{winter happiness}

Hello there.
How are you on this fine Monday!?!?
Me....let's see....I am SO SORE from a new workout class I did at the gym this weekend. I haven't been that sore EVER from a workout....so I can't wait until this Saturday to take the class again!!
You know how I feel about working out...VERY IMPORTANT....and I love when I try something new and it's super challenging!

Oh and....I know from my last post that I received some comments that I might be getting ready to open my shop soon.....nope...I wish...but still nope!

Instead...I have decided to really look at Simple Daisy and all that I create here with a more positive light! I am instead going to focus more on getting my name out there {so I might be contacting some of you lovely bloggers to advertise and to do Simple Daisy give-aways} and slowly building Simple Daisy....the online beachy happy inspired shop and blog!!! I am even thinking of opening spots for advertising here...not sure how I feel about that yet though.

Yes...no!?!?!?

You know how I feel....happiness is 100% in the right here and now! and so I am going to spend a little more time appreciating what i've already got going on here and building from there.

Advice always appreciated:):)

Can you believe I just snapped a random photo {thought I saw a Bald Eagle and wanted to zoom in on it} and got this lovely photo!? I think it resembles a heart!!! LOVE.....yes....have love and happiness in your heart!

and always take the time to just open your eyes to the world around you.....you'll be amazed at what you see!

Did I tell you we were going to the Reindog Parade in St. Joe, MI this weekend!?!? If you live nearby ...it's a must see!

Dogs dress up like reindeer or whatever and parade down the main street in St. Joe.

{ps. meant to say people....oops}


I think it's so fun to just get out there and experience all sorts of fun things....even in the wintertime. Plus I love dogs so it's a win..win...

How could you not be happy looking at all those festive dogs! Just puts me right in the holiday spirit!

And do you notice....Ruby is never still! She is so full of energy and with the cold temps I haven't been able to run her:(
She has become quite my running partner....she was up to 4 miles before the temps turned to cold for me to run outside.
See all the snow we're getting here right now {I just snapped those photos today}...but i'm not going to let it get me down.
 Sometimes you just have to find happiness wherever you are!

I would most definitely be a weeeee bit happier sipping chilled cocktails on the beach....but i'm not! and my gramps always taught me one thing {well really one thing among many things} that people just don't like to be around complainers! So i've really been trying to focus on the positive things about winter! and fuzzy boots and hot cocoas are two very positive things:):)

and people sure do like her:)



Well by now you know that nothing I do ..... goes without a little lunch and cocktails!!!
So we made our way down to a litle pizza place on the beach....

Just look at the ice on those beers! That's something to be happy about....if you're a beer drinker!

I'm usually more of a wine girl myself....but I did have to try a little ice cold beer! Why not, right!!?!?

May not be summertime bliss....but it's still bliss!!
To live a life that makes me happy.....is bliss to me:):)

And you know what else is even more blissful.....making each and every one of you feel happy/inspired/motivated every time you stop by! I am so thankful to you for your support and kind words on my little happy space:)

~Cheers to a happy inspired life:).....even in the winter!

Finding happiness is like finding yourself. You don't find happiness, you make happiness. You choose happiness. Self-actualization is a process of discovering who you are, who you want to be and paving the way to happiness by doing what brings YOU the most meaning and contentment to your life over the long run.  David Leonhardt

{Driftwood Craft & A Creative Life}

Hi!
Happy FRIDAY!
Sure hope you had a nice week.
I know i've  been having a fantastic week....creating the days away, that is!!
The Simple Daisy custom stamped jewelry has been doing well!!! Yippee!
Glad you like it....if you have any ideas you'd like to share...well i'd like to hear them:)


Guess...what....I can't enough of simple little driftwood crafts!
I don't know...it sort of makes me feel like winter might not really be happening!

When I work with driftwood....I get to feel the sand in my hands and that makes me HAPPY:)

Here's my latest creation......

