Official Love Day

I wish everyday was a day where we were officially supposed to show our love for the special people in our lives. Matt gave me the prettiest bouquet-full of so many different flowers!  MyGirl gave me a very impressive painting that I know she spent a lot of time on.  MyBoy didn't even know it was Valentine's day...but he enjoyed getting treats from me.  I made Matt a card with some pretty cheeky poetry in it.  Here is a sample:

"you listen to my girly soundtrack,
even though you'd rather hear 'baby got back'...

sometimes I can't believe how different we are,
I like sci-fi and you like the football stars...

you look down on me, but only because you're tall
you would never mean to make me feel small...

sometimes, even though you hate it,
you eat the veggies because I made it..."


Well, you get the idea.  We made the obligatory fondue, drank a great bottle of South African wine, and sat in front of a roaring fire.  I still feel loved...little V-day love hangover going on here.

I hope every one out there feels loved.


Love Is All You Need
Love Is All You Need
Love Is All You Need
Love Is All You Need
Love Is All You Need
Love Is All You Need
Love Is All You Need

-The Beatles

Gratified Fridays: Simple Summer Pleasures

It is that time of year where outside is the best place to be.  I've been grateful to have time to enjoy simple summer pleasures like walks to 7-11 for slurpees, puppies in the kiddie pool, fresh garden veggies from a friend, good food, and lots of time to play.

Here's a little Instagram catch up from the last few weeks:

“Sometimes the questions are complicated 

and the answers are simple.”

-Dr. Suess

Hope everyone else is enjoying summer fun too, happy Friday!

If you'd like to link up a post from your week about something that made you happy, feel free!  Follow and link back.

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All Business & Love

1) Faceted Faux Gem Post Earring
2) Rainy Day Dangles In Sterling Silver and Turquoise

Did you know that a 6 minute hug produces enough serotonin to create some happy in a person?

I think that working on something you love working on must have a similar effect.  And the more I think about it, the more I realize that in doing something I genuinely love to do, I am becoming more and more fulfilled.

When I have some down time, I find myself designing new work.  In the middle of the night when I can't sleep, I am thinking about Tarnished & True, and dreaming of new concepts, new approaches to my work.

Yesterday, I was walking with Matt.  I love our morning walks.  A stray dog appeared, no collar, and was skittish of Matt and just rough enough around the edges to be a little bit scary.  But when I talked to the dog, he was calm and seemed interested in some affection.

When I was a little girl, maybe 7 or 8, my best friend at the time (Amanda who lived next door) and I were walking around and came to a pickup with a big dog in the back.  She was so intent on petting this big dog.  I remember it looking really intimidating.  I didn't want to pet the dog.  She put out her hand and the dog licked her palm.  I knew I had to try too.

The dog bit me and I got to enjoy the aftermath of a rabies shot as well.  It was such a disappointment to be bitten.  I think that hurt more than the bite.

This other dog, on my walk with Matt, felt the same way.  I was a little worried.  I wanted to put out my hand and trust that the good thing would happen.  I hesitated.  But this time, when I gave in to the risk...I was rewarded with some understanding.

That little bit of affection was beautiful.

I remember listing my first piece of jewelry and feeling so obsolete in the ocean of sellers out there in the world.  It was intimidating and scary to put my work out there.  My first few sales felt like luck.  It was scary to work on a piece and then send it off to someone I had never met, and to be at the mercy of their review.

What kept me going then, and what keeps me going now, is that I love what I do, just as much as I love hugs and puppies.  I would be making things in metal and designing jewelry in my spare time anyhow.  And this week was no different.

My shop continues to grow, and I am so thankful.

Reach out, despite the risk.

Happiness is a choice.

Gratified Friday: Friendship

Watching my two kids together, I see a closeness between them that is uncommon between siblings.  At least, it seems uncommon to me.  Until these two, I thought siblings were all about rivalry, and competition.  But not for them.  They are true friends.  I have seen them stand up for each other in times where that was the hardest thing to do.  I watch them share moments between them that only they can share.  They have their fall outs but never for too long, because they aren't mean to each other, or vindictive.  The bond between them is meaningful, and I feel so grateful to watch it continue to deepen, as their friendship grows.

Practicing gratitude is one path to happiness.

Did you post something that made you happy this week?  Feel free to share.

Be a follower of my blog and link back!

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Gratified Fridays: Summery Fun and Shortbread Cookies With Fancy Frosting

Here is a simple shortbread cookie recipe straight from Betty Crocker's cookbook.  You know they're going to be good when the main ingredient is butter!

