Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Happy New Year

Dance Like No One's Watching

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. 

 One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souza.

He said, “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.” 

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend time with... and remember that time waits for no one...

So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until the kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced,until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you die, until you decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy...

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Thought for the Day...

Work like you don't need the money,

Love like you've never been hurt,

And dance like there's no one watching...

And have a Happy New Year!

December 1, 2012 No Pictures!

Hi....  Although I am writing this on Saturday evening, it won't be posted until I find the new batteries for my camera!  Then I can show you some pictures too.

So anyway, Happy December!!  I love December and have always enjoyed every minute of it and especially Christmas.  I love to give... I used to be able to find that one special thing and then bust trying not to spill the beans before Christmas.  The past few years have been difficult.  Last year I made gifts but they weighed so much I never shipped them.  That's the hard part of living so far away...I seem to be and hope to be getting back on track so I'm hoping to get better at these things... we'll see.

Today was a great day.  I was hurting bad this morning and was using the cane, but I made it to the Pancake Breakfast.  It was good.  They had a good turn out this morning for the first breakfast and hope words spreads and there are more that come to breakfast on January 5th....2013!!  I enjoyed it.

Then I passed a friend's house that didn't go to the breakfast and stopped in a while.  She and her husband had been decorating since Wednesday and it was a beautiful Winter Christmas Wonderland, inside and out.  After hanging with them for a while, I had found my spirit and went home to start decorating.  

I started with the patio.  I'm still going through the containers in the shed looking for donations and/or garage sale things... so I'm just about or I think I'm just about done.    I'm still going to need to go through more containers to decide what I'll keep for inside and what to get rid of, so maybe tomorrow.  

Once I figure out the shed, I can start emptying my extra room into the shed to begin work on my craft room...first pull up carpet... then make a plank floor the color of driftwood (gray blue green).  I can't wait for that!

I'd also like to find (thrift) or build a daybed...just in case.  But that is later on.

So today was productive and a good day....life is good.

Not to be disappointed...

The Art and Craft Fair....

We used to do debriefings after certain events and/or meetings.  So  decided to do one of my own here.  

The good: 
lots of compliments and very nice people that stopped to talk and talk about my paintings.  That was nice.

The not-so-good:  not much traffic.  It was Black-Friday and Small Business Weekend and there is a reason no other craft fairs were going on.

I hope you all will bear with me...I am going to be making some changes to this blog and I will be offering my paintings for sale on the internet.

There were only 7 of us but this is what you missed:


 Smilebox slide show

Let the season begin!

 

Paying It Forward Gift Giving

It is just about the official start to my Christmas season.  I would love to do so much more than I physically and financially can but I CAN DO SOMETHING!  It may not be as big as the next guy, but I do believe if everyone does SOMETHING it could be SOMETHING BIG TO SOMEONE!!

While I was cruising around the Internet, this caught my eye.  It doesn't have to cost more than a couple of dollars and it is something more than someone will have...

Whether you are putting something together  for a charity, Sandy victims, troops, shelters, etc there is  something here you can put together or send a case directly, if applicable and if possible.

Care package ideas  that are easy and practical for all.  And then get care package labels (pdf) here  from Dollar Tree. 

And have a holly jolly season...

 

Thanksgiving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!  

Whether you are spending the holiday alone or with your dysfunctional family, count your blessings.  If you are alone: count your blessings it isn't with your dysfunctional family.  If you are spending it with your dysfunctional family: count your blessings you aren't alone.  Isn't that the way it is?  The grass always seems greener on the other side. We always think it would be better, if only...

I have always loved the holidays.  It was always a family time.  But after moving to Florida and my immediate family all back in New York, my holidays have changed.  Being alone, I started my own traditions.  My Thanksgiving consisted on cooking a complete turkey dinner for myself (a couple of times my brother joined me).  While the turkey cooked, I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV.

I do Believe!

  Besides being from New York and the parade taking me home,  I had the pleasure and experience to go to the parade one year.  It was fun and my sister's little Maltese was dressed in Santa's coat and hat.  Mrs. Claus spotted him from the float and pointed him out to Santa and the elves and we got lots of waves from them all and looks from the crowd... we had dinner at my sister's after in her apartment in Manhattan.  Now,  I always wait for Santa to see if it is the same one; so far it is!

