happy things, big and small

So, the art frenzy (borrowed that phrase from Angie) paid off,
and I was chosen to be on the Altered Pages design team. I'm
truly excited about this turn of events. It just so happens
that I had been making a few twinchies, or twochies, or
2 inch deco squares (whatever makes you happy!), just because
it felt really good to be making something and NOT keeping
track of every product and step and such. I'm not really a
planner when it comes to art--more of a grab whatever and make
something. (Sometimes this works well, sometimes it, ehem,
well, is something akin to a small disaster, but there you
have it.) These were scanned--someone absconded with my
camera--so poor baby Jesus kind of looks like he has smallpox,
and the little sweetie has a nice glare coming off his embossing,
but other than that, the pic isn't too bad. ;)



The point is, here are four twinchies (yes, each made with an
Altered Pages image), and it would be fun to swap with YOU!
So, the first four bloggits to comment, dibs
one, and e-mail me an address will get said square. I'll
e-mail you my snailmail, and you can send me a happy little
surprise swap, because I want to see what you made, too!
PS--it doesn't have to be a twinchie, just anything!

Found a beautiful new blog--Art By Chrysti--and she
suggested making a love list. She says,
"I am challenging you to notice the things you usually pass by;
the things you typically take for granted. We have so many gifts
in this life — we could all stand to appreciate them a bit more."
This is her blog contest challenge, and it's a good one, yes?

So here is a short list some happy things in my life, in no
particular order, because the order changes with every breath,
anyway:
the way the light comes in the artroom window in the afternoon

in the morning when my husband gives me a big hug while he's
still all warm and damp and smelling like aftershave

when the cat jumps in my lap

the way my children have the (mistaken) idea that I can
do anything

when my husband says, "Look at that sunset!"

when one of my children says, "Mom, come see . . .,"
or, "Did you know . . .?" or "Remember the time . . .?"

when someone says something nice, just because they can.

the hummingbirds in the trumpet vines

the treefrog who lives on our deck (we turn the light
on for him at night, so he has happy hunting)

Okay, I'll stop here for now, but thankfully, there are
many, many more.