Shortbread Wedges And Fancy Frosting

>>>To make the shortbread:

1/2 Cup Butter (softened)
2 Cups Flour
2 Tbsp Sugar

Mix the flour and sugar.  Gradually add the butter until the mix is crumbly.  Knead it into two balls.  Flatten each one onto a non greased cookie sheet to make an 8 inch circle.  With a knife slice the circles into 6 pieces each.  Bake at 350 degrees until light golden brown on the bottom.  Let cool 5 minutes and re-slice the wedges.  Cool.

>>>Make the frosting:

Powdered Sugar
Milk
Lemon Juice
Food Coloring

This is my go to frosting concoction because it is so simple and delicious and not too overpowering.  Pick out how many colors you want to use making sure to pick out some contrasting colors.  Mix mostly powdered sugar and just enough milk to make your frosting the consistency of yogurt.  Add a drop of lemon juice for flavor.  Now have fun adding your food coloring!

To create neat feathery designs like we did, first frost the bottom of the cookie in one color.  Now add stripes of another color.  Use a toothpick or butter knife and drag this through the icing the opposite direction of your stripes.  You can also alternate direction for an even more detailed result.

Enjoy!













Loving this summer vacation for nature walks with the family, and cookie making.  Having the kids home gives me reason to dream up these small adventures, in attack against the summer boredom that so easily sets in for them.  So grateful for these little moments.

Link up here with a post about what made you happy this week!  Be a follower, link with my button or link to my blog!

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Gratified Fridays: House Hunt and The Beach

Who doesn't dream of living on the beach?  It is easy to imagine myself starting the day with a jog on that long sandy beach, all salty hair and bare feet.  Or perhaps a dinner picnic, with the sun setting beautifully around me.


In our search to buy the best house for us, Matt and I keep finding ourselves clicking on homes for sale near the coast.  So yesterday, when we found one that we really liked, only five minutes from the beach, we packed the family up and headed over to check it out.


The house was beautifully quaint, cabin meets modern kitchen type of thing on a half acre.  I could just see us there, sitting in an adirondack chair, sipping coffee (that's me, Matt would be sipping cocoa), and the kids playing in the creek that runs through the property.


That house was a dream.  It was also an hour drive from Matt's work.  We lay on the beach together and talked out the pros and cons, but ultimately, we know that neither of us wants to lose two hours a day to a commute when we could be spending those hours together.


It is funny how one thing I thought I really wanted uncovered something else that I want more.


Which brings me to gratitude.  I am so happy to have a husband and family that can pick up on a whim and enjoy a perfect day at the beach.  I am so grateful to love them so intently that the rest just falls away in comparison.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” 

— Thornton Wilder

Practicing gratitude is said to be one of the key ingredients to happiness.  I practice this every Friday (unless, like today, I was too busy finding gratitude and post on Saturday).  

Join in and add a post about anything that made you happy over the last week or so.  Use my button, link to me or use my button, and please be a follower of my blog.

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Gratified Fridays: Nature's Beauty

It's been impossible not to be grateful for all of the gorgeous weather we have had lately!  The park down the street has finally gotten its little pond and stream filled.  It was so nice soaking our feet, and listening to the trickling water.  MyBoy sang as he put his hands in the water, thinking no one could really hear, but I could, and it was the sweetest sound.

This week, Matt and I resumed our house hunt, and as we drove out farther into the countryside, we saw clover fields, burgundy pink, rolling color across the land.  Beautiful.  I can't wait to find that perfect special place for us...I have so many plans...and I just can't wait to add remodeling, gardening, and interior decorating to the topics of this blog!

What are you grateful for lately?  Link a post about anything that made you happy this week!

I hope you will share in this link up, to spread gratitude, and ultimately happiness through this online world...Link back to me with my button or a link and be a follower of my blog, thanks!

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." 

- Epictetus

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Gratified Fridays: Link Up!

It's Friday again!  I like to use today to look back on my week and find things that I am grateful for.  And this week, I invite you to do the same, with a linky party!

Why gratitude?  You know what they say, that "gratitude is the best attitude", and it definitely breeds happiness.  Being able to look at your life with a dose of gratitude and positivity really helps put things into perspective, even when that grey cloud sneaks overhead.

But it isn't easy to remember to be grateful for the little things, so I like to make a practice of it every week here on my blog.  It also a helpful reminder to be grateful when, throughout the week, I find myself looking for things to put in Friday's post.  I've been doing it for quite a while, and I thought it might be nice to share the practice; to spread some positivity through the blogosphere.

Mini vacations with Matt are so special to me.  This week, we escaped to downtown Portland and had brunch at Mothers, best breakfast, ever!  We also managed to squeeze in a date night at our local McMenamins.  We dreamed about the future, buying a house, building me a backyard studio, gardening...and enjoyed some solid one on one.

And...Big News.....I made the dean's list again this semester with a 3.75 GPA.  I have to admit thought that I am more grateful to have it all over with than for the GPA, haha.

>>>Now it's your turn!