This year  I wasn't counting on cooking a complete dinner but a easier turkey dinner just the same BUT I was invited over to a new friend's home here in the park.  I am very thankful.  After waiting for my coffee yesterday morning I knew  was no where near ready for the holidays, no less Thanksgiving!  I've been concentrating on the craft fair forever!

So this year's plans are breakfast with the Macy's Day Parade and dinner around the  block with friends...and thankful for it and all the memories of past Thanksgivings.

Whatever you do, where ever  you go, be thankful for what you have.  There are so many families displaced this holiday season due to the hurricane Sandy on the northeast coast...keep them in your thoughts and prayers.  Remember, it is not what we have but who we are that defines us.  "Things" can be rebuilt or replaced, people can't... not even dysfunctional families!

God Bless you and keep you.  
 

 

Breakfast on the Beach- Day One

I started reading "Breakfast on the Beach (Finding God at the water's edge)" last night.  There's a chapter you read before you start and I read the first day this morning with coffee.  Although it's designed to read in a week on the beach, it takes you to the beach just as easily if you aren't there.

In the "Introduction: The Beach Before Me", Mark R. Jordan writes,  "Jesus loves the beach, and He wants you to love it, too."  No longer an adept Bible reader, I'd forgotten just how much and how often Jesus was along the beach.

It's a mini guide to the depths of spirit of the beach and awaking your self and your spirit.  I don't know about you but the beach, to me, can be such a temple with a feeling of oneness and all is good with the world at the beach.  Mark's writing is so clear that if you have ever seen a sun rise, you will see it again in your mind's eye as it breaks the horizon he describes.

In the FIRST DAY: THE SUNRISE,  God reminds us, "...for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good," (Matthew 5:45).

The sunrise, the sky, the sea and the shore all join hands together to create your own sanctuary.  The sea birds are your choir, and the beach is your chancel.  Speak of  His goodness in the morning.  The Psalmist wrote, "God will help...when morning dawns,"  (Psalm 46:5)

And I learned a new word, Selah.  Each chapter ends with it and it is apropos with the book but also for the beach.  It means to "pause, reflect, and to consider what has come before."  I love that he describes it as a spiritual speed bump.  Psalm 46:10a, "Be still and know that I am God."  (NIV)

Some Christmas to you!

Another list:

1. I live where Santa vacations
2. Peace at the Beach
3. A Child is born...
4. HARK!
5. JOY
6. Peace on Earth
7. Peace
8. Imagine
9. Count your Blessings with the shells
10. Trust your troubles with the tides

Doing the Happy Dance

If you've been following along, I recently started cleaning up and out my shed and cleaning up my patio.  Allot of this were ruined due to branches hitting the metal shed and denting the roof, thus, when it rains,  it rains in the shed in some spots... so while in there I moved things around, looked for closed containers to condense and protect things... still work to be done... but made progress.

Then we got our dose of Sandy... NOT as bad at all as up north but a good tropical storm...and a small leak in my living room ceiling.  I thought about it but decided to wait till Monday to call but on Sunday while I was outside cleaning up some after the storm, Mal came over and sealed my patio and my roof!!!  I was so happy!  I was racking pine needles and cleaning up the patio... I had a box of things...signs ...lights... from  Ocean Styles that I have been waiting to put outside... and now I can!!

Before we go back outside, I just got a delivery from Ocean Styles that I want to share with you:

pillow

finger star fish

glass turtle

sugar starfish

This post has been a long time coming and obviously I'm not done.   So...
to be continued!

brought out my box of Ocean Style goodies

hung my glass float lights and signs

right by the door!

rest time!

More to come but this is as far as I got!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Happy Beachy Thoughts PART 2

Continuing my list of happy beachy thoughts and hopefully  I don't repeat the first 30!  I'll try but you never know.

