Thanksgiving invitation template (Free!)

I am posting this freebie printable invitation on several of my blogs, so more of you can find it and be able to use it for your Thanksgiving dinner invitation.  Feel free to use it and enjoy. If you go to my other blog at here, you should be able to find my other invitation that I created a few years back that was so popular.  I really have no idea just how many people use what I create and give away but it would be a nice little experiment if you would just post a tiny and short message as how you are going to use it and what your thoughts are about Thanksgiving. I found this adorable Turkey here:

 I have a second little freebie/gift that I wanted to share too.  It is a door hanger, that has a wonderful message on it.  Read the message and then spend some time pondering how it impacts you. This isn't to make you feel guilty about anything, but more so to help remind you to become aware of those around you.  Thanksgiving is a time of year when we can reflect on those blessings we have been given, and show our gratitude for the goodness of God in blessing our lives.

So why am I blogging about this on a "HAPPY" blog?  It is because there is a secret that needs to be let out of the bag.  I have actually written a book about it that is now out and selling all over the place.  It is short, but has a great message.  It's illustrated, so it isn't boring.  I hope if you have a chance to get your hands on a copy (or make yourselves take the chance to get one) that you will apply the principles and learn the secret of being happy.  My book is the name of this blog "If you want to be happy give something away." I am practicing what I preach and I am giving away to you these little gifts.  I hope you will enjoy them and drop me a note to say "HI!"  By the way, I am selling my book on Amazon and if you decide to get yourselves a copy, be sure to buy it from Discoveryshops, which is my store. Just type in the Amazon search bar, "If you want to be happy give something away" and click below the where it gives you a variety of sellers of my book.  Please pick mine!  It would certainly make me Happy if you did.  ha, ha. Enjoy!  Kathleen Gauger

Free, Printable Breakfast with Santa Invitation

I like to make people smile, because guess what... it makes me smile too and it makes me happy, so, I  wanted to share with you something that I thought some of you might want to use.  I was asked to create a Breakfast with Santa Invitation, and since I went to all this work.... others might be able to use it too.  Enjoy and hope it made you smile! 
Click on the image to enlarge, right click and save as a file on your computer, then customize and print.  (Sorry I can't don't have time to customize it for you but I know you can do it!)   Enjoy!  Katie Gauger

If you want to be happy, be blessed with Heavens Very Special Child

Wow, I am actually writing two posts in one day.  I guess I am catching up for my lack over the past month.  A friend of mine asked me yesterday if I would design and format this beautiful poem that she was given many years ago when she gave birth to a Special Child.  It touched my heart and it brought tears to my eyes as well, because I too have been blessed with a special child, 2 special grandchildren, a special sister in law, and a special sister.  Who knew way back when we decided take the leap and to come to earth, what life would have in store for us.  We only knew that it wouldn't be a piece of cake, but we were given the tools to do whatever came our way. Sometimes it was harder than others, but God knew that we could do it, and so he sent his most special children into our lives and family.  I hope you enjoy this beautiful poem and if I knew where it originally came from, I would give them credit, however it does list the authors name on it.  I designed it for my friend in several different colors so she could pick which one she wanted to put up on her wall to match.  Enjoy and feel free to pass this along.

If you want to be happy, then give something away.....

I am taking my own advice, because just like everyone else, I want to be happy too, so I am giving something away!  I have been designing some bookmark templates to go with my new Illustrated Children's book that I will be announcing very soon, but just not yet.  I don't have the illustrations in my impatient hands, (that's why I am not very happy) so I decided to create something fun for you to give away for Halloween. I plan to laminate these cute and spooky bookmarks, and attach a tootsie roll, or smarties or mini chocolate bar to the back of these, and give them away for Halloween.  This would be a great idea for Teachers or all different Genre's to give a little something to their students.  Kids need bookmarks for their music books, study books, and reading books too.  Let me know how you have used this free printable by commenting on this page.  I want to be happy, so I am giving this away! (These print on 8.5 x 11 paper, but I would use card stock or photo paper because it is heavier.  ENJOY!!!!

IF YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY, THEN FORGIVE!

A young woman sat down with me for lunch and we had a very long chat.  I didn’t know her as well as I should have, but after our chat, I knew everything that I needed to know.  She always smiled, laughed and I couldn’t figure out how she could be so happy in life when she had every reason to be miserable.  Her life was filled with one horrible experience after the other.  On all accounts, most people would think her life tragic.  I wanted to cry for her, and did as she told me the true stories that I don’t think I could have lived through myself.  When I asked her how she could be so happy and optimistic after living through one tragedy after the other, she told me that it simply wasn’t worth the hurt  and the energy to hold on to bad memories. 

 At a very young age, this young woman learned to forgive.  She told me that she doesn’t wait, stew, brood, and be miserable about the constant barrage and continuous flow of bad events that never seem find her at every turn, because she is determined to be happy in spite of them.  She believes that these events won’t ever cease, explaining about the little grey cloud that follows her wherever she goes.  She laughs and says she was born with it and like her shadow, will never stop following her.   She found that by forgiving others of their offenses, is the umbrella (metaphorically speaking) that prevents the rain from keeping her soggy wet. She knows it’s just a matter of time before she’ll get dumped on again, but understands that nobody is immune and it is just a matter of how we determine we will meet the challenges of life.  Forgiving others is what keeps her happy.

After this conversation, I took a very long look at myself and realized that I had been holding on to things way too long.  I realized that holding on to the bad memories and experiences in my own life, and never letting go was like a second nature to me, you know, kind of like a mole on your neck that you didn’t ever dare to have removed.  That evening, I took a long look into my 3 x zoom mirror and noticed how that mole had grown over the years.  It used to be so small that I just ignored it, but over the years it had grown into what looked more like a melanoma, a humongous protuberance that had to be removed.  I knew I needed to set an appointment with the Dermatologist to take care of it once and for all.

What a refreshing feeling it is to get rid of old baggage, and to be able to smile without regrets; and I had to learn it from someone half my age.  I wonder for you who are reading this story,  just how long you have held on to your excess baggage and how much longer will it take for you to be able to forgive, move on and be happy?  Lighten your load, forgive others, and be happy once more.

 

Please enjoy this little clipable printable to clip and post wherever you need to see it to remind yourself of your new attitude of forgiveness.

Be happy and you will make others happy too!

Free Printable Message reminder for yourself or others.  To print click on the image to enlarge, then save it to your computer.  Put it somewhere you will look at every day as a little reminder that happiness is contagious, and if you will BEE happy, you will make others happy too!

Never wear a sheepish Smile PRINTABLE

I just made a little printable for you to print off and enjoy.  This is a pass along, to promote smiling, and being happy!  Give it to someone who needs it or to someone you want to make smile.  Just enjoy!!!  By the way, the poem is by me, the illustrious writer and author of this blog.  Made you smile!