Doesn't really get any easier!
Find a fabulous piece of driftwood...
Drill holes in it {tiny holes I might add}
Use some 16 guage wire from the hardware store
Form circles at the top to hold photos or whatever you'd like
and stick the straight end of the wire into the driftwood.
EASY!

I think this would be a PERFECT gift!

I also stamped some cute christmas images on to paper from $1.00 rubber stamps from Michaels!
Just wait until you see the ornaments I am making with those stamps! I am so excited I just can't wait! {Sure hope they turn out.}

You know, I wish I had more hours in the day...
work out...drink wine....create happy things that make others happy...drink more wine...create more happy things...share them with you....YEP...now THAT would be a very happy life:):)

OK...back to the driftwood.

You could use these driftwood holders to hold photos or whatever you like:)

I just love them!
And here's what I did with them...on the shelf that I use to photograph everything from in the winter:)
It's the only place that gets even a tiny bit of winter light....

You could spruce up a cute little shelf with glass floats {courtesy of Glass Float Junkie}, driftwood picture olders, a lantern and a shell sign {courtesy of Simple Daisy}! A little bit holidayish...but not too much:) What do you think!?!??

Simple....that really is what Simple Daisy is all about!
Living a simple and happy life:)

And I know i've shown you my studio before....
but never with the twinkle lights added!
I love it.
It's my winter happy space!
I just close the shades....light the candles...pour a glass of vino....turn on the french cafe music on pandora....and get busy creating the night away.

I wish it were big enough to hold classes.
Now THAT would be fun!
We could all get together to make happy inspired things!

You know what else...
If you haven't noticed..
I have decided that this winter....
I will be happy.
And I will get busy living the life I imagine ...right here and NOW:)
I am not going to let ol' man winter get me down this year:)

{oh...yes...I did cute my hair super short again.....makes me super happy to have short hair! Who am I kidding trying to grow it out!}
Short hair is me....I am learning to accept me:)

And....If I might share.....
Part of being you....knowing you...accepting you is JOURNALING!

Journaling is such an important part of my life.
I love to go back years...to see where I was...how i've grown...who I AM.

Life is a journey and we should all appreciate each and every piece of it.
Even when you're not exactly where you want to be.....you can LEARN something from right where you are that can never be taken away.

{oops...should have said....create and most......sorry about the typos from time to time...I can either be creative or analytical...not both!}
Hope you appreciate the creative me:)

yes....we are ALL inspired from one another....but there is nothing like being YOU....
The more you are you....the more you can truly know where you are meant to go!
Your journey is all your own.

With each passing day, I am learning more and more about ME and hope that you are doing the same for YOU!

Thanks for being such an important piece of my journey:):)

Oh and before I forget...

the winner of the give-away is.....

{according to random.org}

Jessica of So i'm a Little Nuts!

I am so happy for her:)

I love her blog...she truly writes about what many of us may feel on a daily basis but never discuss.

I applaud her for being so open and honest on her blog. She, like many of us, is just trying to figure it all out!

I say.....maybe we're NOT supposed to! Maybe we really are supposed to just enjoy the ride!!!

~Here's to the ride!

Finish each day and be done with it.

You have done what you could.

some blunders and absurdities have crept in;

forget them as soon as you can.

Tomorrow is a new day.

You shall begin it serenly and with too high

a spirit to be encumbered with your

old nonsense.

~Emerson

{collecting driftwood}

Hello and Happy Monday to you:)


You know that saying....if you do what you love then you'll never work a day in your life!?!?!?
Well...that is exaclty how I feel about Simple Daisy.
I spent most of the long weekend working away ...collecting driftwood,blogging { don't forget to enter my give-away}  making fresh little pretties and packaging up some of the orders i've recently gotten.
And you know what....I enjoyed every minute of it!
I just keep plugging away and working towards my goals!!!  And I couldn't be happier if I tried!

Funny how I can spend 8 hours making jewelry, photographing it, listing it and not one minute of it feels like work!

