Continuous Small Treats.

"The secret to a happy life is continuous small treats."

Iris Murdoch

I've always liked this quotation. I even have it on a rubber stamp (alas, without attribution). I came across the quotation in my journal yesterday, and I thought, How do I give myself continuous small treats without spending any money?

So I made a list of ways, most of which are within my current control and possession.

1. Wearing my glittery makeup
2. Wearing clothes with sequins
3. Wearing cute socks
4. Decorating my future journals with stickers
5. Looking at magazines (Bella Grace, BG Cozy, BG Field Guide, Enchanted Living, Real Simple)
6. Writing with my favorite pens
7. Kissing Josh
8. Cuddling under my heated throw
9. Drinking Dr. Pepper
10. Drinking Shirley Temples I make at home
11. Drinking iced peppermint mochas I make at home
12. Checking out (too many) library books
13. Taking bubble baths with philosophy 3-in-1s
14. Reading poems
15. Reading poems aloud
16. Taking Oliver's hand
17. Seeing my boys dress in vibrant colors
18. Listening to Tick, Tick...Boom!
19. Reading about French culture
20. Drinking Strawberry Lemonade Propel Water
21. Eating fruit (black or red grapes, strawberries, oranges)
22. Reading Oliver a little book
23. Looking at art books
24. Reading fairy tales
25. Looking at illustrated fairy tales (I have a decent collection)
26. Burning cinnamon or marshmallow candles
27. Getting a mini massage from Josh
28. Writing in the best journal I have
29. Looking at theatre programs
30. Wearing glitter highlighter even though my mask hides it (I know it's there)
31. Wearing Fresh Sugar tinted lip balm
32. Listening to Tootsie on my bluetooth headphones (from Josh)
33. Getting texts from Bruce (especially those with righteous indignation and incredulity on my behalf)
34. Listening to showtunes in the car
35. Looking at fairy art
36. Watching cat videos
37. Scrolling Facebook
38. Looking at Christian Schloe art
39. Exploring art supplies I already have
40. Remembering to wear perfume
41. Lying still under blankets and thinking
42. Wearing pink
43. Wearing my Ariel jacket
44. Getting reactions to blog posts
45. Looking at displays at the library
46. Placing library holds
47. Making library purchase requests
48. Using cinnamon body wash
49. Hunting for wild violets
50. Opening the blinds
51. Admiring my journal collection
52. Writing from a prompt
53. Organizing my pens or stickers
54. Decorating my planner
55. Coloring squares on my dream boards
56. Replacing scented foaming hand soaps
57. Looking at my Pinterest boards
58. Searching for Pinterest boards
59. Highlighting a completed task with a glitter highlighter
60. Starting a new book
61. Reading a short story
62. Wearing my jewelry
63. Eating a pizza Lunchable
64. Wearing a forgotten shirt or necklace
65. Wearing pinstripes (dress pants, leggings, jeans)
66. Sleeping on fresh sheets
67. Using a fresh towel
68. Writing a new blog post
69. Writing down quotations
70. Really looking at the art in my house
71. Watching lettering videos
72. Writing on black paper
73. Writing with shimmering ink
74. Looking at family photos
75. Listening to my Becky Songs playlist
76. Reading about writing
77. Using rubber stamps
78. Receiving letters
79. Receiving stickers from subscriptions
80. Reading a graphic novel in one sitting
81. Praising myself for tiny accomplishments
82. Sitting outside
83. Saving and recycling empty pens
84. Draining pens (as long as I have more!)
85. Seeing Josh wearing clothes I found for him
86. Seeing Josh wear jeans
87. Writing with glitter markers
88. Cuddling under a cookie monster (a large and fluffy blanket)
89. Looking at flowers at the grocery store
90. Resting against my fluffy pink pillow
91. Sleeping with my blanket under my head
92. Wearing the reading shawl Bruce gave me
93. Playing solitaire
94. Seeing Oliver's art work
95. Going through Oliver's school work on Friday
96. Seeing Pen Squad posts
97. Wearing heels to pick up Oliver at school
98. Curling up in my arm chair
99. Organizing by color
100. Finding unexpected glitter

Tiny Treasures.

I have always been so fascinated with tiny items--Mom's fairy roses, a tiny set of blue speckled dishes (bowls the size of my thumbnail), and miniature M&Ms.

I remember having three tiny porcelain animals from a glass case at Hallmark. I have a fawn, a tiny duckling, ...and maybe a Siamese kitten (I'm not sure). I rubbed the fawns smooth ear to calm down. The fawn wasn't much bigger than a quarter.

I love tiny beads, sequins, and rhinestones. Star rhinestones are my favorite since Mom sent me to school witha blue one and the hope that a fairy lived in the star, so I wouldn't feel alone at school.

Sticky flags are satisfying in their smallness, especially if they come from Girl of All Work.

I love charms, especially interactive ones, like purses that open. I like wearing tiny earrings (when I'm not wearing dangly ones), especially seahorse ones.

I love tiny gel pens. When I was small, I went wild over a set of tiny colored pencils from Sanrio Surprise. The whole set was about the size of a book of matches.

I get especially excited when makeup samples look just like the full-size versions, just tiny. Benefit does this with Porefessional primers. Fresh does it with Sugar lip treatment. Urban Decay does it with eyeshadow primers. The reality is probably just that I want to play with dolls!

Have you had petite fours? They are tiny, frosted cakes. Harris Teeter made some for one of my birthdays at home.

I have a set a shot glasses that look like mason jar mugs. I don't know exactly why since I don't drink...I guess they were just so cute.

Doll clothes and accessories are just exhilarating. Tiny snaps on tiny faux suede shoes. A plaid green coat with hat and mittens. A nib pen smaller than a match.

I don't know why I continue to love tiny objects so much. But I think I will always love them.

Small Treats.

"One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats." Iris Murdoch

This is one of my favorite quotations. I've been thinking about small treats that require little or no money. Some I already use, but I want to be more intentional and see if Murdoch is right (I have a feeling she is).

• Wearing lipstick--especially red and glittery
• Trying sparkly makeup on my wrist in Sephora
• Re-reading or completing books I loved as a child
• Talk to Mom on the phone for a long time
• Napping with Josh
• TV time with Bruce
• Getting a cherry Sprite from Sonic
• Using a pen for the first time
• Taking a new character's sticky flags out of a velvety pink pouch
• Bubble baths
• Remembering who gave me gifts
• Reading a magazine
• Window shopping online
• Ordering a cheap book online...and seeing it in the mailbox
• Watching a movie alone (surprisingly)
• A butterscotch Life Saver
• Flowers from the grocery store

What ideas do you have?