On the podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour, they always end with a segment called "What's Making Me Happy." The hosts share things from pop culture that other people might enjoy. It's inspired me to write this occasional feature on my blog.
Here are a few of my favorite things lately:
Jetstream Uni-Ball Pens
I am very particular about my pens. I bought these on the basis of a blog post titled "The Best Pen." I ordered a set from Amazon. They're a little bit too much like a ballpoint pen for my taste, but they don't smear like the gel pens I prefer. (Also, they're blue on the outside even though they have black ink inside, which just messes me up.) For my shop, I write notes on gift enclosure cards if the package is a gift and it's always annoying when I mess one up and have to start over. The real pleasure for me was finding that there are people so devoted to pens that they write entire blogs about them!
Meet Me at The Emotional Baggage Claim by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Seritella
This book features essays from a mother-and-daughter team. You might recognize the mother's name. She's a New York Times bestselling mystery writer. The essays on mother-daughter relationships, dating, dogs, moving, and other topics are light and funny. If you're a jewelry designer, you might appreciate the one titled "Girl with the Pearl Earring" which is about the contents of Lisa's jewelry box. The best thing about this book is realizing that there are four other books in the series, so there's more to go back and enjoy.
Tiny Owl Charms
These owls were smaller than I expected (12x4mm). They have so much detail, which is unusual in a charm this small. I bought them from MK Beads, which often carries beading supplies that I don't see everywhere else. I had fun layering them with some hand stamped and hammered discs.
Revampt Goods
I took a Friday off and visited Revampt in Denver, Colorado. This store is full of all sorts of creatively repurposed items: jewelry made from tin cans, clocks made from bicycle chain, tables made with reclaimed wood, chairs made from street signs. I just loved looking at all the handmade items.
Bulbs
This week I'm planting bulbs: a mix of yellow and white daffodils, orange tulips, and a mix of pink, white, and blue wood hyacinths (Spanish bluebells). This is my favorite kind of gardening. By spring, I'll have completely forgotten that I've done this and will be astonished when the flowers come up. It's like giving your future self a surprise gift!
What wonderful things have you discovered lately?