Tag Archives: tiny things

The colour-hunter

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Today I received a card from a friend, and some words she’d wrote down for me coincided with a little day-challenge I gave myself. She wrote “…no matter how dark the days can be sometimes, you always manage to see light and make your life so colourful!” Her timing was perfect and her words touched me with all their might: after a couple of dark days – or more, weeks – this morning I’d given myself the challenge to go colour-hunting. As I felt I needed to see more light and colour again.

I sometimes give myself a single colour at the beginning of the day, with the simple challenge to notice that colour during that day. Where ever I go. It’s amazing how the whole day seems to burst with that given colour. You should try it! Today was multi-colour day and the colour-hunt brought me lots of colour, which was marvellous on a very grey-gloomy day.

 

Brand new sticker on my bike
Any colour missing out? I don’t think so…
Some people paint their mail-boxes. And make my day.

These are some of the treasures I discovered today. Blue stood out somehow. Maybe as a tribute to my “little blue lately” ;-)

Which colour will you be hunting tomorrow?

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 ]

2014 – tick!

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Yesterday I told you about my “2014 in a jar”. Today I opened the jar and read all the pieces of paper. Even though 2014 seemed to be the toughest year to have tackled in a while, I can happily say it was quite a fulfilling year and I  managed to notice and collect a lot of beautiful moments.

2014 felt to me as though I stood still. Even took steps back. But no. Turns out I’ve achieved a lot. For instance, I flew a kite on Parliament Hill with my beloved friend M. and painted my bedroom door. I gave my egg&bacon sandwich to a guy sleeping rough. Two little boys had trouble getting the chain back on their bike and so I decided to get my hands dirty to help them.

The Kite. Parliament Hill.

The Kite. Parliament Hill.

I had my first cards printed and yet another bunch are ready to be printed in the new year. Friends have been a huge part of 2014 too: helping, listening, being there for them. Appreciation, support, trust and true friendship in return. One friend even hid money at several spots in my house. Ha!

It seems I’ve overcome a few self-confidence thresholds too, which has led to taking steps I never believed I could and results I never believed would be mine to enjoy.

A friend knew I needed this.

A friend knew I needed this.

All together, 2014 may have been a tough one to tackle. But I did, I ticked this year off my to-do-list. And going through all these moments gives me confidence for yet another year.

Sending you all confidence for 2015 too. Happy New, dear readers!

 

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.

 

Fulfilling

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I received some lovely pictures from Australia! A few weeks back someone ordered two Christmas cards through Etsy and asked me to write and send them to two lovely boys. And they arrived! Look at the result…

That’s heart-warming… Very well done Lewis! And exactly what I hoped my cards would trigger (whether you’re 8 or 80). Happy me!

And, as if my day couldn’t have started any better already after the beautiful pictures from Australia, I also got promoted on Instagram via @AAApromotion. They featured my Christmas tree!

What a day… I’m content and I’m gonna share this feeling of contentment with you. If you still haven’t found the time to write your Nan, lover or lovely niece and nephew a Christmas card – and I know the thought is nagging! – you’re at the right address. I absolutely LOVE writing and sending the card for you. The thought that you can sit back and relax and have yourself a Merry Little Christmas, is so fulfilling to me. So, as Christmas is approaching real fast, just place your order with the address and text before December 20th and I will do the rest!

Happy Today to you!

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Happy Brownie and Pretend to be a Time traveller Day to you all!

Jaja you forgot, but I didn’t. Today is December the 8th. The day we get to eat brownies and time travel to where ever it is we want to go (it’s raining here in Amsterdam so I’ll be travelling to the supermarket in my time capsule later on. I don’t have a car.)
Or maybe it’s December the 19th by the time you read this. In that case: have a ball this Underdog Day and Look For An Evergreen Day! And if it’s raining on the 19th too, no one will mind you time-travelling to the grocery shop.

