Thoughtful Thursday Childhood Wisdom

Artwork by Maria Vidaurre

John Lennon once shared a profound childhood memory: “When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

This simple yet powerful anecdote underscores a timeless truth often lost in the hustle of modern life. As children, we inherently grasp that happiness is the ultimate goal, unclouded by societal expectations and pressures. Lennon’s mother instilled in him a wisdom that many spend a lifetime seeking—valuing happiness above all else.

When young Lennon responded with “happy” to the question of future aspirations, it highlighted a profound understanding that fulfillment isn’t about titles or achievements but about joy and contentment. His teachers’ reaction exemplifies a common misconception: equating success with external accomplishments rather than inner well-being.

Lennon’s words remind us to realign our priorities, to seek joy in our everyday lives rather than in the relentless pursuit of societal standards of success. In essence, understanding life truly means cherishing happiness as our ultimate aim.

Hope this inspires you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!

Share the Happy💖

Thoughtful Thursday Gratitude Words of Wisdom

I am passionate about self improvement and feel there is always room to grow. This is a heartfelt quote I wrote which resonates deeply with me and is displayed on my art journaling page:

“Life is precious and if you’re not careful will pass you by if you don’t stop to smell the roses.”

These words serve as a gentle reminder to slow down and appreciate the beauty of life. Even though there may be days filled with chaos, it’s important to remember special moments, no matter how small and reflect upon them with gratitude.

As we journey through life, let’s cherish each moment and embrace the beauty that surrounds us. May we find solace and inspiration in the simple joys of everyday life.

Hope this inspires you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!

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Thoughtful Thursday Words of Wisdom

I’m an avid collector of inspiring quotes and found these beautiful words by Maya Angelou and thought I’d share them with you. They’re featured on one of my abstract watercolor paintings:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Maya Angelou

A gentle reminder to treat others with simple gestures of kindness and touch their heart.

Hope you enjoyed this today, thanks for stopping by!!

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Studio Update

I’m starting a new practice this year. I’m playing with different color combinations and various mediums on 9×12″ watercolor paper. After the painting is done I’ll add notes on the back of what I did, the colors and mediums I used and what I discovered about the process.

This abstract was made with watercolors, acrylic paints and inks, alcohol inks and pen. I was very happy with this color combination, it turned out pretty nice. What’s making me laugh though, is how everyone sees something totally different.

What do you see in this painting?

Have an amazing day!!

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“Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.” ~Oscar Wilde

Thoughtful Thursday SPACEX Falcon 9 OVZON-3 Rocket Launch

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I hope you enjoyed your holidays. I’m well rested and ready to start creating new fun and interesting art in the studio. I’m also very excited for all the good things to come in this New Year!

Yesterday, January 3, 2024 at 6:04 pm, NASA launched the SPACEX FALCON 9 OVZON-3 Rocket. I happened to be outside with my two furry girls, Rosie and Chanel when I saw the rocket to the north in the dimming night sky.

It was an incredible site!! Especially since Cape Canaveral is a 3 hour drive and approximately 200 miles from my home. The sky was fairly clear and I could see a large amount of what looked like smoke in the sky. Then the rocket separated into 2 pieces. One continued to outer space and the other piece flew in the opposite direction.

On board this launch vehicle was a communication satellite for the Sweden based Ovzon. This was the first privately funded Swedish satellite that was launched. The mission will send the Ovzon-3 satellite to a geostationary orbit which is a circular orbit above the Earth’s equator and is ideal for communication satellites.

Hopefully, by mid 2024 the satellite will be fully operational. The goal is for it to operate without relying on ground segment and therefore it will be resistant to jamming or other intrusive operations.

If you want to see the live coverage of the launch you can find it on YouTube: SPACE FALCON 9 OVZON-3 Rocket Launch.

I know we’ve come a long way from the first lunar launch but I have to say it still amazes me and makes me wonder, what if……

I hope you enjoyed this post today. Wishing you a bright New Year filled with love, good health and prosperity! Thanks for for stopping by!!

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“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” ~Carl Sagan

Photo by Jaymantri on Pexels.com

Thoughtful Thursday Words of Wisdom

As you know I’m a collector of inspiring quotes and came across this quote by Marilyn Monroe which is featured on one of my watercolor art journaling pages. It’s a gentle reminder to be true to yourself and be uniquely you as only you can be!

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” ~Marilyn Monroe

Don’t forget there’s still time to take advantage of the Exclusive Sale going on now my Etsy Shop, just enter code MERRY25 at checkout to receive 25% Off Original Paintings and Christmas Ornaments (Sale ends 12/15 at midnight).

Thanks for stopping by!!

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Photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels.com

Thoughtful Thursday Words of Wisdom

I’m a collector of inspiring quotes and came across this one which I wanted to share with you. I added it to one of my abstract paintings with bold autumn colors. It’s a motivating quote that rings so true:

“Your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” ~Unknown

You can set all the goals you want but if your heart’s desire isn’t in it, if you can’t envision your dream or get discouraged after a few bumps in the road you can bet your bippy, you won’t be successful at it.

Hope this inspires you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!

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Thoughtful Thursday Poem by George Cooper

I painted this Autumn abstract a while ago but thought this beautiful poem by George Cooper fit it perfectly:

“Come, little leaves” said the Wind one day, “Come to the meadows with me and play. Put on your dresses of red and gold; for summer is past, and the days grow cold.”

Hope you enjoyed this today, thanks for stopping by!

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Thoughtful Thursday Words of Wisdom by Tom Ziglar

As you may know I’m a collector of quotes. These “Words of Wisdom” have the power to lift your spirit when you need it most. I thought it would be fun to create a collection of inspiring quotes on a deck of 3.5×4.5 inch watercolor cards with art. So this is the first one in the deck by Tom Ziglar:

“Never put the key to your Happiness in somebody else’s pocket.”

These words are simple yet so true. Sometimes I think it’s just easier to put your happiness in some else’s pocket. But the truth is happiness comes from within and we all have the ability to create our own happiness. Some days can be a struggle but but it’s well worth the effort.

On days when I’m feeling off, I’ll meditate, go for a walk or create some art to get that happiness powerplant inside of me a kick start. When your day goes sideways, what do you do to create happiness?

Hope this inspires you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!!

Share the Happy💖

Crescendo Abstract Painting

I wanted to share with you my latest 16×20″ abstract painting titled “Crescendo.” I like to think of this as a reminder to go for your dreams and reach for the stars. Never give up and keep climbing to the top. Set your goals high and climb, climb, climb till you reach them!!

Hope this makes you happy and inspires you to create today. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“The best view come after the hardest climb.” Unknown