my son and I work most days on his penmanship...he chooses inspirational quotes to write and we then look them up to find out who these authors are and when they lived.  recently...i have found it truly amazing that Marcus Aurelius rings true in his words today as he did in 161 ad...

        "Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking".  Marcus Aurelius

    

Happiness

when my tiny shop world gets happy feedback.....my heart fills with gratitude....and you know how the feeling of gratitude is such a beautiful gift.  Does gratitude make one feel happiness or does happiness make one feel gratitude?  So tangled are these rewards:). 

my paper cutter and i worked recently on repurposing some pure paper packaging from a couple of rifle paper co. orders this holiday season.  most of my packaging supplies for my etsy shop come from repurposed places:) imagine my delight opening a a box full of repurposing possibility. 

anna bond of rifle paper co. illustrated the book covers and end papers of some famous classics. i wanted them all but this copy came for my daughter for christmas who collects versions of "little women".

i love how soft and friendly all looks in her world.

it is beginning...that little glimmer of creative hope that happens in mid winter of returning light and creative twinklings.  i always worry of myself in late fall and early winter that i am falling out of love with my creative world.

pictured are the sparks...our handmade, double sided, merino felts from my daughter's shop bodkin and co. and some templates for what they may be wandering into, as well as velvet wrapped crown forms.  materials, delicious to me, are again igniting my world with wonderings.