I have a weakness for really dark chocolate, Dove to be specific. Today the saying on the inside of my Dove chocolate says: "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." I like this a lot. It's also reminds me of what my Grandma MeeMee used to say, "the more happiness you give away to others, the more you have left for yourself", and also that quote by Henry David Thoreau:

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favour in a more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings. In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” I love all of these. They express what this blog is to me: I am sifting out what is good and cheerful and hopeful in my own life each week, and focusing only on those things. Like the Bible verse Phillipians 4:8, Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Here is a cheerful face. Robin sometimes will sit down and draw out hundreds of these fun faces, one right after another, all different. I love to look at them. Here are a few examples:

Here is the artist at work:

She also did some painting this week, two kinds. Art work:

and wall painting. Our kitchen is now the lovely color of Dove dark chocolate! Behr paint called Moose Trails.

Yum.

I have also been painting in Pemberly (my room) my desk and CD rack - but I'm not finished yet. I go more slowly. I will post photos when I am finished. I do want to share a little old fashioned keepsake I have. I have always loved certain women's magazines, but now I pretty much read just blogs. There are so many wonderful ones to read! However, this magazine is one I plan on keeping, it is a copy of the Ladies Home Journal, from August 1912. Exactly 100 years old this month! I love the cover. It is really lovely, and makes me want to go canoeing some day with Robin.

It includes a story serial : Daddy Long Legs. Maybe you have read the book or seen the movie. There are also many photos of needlework and making lingere that are lovely. I love old fashioned clothes. I used to be a costumer and tailor. I have made many historical and theatrical items. It has been quite awhile now, maybe I am due to attempt something new. I would love to make myself something from the 1820's. For Robin's confirmation a couple of years ago we wanted something special, so we browsed online for an idea for a starting point, which led us to this museum photo (sorry I didn't keep the link).

We knew we wanted the basic dress, empire waist, ribbon at waist, 3/4 sleeve and at least a tea length. Oh, and the blue of course. We found fabric in blue and a white organza over layer, which we later decided was too fussy for Confirmation. I also found a really lovely pattern at Sense and Sensibility - here it is: