As Thanksgiving approaches (hello tomorrow!), we are reminded to take some time to focus on the people, moments, and things that we are thankful for. This has actually been a focus of mine for about 6 months now. I started keeping a daily gratitude journal where I write ten specific things that I am grateful for each morning. This daily practice has gone a long way in shifting my focus throughout the day and seeing my little world with fresh eyes! So, when I felt inspired to create a “Thankful” art journal layout, I knew that I wanted to incorporate my gratitude journal in some way.
The premise for this page was very simple. I wanted to have the word “thankful” entwined within tree branches, as if it were growing from the tree. The tree would be filled with rich autumn colors, reminiscent of the season we are in. To create the background imagery for my thankful palette, I used Koi watercolors, which are a fantastic quality for the price. It has been a while since I did a completely watercolor art journal entry, so this was a nice change for me, and a relaxing way to reflect on the things in my life that I am grateful for.
After all of the initial imagery was complete on the page, I pulled out my Micron pen and began flipping through my gratitude journal. At complete random, I spent a good 30 minutes writing out short notes about things, moments, and people I was grateful for. I covered the entire image. I could have kept going! This was such an awesome time to reflect back on the sweet moments from the past couple of months. I was able to relive those times that my heart was really overcome with gratitude, and I could feel it filling up once again!
You can see all the details for how I put this page together in my YouTube video, but even if you don’t choose to make an art piece out of your gratitude, I want to encourage you to spend even just 30 minutes reflecting on all those small moments that really make our lives truly amazing. I am wishing you, your family, and your friends a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving. I am thankful for YOU and for all the support my subscribers have shown me in the past year. It really does mean the world!
Keep it creative,
-The Scrappy Wife
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