Sweet Summertime

Working in a school has definitely had its ups and downs for me...I quit teaching because it got to be too exhausting because of having lupus.  So now just working part-time in the school library still gives me summers off - that's one of the major positives of working in education.  I truly thank God every day in the summer for having the opportunity to be home with Bella and to relax and try to restore my heath.  

Having a chronic illness has taught me that such simple things make the days so sweet.   I'm also learning that things I create with my own hands, things not perfect are also so sweet.  I do love documenting those sweet moments with my camera phone, especially instagram. I know some people say you're missing out on life if you're constantly behind a camera, but I wouldn't say I'm constantly behind a camera - I just sometimes feel such beauty that I can't let it pass me by without snapping a forever picture of it.

The simplicity of fresh-grown mint in a sweet jelly jar, next to a shell perched on the wooden window of my sunroom.

Clouds...I don't even need to say more...I'm a daydreamer and noticing the sky shows me how beautiful life is even when it can be rough as well...

Taking time to just "be" and relishing the shade after a refreshing swim, being barefoot, drinking fresh water with a slice of lemon...

Years ago, I probably wouldn't even take a picture with my feet in it...you know long toes, bunions, but I am now so grateful that I still have these toes, these feet that have both had surgery and are full of scars because they are still getting me places, still letting me walk on the green grass that I so love.

Whether you work all day in the summer, work from home, maybe even create art and life from home, what do you find sweet about summertime? I'd love to hear and be inspired by some of what makes you sigh with happiness at this time of year.

Sweet Summertime - ATC Swap

Last year about this time if I saw the letters ATC I had no idea what they meant.  No clue.  Well, now they have been part of my life and my vocabulary for over 6 months I think.  An amazing group of artists whom I now call friends and I pick a theme each month and create little ATC's or artist trading cards and swap them with each other. Here are the four I created for the month of May "May flowers."  We typically create three to be traded and one extra for the sweet hostess.

Here are just a few from some past swaps that I've received from these friends from around the whole country.  They are sweet, inspirational and full of the heart of the person who made them - it's nice to have little keepsakes from these people who share a love of creating with me.

For July I'm the hostess and I picked the theme "sweet summertime" - I just love how those two words go together.  They make me think of lazy afternoons reading in a hammock under a shade tree...humid nights sitting outside in the dark watching the fireflies and the full moon...juicy watermelon...splashing in a pool...ice cold lemonade out on the patio...hearing the cicadas buzzing in the afternoon heat.  What is something that makes summer sweet to you?

I hope you're finding little ways to enjoy this season and have a sweet summertime too.