{waiting for spring}

Hello there:)

Happy Sunday to you!!!

I don't know about you.....but I have

SPRING FEVER

like crazy:) Being cooped up all winter long is just more than I can handle!

So decided to buy myself a sweet little hyacinth plant!

I'm telling you...that's the best $4.00 a person could spend:)

Sometimes in life it's the littlest of things that bring so much joy.

anywho....

since I bought my fancy camera i've been trying to practice with it.

At first I told myself I'd practice taking photographs everyday....but it's turned out to be more like 2 or 3 times a week:)

Photography is such an art and I really admire the bloggers that take such wonderful photographs....maybe someday i'll get there...maybe not. But for today i'm at least going to enjoy the journey! Enjoy learning something new.

Don't be too harsh...I know I have a long way to go in my photography...but the important thing is to try:)

As for spring....

I just can't wait to get my hands into the dirt!

I can't think of anything I like better than to have dirty hands:)

Maybe that's why I enjoy creating jewelry so much.....my hands are never nice and clean:)

I tell you....

living in the Midwest sure teaches you a lot about having patience:)

and having patience is just something i've never been good at.

this morning....

instead of being grouchy about how cold it was outside.....

I decided to load up the girls and go for a little drive:)

with the windows down and the heat on full blast!

It felt kind of invigorating

and sure made me happy!!!!

I snapped some photos and just enjoyed the sweet beauty of the morning!

Even though it's not spring ...yet....

I enjoyed the sunshine imparting it's beauty of the frosty plants!!

 Enjoying the simple things in life really is where life is best.

at least in my opinion:)

Some people enjoy fancy homes...and fancy cars....

fancy clothes with all the best names....

Nothing wrong with that!

it's just not for me:)

Give me an old rusty truck and nature

and I am in bliss:)

Maybe that's why i've had my truck for over 7 years:)

Who needs something new...I plan to keep for many more years too!

Living a life uncomplicated is where it's at.

Finding beauty in the simple things in life....

Pairing down your life so that you can really live the life you want to live.....

now that's where it's at:)

Here's the quote that's really been inspring me lately.

How true is that!





Sometimes it's hard to not let the what you want now get in the way of what you really want.

What are your hopes and dreams...

What kind of life do you truly want to live...

Are you moving in that direction ....are you making choices based on that....

or are you trading your dreams for what you want right now??!?!

Now don't get me wrong.....

sometimes it's more important to just live in the moment!

Sometimes pizza and wine is just more important that my overall goal of losing a few lbs:)

It's just good to know ...deep inside...what and why your choosing what you are:)

Only you can make the choices that make your heart and soul sing!



Ok...well there you have it....

A little sharing of my photography journey

and a sprinkling of where i'm at in my following my hopes and dreams journey:)

.....Happy Sunday Friends.....

I'm off to unload the kiln with some happy new creations while my husband lays the ceramic tiles in our kitchen!

The sun in shining and life is good today:)

xo

~Heather

{a happy little life}

I couldn't have said it any better if I tried:) Thank you to....Arthur Gordon!

That's one smart man:)

Lately i've really had to do some soul searching....some real thinking....some deep down am I living my life to the fullest pen to the paper kind of journaling.

Do you ever have those moments in life...

those I just don't feel like i've got it all together kind of moments.

For me ... it all starts with winter.

And snowballs from there.

Too much food....beyond stressful times at work....not getting to the gym often enough...

and just not nuturing my soul.

Soon it progresses to ...I don't feel good about my life...my goals...my decisions....

on and on.

We all go through valleys from time to time.

It's ok to go through valleys...without valleys we wouldn't appreciate the times when we feel on

top of the world:)

Spring is soon to come......
so it's time to move forward...
get back to the gym.
Stop eating to calm my winter blues {one of these winters i'll actually realize that too much pizza and wine really doesn't bring my soul happiness}

Look at the beauty in the world around me.
Appreciate who I am....
Let my inner spirit sparkle:)

Time to reflect on the goals for my life.
I have goals...big ones....
but then I get scared to fail
scared that all of this is kind of stupid
scared that no one really likes my ideas ... my designs....my art:)

 But you know what.

it's ok to be scared

it's ok to be uncertain about what you want out of life

it's ok to feel that life is flying by way too fast.

