Growing up in California definitely had it's perks...namely, NO SNOW. But you have to have seasons, right? WRONG! I lived most of my life perfectly happy without them. Sunshine is never boring in my book. And so it is, that right about this time every year I hit the winter wall. It hasn't even been bad in Utah this year and I'm still over it! That's how much of a wimp I am. I'm always freezing. (I hate layering and wearing socks) Everything else is frozen. (I refuse to go for a walk if I come back colder than I was when I left) There's no color anywhere. This week, instead of feeding my depression, I thought I would share a few of my favorite things that have inspired me lately and are helping me get through these last few weeks (hopefully!) of winter. (You will soon see the products that came from these inspirations too!)

My very favorite: Sunshine, and lots of it

Grass, preferably freshly mowed

Sailing

Water in general...pools, beaches, running through the sprinklers

Strawberries

Camping

Also, I want to thank my friend Renee for spotlighting me on her blog last week. Her site is one I check often because she has a great eye and excellent taste! I love seeing what she's going to post next. Be sure to check it out here.

Don't forget this month's giveaway ends on Thursday at midnight! Get your comment in and win a FREE necklace! See you Wednesday for another Spotlight!

Pickles and the Art Deco District

I am the very first to admit that my inspiration for things can, at times, stem from very unusual places. I can look at a person, or a plant, or a magazine cover, or even in my fridge and something will spark something else in my head that eventually turns into something spectacular. It's a long line of thoughts...probably more like a web of thoughts (THAT'S why they call it that!)...that if someone were to try to follow they would just end up stuck and SO confused.
PERFECT example: Back in 8th grade, I had this crazy writing final and I was completely stuck on one of the assignments. My teacher had given us at least ten different writing styles that we had to emulate and for some strange reason, my brain train had derailed at RHYME. Really? Rhyme? I spent daaaaaays trying to find inspiration from somewhere, something, anything, to get me going on a sweet rhyme and I was completely and utterly stumped. Then, in a moment of what I like to think of as Divine inspiration, it came to me. I was in the fridge looking for a snack and I saw a giant jar of whole pickles. I love pickles. I used to eat them far too frequently. They're big and sour and dilly...I could go on. I would write a poem-a RHYMING poem-about pickles. Here's the only part that I can remember...it was like a page long and you would've loved it, but this is all I've got:

Pickles

My dad gave me a pickle when I was only three

He thought I would not eat it, but soon I made him see

The only way to wake me up or make me do my chores

Was to bribe me with a pickle from that day forevermore!

Needless to say, the poem was a hit, and the entire class laughed out loud with me when I read it as my personal favorite choice. Last week, I had one of these moments. I was holding a strand of octagonal jade beads, trying to figure out what I was going to make with them. Then I thought about my favorite vacation spot. Next was a certain city I had traveled to while on vacation in my favorite place. Which led to one of my favorite types of architecture. Which led me back to the beads I was holding in my hands. And there you have it. The explanation to what you thought was a very random picture at the beginning of this post. Check back Wednesday to see the final result!

**Remember, you have until the 28th to enter to win the Magnolia and Arlington necklace that is this months giveaway!**