank YOU for this contest!

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  66. having a disability I have learned that my gratitude lies in each day in itself...waking...seeing the beauty that the day holds, the colors of leaves, the sounds of the ocean, the essence of it...for the love of your family, the smile of the neighbors child when he sees you...the ability to partake in it all for its simplistic beauty I am grateful.

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  67. I always try to express my appreciation for anything another does for me. Sometimes, in addition to verbally telling them, I send a card. One day this week, I phone a friend that prayed for me and thanked her for praying. I knew she prayed for me and a situation I was going to be in because it went so well. I knew it was her, because I had told no one else!
    Genelle

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  68. I have to say that I'm thankful for those who give and share, and ask nothing in return; for those who are fighting in Iraq and risking their lives...not so much for us but just because they are needed there; for everyone who can say thank you for even the simplest of tasks. I'm just thankful--life's too short not to be!

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  69. the last post was from me...sorry.

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  70. Cards and gifts are certainly nice, but gratitude can be shown in simple ways. You'll find a simple "thank you" and/or hug will suffice. After all, when a child gasps when (s)he is presented with something special, doesn't that just say it all? So I show gratitude genuinely--from my heart.

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