August...Au Gusto

    Welcome to Designing Lifestyle...the blog of
 Joya Jewelry Designs as seen on            www.joyajewelrydesigns.etsy.com
      We are new to blogging, but have had so much fun designing and making hand-crafted jewelry that we want to share our enthusiasm with others. 
      It is appropriate we are starting this blog in August, as we definitely feel a sense of "gusto."
      Therefore, we hope this blog will be a source of information, inspiration, and encouragement to our readers.

Today's thought for your consideration:

      We Are All Designers    

      I myself fell into the world of jewelry design quite unexpectedly. An elderly uncle of mine happened to be watching The Home Shopping Network on TV one night when they were selling lots of precious stones for "jewelry making." During our visit with him soon thereafter, he said he thought he might like to try making some jewelry to pass the time. I volunteered to find out what I could, with the intent of getting the supplies and how-to's so he might try it out for himself. Knowing zilch about it, I went to a local craft store and begged mercy from one of the associates who, after hearing my story, graciously showed me a quick way I might teach him to make earrings. I bought the supplies, and...the rest is history. It was the most fun I'd had in decades and I fell in love with it. Several thousand dollars' worth of supplies, and hundreds of designs later...I'm still in love with designing and creating hand-crafted jewelry, and now co-op with other artisans to share the fun.
      Designing jewelry is not for everyone, yet we are all designers of some sort: we craft our lives either by choice or chance (the default of not choosing).
      What kind of life will we choose to craft for ourselves today?  Will we decide we are defeated or define the design of our day? Will we focus on gloom or on gladness? Will we choose an awful mood or an awesome attitude? 
       When life is extra challenging, we need more than just positive thoughts...we need to get a feeling down deep inside of us that we can be, do, and have what we want. 
      Still, it starts with a positive thought. Why? Because we do not hold power in the past or in the future. We only hold power in the now. We get to choose now what thought/s we will have. Then, it is our thought/s that will lead to our emotions, which will lead us to our action...whether we choose action/s that will help us, or default to inaction which, most of the time, will only perpetuate the challenge or struggle we are facing. 
       Be encouraged today to craft the life you want...design a life that will make you happy. When you are happy, your happiness can be a blessing to others, as well. We wish you happiness, with gusto!