The peace love joy sentiment (from Papertrey's Peaceful Garden) is very much my style. My mantra is Mercy, Grace, Peace, and Love. (Even in my head, I use that Oxford comma!) Whenever I want to lose my cool, smack someone, or spew profanity, I repeat, "Mercy, grace, peace, and love. Mercy, grace, peace, and love."
When we cultivate those four things, joy results. Eventually.
But joy isn't whimsy.
I'd made this card with just the grass and knew something was missing, even with the bling-y "dew drops." It needed a focal point, something to grab the eye. But that focal point needed to be something that embodied the sentiment, and it needed to be small. I went searching and found the whimsical butterfly. Yay! Focal point!
Peace, love, and joy to you!
Care to share your mantra? What do you repeat to yourself to keep yourself under control and moving in the right direction?
Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Peaceful Garden, Hero Arts (discontinued)
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: rhinestones, markers
love the card. no mantra here! just a lot of yelling inside my head!
ReplyDeleteMy mantra is optimism, I look for the bright side and this card shows it so well, thank you. I'll even say I am positive I'm wrong just to keep the optimism going. Ha
ReplyDeleteLove the whimsy.
ReplyDeleteAnd the idea of having a mantra to keep oneself under control.
This is wonderful and adding the butterfly was genius!
ReplyDeleteMy mantra is usually the Serenity Prayer, especially the phrase "accept the things I cannot change." As a person who wants to "fix" everything, this often creates needless frustration. Continuing with the 12-Step theme, and my own personal addiction, "just do the next right thing" is another very helpful mantra when tempting thoughts try to make a nest in my head.
ReplyDeleteI love the card—and I love the "Oxford comma" comment! I often speak-edit myself.... Thanks for the suggestions for a mantra. I generally forget to think of kind thoughts and instead, spew forth. :-0
ReplyDeleteLove the card! I say often "Lord, have Mercy!" My favorite word is Joy and we are a part of the body of Christ at Peace Lutheran........and since my daily life revolves around care giving for my miracle man the last 9+ years, a daily dose of Mercy, Grace, Peace, and Love is needed!
ReplyDeleteLooks to me like you have nailed "whimsy" with this card. Whimsy will come with practice. I don't do cute or whimsy well either. My mantra is usually "This is only temporary" and/or the serenity prayer.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet card. It might take a lot of effort but you've nailed that whimsy thing. Sometimes I remind myself that Thou Shall Not Kill, but a milder version is "Bless us all."
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that my mantra isn't as nice as yours! :) Not my circus, not my monkeys! I say it a lot - especially in response to drama. Thankfully I am now old enough to realize that I can't fix everything for everyone. Even though I need a reminder every now and then. Oxford comma for the WIN!
ReplyDeleteHiya, I love your simplistic cards, I'm a little scared of all that white, clean space, myself. But your creations are lovely..I love your mantra too, mine usually involves some expletives, but I think I rather like your's better!!!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I get REALLY angry I have to remind myself... "Prison Orange is not your color, Prison Orange is not your color!" ;-) No really, I deal with most people / drama this way: "We met for a reason... either your a blessing or a lesson." Sometimes it takes a long time to figure that one out, others pretty quick! My husband's is "I wish common sense was more common", said while shaking his head in despair.
ReplyDeleteSweet card. I don't have a manta, but really could use one...
ReplyDelete"Rise above" is my fave. It can be used in such a variety of circumstances. For example, it really serves well as an abbreviated version of the serenity prayer, or "not my circus, not my monkeys. Love both of those!
ReplyDelete