5 ways to garnish your life

We'd like to live every day to its fullest potential; make our dreams a reality; shoot for the stars...but sometimes we have to live the everyday life to get there. Not to fear! There's a little garnish you could add to your day-to-day schedule that would zest up your norm, just that much more...


1. Fancify your drinking water.  Everyone knows we're suppose to drink more water throughout the day, but there always seems to be something, just a little bit more tasty around to choose... Maybe it's fizzy, maybe it's hot, maybe it smells like the Starbucks it came from... but is it guilt-free? Does it's nummy, fun, brightness, or sophisticated feelings last all day long? If not, try making yourself some flavored water... for pennies a glass, you could give yourself a fun, colorful, guilt-free garnish that will last all day long. It's AMAZING what a slice of lemon, a slice of lime, and a handful of blueberries can do to make you feel happy and healthy with every sip! Oh, that citrusy smell! Those bright colors! It's a little bit of inexpensive, pure garnish to your life! Don't forget to use your favorite glass, goblet, or jar for that added pick-me-up! Find some yummy water+fruit combos here.

2. Wear your favorite jewelry. My husband LOVES watches! He loves browsing for watches, wearing watches, collecting watches, studying watches... it's a little piece of joy to his day every time he can glance down and see his favorite watch around his wrist. Do you have something like that? Maybe it's your wedding ring; maybe it's a piece of jewelry that was given to you as a gift; Maybe you have something that just fits you to a tee; maybe you have something handmade... Well, let me encourage you - don't save it, savor it! Take it out of the box and wear it EVERY chance you get! The tiniest bit of luxury in a mundane day, will emphasis your happiness with every glance! Don't be afraid to get creative if you don't have a piece of jewelry that sticks out to you - how about a favorite hat, a scarf, a color... today could be the BEST day of your life - dress for the occasion!

3. Customize your desktop or background for the happiest version of you! Picking a background on your cellphone or computer can sometimes make you feel like all the world is your judge and you had better have the coolest, the neatest, the most original display that ever hit the world wide web... But it doesn't have to be that way, and really no one cares as much as you may think. You could make your background something that makes YOU happy, every single time you click that mouse or swipe your phone's screen! As the wallpaper on my phone, I have a picture of my absolute, most favorite place in ALL the world, that I've ever been to - so far... And nooooobody knows it, but ME! All day long I get to, even if only subconsciously, put myself right there with all those joyful feelings and happy memories. Some laptops have an option to change your background every 30 minutes or so... This is a great way to keep reliving last year's sunny vacation, or the last sidesplitting family reunion... It'll be your daily present to yourself, and our little secret!

4. Use your nose - every chance you get. They call it aromatherapy for a reason. What's your favorite perfume, cologne, lotion fragrance, or essential oil? I am in LOVE with Eucalyptus oil! I just can't get enough of the stuff! I rub it on my sore muscles; I use it in my diffuser; I keep a bottle handy to just twirl the top off and inhale a deep breath of it, ever so often. Do you have a scent that brings you a little bit of euphoria whenever it reaches your nose? Take advantage of it! Wear it on your wrists, or put a spritz of it on a handkerchief or clothes to keep that scent handy all day long.  Oh the joy, a little aromatherapy could bring to your day.

(You could even make your own aromatherapy clay jewelry. 

Made from terra-cotta molding clay, ready to be soaked in one's favorite fragrance!)  

5. Give yourself something to look forward to! Every once in a while, you just might find a few      cracks in your day; breaks in your schedule... Maybe it's waiting in a waiting room, or in the drive-thru line... usually you might fill in these cracks with a glance at social media, or a scroll through your email... but what if you could use this time to plan out your next big adventure?! Make yourself a board on Pinterest, or start a folder in your inbox, just to tuck away those little snippets of information about that beautiful island you've always dreamed of visiting... hotels you could stay at, rentals you could use, tips and tricks to save you money while you're there, etc... I know you're saying, "I'd never be able to go...". Well... you will definitely NEVER be able to go, if you don't plan your trip! The devil's in the details. Right now, all you need to focus on is figuring out where you'd like to go, and what you'd like to do when you get there. You could plan out a realistic weekend get-away, or you could map out a voyage of the seven seas... either way, and all of the above, gets to pop your brainwaves out of the humdrum, day-to-day thinking and lets you think bigger, dream bigger, and live bigger! You were given your imagination for a reason - use it to garnish the cracks in your day!

