Gratitude, like flowers, grows best in gentle light.
It doesn’t need a perfect day — only presence, intention, and space to open.

This week, my creative table feels like a garden in bloom. Between the soft tones of Petal Pink and the grounded calm of Mossy Meadow, today’s Petal Thanks Card reminds me how “thank you” can feel both delicate and strong.

I started with Perfectly Pears as my foundation — its timeless botanical design fits this month’s reflection on abundance perfectly.

The Painterly Pears DSP provided that soft floral-meets-fruit print, and I layered it onto Darling Duckling cardstock for contrast.
I love how the yellow glow pulls the viewer’s eye to the stamped sentiment — “Thank you” — like sunlight through autumn leaves.

Each layer was an act of slowing down: aligning edges, smoothing ribbon, placing dots one at a time. Gratitude feels a lot like that — steady, simple, intentional.

Saying “thank you” is more than good manners — it’s a creative practice.
Each time we express it, we build a new layer of connection — just like paper upon paper.

When I finished this card, I didn’t just see layers of cardstock.
I saw layers of moments — every kindness, every shared conversation, every reminder that creativity connects us back to one another.

🔗 Continue Reading

• The Space Between Thanks
• Cultivating Gratitude — One Pear at a Time

Find the Perfectly Pears Bundle, Painterly Pears DSP, and coordinating embellishments here:
👉 Shop Perfectly Pears on my DBWS

💌 Join the Community

Join the Gems Paper Scissors VIP Group for daily gratitude prompts, creative healing projects, and heartfelt conversation:
👉 facebook.com/groups/GemsPaperScissorsVIP

Gratitude doesn’t need to shout to be heard.
It can whisper through color, rest quietly in layers, and still change everything it touches.

Gratitude doesn’t always need grand gestures — sometimes it’s the whisper of a thank-you card, the memory of a shared laugh, or the calm that comes from pausing mid-project to appreciate the process itself.

Focus on warmth + texture (embossing folders, layered dies).

Add a natural accent — linen thread, twine, or vellum.

End with a reflection: “What part of your creative process are you most thankful for?”

share one moment of gratitude in the VIP group or comment below.

After a long week navigating my childcare state renewal (which always leaves me feeling like I’ve run a marathon of checklists and paperwork), I gave myself a different kind of weekend reset — one rooted in rhythm and restoration.

I simmered ten gallons of beef stock to freeze dry, turned over 80 pounds of pears into juice, sauce, and vanilla spiced butter (thank goodness for my Amish water bath canner — 45 jars at a time, yes please!). I chopped, blanched, and freeze-dried about 40 pounds of green beans.

But it wasn’t all work — I hiked around Hoyt Arboretum with one daughter and our dog, carved pumpkins with another and my grandkids, and ended the weekend being a total couch potato watching my favorite Jackie Chan movie, Big Little Soldier.

As Jackie says, “I embrace the cycles of life, finding peace in both light and shadow.”

That feels just right for this season — honoring both the hustle and the hush. 🍂💛

Last weekend, I’m stepped out of my craft room and into the wide-open beauty of Oregon’s Painted Hills. The colors, the quiet, and the connection to the people I love reminded me why I create — to hold onto these moments a little longer.

The natural layers in the Painted Hills felt like a scrapbook page built by the earth itself — textures and colors that tell stories millions of years old. It’s a perfect reminder that connection is also layered: between family, friends, and self.

Spending the day with my best friend and my daughter grounded me in joy. It reminded me that creativity doesn’t always look like paper and ink — sometimes it’s laughter echoing on a trail, or a shared snack after a long hike.

Try This:

• Print a few photos from a recent outdoor adventure.
• Use natural colors — clay reds, sky blues, wheat tones — in your next layout.
• Add handwritten journaling to capture the feelings behind the photo.

Where do you feel most connected — in nature, at home, or in community? What colors or textures remind you of that feeling?

Join me this week in documenting the moments that ground you. Share a photo or journaling snippet in the VIP group — your story might inspire someone else to pause and reconnect.