DIY to celebrate life

I thought about a tongue-in-check do-it-yourself post for Mother's Day, but it kept going dark on me.  The Huffington Post article, "Mother's Day vs. Stepmother's Day: Who Owns It?," explains some of the darkness.  Realities of mothers who, in one way or another, for one reason or another, chose not to be motherly add to the mix.  So, moving on...

Life is indeed a you-it-yourself project.  And sometimes we need to be reminded of how joyful life can be.  Here are a few ideas for reminding ourselves.

Hang something in or near a window where the light can catch it.  It could be a crystal, or a stained glass panel, a glass fishing float, or beads on a string.  Something to catch your eye when you walk by.  Etsy's blown_glass category has literally thousands of ideas.  Be sure that what you choose has an eyelet for hanging.

Make a mobile and hang it where the air currents in the room will make it shift and catch your eye.  For inspiration, try "50 Fabulous Mobiles To Make, Buy Or Hang In The Sky" at the site Apartment Therapy.  For instructions, try "How to Create a Calder'esque Mobile" by morgenlandfahrer at the instructables site.  Here's an Alexander Calder mobile:

Hang a wind-chime inside your house or apartment.  The lighter the material you use, the more easily it will be moved by air currents.  I've used brass rings in a variety of sizes and something to catch the air like paper.  A good collection of ideas for making them is at Squidoo.  If you really want to delve into the mechanics of windchime sounds, try Chuck's Chimes.

Another way to celebrate life is to put a mirror where you catch a glimpse of yourself from time to time.  If you're always frowning, it's time to lighten up and do something fun.

The Droste Effect shown in an image by Tiago Sozo Marcon, Flickr

--Marge