It's ok to have all of those self doubting feelings...
but you can't let them stop you from fulfilling your inner most passion in life.
You can't let them stop you from chasing your dreams..

Let them guide you and help you see areas of your life ready for change.
Let them help steer you towards what you really want out of life...
Don't let them keep you from moving forward.
Acknowledge them.....then move on:)

Over the years.....
i've come to realize there are a couple of things i'm passionate about.
1. it's making others feel good....
     I love to bring positive energy to those who might be in a  
     valley.
     Smile at the girl shuffling through the store looking down at
     her feet. Say something nice about her....
     The old man in a wheel chair trying to get all of his things
     to fit into his basket...help him to his car...strike up a
     conversation....maybe he's lonely.
     Kids who have much less than I do.....{it's why at this moment
     in my life...I am a special
    education teacher}
2. I absolutely love being creative in a way that uses my hands.
    I have found jewelry to be my passion.....my art....my bliss in
    each and every day.

It's the best way I know to blend all of the things I love into one.
Creating rustic....pieces of art...with happy little quotes and sayings:)

Little pieces of inspiration sprinkled into someones day!

It absolutely makes my soul sing to spend time in my little studio creating the day away.

And I am determined that one day.....I will make my living at it. Full time....
But for today...I keep moving along....trying to not let the voice of fear and self doubt creep into my soul.

Whatever your passion in life....

find a way to share it with others.

You'll be so thankful and happy to see the sun rise each and every morning when you are

spending time cultivating your passions in life:)

No matter what the season....

get out there and appreciate the day!

Have a beautiful and inspired evening friends:)

xo

Heather

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you’ll be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. Authur Gordon

{Simple Daisy Jewelry Give-away}

Well Hello!!!!
How are you doing on this fine Saturday!?!!?
I should say....it's not really fine in my neck of the woods....rain and dreariness all day.

But guess what....I don't care! The rain "forced" me to stay inside and spend the day working in my little studio!

Have I told you lately just how happy I am?!?
How much I feel like I am really starting to move along the right path!

Every since I've decided to really embrace my Midwestern Spirit.....I feel so much more at home with myself! My jewelry designs reflect that spirit more and more and I for one.....am loving my new direction!

I think good things are sure to come:)
Positive thoughts....right!

but you know what else.....do you know how much I appreciate you for sticking with me throughout my journey! I just love you for that:)
Everytime I get a little down.....you're right there to build me back up!
I can't believe where I started and where I am now.


Everytime I start feeling sensitive about how much I appreciate you {my readers....supporters....cheerleaders} It makes me want to do a little give-away!

WootWoot!!!!!

Guess what else....my logo is finished!
I L.O.V.E. it! I can't say enough about Emily!

Check her out if you need some design work done! She's fabulous:)
Starling Memory

I am also working with her for other design work! Can't wait to see how everything looks when it's all pulled together! And yes....at some point you'll be going through another blog design change!
Change is good sometimes!

If you haven't stopped in my shop lately.........well then you might not know that I have completely switched directions! You won't find many beach inspired pieces but you'll find lots of Soulful...Inspired....Designs!

I just feel like doing a happy dance! It's so much easier to be inspired when you actually look at all the beauty sitting right before your eyes...rather than spend your time dreaming about things you don't have!

It just makes my heart and soul sing to create lovely rustic inspired pieces of jewelry!
And I love that I can inspire others through my designs with my little handwritten messages on many of the pieces:)

Are you inspired!!! :):)

Creativity is contagious.....pass it on.  Saw that quote somewhere and loved it:)

All along my heart has been telling me that I should just be happy right where I am!
Being Midwestern isn't all that bad! It's kind of nice actually:)
And there's all kinds of pretty loveliness right in my own backyard.

Might not be the ocean or the mountains....but it's what I have!

No matter who you are or where you live.....it's so important to just embrace who you are:)

I am learning to stop apologizing for myself.
I am a bit of a recluse
I like my wine {sometimes too much}
I love to have my hands dirty
I tend to be opininated
I demand my private time
I am not a big fan of TV but music makes my soul sing
I not a girly kind of girl
I'd roll around in bread and pizza if I could:)

and while I used to tell people...i'm sorry I just.....
Now I just leave out the i'm sorry part! Beacuse i'm not really sorry for who I am:)

And neither should you be

Alrighty then......

The winner will recieve one ring of their choice!!

Here are your choices:)

Pretty fun give-away, I think:)

To enter:)

• Stop in Simple Daisy and tell me your favorite piece and why {1 entry}

• "Like" Simple Daisy on Facebook

• Spread the word and tell me how you did:)

Up to 3 entries per person!!!

Contest will end 9/30/11

Winner will be announced on 10/1/11

Winner will be chosen via Random.org

Feel free to enjoy 20% off your entire purchase from now until 10/1/11

enter

MidwesternSpirit

when you check out:)

I think that covers it!!! Good luck and enjoy:):)
Have a happy, soulful, inspired week!!!!

{The Country Living Fair}

Well hello there:):)

How was your weekend!?!?!?
Guess where I went.....
Well ...ok...I guess you don't really have to guess....since I showed you in the photo above:)

I went to the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was awesome:)

There was so much creativity going on there I just couldn't believe my eyes!

My girlfriend and I went and let me just say.....we were walking around going bananas looking at everything!

If you get the chance to attend....GO!

And call me...i'll meet ya there:)

It was just so happy everywhere!
I really wanted to go just to see what's out there....
you know....see what people are doing and checking out to see if Simple Daisy might ever be a good fit as a vendor at the fair!
And I have to say....I think I would fit right in!

You know....it just feels so right that i've really started to embrace my Midwestern Spirit!
I feel more me...more real....more right where I need to be!

The fair was put together extremely well!

And even more than before...I really aspire to be in the magazine with my Simple Daisy jewelry or at the fair as a vendor! How amazing would that be!

And you know what.....maybe I really am starting to head in the right direction...

because while we were walking around the fair....

guess who I saw?!?!

Sarah Gray Miller.....the Editor in Chief of the magazine!

I knew it was her because I read every last page of that magazine every time it arrives in my mailbox and so I knew what she looked like!

My friend gave me the courage to walk up to her and introduce myself!

And I told her about Simple Daisy and gave her a card!

I think i'll follow up by sending her a special little piece of jewelry:)

Good idea, yes!?!?!?

How can you be turned down if you never try:)

Good things don't just magically happen....you have to get out there and make them happen for you:)

Never be afraid of following your dreams! What do you have to lose!

Anywho....I was just so happy and inspired to be there!
So much amazingness all in one place.
The next one is in Atlanta and i've already been checking flights to see about going:)
Probably won't happen...but if you get the chance to go....you should!

You know....I really believe you are who you surround yourself with!
And I sure feel blessed to have a very small handful of girlfriends that support me, motivate me and help me keep moving in the direction of my dreams!

My girlfriend even doused herself in her Simple Daisy jewels.....just in case we ran into anyone from the magazine!! And we did:)

Always surround yourself with people who lift you up....if they don't...move past them!

I have to say...what I enjoyed the most was the way everything was displayed! It was just amazing!

The whole day was spent ....
Oh my goodness....look at this...wow...
walking into each other....
and just plain saying how happy we were:)

And after the fair we treated ourselves to a fabulous wine and dinnertime in downtown Columbus, OH!
Now that's a midwestern town i'll be visiting again!

I had to just crack up at that photo above......just look at how short I am! I am barely above the table. haha:):)
We were trying to re-take the photo with me trying to sit up taller and just cracking up! I can't help it....i'm short:)

I love to know if you've been to the Country Living Fair before!?!?!?

Have a super fabulous and oh so happy week:)

"All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was.  I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory.  I was naïve.  I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.  It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with:  that I am nobody but myself."  ~Ralph Ellison, "Battle Royal"