Things that make me .....

I finished my word quilt this past weekend!!!

The blue fabric is hand dyed fabric in my stash 

and the background fabric is snow dyed fabric

 I created when we had snow last winter!

This winter I haven't been able to snow dye...

I played a lot with free motion quilting...

it's always easy to experiment on small projects.

The binding is some of the hand dyed fabric

 on which I had stenciled

with iridescent fabric paint... 

I am happy to have finished this word quilt

but it is a little more monochromatic than I am used to creating

so it may need some embellishing...

not sure yet.

This past week was 'winter break' in New York State schools.

Not really in need of a break from winter 

but Sugarbaby and I made our way down south to warmer and sunnier Florida

for a little R & R...

I always find plenty of inspiration in the little things...

flowers...

leaves...

raindrops...

seashells...

ocean waves...

French desserts...

and sunsets...

Feeling happy!

Happily resolved....

I have several projects going on right now

but it's never too late to start another!!!!

(right?!)

My friend and I are now into our second month of 

The Happiness Project!

The first month went very quickly since we started a little late.

The chapter for February is a great chapter for everyone!!!!

(no matter what kind of a relationship you are in or are working on)

So I came up with some new "resolutions", 

as Gretchen (can we be on a first name basis by chapter 2?) 

calls them...

One of my resolutions this year 

is to practice meditation daily

so I treated myself to a mediation cushion!!!!

and while I work on the second month of "One Little Word" 

with Ali Edwards

I have added this resolution to my one goal to practice this month...

feeling pretty happy :-)

Happily getting it together....

Back to reality...

vacation is over....

the kids have convalesced...

I started my weekend with a visit to our local art museum

for a reception 

where I viewed some signed prints from the Norman Rockwell Museum

 (which is actually not too far from here)

and the opening of a wonderful photography exhibit.

Art feeds my soul
and that makes me happy!

Earlier this month,

I embarked on several projects

(just in case I didn't have enough going on!)

to embrace my word of the year....

Happy

This is my first time taking Ali Edwards' One Word class...

I spent a little bit of time filling out the various parts of this month's prompts.

It took some time to really hone in on what my intentions are

and 

decide how I hope to integrate "happy" into my life,

but it helped to clarify a lot. 

Ali's project is a good way for me to combine my love of journaling

and my need to revisit my plan for this year 

over and over

in a beautiful medium.

My other big project this year is 

Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project...

In her introduction,

the author develops Twelve Commandments...

I have come up with 9 

(so far!)

some of which I have borrowed from her...

like Let it go (huge for me!!!) and Enjoy the process

but I added a few of my own

especially,

Enjoy this moment.

I need to get out of my head and just live in the present. 

Each chapter of the book focuses on an area of Ms Rubin's life

that she wants to address in her happiness project.

In Chapter 1, January,

she focuses on beginning to declutter her physical space

 as well as starting to address her desire for more energy.

I did a lot of decluttering this fall

in an effort to relocate..

and while I still need to pay attention 

to my tendency to be a "pile-er" (my mom's name for my habit),

I don't want that to be the only focus for what's left of this month.

So I added a couple of her January "resolutions"

to my chart

along with some of my own...

I am not sure how I will work going forward...

within her monthly themes or some other way.

If any of you have also started a Happiness Project 

or have embarked on a similar journey in the past,

I would love to hear about it.

My "friend" who is joining me on this journey 

is even further behind than me!!

and it is only January :-)

At the top of each resolution chart,

Ms. Rubin posts a quote.

I browsed the world wide web for a quote

that is more reflective of the beginning of my journey
and found this on Pinterest..

I still have a lot to learn

but I am happy to be here.

Happiness is....

sporting a pair of socks with artist, Frieda Kahlo....

and 

happiness is....

a pedicure with bright pink polish....

Happy

Even though I explored other words 

for that word of 2016,

I realized that all those other words

(compassion, present, mindful, create....)

lead to my being happy...

So, Happy it is!!!

As I began a bit of exploration into what it might mean to me to be truly happy,

I found this on the Live Life Happy website

words to embrace, for sure.

The day after the race I ran on December 31st,

I got the results of my run.

Now I did this run as a challenge

and to keep my running,

with no expectations...

but the results of my run

surprised even me...

By the way, when I signed in on race night,

the woman at the table questioned me "53?"

WHAT????

Was I supposed to remember my bib number??

So I blabbered my way through

LOL

and then after I realized, 

that was my age!!!!

So there is my age 

front and center!!

Anyway...

out of 1380 runners who finished this race, 

I actually placed in the top half!!!

Out of 726 women running,

in the top half!!!

and

In my age category (50-59),

I placed in the top quarter!!!

Not bad...

and yet, another reason to just be happy!!!

My word of the year is...

Of course, I am dating myself...

but writing this blog post reminded me of the 

game show Password with Allen Ludden

where you would hear them whisper to the tv audience...

"The Password is...."

Around this time of year,

many people are scrambling to make resolutions

and promises to themselves.

I have never waited for the start of a new year 

to start something new

but I have been thinking lately about trying to come up with

 a word for the 2016

something that I could use as a sort of mantra for every day...

Some of the words I have been considering

 have included

compassion,

let go,

and

present/mindful

Without going into details,

2015 threw me a huge sucker punch

and I am slowly getting back up on my feet.

Recently, I heard someone say 

that every experience that you have,

good or bad, 

is a way to learn.

I now have this taped to my mirror...

I have learned a lot this past year...

good and bad...

and for that I am grateful.

Then other day while watching an interview 

with Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project

I decided that I would start my own happiness project 

this coming year 

(which is almost here!).

I have ordered the book and even recruited someone dear to me

to get involved so we can hold each other accountable.

If you want to join in, 

let me know!

And then today....

taking a break from some work this afternoon,

I spotted a link on Facebook

to give me my word for 2016...

and I thought,

why not?!

It must be fate...

My word for 2016 is

Happiness!!!

In the past, Victoria has posted people's renditions of their 

word of the year in fabric on her blog.

Not sure if she will do the same this year,

but I plan to make mine soon.

Hope you will join me!!!