Sara's Blog

Lately I feel like I’ve been tethered to this computer…we have lots of big projects going on! So today, I decided to take a little field trip around my apartment and jot down things that make me happy.

(Can you tell I am desperate for spring??)

Getting back into the creative groove
I did Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way a few years ago…but recently felt in need of a creative boost, so I started it over again last week. Every morning I write my Morning Pages and each week I have an Artist Date with myself. (Last week my inner artist and I went to the Rijksmuseum to see the Vermeer on loan from Washington, DC. Inner Artist Sara was thrilled; Practical Sara was thrilled to beat the tourist crowds.)

Chocolate covered stroopwafels
These. Are. Amazing. Even better (or worse?) they’re just a few euros at my local grocery store. How many calories do you burn while typing? Never mind, they still make me happy.

Church bells. I live around the corner from the Westerkerk, where the bells toll every hour. Usually I’m too busy to pay much attention, but every now and then, the bells toll longer than usual. Like…a lot longer than usual. Last week they started chiming at 6:30 in the evening and kept playing for 10 minutes!

Spring flowers
Believe it or not, this cheery yellow flower was planted and nurtured by moi—otherwise known as The Brown Thumb (or Plant Murderer). Even better, I have three little pots of them blooming on my balcony.

The mailman. Every afternoon around two, the mailman comes by on his bike and he’s always singing…loud enough for me to hear him in our third-floor apartment! It makes me smile as I’m typing to hear “La de da dah, la de da DAH” as he makes his way down the street. It’s even better when he’s bringing me things like…

…a card from my mom!
Well, really…what could make me happier? Thanks, Mom—I still think you should send them in to a magazine!

Dutch skies
Okay, you have to look pretty hard this morning but the sky is blue-ish. Dutch skies are so dramatic—the wind pushes the clouds really quickly, so the light is constantly shifting and changing from light to dark, and from gray to blue to pink to purple. It’s a fantastic sight…one that makes me remember I’m living under Rembrandt’s sky.

Projects in progress
My little tag-nets (tags, with magnets…get it?) are coming right along. I love having a project in progress. Still a few more to do, and a few adjustments to make (I’m not entirely thrilled with the purple one) but they’re great fun to make and quick enough that I can do one each evening. (And a good way to use up those paper scraps!)

This guy
Well, this morning wasn’t the time to photograph Mr. “I Hate to Have My Photo Taken” Naumann, so I’ll use a pic from sunnier times in Tel Aviv. He’s definitely the one who makes my day happy!

PS. Mark your calendar for April 1…one of the (work) projects I’m feverishly planning is the debut of our Paper Wishes Message Board. Hope to see you there!