Tag Archives: 2015 in a jar

Collect moments

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Another year’s come and gone. An eventful year, 2015. As a new tradition, started in 2014, I collected moments throughout 2015.

Happy moments.
Beautiful moments.
Touching moments.
Mind-blowing moments.
Gestures of friends, total strangers.
Special things I experienced.
Surprising encounters.

Whatever floated my boat, made my heart jump, widened my smile, showed me beauty in everyday life. Things to read back on the last day of the year. It’s a great way to not only be more grateful throughout the year, but it’s an amazing way to kick-start the new year.
Why? When reading through your moments on New Year’s Day, you will realise it was quite a good year. All the beautiful moments and your very own achievements, all in one year? Pretty wow! Now imagine you enter the new year feeling like that, ready to collect more moments. Sounds good huh? In my blog post A Year in A Jar you can read how to.

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The jar.

I’ve been doing this for 1,5 years now – the last days of the new year my tummy starts gathering butterflies. The excitement to open the jar and let all the moments sink in, again. It is wonderful!

Today I did this again. In total I collected 52 moments – that’s one special moment per week! Going through all the pieces of paper I felt so happy and proud. My smile grew, my heart opened up. Some moments I forgot about and it was so good to be reminded of them again. It showed me how much I’ve grown. In only one year. It brought back the powerful encounters, the smile of a strangers, the good deeds I did, the love I received from dear ones.

52 moments ready to be opened
Little notes. All a special story on its own.

With all these beautiful memories I’m ready to dance the night away. But most of all I feel ready for the new year ahead, 2016.

Wishing you all a new year filled with wonderful moments.

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I know that happy and new this year will be

This ain’t tree-hugging

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While I sat down to write you a new post, I realised yesterday marked 6 months of Tessie’s Projects. Hurrah! And before I’ll continue putting down today’s figments, I want to say a very big THANK YOU. To all of you, where ever you are, taking the time to sit down and read the weird stuff escaping my brain. I honestly appreciate it.

One of the reasons for me to write this blog is so I can share happy moments and contentment. I like to tell about such experiences, hoping they put smiles on other faces too. And by writing about it – I’ve noticed – I learn to appreciate it even more.
Every day I hope for tiny moments and gestures that brighten up my day. Well, it’s not really hoping – the more I’m open for it, the more they seem to happen. These moments, I’ve come to realise, give me an extra boost when caused by connecting to total strangers. No matter how short the moment or how small the gesture.

I wondered about it for a while, about the why, but I think I know now.

In this massive and individual world we live in, there’s hardly any room left for acts of kindness and simple but true contact with our fellow humans. Apart from friends and family. But greeting someone in the streets, making eye-contact, a smile when passing by. They are the tiniest things, yes. But they make my day, always. The other day, strolling around the park, me and an old man almost bumped into each other. You know the awkward moment, when you both move in the same direction and then again… Often, myself included, this causes frowns and some sighing. This time our eyes met and we both laughed out loud. I took a big step to the right, to let him pass. We greeted each other. And that was it. A small thing, yet a moment to put in the 2015 Jar. Something we tend to take for granted. A situation we often allow to cause irritation. But there’s no need for irritation, is there? These moments may take 3 seconds off our time. Grab it with both hands and you’ll gain a big smile from it. Live these 3 seconds to the fullest and you’ll actually see this other person: how rare is that, huh? A person who, just like you, lives on this planet, breathes – or at least, you hope they do –, has a heart just like you and the ability to smile. Just like you.

Try it and soon you’ll realise it’s pure bliss. These little moments of contact, sharing a smile – for free! No judgement, because that ain’t necessary. Just two fellow humans. Passing by. Being aware and sharing a little piece of their heart. That’s all. And it’s no tree-hugging stuff.

After the nearly-bumped-into moment, I made a heart out of paper. And turned it into confetti. Confetti is always a good idea. My opinion. A confetti heart is a heart filled with feast and joy. A confetti heart is one big heart divided into many pieces you can share with others.

Scatter your confetti heart

Our hearts are our own, but sharing pieces of it with others will only make it stronger.
Make your heart a confettied one and scatter freely – it’s good and you know it!

 

[ the confetti heart I made, now has a double meaning. it is a huge thanks, right from my heart, to all of you ]

A January round-up and a few new cards

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The first month of the year is almost over. How has this January-month been for you? Fresh and new or still stuck in 2014?
Myself, I’ve been ill, I organised a very successful meet-up, discovered that January is in general not my lucky month when it comes to love and I paid another very thrilling visit to the printer’s. The moments in my 2015 in a jar are growing steadily and I’m feeling pretty content.

Not a bad score, methinks!

As a last January-boost, I’m sharing with you the new cards I’ve picked up from the printer’s last Monday. This time there are five different designs. For birthdays, Valentine’s or other show-your-love moments! My designs are meant for anyone aged 3 – 103. I like to think they trigger some nostalgia and creativity on the receiving end… I mean: connecting the dots and colouring – who doesn’t love that? Even if you’re 59 turning 60 there’s no reason to be ashamed when a little “wheeeheee!” escapes from your inner self.

Have I made you curious yet? Now then, let me show off the cards.

You’re true nature is…
Make a wish…
Dit kaartje versturen naar je lief? Dat kan door hier te klikken!
For a Valentine or other type of Loved-one
What colour would you give it?

 

Connect the dots – joy!
Dit kaartje versturen naar je lief? Dat kan door hier te klikken!
A little bit from me, a little bit from you
Festive!
Logo. As you do.

 

If you realise your inner self has started singing and dancing by seeing those pictures, don’t feel ashamed. We all know that feeling! And if you like to feel like it more often, than please have a look at my etsy shop Tessie’s Cornershop. I’ll welcome you with open arms!

 

[ The beautiful pictures were taken by my talented friend Maaike Res ]

A year in a jar

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Every year I’m surprised. All news channels look back on the year and it turns out I’ve forgotten at least 95% of it. Largely. Besides the feeling of surprise, it makes me feel a little ignorant, too.

However, these news channels all show why my brain banished most of those news items, as most are terrible tragedies and other depressing facts. But it’s not only these facts that I seem to have forgotten. Also the good things that happened, the beautiful moments that popped up along the road I travelled during that year – blurry memories as well… That saddens me a bit as it occurs to me that remembering such things could give a nice positive boost at the start of the new year!

So this year I started my 2014-in-a-jar. I found the idea somewhere on the internet and immediately decided that was going to be the trick for me.

It’s easy as one-two-three. You can make it yourself. Use an old jam jar. Or a weck jar. Maybe you’re more the box-type. Shoe-boxes may do, too! There are no rules.

My year in a weck jar
You can make your own too
Or maybe this is more your style?
These I made for friends

 

If you feel totally lost at only the thought of that jar, here are some guidelines. Just to help.

A few guide lines...

This is how it works…

 

My weck jar has really helped me become more aware of interesting moments and beautiful happenings. It absolutely is a good way to stand still and see what you have. To realise it’s not all that black and negative. And to be thankful for it.

Tomorrow I will open my weck jar and carefully read the collected moments. I will use them to write a short review on my 2014. Then the jar will be ready for 2015.

And so will I.