Happy Thanksgiving!

Remember that Thanksgiving centerpiece I made a little while back? Well, here it is with actual stuff inside of it this time:

And a blurry picture, just for kicks:

Off topic, but if you're looking for a new stuffing recipe to try out next year, I highly recommend this one from Allrecipes.com. If you love things like apples, cranberries, and fresh herbs (we're talking thyme and sage), you will love this recipe!! I made it a couple years ago for a huge group and there were no leftovers! I decided to make it this year and given all the positive reviews from this year's group (my father-in-law who normally doesn't like stuffing loved this one), I think I have a new Thanksgiving tradition! That, and maybe a new name card creation each year.

I had a great time with family today, although it seems like they were here and gone in just minutes! After they left, it felt like I had a hole in my heart ... but I know that feeling will go away when I see them again next month hopefully! We had a great time sharing stories, laughing about silly things, drinking lots and lots of sparkling cider, and playing with the puppy. 

I hope that you, dear reader, are having a blessed Thanksgiving! And if it's not feeling very blessed, I pray you find some hope, encouragement, and inspiration through all the wonderful papercrafting ideas you're finding online. I'll be honest. The past couple of years have been the most trying times in my life ... but God sent me the biggest rainbow in March of this year. I walked into Paper Mermaids on a whim one day (that whim was that I was trying to earn a Foursquare badge - I know, super geeky) and was immediately struck by all the beauty around me. Shelf after shelf of gorgeous scrapbooks, cards, and papercrafting creations that Carol and Lisa created mesmerized me and instilled in me a new reason for keeping my hope alive. I started googling scrapbook designs and discovered What A Beautiful Mess. I have never seen such beautiful scrapbook pages in my life! Lisa's designs captivated me and have been a huge source of inspiration for me. Suddenly, I found something that I wanted to pour all of me into ... and I did, and I haven't looked back. 

Now, papercrafting is one of my main loves in life. It brings me joy and I love how it can bring my loved ones joy. And that is why I do it! 

So thank you ... thank you for checking out my blog and for all your sweet comments! And thank you for inspiring me. God bless you!

-Maria