PUBLIC MARKS with tag somethingbeautiful

1. Buy coffee for the guy standing behind you at the coffee shop. 2. Open the door for someone before entering yourself. It doesn't matter if you're a girl and he's a boy, or you're a boy and she's a girl, or you're both boys, or you're both girls. You can do it. 3. Send a quick email to someone you haven't heard from in a while. It can just say, "Hey, I was thinking about you. I hope you're well." Trust me, it will make her day. 4. Send a small, handwritten note -- via regular mail! -- to someone far away. It can just say, "Hey, I was thinking about you. I hope you're well." Trust me, it will make his day. 5. Give someone flowers, just because. They don't have to be expensive. The blossom above was part of a grocery-store bouquet that cost $3.99. The recipient really isn't going to care that it wasn't expensive. I promise. 6. Invite someone to your home. Have something baking in the oven for them when they arrive. 7. Light a candle and think of someone who is going through a rough time. Silently offer them good thoughts/prayers. 8. Pick a charity. Give something. 9. Buy a magazine subscription for a friend out of the blue. 10. Give blood. 11. Prepare someone's tea. In my opinion, it's a wonderful act of love to not just put the hot water and a teabag in front of a friend, but actually prepare and steep the tea for them. 12. Tell a child -- or someone who is struggling with self-esteem -- how great you think they are. And mean it. 13. The next person who serves you a meal at a restaurant, or helps you in a store, or sells you your morning newspaper, look him in the eyes, smile, and say "thank you" with as much sincerity as you can muster. 14. Give someone a heartfelt hug. Just because. 15. Start a hopeful revolution: leave a hope note somewhere. Extra points if you leave it on the windshield of a stranger's car. 16. Offer to cook a meal for someone. 17. Offer to give someone a break -- babysit, hire a maid service for them, or even straighten her house yourself. 18. Clean out your closet. Give the gently-used clothing you no longer want to a shelter. 19. Take a photograph of something beautiful. Send it to someone, with the note: "This reminded me of you." 20. Give someone something of yours -- a book, perhaps, or a small trinket -- with no expectation of return. 21. Blow out a candle. Make a wish on someone else's behalf as you do it. 22. Make a short list of the things you love about someone you love. Leave the list where they can find it. 23. Make a date to have coffee or a glass of wine with an old friend. 24. Say "I love you." Mean it.

Still, I wanted to tie in our fair / carnival / summer party-bbq theme a bit so I made this bunting (banners or flagging or garlands, whatever you want to call them) to go along the aisle. We shopped for a couple months to find cool patterned fabrics in our wedding colors.

i found a fence she passes everyday and left this message spelled with paper cups.

"love how time seems to move differently at the beach. how i can sit on the beach for hours and the day seems to melt by like honey. how i can spend an entire day looking out over that ocean, laying in that sand, eating sandwiches smushed from the cooler, painting, swimming, gathering rocks (don't get me started on the beach rocks!), walking, talking, napping, reading, looking out at the ocean some more, and suddenly the sun is starting to set and the day has gone by in what feels like an instant. i love that. all of it."

and the candy bar

"you can be as tender & tiny as you are magnificant & strong"

in orange and yellow

"i have always wanted to...so why not today?"

You can download the template to make a little accordion fold booklet, fill in relevant details (important dates, the dress shop's card, fabric swatches, etc.) and tuck it all into an A2 envelope.

by Miranda Wong

i love you because you are the day that simon drives me to work. (and the day he buys me a scone, too. ) i love you because a fine glass of wine or cold beer awaits me after work. i love you because you are the day that new illustrations are posted here. i love you because you remind me to turn off my iphone, shut down my laptop, and just be.

There is so much about this crazy life to be grateful for. So much goodness. So much support. So much love. Even when the steps take great effort, and the breath is labored, there is beauty unfolding. In shadow and in light.

Following the Breath Breathing in, I calm my body Breathing out, I smile Dwelling in the present moment I know this is a wonderful moment Breathing in, I know I am breathing in And breathing, out I know As the in-breath goes deep The out-breath grows slow Breathing in makes me calm Breathing out brings me ease With the in breath, I smile With the out breath, I release Breathing in, there is only the present moment Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment In, Out Deep, Slow Calm, Ease Smile, Release Present moment, Wonderful moment

love this mix of colors

"congrats for the first trip around sun"

how cute would these be as favors at a wedding, stuffed with cute little notes for each guest. I’m putting this one down in my wedding idea book.