1.   No more cell phones, keys or shoes
2.  Feel the sand between your toes
3. Breakfast at the Beach
4. Got Wine?
5. There's a BOY who stole my heart...he calls me MOM!
6. There's a GIRL who stole my heart...she calls me DAD!
7. SEAS the Day!
8. Leave your drama at the door
9. If life's a journey, this must be the destination!
10. Bless this House
11. Forget the cracker, Polly wants a cocktail!
12. Life is better in flip flops
13. PARADISE
14. PARADISE FOUND - (lat & long)
15. Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans - John Lennon
16. I love you but my heart belongs to the beach
17. MALARKEY! (an old new favorite)
18. Mermaid's Rest
19. Mermaid's Don't Cook
20. Diner Closed
21. Beer : 30
22. Drinks on the House
23. Group Therapy ~ red, white or rose
24. TONIGHT'S DINNER:  take it or leave it
25. 5 o'clock yet?
26. Wino Crossing
27. Friends don't let friends drink alone
28. Want some whine with your cheese?
29. I need my space (NASA)
30. Playalinda Beach (long & lat)
31. I saw the Dragon light up the sky
32. I saw the ISS
33. I saw the shuttle launch
34. Reach for the stars
35. Fly me to the moon
36. Yes, I stopped at South of the Border
37. Don't ask about my Journey down I-95
38. Kokomo 
39. racking the Tropics
40. Flip Flops: the glass slippers of the south
41. Eat, Drink, Beach!
42. Aloha
43. I <3 my cat!
44. I <3 my dog!
45. Live and Let Live
46. Hope ~Trust~Strength
47. Cafe Mocha Valium Latte
48. Love knows no season
49. I love you to the moon and back
50. Lost Socks (clothes pins)
51. May you always have a shell in your pocket
52. Ocean Love
53. Mermaid Princess
54. Imagine
55. Get ready...here I come
56. You give love a bad name
57. Live well ~ Love much ~ Laugh often
58. Always Kiss Me Good-night
59. Food, Fun and Friendship
60. Kick off your flip flops

OK... late with my announcement...

ta-da

 

There they are!  My New Networking Cards!!  I love them.. you?   For a small card the clarity of the picture is perfect.  Now if I went to the mailbox on Saturday, I could have share them sooner.  Yesterday and today I  was punching holes and attaching to completed plaques with jute, raffia and ribbons.  And of course because I was looking at everything, I have another pile of almost done that it needs "something"  like a shell or seagull or something!  I'm going crazy but want them perfect.

This is what I was doing with them earlier

 

 

Tonight I started working on my very own Etsy Shop!  All my pictures have to be re-sized!   But I am going to be working on descriptions and a portfolio of my work so you will get to see it all before.  

I feel somewhat like I might have bit off more than I can chew at one time but I can't explain to you how much fun I am having and once in the zone, I am really at peace in whatever picture I am painting at the time... I love being in the zone...haven't been there in at least 4 years and it was a different zone, I like this one better.

So, if you feel like helping me out... 

• if you like this picture and you were going to sell it, how much would you sell it for?? 

• If you like it and were looking to buy it, how much would you pay? 

I'm in the process of figuring out prices and wondering if I am in line.  I know different areas will get different prices, but hoping you'll play along on this phase of my journey.  Thank you!

"FREE Therapy for the SOUL"

rope trim with a shell where it ends

real shells and moss

 This is my interpretation of "Free Therapy for the Soul" on a deserted island!

Whether you live near or far from the beach, kick off your flip flops and sit a while under the palm tree. Relax. Before you leave, check out the shells in the sand!

It measures approximately 12 inches by 12 inches, painted on plywood and glued edges with rope. It has a wire hanging secured with pearl beads and decorative raffia and real beach shells on the island.

So there you have it!  Hope you'll help out!

Catch ya later

 

I'm so excited!

I am so excited!   And I can't help it but this song keeps rolling around in my head!!!  I'm so excited.   


This is what I can share with you tonight:


As you know by now,  I have been working on my first Craft Fair. It was supposed to be Black Friday and Saturday...BUT (due to a senior moment ~ that happens in an over 55 park allot I'm finding out) it will only be one day, on Saturday.   Honest, I was initially disappointed...no, I was pissed!  But do-do happens.

SO....I will be opening my very own Etsy Shop!   I have been working on so many pieces, so many more ideas, and totally enjoying it that I want to keep going.  It will probably not open until after the craft fair around December 1st but I will most likely ship Priority Mail by the US Post Office.  I hope you will check it out.  Meanwhile:

These are the Beachy Things I am working on, staying within my love for the beach:

1. 12x12 Paintings on plywood
2. 6x6 Painted Signs on plywood
3. 6x6 and 6x12 plywood KEY HOLDERS
4. 6x6 Memo Holder
5. Green Christmas wreaths
6. Grapevine Wreaths with reversible plaque for all seasons
7. Message in a Bottle, suitable to send in the mail
8. Bleached pine cone ornaments
9. Canvas boards
10. Black Boards
11. Children's Totes/bags with beachy treats :)
12. Shell encrusted Light Bulbs: I've Got an Idea!  Gone to the Beach!
13. Decorative Jars
14. Photo Prints with sayings
15. Furniture

so far....

