Thankfulness and Controversial Thinking

Can you believe we are halfway through the November challenge and hurtling ever faster towards Christmas. At this time of year there is so much to be thankful for and yet so easily we get caught up in the consumerism of the season.

Before I share my thoughts with you I just want to say that these are my own thoughts and I am open to helpful critique. Also, I in no way want to upset my American friends so if you have different opinions on this please let me know.

On the third Thursday of November the Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day, this year it falls on the 28th November. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians when they shared a meal marking the first harvest. Settlers and Indians sharing the earth's bounty in peace. But as is the way in the history of mankind that harmony did not last. The sharing of bounty in a spirit of thankfulness was replaced by avarice and the hunger for acquiring more; more land, more money, more everything.

When we want to justify our position of taking from others we invariably reduce our victims to less than human. So the Indians lost their tribal names and became 'savages', as such they were fair game. European settlers have followed the same pattern wherever they have landed on the earth. The Spanish did the same to the Aztecs and Incas, the Australian colonists to the Aborigines, the British in India, the Dutch in Africa.. The idea of superiority over others was taken to it's pinnacle by Nazi Germany and the Final Solution, wiping out all that was considered inferior, Jews, Gypsies, Coloureds, Gays, the mentally ill, the physically handicapped. It was easy, just spread falsehoods about them and incite hatred towards them so that people don't question what is happening. With the rise of xenophobia and Antisemitism the danger is increasing that it will happen again.

The great sadness in all this is that we forget to be thankful for what we have and start wanting what others have. How different the world would look if the spirit of the first Thanksgiving Celebration had remained the dominant spirit of the the land.

Thanks for sticking with it and I do hope I have not offended anyone, that is the last thing I want to do. And so onto my card, I have used another cornucopia image this time from our on going sponsor Scribbles Designs. I have a thing about the beauty of nature at harvest, all the different colours and textures. I made this one for my friend Melanie, those who have been with me for a while will know that Melanie introduced me to rubber stamping all those years ago. Well she now splits her time between the USA and England having remarried an American. So this is for her and Russ even though they will be in the UK for Thanksgiving Day.

Materials used:

Scribbles Designs - Cornucopia 

X-Press It card

designer card

rectangle die set

5" x 7" card blank

orange sequins (from stash)

Copic pens:

orange pumpkin - Y35, Y38, YR14, YR18, E15, E18  stalk - E43, E44, E47

yellow/green pumpkin -  W0, Y00, Y11, YG67, G28, G29, G99  stalk - W1, W3, W5

aubergine - V06, V09, V99  stalk - YG01, YG67

pepper - YG03, YG17, YG67, G29   stalk - YG21, YG23, YG25

maize - Y21, Y26, Y28  husk - YG61, YG63, YG67

wheat - YR21, Y26, YR24, Y28

apples - R24, R27, R29, R39, R59, R89  stalk - E19, E09

pear - Y02, R32, YG01, YR02, Y15, Y17, Y06   stalk - E29, E18

maple leaves - YG00, YG23, YG17, YR02, YR04, YR7

leaves - YG03, YG17, YG67, G29

cornucopia basket - E31, E33, E35, E39

background - Y00, Y11

I'm not a great embellisher finding it tricky knowing where to place them but I had a box of sequins for my birthday back in August and felt I really should have a go at using them! The designer layer has been lying in a drawer for some time now waiting it's turn to be useful.

Our two sponsors for this month are A Day For Daisies (on a break but honouring sponsorship) and Scribbles Designs.  For details of prizes and how to qualify, the link up and all other information visit the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. As I write this we have only had three entries though with Thanksgiving coming soon I am sure there must be more of you making cards. So do please join us you have until the end of the month to link up. You never know one of the prizes may already have your name on it. Now wouldn't that be something to be thankful for!

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers #245 - Thankful 

PIP Challenge #1946 - Anything Goes 

Outlawz Challenges Festive Fridays - Anything Goes 

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #118 - Anything Goes 

613 Avenue Create #227 - Anything Goes/Scrap Your Stash 

Addicted To Stamps #179 - Anything Goes 

A Bit More Time To Craft #104 - Anything Goes 

Creative Fingers #175 - Anything Goes 

Colour My Heart Colour Dare #368 - Horn of Plenty Colours