Link up with a positive post, something, anything that made you happy this week and share it here, there is never too much gratitude to go around!  Please be a follower of my blog or use my pretty button, thanks!

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Gratified Fridays: Time For Simple Things

Still LOVING being done with school!  So much time for these things:

>>>Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed (organic waffles, fresh berries, fair trade coffee, turkey bacon)
>>>Relaxing Kiddie Pool Side with Pups and Kids
>>>Day's End Sunsets and Grilling
>>>Making Myself jewelry

If this keeps up, I might start reading a novel, just because I can (there are a few on my nightstand just begging for attention).

Happy Friday everyone!

Everyone's Happy

No more.  Nope.  Not doing the homework gig any longer!!  And, I admit to getting over a 3.0....so I deserve a big smile.  See...I'm smiling.

But you know, it isn't an achievement that makes someone happy.

It is being able to go into something knowing you will do your best and that your best will be good enough.

Happiness is having faith in yourself.

I wanted to give up half way through this semester.  My shop doubled, maybe tripled its popularity at the beginning of the semester...and there was always the parenting and volunteering, and house cleaning....and I was just so fed up!  And exhausted!

But I kept on.  And I knew I could do it, if I just DID it.

And, kind of like Christmas...the end finally came and it's over (only there isn't that weird After-Christmas let down).

It is time to get back to the stuff that I want to do, like designing jewelry, being an attentive mom ALL of the time, teaching the puppy to heal, and whatever else I feel like doing.

Today I played Mario with my kids, watched some Sci-fi, and made lemon pepper cod fillets for dinner.  I also did the dishes.  And we walked to the park for some sun time.

That all seemed way more achievable without homework deadlines looming in the background.

Anyway, I feel like I am BACK from some nightmare hiatus called "college".

Hello.  It is nice to be here.

Spring Is A Happy Puppy

I couldn't be more happy about spring's arrival.  And that last look on Bella's face pretty much sums up how I am feeling lately!  It is nice to feel the sun warm my bones and see the magnolias thinking about blooming.

Finding Meaning & Happiness

I'm taking a workshop this semester about happiness.  Isn't that a wonderful topic to study?!  I am really enjoying it so far and learning a thing or two about what happiness actually is.

We watched this little video (I think you'll like it too).

Some things the class has discussed:

>>>Hobbies and intellectual pursuits that you find yourself vitally engaged in bring a sense of meaning to life, and thus a sense of happiness.

>>>Having a sense of purpose to life, that your life is significant, creates a sense of well being, or happiness.

>>>Meaning in life comes from:  comprehending one's existence, identifying and achieving valued goals, feeling fulfilled by life, etc.

>>>A sense of well being or happiness causes all sorts of good things to happen:  stronger immune system, better cardio health, economic and career success, productivity, dependability, and creativity....

These things seem kind of obvious, but there are real scientists out there researching the meaning of happiness and how to achieve it.

The one thing that I am really taking away so far is that in order to find true happiness, we have to do what we love.  We have to pursue the things in life that give us purpose.  We have to get lost in our passions.  And, hey, if science is backing those mantras, even better!


"My Happiness is not the means to my end.  It is the end." ~ Ayn Rand

Allow Happiness

Last week I read something, just one phrase actually, on my twitter stream.  It said, "allow happiness". I clicked over to the link and read a short little article about happiness being our natural state and that we need to let go of the expectation to be stressed and miserable, which is our culture's natural state.

Allow happiness.  I can't get that phrase out of my mind.  I got to thinking about the act of being happy, and the fact that it really is only me that can make/allow that to happen, the happy.

The word allow is such a profound way of thinking about happiness.  It is such an unobtrusive act, to allow something.  It feels like a giving in, a form of acceptance, an opening up to.  Is allowing something the same as quelling what had been a fight against the same thing?

I'm not saying I haven't been happy, it's just that I have never ever been this happy.  So sometimes I find myself doubting my good fortune, worrying that all of this new found happiness is somehow unreal, too good to be true, and wondering when I am going to wake up to the familiar pains and struggles that were my twenties.

Yesterday, it snowed for about thirty minutes.  MyGirl and I were in the middle of cleaning her cyclone of a bedroom together and of course she wanted to go play out in the snow.  I didn't have the heart to deny her snow when it is such a rare occurrence here in the Portland area.

So out she went into the snow, while I was busy being frustrated about all the weekends MyGirl had said she was cleaning her room when really she was shoving fabric, art supplies, polly pockets, and Archie comics under her bed and under her couch.

Then I remembered that phrase, "allow happiness".  I ran upstairs and pulled on a winter coat and hat and slipped on my puddle jumpers.  And, we were both incredibly happy out in the snow together.

I drew the words in my sketchbook, as a way to etch them into my mind.