It has become an addiction of sorts. But, oh what a happy addiction!

On days when the morning sun shines brightly through my living room window, I place the camera on its tripod, position both kaleidoscope and camera within the beam of light, and start shooting. I’ve snapped the shutter well over a thousand times in the past few weeks, resulting in about 25-30 frames that were visually compelling enough to make the cut.

The cut for what? Well, after noodling a bit on how best to display the photos, I decided to create an oversized kaleidoscope wall calendar with some of the best shots. The images have been coupled with inspiring quotes to add another dimension to the project.

Having become quite attached to some of the individual photos, I also placed them on framed tiles and keepsake boxes, as well as throw pillows and a wide variety of holiday ornaments.

There are 18 ornaments available to date, and these are a few of my favorites:

As I mentioned previously, I’ve become quite enthralled by the colorful moving shapes in my kaleidoscope, and I’m even happier that I can now combine my love of color and light with my love of photography in a way that captures an ephemeral instance for all to share.

So what is your passion? What do you absolutely love to do?

Finding something that you are passionate about is a fabulous way to increase happiness. If you make the time to do something you enjoy, you nurture your soul and enrich your life. And when you’re happy, everyone around you is a little happier too.

As the holidays approach, make sure to carve out a little time just for yourself, to do something you truly enjoy.

When I headed out at 2 p.m. it was a balmy 72 degrees outside, but the sky was black to the west and the wind was gusting to 30 miles per hour. Within 15 minutes the rain began falling, but in another 15 minutes the storm had passed, the temperature had dropped to 55 degrees on its way to the 40s, and the sun was starting to peek out from behind the clouds.

As I was heading into the grocery store, it began to sprinkle again – but the sun was still out. So naturally, I turned around – and saw a full rainbow beginning to form. I stopped and watched as it got more vibrant against the dark clouds.

Soon I could see not only the full rainbow, but under the violet stripe were all the colors again – but in very skinny stripes. And to top it off – there appeared a second arc above the first – making a full double (triple?) rainbowIt was gorgeous.

I stood out in the drizzle a bit longer – and turned to watch the other shoppers running into the store, completely oblivious to the splendor unfolding just behind them. One lady did stop, noticed my smile, and said, “It’s beautiful isn’t it?!” We had a nice chat. I was grateful that I was able to share the experience, and I passed the rest of the afternoon with a smile in my heart.

A couple hours later, as sunset approached, it was again drizzling. I had just reached the mall, and was circling the top of the parking deck looking for a space, when the sun dropped below the clouds to the west and I was treated to ANOTHER rainbow!

Vibrant Double Rainbow at Sunset

Now that was a first for me – two rainbows in one day (and just hours after I had started this blog!) — and this time, I grabbed my camera as soon as I was able to find a parking space.

This rainbow wasn’t a full arc like the first, but it was double.  And it was absolutely the brightest rainbow I have ever seen. Ever.

And the coolest part? Three teenage boys with shoulder-length hair walking towards the mall were pointing and exclaiming, “It’s a double one!” as they took in the scene. They saw it. They appreciated it. And they were drinking it all in.

So how about you? On the rainy days when the sun peeks out from behind the clouds, do you turn your gaze skyward? Or are you too busy with your day-to-day life to allow yourself to be distracted?

Sometimes stopping for a moment to look at something beautiful is all you need to shake the doldrums. Getting out of your head and allowing yourself to “be” in a moment might just bring a smile to your face.

A few weeks later, I saw a car with a license plate that said “UNFROWN.”  I smiled. And I thought – what a great name for a blog!  So I rushed home and registered the domain. 

This blog will be about all the things that make me (and hopefully you!) smile.   We’ll talk about products, cool happenings, techniques you can use to increase your happiness, and so, so much more.  I invite you to come on this journey with me and see what we can discover. There will be room for comments and dialog as we go. 

So, without further ado, let’s get this blog rolling!