Southwest Crafters

I know it is still October and we haven't even made it to Halloween yet, but the time is now to make sure everything is set in place for a fabulous November. Make sure your customers don't allow Thanksgiving Day to slip by without documenting all of the events that they will want to remember. Help inspire them to take the time to document one of the most wonderful times of the year. I know in our house it is filled with family, food, football, and fun. Let's focus this month on the things we are thankful for and really document this wonderful time of the year. Create that special end-cap that will focus on family, fall, gratitude and all the things we are thankful for.

Gratitude Journaling & Layout Tips

As we get ready for this THANKSGIVING season,

reflect on what you’ve been grateful for in the past year:

• Any new additions to your family?
• Which unexpected struggles have turned into great blessings?
• Which milestones or major events have family members experienced?
• What birthdays, anniversaries or other celebrations have you enjoyed?
• How have you grown emotionally, spiritually, socially and physically?
• How do you feel about that growth?
• What simple everyday pleasures have you enjoyed most—both by yourself and with loved ones?

USE SOME OF THESE IDEAS TO CREATE LAYOUTS or MINI ALBUMS

• Turn a layout into a mini album that showcases the stories of your Thanksgiving recipes and traditions.
• combine photos of preparing the annual Thanksgiving feast with journaling about cooking the meal (especially take note if this is the first time to cook a turkey)
• Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner is quite the undertaking, so snap some shots of the cook as she goes to work. The photos will make a great behind-the-scenes Thanksgiving scrapbook page.
• What about a THANKSGIVING layout without photos: create a page with same-size squares of cardstock that contain notes about what each family member is thankful for.Plan ahead and ask family members to write what they are thankful for on squares of cardstock to preserve their messages in their handwriting.
• Make sure to get photo's of the guests at your Thanksgiving feast.
• Create a layout with photos of the set table combined with smaller shots of your family enjoying their time together.
• captured the details of your family’s Thanksgiving with group photos and detail shots
• Create a scrapbook page that focuses on a single Thanksgiving family tradition—(for instance my boys play in the Turkey Bowl every Thanksgiving morning.
• Combine Thanksgiving photos with handwritten journaling about what your thankful for.
• Don't forget to get pictures of your little ones SCHOOL THANKSGIVING CELEBRATIONS
  They are sure to dress up as Pilgrims and Indians and have a special feast at school and learn about the first Thanksgiving.
• Food is an important part of every Thanksgiving celebration, so why not scrap it? Create a scrapbook page about your favorite dish. Make sure to include a recipe. Catch a photo of the cook in action preparing the favorite dish.
• Don't forget those little ones first Thanksgiving
• Make sure to take the opportunity to get a photo of extended family and friends when they are all together. Whole-family photos can be hard to come by, so be sure to scrap yours.

Take the time to create special cards for those important people in your life and let them know just how THANKFUL you are for them.