Bright Like Sunshine

Here’s my take on FTL 82 as featured on the Clean & Simple Stamping blog. This card features all kinds of favorites. First, I love this fun stamp set. Secondly, this – Holiday Red, Dutch Blue, Topiary, and Sunflower – is one of my favorite color combinations. It’s happy! Finally, this versatile sketch could easily become a favorite.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Dutch Blue, and Holiday Red cardstock; Dutch Blue, Holiday Red, Sunflower, and Topiary ink pads; Close To My Heart One of a Kind stamp set; Ribbon from Wal-Mart; EK Success corner rounder (used to cut the scallops)

A little stamping session was just what I needed last night. When I’m making a mess card, the rest of the world just kind of melts away. And while life is good at the moment, I can’t help but recall how therapeutic this hobby has been when things haven’t been so good. I think I’ve recognized the value of hobbies my whole life and to back myself up, I found an article about the benefits of hobbies here. The following is an excerpt:

Psychologist Michael Brickey, Ph.D., is the author of the book “Defy Aging.” His focus is on helping people stay physically and mentally active so they can enjoy their later years. Dr. Brickey says hobbies help by reducing stress and providing a sense of accomplishment.

"Hobbies can be thought of on three levels," Dr. Brickey says. "The first is as a diversion. Hobbies help us pass the time. The second is as a passion. When a hobby becomes a passion, we become truly engaged in doing something we love. It not only helps us pass time, it makes us unaware that time is passing. The third level is as something that creates a sense of purpose. We all need that." The ideal hobby, he says, combines all three levels.

"Hobbies can become so important, especially if they are a way to connect with others, that they become part of who we are," Dr. Brickey adds.

It sounds like our little obsession passion is healthy, doesn’t it? Preventive medicine. That’s what I’m going to tell Husband the next time I warn tell him the UPS man person is coming. LOL.

I made the card and drafted my post thus far last night – before I started coughing my fool head off and my chest started to hurt. It was a rough night, and I didn’t go to work today. Leave it to me to wait until the weather gets nice to get sick. I’m drinking lots of fluids and taking extra Vitamin C. It’s just a cold. Nevertheless, I am quite miserable this evening and am on my way back to bed.

I hope your week is going great. Hope, too, to talk to you again tomorrow night. ‘Til then, take care, and thank you for taking the time to stop by. Later…