I am.
Gratitude is something that kept coming up for me over and over last week. It wasn’t the easiest time for me but dear friends pushed to get in touch with me when I went quiet and my thinking was challenged and new perspectives were offered! Although I feel a bit more confused about things going on for me, in a way it’s refreshing because I also feel change coming from this confusion. I’m excited about the ways I can grow after these hardships.
Hailey‘s blog post her new 365 Grateful Project reminded me that I wanted to try something similar the first time I saw she did the project. It was a timely reminder and I’ve decided to finally get started with my own photo project. (Although, her pictures are so totally amazing and in comparison, mine are… well… that’s not the point…)
I started to wonder what I could do with my kids in the name of gratitude. It doesn’t seem to be a really easy concept for the kids to understand. Perhaps because they have so much and don’t go without many things. I remembered seeing a blog post about making your own prayer flags and decided to go with a gratitude theme instead of the hope wish theme shared in the other post.
We talked about all the things we’re grateful for, wrote out a list and then started to draw. The kids helped pick buttons and coloured thread to attach and embellish the final product and I think it turned out so well!
Leif drew his own and picked out his favourite buttons from the bucketful.
Lily did many on her own. She was also instrumental in the choices of embroidery thread and buttons used on all the flags.
I’d like to do a second smaller banner with the letters spelling out Grateful or Gratitude right above to fill the empty space. We still need to put shelving up on this wall for many of our treasured nature finds.
You can click on any of the pictures to see them bigger or see more flags closer up.
Oh my gosh, Annie, this is so beautiful! I love the idea and the collaboration, and (I looked closer on Flicker!) the embroidery embellishments are just gorgeous!! I would love to try this with my girls.
These are just beautiful Annie. I’m not sure I’m as crafty as you…but I’m going to give it a go. :)
Such a nice thing to do with kids and a lovely way to teach them about something as important as gratitude.
How fun! It’s got a cheery and whimsical look to it, I love the thought you all obviously put into it. Glad you seem to be back into the swing of things, or at least headed that way. I can really relate to your mentioning how the challenges we go through are so often the catalyst for a “breakthrough”. Growth is good! So is gratitude. Go crafty mama!
This is really wonderful! I think the timing is right for us to do a project like this too… we need some focus!
As an adult, I’ve kept a Gratitude Journal.. not necessarily visually interesting for children perhaps but helpful to realize that I have so many things for which to be grateful. Your project with Lily and Leif is beautiful.
They are so beautiful. Thinkinig of you and hope you come through the challenges with new light and renew.
That is so, so gorgeous. What an amazing idea! My girls would love to do that. I haven’t found a fabric shop with that kind of stuff, yet, though. I’d love to do that for Thanksgiving. Kudos!
What a lovely project to celebrate everything you have to be thankful for, such beautiful work and really moving to see for me. I can only dream of creating something as fabulous as this at the moment.
I guess even being as tuned into appreciating the smallest joys in life (as you so obviously are) challenges can sometimes seem overwhelming, so (((hugs))) to you, and hang in there XX
I am so loving this project! Now off to Flickr to get a closer look!
lisa
I am so touched seeing this project of yours… the idea, the collaboration, the beauty and craft!
Thank you.
Annie, did you have the kids use fabric markers on muslin for their drawings???
Thanks so much everyone. This was a project I was especially excited about. Now days later I still enjoy the flags and the reminders they give me.
Lily’s always thinking of new things we’re grateful for and suggesting we make a few more flags. We may have to add to it or make a second one.
We didn’t use fabric markers, mainly because we didn’t have any. We’d practised a bit first using just regular markers so that we didn’t have them bleed too much when we drew the good ones. I’d probably get fabric markers for future projects though.
I can’t even tell you how much I love this!
(sorry for so many comments, I am trying to catch up on all I have missed the past few weeks!)
LOVE this. so beautiful.
Wow! Just discovered your blog and LOVE this! I really hope to do this project with my girls. Very cool, thanks!