These days every day is a “special day” (that’s just too many days in one sentence). Special days as moments to remember and be aware. Or simply celebrate funny facts and make every day a party. Whether you like it or not – I LOVE it – every day celebrates at least one thing. From Eat Red Apples Day (which you sadly missed as it was the 1st of December) to Disobedience Day (July 3rd) and Creative Ice Cream Flavours Day (July 1st). And, unbelievable but true, last Friday was International Ninja Day. Damn, you missed that one too!
The most creative days I’ve come across on my all-time favourite website Days of the Year. On this site you can check what day it is today, what day it is next Thursday – apart from being a Thursday – and even what month or year it will be. Believe me when I say: check this site if you are having a so called off day. I promise you you’ll find a reason to celebrate something, a reason to buy yourself cookies or caramel popcorn (April the 6th is going to be your day if you like caramel popcorn) or another good reason to take a day off. It always manages to make me happy anyway.

If you feel a resistance against the upcoming month of January – always a dreadful one – then comfort yourself with the thought January is going to be The Month of:
1) Oatmeal;
2) Brainteasers;
3) Creativity;
4) Hot Tea;
5) Soup;
6) Getting Organised (I’ve granted myself furlough from this one)
7) Being Kind To Food Servers;
and last but absolutely not least comes
8) The Celebration of Life Month.

Amen to that.

Me, I look forward to April 19th 2015. The day it will be Garlic Day (Luciana, you were born for this day!), Hanging Out Day and Bicycle Day all in one. My advice: cycle somewhere that day with your friends so you can hang out with them and feast on garlic sarnies with garlic butter and some extra garlic on the side. After you’ve done that, make sure you don’t come near other human beings for at least a week.
The whole month of April is going to be grand as far as I can tell, as it will be Decorating Month. And on April the 11th I’m having cheese fondue for breakfast, lunch and dinner to celebrate the invention of cheese fondue. I literally cannot wait!

The only day I haven’t found yet is Drink Tea With Milk Day. And that’s a loss for all of us, I find.
Which is why
*imagine drum roll*
I hereby declare April the 20th
*imagine more drums roll*
not only to be my birthday and Chinese Language Day, but foremost
*the drumming is now getting somewhat out of hand*
Drink Tea With Milk Day!

If that’s not gonna make your day then I don’t know what is… I guess I’ll just leave you be then.

Time for me to go and post the card I wrote for AirmailChristmas yesterday (it was, after all, Letter Writing Day and a card is almost a letter).

 

On my way back I’ll be resisting the brownies – which I’m pretty sure will be handed out for free in the streets of Amsterdam today – because for very unfortunate reasons I chose today to be the start of Skipping All Sugar until Christmas Fortnight… Exactly, that’s 14 days.

Have a good day!!

When the day is filled with small pleasures

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Today was a good day.
Filled with small pleasures.
Scattered over the day.
Put them all together and it becomes one big happy mess!
See for yourself.

IMG_6064 (2)

It started with a delicious brunch with one of my sweet-mazing friends.
Followed by a stroll.
Meanwhile we sneaked in and out of the most lovely shops we stumbled upon.
And admired the shopfloors, accidentally decorated with Autumn leaves.

IMG_6074

We then found a beautiful passion flower.
Because Summer isn’t all that long ago.
The sun even showed.

All this linked together with lots of laughter.

Today was a good day.

 

 

Big result

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When I got home from the grocery yesterday, I found two 9-year old boys and a broken bike on my doorstep. The chain had come off. They tried to fix it but it was clear they didn’t know how.

Before I knew it I was on my knees, helping them turn the bike upside down. It took us at least 5 minutes – I am not at all handy and I had to dig deep to get to the bike-mending area of my brain – but eventually the three of us booked success. Hands covered in chain oil, but we got the chain back on.

The boys thanked me and continued there bike-trip around the block. I searched for my keys, picked up my shopping bags and went inside.

Of all the things I’ve done this week, these 5 minutes of spontaneously getting my hands dirty were the best. Moments like these put a smile on my face for at least a couple of days.

Tiny little things, biggest results.