Sweet and Happy Round 2

Happy Monday! Since some of us need a little lift at the beginning of the week, I thought I'd do another installment of happy photos from the Flickr group I started, Sweet and Happy. I'm hoping something here might bring you a smile (click each photo to view it on Flickr).












If you have any photos that are cute, bright, fun, or uplifting and you'd like to include them in the group, you can do so by heading over to the group page and joining. If I see something that makes me smile, there's a good chance it will be featured on my blog to help spread the happy vibes. Have a beautiful week!

Growth

I meandered through the wooded trails of a local park last weekend in search of spring. I've been very contemplative lately, even before things started sprouting. I haven't been considering the kind of growth that occurs in my belly (sorry, patient friends and family members). I've been focusing on other forms of growth- professional, creative, personal. I'm always thankful for any comfort or consistency I'm granted in life but I try to be equally receptive to those big, necessary leaps that help you evolve and advance as a person.



Photography is crazy too. I often find more meaning in a photo when I'm looking at it later than I did when it was taken. Of course real-life views and experiences are priceless, but when you freeze a moment in time you allow that moment to continue teaching you things far after it has passed. And as it turns out, my little trip through the trees taught me a thing or two about the concept of growth.

I learned that in order to achieve growth, you sometimes have to burst through into foreign territory.



Though we often compete with each other in our quest to stand out and make a difference, it's good to realize that we are far more visible and effective when we stand together.



It's okay to allow yourself periods of rest as you assimilate new things into your life. Gather your strength if you start to feel weighed down.



Growth is always possible, regardless of the circumstances or the setting.



Most likely, the lessons you'll learn this season will be entirely different from mine. But I am inspired by the transformations I see in others. What's the next big thing you'd like to tackle?

Easy Origami Bookmarks

Good evening, loves! ♥ I've got a project to share with you today that is amazing for three reasons: 1) It's basically free 2) It's easy enough that anyone can do it, even little ones and 3) It's fast! In about 1 minute you will have a brand new bookmark, and if you're like me, you'll say "Oooh that was fun, let's make another!" On top of all that, the finished product is pretty cute.



The only thing you need is paper, although I used a vintage greeting card and it worked perfectly. Here's how you do it.



•If your paper is not already a square, cut it so that it is. The size of the square doesn't matter- just keep in mind that the finished bookmark will be 1/4 the size of the paper so don't go too small.
•Fold the paper in half. Open it and fold in half again the other way, forming a cross.
•Make one diagonal fold. Crease this fold forward and backward.
•Your project should now contain 4 squares, 2 with creases through the center and 2 without. Choose one of the squares with no crease and fold it so that the corner of the paper meets the center point.
•In the same direction as the last fold, fold the paper upward so that you have a triangle shape.
•Pick up the paper. The left and right sides of your triangle should each have creases. Use these creases to fold the corners in toward the center.
•Continue folding the corners inward until they meet in the middle. Your bookmark should be starting to take shape.
•Press the finished bookmark flat on the front and back. All done!
•I made about a half dozen of them so I can use them to mark all my favorite passages while I read.

If you'd like me to teach you how to make these in person (for free!), you can come out to MADE: The Indie Emporium Shop this Saturday from 3 to 6 pm and I will be all set up with a huge supply of paper, which is good because these are so fun and easy I'm sure you'll want to make more than one. Happy crafting!

Fitness Friday #13- Love Handles Be Gone

Love handles, muffin tops, no matter what you want to call them, it can be quite the tricky little area. They even make an appearance on skinny girls from time to time because, unless you specifically target this area, it can easily get squishy. But the upside is that if you DO target the muscles in your waist, it has a cinching effect over time. The results are noticeable and beautiful. The muscles I'm referring to are called your obliques, and I've chosen the following diagram to demonstrate their location just because it's hilarious.



I love this exercise because not only does it work a difficult area, but it also requires very little equipment. All you need is a body ball, so if you've got one (or if you're willing to shell out as little as 10 bucks to get one) let's get started!



Like I mentioned on the video, it's a good thing to be a little sore. That means it's working! But you will want to find that perfect balance between working these muscles hard enough and working them too hard, so go easy at first to test the waters. If you incorporate this kind of exercise into your routine on a regular basis, it can really transform your body. I'm a huge believer in a combination of cardio and weight training, so pair this workout with a brisk walk or run and show those love handles who's boss.

Have a happy, healthy weekend!