Life's Simple Pleasures...

This week was a bit of a crazy one for me, but I did find time to enjoy some of life's simple pleasures. 

• a nice long chat with my big sis
• coffee & shopping with my mum
• mucking about in the garden with my girls
• reading Nancy Drew (oh how I love Nancy Drew!!)
• watching ballet class
• dinner with friends
• and an amazing cross-country ski trek in the Cascade Mountains

I made a few cards to send to some special people this week.  I won't say who they are for in case they pop in here and see them! 

This first card uses one  some of my favorite A Muse products...  Madeira blue notecards, Chair & lamp stamp, A Muse Palm Green ribbon... I love blue & green together but I'm always reminded of this saying...

"blue & green should never be seen, except together in the washing machine!"

This next card is super simple but reminds me of growing up in Quebec.  I spent  *every* weekend of my youth at our cottage.  In winter, when it was too cold to stay at the cottage, we would stay at my grandmother's house because she had electricity, running water, heat... these things are sort of necessary when it is -30C.  Sometimes, however, my dad would make us stay at the cottage and we'd have to ski across the lake with all our gear and cut a hole in the ice to get water for doing dishes and to flush the toilet.  He was a pioneering kinda guy back then. Despite the cold, we always had a great time.  My cousins all lived nearby and we'd go exploring on our cross-country skis every weekend. 

I like all types of skiing (alpine, skate, water) but I LOVE to cross-country ski.  I love the sounds, the fresh air, the warmth because you are working your whole body and the solitude.  Such a GREAT feeling!  You don't need a lot of fancy equipment or stylish clothing for this sport and you can go any speed you like and still enjoy it.  To me, it is one of life's simple pleasures!

This last card reminds me of my grandmother.  She loved to knit and taught me how to knit socks (which I still wear cross-country skiing!)  She also loved to drink tea.  Grandmothers are one of life's simple pleasures too!

Here are a few more of my simple pleasures:

• butterscotch pudding (the kind you have to cook)
• bubble baths
• my morning runs
• morning snuggles
• a good latte
• Leonidas chocolates

What are yours?

 

Comments

[Wendy Roy]

Great cards! I'm heading up to Seattle in a couple days and will definately be doing some A Muse stamp shoppin'!
My simple pleasures? Starbuck's coffee in my favorite mug, a warm fuzzy blanket, cuddling with my doggies, and the sound of rain while I sleep :)

[Doris]

Linda your cards are beautiful. Some of my favorite simple pleasures are: enjoying a crackling fire on a cold evening with my husband at my side, laying in bed listening to it rain, snuggling with two freshly showered kids at the end of the day and listening to them tell me about their day.

[Ingrid]

Beautiful cards! I used to joke that if I had a hot shower and clean underwear, everything else was gravy! I love hot chocolate in the winter- a good cup of tea - spontaneous hugs and cuddles from my girls - a hike on a bright spring day. The simple pleaseures are the best!

[Jennie]

I love these cards and your post was so fun to read! My simple pleasure is anytime my kids and husband and I can all spend fun time together! No matter what we do, we always enjoy it and I just feel happy!

[Nicole]

Hmmm... good post! Pondering my simple pleasures as of late.. waking up to the sound of frogs at my window, a fox by the pond, deer by the tall cedars and the songs of birds with the sun peeking out from the clouds. My new home is magical! I love your x-country skiing card! Reminds me of our 5 mile up hill trek to Cooper River from outside Roslyn. BEAUTIFUL!

[Missy]

I love all of your cards! Especially the skiing ones :) My favorite simple pleasures are probably washing the car in the summer, and drinking a diet coke at breakfast... I don't get to do either very often, but I do love them! p.s. I emailed you so check your spam box! LOLOLOL! Thanks!!

[emnkksmommy]

Oh wow. I love your card with the chair and a lamp. My older sis just bought me that stamp :) Some of my simple pleasures are my morning runs and hugs & kisses from my two daughters (3 yrs. old & a 1 yr. old).

[jennifer]

Love the cards! I like blue and green together too and while I'm familiar with "blue and green should never be seen together" I hadn't heard the washing machine part of it.

I was recently thinking of re-reading some of the Nancy Drew books, I loved them as a kid. Are you only reading the "old" ones? I'm not sure I want to read the ones that are all modern, hip and trendy.

*I'm* from Quebec...Montreal more specifically (ignore the URL in my info). I'm guessing you are likely from there as well...where did you grow up?

I have fond memories of a cottage on a lake too, my granny had a cottage in the Laurentians...you too? Or were you in the Eastern Townships? Do I know you? :)

Simple pleasures...tea, coffee, reading to my two-year old son, reading mysteries and chick-lit, checking out all the awesome cards on the awesome blogs I've discovered since taking up my new hobby of cardmaking and stamping.

Oh, and I recently ordered some of your fantastic stamps and can't wait to pick them up from my friend in Vermont.

Hi :)

[lexi]

awesome cards! the chair and lamp is perfect for me--throw in my laptop or a stack of card magazines and i'm good to go for hours of simple pleasures!

[Armie P Cuaresma]

Aaahhh, these cards are aborable!! An absolute truth to LIFE's SIMPLE PLEASURES!! A couch & a lamp to just sit and relax..do absolutely nothing!! Thanks much for sharing Linda!! I love all of them!!

[Amanda]

I love these cards! Some of my favorite simple pleasures are my morning run :), all 3 of my kids in bed with my husband and me for Saturday morning cartoons, getting a package from A Muse, baking snickerdoodles with my girls, playing catch in the street with my boy, taking pictures everyday so I don't ever forget how little they were :)

[JulieHRR]

Ohhh!!! These are so cute! I hafta tell you what fond memories your skiing card in particular brought me! When I was a kid my Dad was stationed in Alaska, and our whole family was decked out with X-country skis for Christmas! We had *many* a family outing with those skis . . . definitely one of life's simple pleasures . . . GOOD TIMES!!!

[melissa]

All the cards are great but I could not love your skiing card more--it is beautiful! :) Thanks for sharing your simple pleasures...one of mine is having time to read magazines...all kinds! I love them! :)

[Jen]

All your cards are just perfect! My simple pleasures ~ Chi Tea, warm cinnamon donuts, Shopping with my daughter, cuddle time with my hubby. :)

[Heather]

Awesome, awesome cards! Life's simpleasures, indeed!

[Tisha]

Such great cards, Linda! I've always thought that I would literally keel over and die if I tried to cross country ski ... but I love your card! My simple pleasures are a good cup of coffee, going out for breakfast on Sunday morning and having time to read the paper, and listening to my kiddos giggle!

[Michelle]

Great cards Linda! I love the skiing one~ so perfectly simple. It was fun reading all about your simple pleasures. Some of mine are hiking and reading.

[nancy l.]

Pretty cards. And the fact that they're so simple makes them that much more enjoyable. Some of my simple pleasures are: sleeping late on Saturday morning, a Turkey Hill mocha latte, a good cinnamon roll, and a great book. With kids, I don't usually get all of these things at one time, but it's fun to dream.

[Elena]

I love all of your cards. The skiing one is amazing! One of my simple pleasures is baking - anything really, but pies, especially. Thanks for sharing yours.