Small changes can bring big happiness

I've never chosen a word for the year before, but I think I will embrace Happiness as my word for 2017. I said a lot about outlooks in my previous post and I feel even stronger about those sentiments a week later.

So.....what have I done about gettin' happy lately?  I've completed some chores that had been on a procrastination list (unofficially, of course!) and since I seem to clean and purge at least one area of the house every January, I tackled kitchen cabinets and related storage areas this past week. My obsession with dishes apparently includes disposable plates and bowls too. I may have 11 paper plates with blue designs on them but if I'm entertaining and expect 12 people, I need to buy 12 matching plates and let's go green this time. By the next event I have 11 blue plates, 4 green ones and only expect 8 people but it is the Fourth of July and everyone knows you need red, white and blue plates then!

True confession time is over. Lunch today will be on green plates and some of the others that are durable will become paint palettes for acrylic paint projects.

One such project was brightening up this yard sign.

We have a wrought iron post near our front porch with hooks that hold wood or resin signs for various holidays and seasons. The company that made the signs is now concentrating on fabric banners/flags so I baby what I have and touch them up when needed.

The above design is by Debbie Mumm. I had spring/summer dishes of hers and snowmen winter dishes too. Did I mention I had a dish obsession? I liked most Debbie Mumm designs and while I liked this Santa, he was never my favorite, mainly because he didn't look very happy. I think he looks overwhelmed. Does he have 16 nations left to visit and only 4 hours left? Is he stuck pondering if someone was more naughty than nice?  While the colors did fade a bit after many Decembers, the shades were always more muted than I would have liked.

With a vow to use up paint that I had (tossing over a dozen bottles that had dried up!), I brightened up the sign and Santa's disposition:

The overuse of dots on Santa's mittens are hiding mistakes. I probably should have sanded the old paint but coulda-woulda-shoulda always hits after something is done. His face had always been very close in color to his beard and his eyes were flat and beady. His complexion might be a bit ruddy now, but hey...you should see me when I get cold! Just adding a curve to his cheeks which reshaped his now larger eyes, plus the white highlights made Santa look cheerier.

Santa is going to look good hanging around my front door next December and you know what? That makes me Happy.