I volunteered in the Park to do the newsletter and communications... that's one way of knowing what's going on! LOL I volunteered to decorate the Laundry Room and Rec Hall, using my work!  I can't wait to show you my idea of NO SMOKING, NO PETS ALLOWED along with LAUNDRY ROOM FOR RESIDENTS ONLY!!  All with my sunny beach theme!  LOL  I am also going to paint the chairs similar to my Adirondack chairs, a TV stand and maybe a lamp...add a basket of magazines and maybe some flowers!  The Rec Hall will probably be a mostly monthly theme but I'll put my spin on it.

Welcome...may all the guests who enter here leave as friends.

Above for the Rec Hall.

We decided that the month of November here will honor our Veterans and I am so happy about that... just need ideas, as to how! Any suggestions?  I picked up some red, white and blue decorations, have small flags and a couple of pin wheel spin things.  So far in November we have POT LUCK DINNER that I thought maybe we could theme around some good ole American food; BINGO games where we could salute the Flag, a moment of silence for those we've lost and prays for our Troops and close with God Bless America.

 I think I have my work cut out for me before November 1st!!

 

I need 2 No Smoking, 2 No Pets, 2 Close washer lids and 2 No Problem's...and I guess 2 Residents Only for each door.... it will definitely be a different laundry room but I'm thinking a couple of these above my washer & dryer would be pretty neat!

 Busy, busy keeps me busy and happy!

More to share on Monday!   Have a great weekend!

Crafty?

Hi!

I haven't been getting much sleep and I can't believe I am still awake.  I'm so in a blind craft mode, that that is all I am doing and thinking.  I think I told you that I am getting ready for a Craft Fair on Black Friday weekend.  Let me tell you what I am working on, as soon as I get my little painted pictures done.

I made a batch of these key holders, each one is different.  Do you have a hard time finding key holders too?  I thought it might serve a need and be cute too.

Sorry, I am too tired tonight, and it's taking so long to up-load more pictures but in the mean time, today's photos are on Facebook if you'd like to see them.  But what I wanted to share tonight is what's next, so there aren't any pictures of the following yet.

1. Two green (fake) Christmas wreaths to decorate with shells, and a plaque in the center of a Christmas tree on the beach.
2. Four grapevine wreaths to decorate with shells.
3. Four caulk boards decorated with rope.
4. Four Mermaid Princess plaques with mermaid dolls glued to it.
5. Four children size tote bags to paint on
6. Decorating jars, that I washed out and spraying the tops with sand paint and gluing shells to the tops
7. and a message in the bottle...going to recycle my water bottles! This idea just hit me over the head!  Inside: shells, paper umbrella, foam fish and palm tree; will include a shipping label and a beach photo.  I'll spray paint the caps.  I think it will be cute, especially to send and receive!

As I go along I'll post them...but thought I'd share some ideas with you in case you're looking for something to do!




I have to try to get some sleep... hope all is good in your neck of the woods.

Welcome to my "ART PATIO"

The weather is gorgeous... absolutely perfect!  I started writing this Friday night, almost 11pm, because I was exhausted but too lazy to get up and go to bed.

It was so nice this morning that I took my coffee and my "big girl tools" out to the patio.  I finally had the room to get organized and I think I know where I  stand now.  So let me show you...

It's Sunday Morning as I continue this post...

I have been busy, busy, busy!  I think I finally got it together yesterday...figuring out what needs final touches, giving final touches, organizing completed items...I broke a drill bit!  I got 4 hours sleep last night after spending the night making LISTS!!

any suggestions for a larger carrier?

I started off all over the place, until I got it under control.

I am loving these... hope everyone else does!

Sorting out everything... finally got it together so I know what I've got done and what needs to be finished:

My cousin posted this the other day and think it would make a great sign, if I can paint the words straight but maybe another way... we'll see....

and Sunday's crafting: 

 That's it for now... today is Monday and I really need to get some other this done before working on the patio again.  I feel like a creative monster and I can't shut my brain off!  I can't sleep!

Hope you follow my Face book page to see more pictures!  Have a great day and I'll catch you later!