Feeling lucky?

I think St. Patrick's Day is a fabulous holiday.  First, there is limited shopping.  No need to agonize over the perfect gift for your loved ones.  Next, there are limited preparations--no extensive baking, minimal decorations.  Finally, it is fun!  You mix up a few cocktails, toss on a green shirt, and you are set to go.  A day filled with all of the happiness and none of the stress--perfect.

In my neck of the woods, St. Patrick's Day marks the beginning of the hope that spring is on its way.  Our world switches from the grey of winter to the brown of visible and thawing grass.  Soon after the holiday, bits of green will start popping up in nature fulfilling the promise of a new season.

Not only does St. Patrick's Day bring happiness and hope, it allows everyone to claim the luck of the Irish for one day.  I love watching everyone wander around town wearing smiles and feeling lucky. I am a big believer in choosing happiness and find that counting the many ways I am lucky is a great way to keep my spirits up. 

St. Patrick's Day usually falls in the middle of my spring break at work.  It is usually too early to spend much time outside, but I tackle the spring cleaning with a vengeance.  After the house is clean, I change out decor items for the upcoming warmer seasons.  I replace warm browns and golds with bright greens and crisp whites.  I love that color combination--it just screams fresh and clean to me.  One of my favorite household items is my spring comforter in bright white with a green embroidered fern border.  It is simply fabulous.

During a recent blizzard here in Chicagoland, I spent a happy weekend scrapping spring and summer pictures.  I chose to focus on happiness, hope, and luck.  I also chose to use lots of green and white.  The snow may have raged outside, but in my scrapping room, it was St. Patrick's Day in spirit.

May your March be happy, hopeful, and lucky!

Boy Thoughts by Dora Phillips

Supplies: Paper: Crate Paper, Cardstock: Bazzil Basics Paper, Alphabet: American Crafts, My Little Shoebox, Font: Typewriter Time, Die Cuts: Crate Paper, Bracket: Pink Paislee, Markers: Copic, Other: thread.  Tools:  Sewing Machine: Brother, Punch: Fiskars.

Design Notes: Try using a part of your journaling as the title.  Just enlarge a couple of words using a bigger font or another title medium.

Journaling: What are you doing, Zack?  Swinging and thinking, Mom.  They go good together.  Oh.  What are you thinking about?  Things.  I have a bunch of things in my head.  You would not understand.  Why not?  I am a good thinker.  Because you have girl thoughts.  Mine are boy thoughts.  Totally not the same thing.