I did head up to the beach this weekend to collect lots of driftwood for my projects! It was freezing cold and I was just so lucky my husband was willing to come along to take some photographs.

My fingers were so frozen it took 15 minutes for them just to warm up.
But that's how I roll....
I am completely free spirited and will to do just about anything for happiness!
And you know what.....even though I was freezing....it was invigorating to be on the beach in the freezing cold!

Sometimes you just have to do something crazy to feel truly alive:)

And those cute little driftwood jewelry stands should be listed in my shop very shortly!!!!!

Yep....free spirited....that's how I would describe me!
I am just so happy doing crazy things that most people would never attempt! But you probably already figured that out, huh!?!?


Oh and I am loving making all the stamped jewelry!! I sold three of those pretty little stamped necklaces this weekend! Makes me so happy:)
One of these days....I will be pursuing creativity full time....I just know it:):)
Do what you love and the rest will follow......

My only problem is....I am TERRIBLY unorganized.
I couldn't organize something if I tried. Ok...I can organize... but then I get rolling creating and things just fly everywhere!
Great for being passionate about living a creative life......
Not so great when you have your heart set on owning your own business!!!

Owell....I'll just keep talking small steps and learning along that way! That's really all you can do in life, right!!
Live a life that makes YOU happy and learn along the way.......

Oh and check out this guy we saw....

How's that for CRAZY! It was so COLD out....just bitterly cold! But clearly.....he's free spirited and doind exaclty what makes him happy. I admire that!

After all that freezing cold...
We had to make a stop at the Stray Dog and have........nope not wine this time....Blue Moon Beer for me:):)

I know...dorky picture...but it's real!!!

and

I love that my friends and my husband completely support me and my free spiritedness!!!
I say...you are who you surround yourself with...so you better really think about the people that you spend your time with.

Cold but still pretty! Next time...I need to gather a ton of beach rocks...I have some ideas up my sleeve:)

I think I just need 10 more hours in my day!

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else."

Erma Bombeck

{Simple Daisy Give-away}

Good Morning!!
Happy Thanksgiving:)

I know I am taking a moment of reflection this morning to be thankful for who I am and the life I live!
I am also thinking about how thankful I am to have lovely friends in my life who support me in all of my crazy antics:)
I like to think......Every day is one day closer towards my dreams coming true and accomplishing my goals! And you!?!?!?

You know, it was a really tough week at work .... the kind of week that just leaves you feeling...well....deflated! You know the feeling!?!?!
but instead of wallowing in self pity...I decided to choose to be happy!
Sometimes that's all you can do and you always have to remember that happiness truly is a choice nothing can take away from you! We can always choose happiness!!!!

 And because I am also so thankful for all of you!! I decided to do a Thanksgiving giveaway!
It's my little way of reminding you to always look at the bright side of life and appreciate all that you have and the person that YOU are:):):)

ps...I tried for about 2 hours this am to add one of those boxes on here so that you could link this to your blog! I gave up & i'm usually pretty good at html code! It's Thanksgiving after all & I don't really feel like stressing myself out:) Sorry!
 

I think it's a pretty good give-away with a couple of fun goodies!

I even partnered with another lovely etsy seller, Nicole of Left Beach Photos!
She sells the most lovely personalized beach message photos! I love them and hope that you do too:)
And plus it's just nice to support one another!

This give-away will include a sweet little handmade magnetic starfish, a polymer clay butterfly magnet, a Simple Daisy necklace and a lovely 8 x 10 photo from Left Beach Photos! PS...she let me choose the saying!! I think it's very Simple Daisy-ish!!!
Sound Good!!!

To enter:
*head over to Left Beach Photos and tell me what saying you would choose for your photo {that's 1 entry}

*head over to Simple Daisy and tell me what you would like to see more of or what i'm already doing well{that's 1 entry}

*tweet, facebook or include this give-away on your blog and let me know you did {that's 1 entry}

this give-away will end...... Thursday at midnight 12/2/10

Oh and the winner will be chosen using random.org!

