Tuesday, September 14, 2010

September Smiles

Hello darlings. Can you believe that we are already almost half way through September? It doesn't seem possible. I could ramble on, like I always do, about things not getting done and never finding time to do other things. But I'm not here for that today. No. Today I am here to talk about positive things.

Things like feeling better, thanks to the miracle of allergy medicine. Things like being able to work out again! Things like almost completing two projects {which I can't wait to share with you}. And things like running across some very nice people. Jane, from Ill Seen Ill Said, was nice enough to link me to a recipe that I have been curious about. Two incredible artists from Etsy were nice enough to share a little equipment advice with me. And other fabulous bloggers have stopped by just to say hello or check in with me in the past few days. These things make me smile.

And speaking of smiles, I have started a new endeavor that I want to tell you about.
~I have a weakness for empty books. I love books with words in them, but I have a hard time passing up a beautiful book with blank pages. I have a collection to attest to this fact. Piles of gorgeous journals and sketchbooks, all waiting patiently to be filled. Problem is, I am not nearly as good at filling them as I am attaining them. But a few weeks ago I thought of a task worthy of striving for every day. I would fill a book with smiles.

So I started filling the pages of one of my books with things that make me smile. Each day I will write one thing that made me smile in the last twenty-four hours. Really, truly, deep down, from the soul Smile. Some have come pretty easy. Others, I have had to be very observant for. I thought it would be easy. Surely I get a real smile at least once a day. But guess what. I have skipped several days already. And not out of laziness, but because nothing made me truly smile. My hope is that the more I recognize the things that make me smile, the more things there will be to smile about. And more pages filled!

I challenge you to notice what makes you smile each day. Not laugh. Not smirk. What makes you SMILE? A smile comes from appreciation. Think about it. And then report back to me! Well, you don't have to. But it sure would make me smile.

*photo from Cannelle et Vanille

5 comments:

Dawn said...

Haha, funny- I collect empty page books too:) (And have a hard time filling them as well, many sit on my nightstand...waiting for me to work with them....)
What a great idea...smiley things. I`m gonna try this.
I`ll be on the look out....trying hard to find deep down smiles as well!
Thanks for the plan:)

Jane Flanagan said...

I think reading does... especially a particularly beautiful turn of phrase or passage... the kind that makes you look up and pause to take it in.

I'm so glad my little recipe made you smile! Wait until you try it! Soda bread heaven awaits!!

la la Lovely said...

I love this idea... i have a journal and too many times i only write in it when i am upset about something and then i think..great one day my kids are going to think it was all bad days.. . so need to write down the little things that make me smile. xoxo trina

Michelle said...

Wow, great post. I love your idea of showing gratitude to your happiness every day. Today my puppies made me smile, and the clean kitchen I found this morning, thanks to my wonderful husband.

Rolerkite said...

what a cute idea! How sweet would it be to fill a book for someone with all the things they have done to make you smile.

Something that makes me smile is my puppy's excitement every morning when I wake him up. He can hardly contain himself. so cute