Hope these few little things, add just the right embellishment to your day! What little things do you use to garnish your life? I'd love to hear about them!

Marbled Paper

A friend posted this video on Facebook, and it hit the "Must Try" button in my brain... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3Gl7ENNXoQ

It's so easy... so fun... so beautiful... so artistic... so... messy... *ahem.;)

These will surely not be my last marble paintings. I predict in short order I will buy an entire tablet of watercolor paper to waste on this sort of art-ing!!:)

I see an angel or a fairy with wings... Can you see it?

Colorful Flames

I must be on a tropical island at sunset as a storm is rolling in, right?! Sure! I'll take it!

Or it could be a bouquet in front of the marbled paper below... Nah, definitely in the tropics!!;)

I used both regular food coloring and neon, and then a soft paintbrush to get the design I wanted. Trust me, this art venture will hit every artistic sweet tooth imaginable, and wet your appetite for more, and more bright, colorful marbling! Go for it and ENJOY!!:)  

My Sunsetfront Property

“He loved us not because we were lovable, but because He is love.” - C.S. Lewis  

                           


"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen even touched they must be felt with the heart." Helen Keller 

"Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes." ~Charles Dickens 

What wings are to a bird, and sails to a ship, so is prayer to the soul. Corrie Ten Boom

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within you'll be depressed. But, if you look at Christ, you'll be at rest." Corrie ten Boom

Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear. Corrie Ten Boom

Run Your Own Race

Taking a mental snapshot of those walking, jogging, or sprinting on the track that cool autumn evening... 

The middle-aged gentlemen with seemingly a lot on his mind: maybe he had been to the doctor recently and had been told he needed to get his health under control if he wanted to be around to see his grandkids reach adulthood. Maybe work was stressful and he was contemplating retirement - is this the right time, should I wait a bit longer? Maybe his wife had encouraged him to take some time for himself. Maybe he had no wife, and was passing the evening with physical productivity.   

There was the mom in new sneakers, with a determined look in her eye as she glanced at her watch every quarter lap. Her two grade school aged boys tossing a football back and forth in the field as she made her way around. Maybe she had promised herself that this was the year the baby fat was coming off. Maybe she was hoping to get pregnant again, but wanted to be as healthy as possible from the start. Maybe she was competing with her colleagues or friends for who could lose the most weight by the new year. Maybe she just needed a minute to herself, and knew the boys could also use the fresh air. 

There was the young male athlete sprinting against his previous best time, inwardly telling himself he was a machine. He was calculated, and focused... Maybe he had signed up for a marathon only weeks away. Maybe he was hoping to enlist in the Army and knew bootcamp would be that much easier with toned muscles and little body fat. Maybe he was on the college track team, and motivated to put his best efforts forward for his teammates. Maybe he knew he was in his physical prime and wanted to make the most of it. 

Did the reason all of these individuals were there, matter? Could someone just getting on the track initiate a competitive race with any of them? Did lap times or distance make a bit of difference? 

The two things in common were the time and the place - nothing else. Did they know each others strengths and weaknesses? Their hopes and fears? What motivated them? It didn't matter. The point was that they were there, being a positive in their own life for themselves and for their family. They were doing the best they could do with what they had. The only reason one would communicate with the other would be to encourage, and give praise... They were all on the track together, but not in competition. They were all running their own race. No two individuals would ever be the same in everything, come from the same background, been given the same life choices... Athletes compete to see whose training is superior, but in life are there ever two individuals with even similar training? Competition in real life is subjective at best, and futile at worse. The only things each unique person has in exact relation to another is time and place. There's no way to judge. There's no way to bet for or against. There's no way to compete, let alone choose a winner. 

The only reasons for interaction is encouragement and praise.

 For we all, individually, are running our own race. 

Here Kitty, Kitty...