******YIPPPEE******
Good luck and I hope you love this give-away~

PS.....for this week I am offering a 15% discount on all
of the fresh little pretties in my shop.....
Good luck to you!!!!!Just leave a note that you read my blog in the notes to seller box when you check out and I will refund you through Paypal. This discount will be good until December 3rd 2010!!

and my all time favorite quote....the one that hangs on my refrigerator so that I can refer to it whenever I need it:):)

 

"You can't change anything anybody else in the world does.
You can't control what they do but you can control how you react to it....whether you allow it to drive you crazy, or occupy all of your thoughts, or whether you note what they're doing, consider it, and make a conscious decision as to how much you'll let it affect you."
Jennifer Weiner　

{driftwood jewelry stands}

Hello!
Have I told you lately just how much I appreciate you stopping by to leave me happy little comments!
Well I sure do appreciate it:)
You are what is going to help me stay positive this winter.

Smile...yes Smile.

The weather has taken a turn for the worse.

I want to rip my hair out....but instead I decided to get busy and create some fresh new pretties for Simple Daisy! 

Yes...someday....I do hope to do something creative full time! It just makes me so darn happy! and I hope my creations make you happy too:)

I have been so intimidated by stamping. But i'm glad I gave it a whirl!
I think these pretty little necklaces are my new favorite things! I love them:)

Dreamin' of the sea yet!?!? I know I am....but guess what....

that's not even the sea! It's beautiful Lake Michigan! Looks pretty, huh!?!?!

Even though it's not exactly the sea it still makes me pretty happy! Especially in the summertime.

Guess what else I made that I thought you would like!?!?!

Driftwood Jewely Stands!!

I love them too:)

I think I just can't let summer go....that's why I am happily creating everything out of driftwood! Good thing I collected a ton this summer!

ps....don't be harsh with your photo judgements! It was so grey today....I took everything outside just to get even a bit of natural light and no....I didn't iron the fabric! Should have huh!?!?!

So easy to make!
Maybe I should sell them in my shop!!!!!!
I am sure some of you might not have access to driftwood.

What do you think!?!?! I think they would make super cute gifts!

Hey....i'm having a big Christmas party soon and I know I wouldn't be sad if you showed up at my home with one of these in hand!!!

A winter storm is on it's way for the weekend....but I wonder if I could beg my husband to head up to the beach so I could do a little more collecting!!!!!

ps....feel free to take a peek at my shop!!! I've been working hard on adding lots of fresh new pretties!! I think they would all make perfect gifts for all your beachy girlfriends!!
And guess what.....I am working on my first custom order for a bridal party!! Yep...she's getting married on the beach and I am so happy that she chose Simple Daisy for her bridal jewelry!!!
YEAH!

Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal. Pamela Vaull Starr

{dreams}

If I could have any vehicle in the world it would be this..... or this...
How perfect would it be to drive around an aqua blue vintage bronco?!?!? Why does my husband have to think this is SOOO impractical?!?!?

I could take it here...

or here...or maybe even here..OK...not really but it would be soooo fun!! :)

If I can't have a vintage vehicle then here's my other choice...

So darn cute!! I used to have one and I LOVED it!! I have no doubt i'll have another one SOMEDAY!! It probably is a little more practical than a vintage bronco!! But then I have NEVER been accused of being practical:)

For now i'll stick with what i've got....

No this one is NOT actually my 4 runner! Mine is in the shop....because in my excitement from the awesome weather this weekend....I rear-ended someone...OOPS!!

Even though it's not vintage...I like to think it says....i'm active and NOT afraid to get dirty!! Oh and I should add that mine has a bike rack on top (hence the active part)!!

What does your vehicle say about you?!!? Does is say anything at all?!?!

{click on the photos for the links}

"Follow your heart
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your Intuition
It's easy to find
Just follow your heart" Jewel