Gratitude is the Memory of the Heart....

Gratitude is the Memory of the Heart

~ Jean Baptiste Massieu

We invest our time, energy, hearts, and souls into projects... some don't work out.. but others flourish.

I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you, from the very bottom of my heart, for all of your love and support. It is just the beginning of Tiny Treasures, but I have a wonderful feeling about it: Not only do we already have a marvelous group of contributing members, but we have a gallery of outstanding images. I am humbled and honored that so many talented artists are choosing to participate and display their work. Artistically and creatively crafted, the images that are being posted are great tributes to those small items we hold dear to our hearts.

Speaking of hearts, Valentine's Day is just around the corner. I know, I know... a lot of people cringe when they hear others speaking of what many refer to as the "Card Company" holiday. I understand how "cheesy" such a holiday can seem.

I have friends who are so turned off by this holiday that they purposefully dress in black, watch horror movies, and play drinking games during it. You see, the spirit of Valentine's Day lives within all of us... we just all show it in different ways. I am the type who loves glitter, flowers, shades of red and pink, chocolate truffles, and sweat sentiments. I am more than happy to put on heart shaped earrings, pass out candy and cards, and go out to dinner with my sweetheart (or stay in and watch a movie while snuggling on the couch).

Now, let me explain something: I am someone who believes that you should love those that are special to you everyday. There is no need to create a holiday just to give you the excuse to tell someone that you love and appreciate them and surround them with chocolates and flowers. I tell my sweetie that I love him everyday and I buy him gifts far too often than I probably should.

But... since we have a specific date (February 14) set aside on all of our calenders, why not celebrate it!? Lets bake and decorate cupcakes, give each other heart shaped cards filled with heart shaped confetti, take our honey out for a night on the town, tell those that are dear to us that we love them because we don't tell them nearly enough. Maybe it's the fact that I was born in February that I love Valentine's Day so much... Maybe it's the fact that I love baking and decorating... Maybe it's the fact that red is one of my favorite colors... Maybe it's the fact that I love making people uncomfortable by telling them that I love them...

Whatever it is, I love celebrating Valentine's Day and I would like to leave all of you with a bit of inspiration from some of the contributors at Tiny Treasures. I hope it gets you into the spirit of love and I hope it inspires you to go out and photograph the tiny treasures you see during this lovely holiday...