Here kitty, kitty... Meet Paws, aka Xena, Warrior Princess. Her hobbies include, but are not limited to: wall climbing, long jumping, distance running, wall running, 

obstacle course competition, fetch, lethal combat training, table/counter dancing, fishing, sightseeing, and some (when absolutely necessary) sleeping. All door jambs must be scaled. All curtains must be tamed.

 Ribbons, string, and loose hair will meet their demise. She's not tempted in the least by inexpensive cuisine; only fine dinning will do. 
Just in case you were wondering... you're not her type. Felines, canines, people-ines, any breathing thing... need not impose on her livelihood. Unless you are offering to be/or to bring breakfast... you're not assumed essential. Don't take it personally. Her very, very distant ancestors were worshiped for their sleek, distinguished, and sophisticated... snobbery. She requires the same elevation of royalty, along with the adoration of a warrior. If you feel inadequate to be in her presence, don't worry. She's used to peasantry, as she daily finds herself unequaled in company. While you fretfully aspire to ascertain such qualifications, she'll be napping... the honored guest that she is.     

Shhhh... quiet, please. Do not disturb. 

     

Because Failure Is Not An Option...

Try.

Try and fail.

Try and learn and fail.

Or...

Try.

Try and learn.

Try and learn and then learn some more.

You are your greatest artistic endeavor. When the first brushstroke of a masterpiece is created, it rarely  remains unaffected. The line is strengthened or weakened, straitened or curved, enhanced or done away with completely...But it was never a mistake. It was the start. It led to the next stroke. All art starts as nothing; it's blank, and hollow. The artist has to pull the beauty from within the canvas, shape it, chisel away at it, shade it, imagine life into it... Was it there all along? Did the artist play the locksmith releasing the life within?

You are your greatest artistic endeavor. Nothing you try will ever be a waste, a mistake. One brushstroke will lead to another brushstroke. One step will lead to another step. The lowlights will emphasis the highlights. Learning one thing will enhance your ability to learn another. Be brave - try it. Do you enjoy it? Does it bring you peace? Chisel away at it, shade it... imagine life into it. Learn from it. Try something else. Failure is not an option when you are always learning.       

...One Purpose...

They were standing

strong, sturdy, and solemn,

 then came out the sun... 

Their hues began to glow, 

the frost began to sparkle,

and all at once they began to wave

in glorious praise...

Trains

We love living next to the train… I’m not exactly sure why… there’s something beyond industry, beyond innovation, beyond economics… it’s similar to “connection”… connection with all of the above, but also a connection to the nostalgia of decades past. It’s the thunder of steel on steel, the rumble of powerful momentum shaking throughout the house, the graffitied boxcars, the faster than lightning amtrak, the coded messages of the sounding horn… No matter the weather, unending connection day and night. I have always loved trains…everything about trains - toy trains, books on trains, stories about trains, movies on their history, riding on trains, seeing trains everyday, hearing them all night long… And last but not least, pictures of trains… 

Written Words

The incredible power of the written word... power to inspire, to motivate, to spark passion, to invoke a tear, to instruct, to manipulate, to turn the tide... All throughout history, authority was given to the one who held the power of written words. From the ancient scrolls to the Declaration of Independence, written words have proven invaluable. Hostile takeovers of a generation usually begin with the burning or changing of that nation's literature... burn the Bibles, burn the propaganda, burn the history - outlaw the way of "thought"...

 Nameless, faceless, connectionless information given in ticker tape fashion, barely warrants the emotion of a raised eyebrow. But the story of a character with relatable flaws and struggles, passions and fears, triumphs and admonitions... the character's hopes become the reader's hopes; the character's will becomes the reader's will; the personification of a fictional or historical figure saturates the soul of the reader. The words between the lines, and the unfinished thoughts of an open ended chapter, become the deep breath behind the unseen smile and the next brave step forward.    

 Read them all, dive in deep. No skimming, or thumbing through... take it in, learn from it. Put to memory the best of it. Quote the quotable. Let your saturated soul soar with the wealth of an uncontainable thought. Climb the mountains, and claim the victories... see the whole world as it truly is through the power of written words.