Hi Friends,

I love this quote.....it says so much in just a few short words. The first thing I think of every time I read it is,
why in the heck can't you be happy too? It may not be the purpose of life, but why can't it be a part?

In the last few years, while I was learning some of life's toughest earth lessons, many times there wasn't a whole lot to smile about. Until I finally got it.......live in the moment and be open to the possibilities for smiling.

My little nut case kitten, that I have written about before, gives me many opportunities to smile and an abundance of outright belly laughs. With all the serious trials in her life, she still lives each moment with a tornado force enthusiasm. And she takes me along with her.

Creating and marketing art is hard work......many long hours, and by definition it is a solitary endeavor created in your head and executed by your own hand....alone. Getting so far into your creative zone for too long a time is going to show in your art and your attitude.

So work hard, make a difference that you have lived at all, but do it for you too.

Find something that makes you smile.....or let it find you. You aren't going to get extra points in this life for deadly seriousness.


This is one of those reasons to smile....if you listen closely you can hear the frogs and crickets singing around the water's edge, the gentle summer breeze bringing the scent of pine trees and water. If you look closely you can see my smile as I painted it.

This landscape painting is so new it doesn't have a name yet and the great part is.....it measures 2 1/2x 3 1/2" small!

Color Outside the Lines (with enthusiasm!)
All my best,
Sandra