The Lovely List
What says ‘lovely’ to you? Did you make a list? Write it out? Print it up?Create art out of it?
Did you put it up in a place where it can regularly inspire and
remind you of the lovely things in your life?
What is on your list?
(Check out Renee’s lovely list art collage!)
(Be sure to scroll down for next week’s challenge.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I’ve made a few lovely (or happy) lists over the years.My first was an on-going list in a journal.My second was in paint and covered a whole wall in my bedroom.
My third was written on an artist’s canvas and hung on my living room wall.
My fourth is now a collage of images that represent lovely to me(with a few corresponding words)printed in poster size and mounted on a large corkboard.
It’s resting on my mantel. I’ll post photos later today or tomorrow.
Did you know that Costco will now print 20″ x 30″ posters?For only $8.99?I upload my image file at costco.com and pick up my poster just a couple hours later.
(Do you have any idea how nice (and expensive)
it is to have a Costco only 2 miles from my house?)I made my collage and added text at picnik.com.The creative possibilities are endless.And at 8.99 and easily changed out on my bulletin board,
I’m going to be experimenting with photo posters often.
The picnik collage wasn’t a high resolution, so the large poster size turned out a bit pixelized,
but I wasn’t aiming for perfect. I was aiming for
‘just do it (without spending a fortune) and enjoy it.’
My single photo images are a higher resolution (even when I edit and add text at picnik)
so those posters turn out much clearer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This next week’s living. lovely. challenge:
Whenever I’m out and about, I find myself in my own little world.I’m thinking about the grocery list.I’m wondering what on earth I’m going to make for dinner.I’m trying to keep 3 little boys from running through a parking lot.I’m running on auto-pilot.
But sometimes, when I force myself to open my eyes and look around,
I see living, breathing, unique people. People who have lives of their own.
Their own thoughts, struggles, disappointments, worries,fears, hopes, plans, desires… I want to look them in the eye and give them a genuine smile. I acknowledge you.You are a real person who has value.All I have to give you is a kind smile,but I am happy to give it.
So when you are out and about this next week, I challenge you to brighten a stranger’s day with a smile.
Not a cursory half-hearted smile, but a true light-filled smile.
You might find that it brightens your day more than you expected,
and you will do it over and over again. It’s addicting and contageous.
Give it a try. Even if you think it’s silly. Really. Trust me on this one.
Need some encouragement or inspiration?
Read here.