favorite things {last one's for you}

it's been so long since i did a project life 365 post. i've been up to my elbows in paint around here lately... the kitchen walls were our tackle of the day! these things tend to put other things {like said project} on the back burner for a while. 

i kind of thought that would happen. no sweat, though. i started p.l.365 merely to keep myself in a picture-taking frame of mind {with a more open mind in the area of subject matter} during those times when i may not necessarily be too busy to take pictures, but am feeling burnt out as to what i might photograph. missing a day here and there or several days in a row was anticipated when i started this. so i'm okay with it.

still, i couldn't pass up today's challenge when i saw it was "charmed". it was the probably-far-too-obvious choice, but i knew right where to go to find something "charmed" in my world. one of the pieces in my collection of jewelry is a three-charmed chain which hangs long when around my neck, and it was once my go-to piece for going out. i'd wear it everywhere i went, no matter what outfit i had on. now days, i rarely wear it, because... well... i'm always at home painting in my grubbies.

and if i'm not painting in my grubbies, i'm likely doing something else that is equally unglamorous. even when i {on a rare occasion} happen to be going out somewhere, i'll often wear my more recently-purchased charm necklace chain or my latest go-to piece, a chevron necklace from world market.

this is the one i thought of for today's photo prompt, though. so i slipped it around my neck for a photo or two in the bathroom mirror.

during my futile effort to get a good shot of the necklace as it dangled from my neck, i realized i was hovering over another favorite thing... my peacock dish from anthropologie. it's a cherished belonging that sits atop the bathroom counter as decoration and as a place for collecting removed jewelry. i thought the charms would look much prettier in the dish, so i took the necklace off and draped it across the plate, spilling over the edge. between the little nod to france in the mini eiffel tower charm and the french-like drawing of the bird, this little vignette turned out to be something sort of french-art-deco-esque and lovely... so much so, that i almost don't notice the terribly atomic, mid-century modern boomerang laminate counter top under the plate which couldn't possibly lend itself to an early-century french motif any less!

anyway, since this necklace, the peacock dish and art deco are all on my list of favorite things, this post has naturally migrated from a "charmed" theme to a "favorite things" theme.

so as long as i'm talking favorites, i might as well add some favorite pictures of my favorite co-inhabitants {well... my only co-inhabitants... but if there were more, they'd be my favorite} from our day.

...but first, speaking of charmed, i'd be remiss if i didn't mention this... i'm well aware that this relatively new world of "the online presence" we live in {with all its posts and pictures and tweets and statuses} can lead people to believe that others live charmed lives. to one person, photos of loved ones or updates about happy times from other people might come across as though they have perfect, happy and pain-free lives.

no one is free from pain, hardship and struggles. not one. fears to overcome, heartaches to endure, burdens to bear. we've all got difficult things to work through at one time or another... for most people, it's most of the time. 'tis the nature of living. are you human? you will struggle. it may look quite different from the next person's struggle. but it is inevitably in each of our lives none the less.

the way i see it, though, posting pictures and writing about loved ones or sharing random things that bring a smile to your face some days is just a way of celebrating what good there is to be found, whether in draught or in a rainy season. for me, it's how i choose to honk the horn, if you will. i'd hate to find out that anyone thinks for a minute that i live a charmed life as a married mom of a little boy because of what i post. my life is anything but.

however, i won't let that stop me from being verbally grateful. i am so very grateful.

that said, here are those favorite pictures of those favorite two guys and the favorite ways we spent mr. b's weekly day off from work {when we weren't in the middle of "project paintify", that is}.

books books and more books!...

dancing...


smiling at dancers...

tickles and hat-stealing {not necessarily in that order}...


eating snacks in the middle of the living room, in the middle of the day... just because we can...


and smiling some more...

yes.

favorite. ♥

oh... and one more thing!

i thought i'd share my favorite artist at the moment. if you enjoy mellow tunes that come out of singers with soothing voices, you'll love gregory alan isakov. i've been listening lately on spotify {maybe non-stop like an addict, or not} and loving it! i know this sounds weird, but i want to take pictures the way he sings. effortlessly, i guess.

anyway,  dandelion wine, master & a hound, words and one of us cannot be wrong {all on this empty northern hemisphere} are my favorite favorites! i thing you'll like them too!

honk-honk!