Deena Rutter

The Giver + {freebie}

I don't have to look far to find giving people in my life....especially this GIVER, Tifiny Reed.  The 50 steps between my home and Tifiny's is a well trodden path. We share ideas, food, stories, laughter, and tears.  On most afternoons once the homework is done, we share children as well.  Tifiny is one of the most organized people I know. And what she does with the time she frees up from being so organized benefits everyone she comes across.

Tifiny's creative outlet is cooking and making EVERYTHING FUN for her family and friends. She plans a week or a month ahead with her dinner menu and makes sure she has everything on hand.  If you are in need, you can count on a scrumptious dinner from Tifiny.  She has been known to take dinner to others at least 4 times a month! 

Tifiny passes her love of serving and cooking onto her children by making cooking time fun.  They turn the music up and start creating.  Her son was the only scout in his pack that knew how to crack an egg the right way.  If you knew Tifiny's children, you would know they are learning from her example, for they are turning into little givers themselves.

Her five lucky children will never feel deprived of holiday traditions.  Each holiday has a unique twist in the Reed home.  You can find pink pancakes on Valentine's Day, green milk and gold coins from the leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day, a neighboorhood breakfast cookout on the first day of school, and don't even get me started on Christmas time.

Tifiny inspires me to be a more giving mother and a more thoughtful friend. She is a steady force of courage and conviction.

Now it's my turn to give!  Here is an easy to make Valentine bag.  You would think I would want to be more creative with my children's valentine boxes for school, but I prefer simple and cute for this holiday.  I will let Jack make his own cardboard-duct-tape-valentine-holding-platypus...

 

We used a small handled kraft bag (5 1/4 x 3 1/4” x 8 3/8”), the free svg file download bag topper, my cricut storybook cartridge (letter T), oh darling cutting file (in the $1 section of dhd in February), printed paper from the Oh Darling Collection at dhd, and ribbon. Embellish this bag and watch the Valentines start to pour in!

 

The Giver + {freebie}

 
I come from a long line of givers.  One of my only memories I have of my great grandmother is her giving me a treasure.  It was a box of jeweled clip-on earrings that she knew I always gravitated to in the attic for dress up time.  Next down my maternal line of givers is her daughter, and my maternal grandmother, Mary Barraclough.  There she is, my beautiful grandmother. Mary Barraclough is 94 and sews almost 800 quilts a year for humanitarian projects. She makes 2-3 receiving blankets a day, three quilts a week, and crochets receiving blankets for grieving families who have lost newborn babies.  She donates them to the United Way,  the LDS humanitarian services, as well as hospitals.

My grandmother has more than once suggested to her granddaughters that we continue on her legacy of quilt giving.  I have been inspired by her passion and commitment, but I also realize that everyone has a different passion for the way they give.  For instance, besides making quilts like my grandmother, my mother is a "treat-giver", an "it's not a special occasion, but you need a present-giver" and an "if you go out of town, I will watch your kids-giver".

I seem to give with different creative talents.  If you are a friend of mine, you have hopefully received something that I have created with you in mind. That is one way I consider myself a giver.  Well, welcome friends, because you being here makes you the beneficiary of my friendship - and it is time to spread the giving.  Once a month, I will be choosing a new giver - someone in my life, or maybe someone you suggest - that has a way of giving that has been inspirational to me or to others.  Along with this will come a freebie to help you in your gift giving.  Let the wonderful cycle of giving begin. 

This month's "THE GIVER" freebie is a great, easy cut and print pattern for anyone to use. Print it out, use your scissors to cut out the pattern and an straight edge knife to cut the half-moon flaps and you are good to give! Enjoy!!
Also, I added a button right on top of the half moon flap with a 3-D glue dot, then tied a string/ribbon around that.  I also always put an adhesive dot on the back of the gift card to secure.