TaDa!

The vintage Turkish kilim pillow cases have arrived! They were delivered precisely 6 days after ordering, ahem, all the way from Turkey, mind you! I was quite flabbergasted and thrilled it was so quick. The etsy shop said it was "5 day expedited shipping through UPS," but let's just say I wasn't holding my breath. I just went on with my daily life, enjoying each moment, with the knowledge and pleasant expectation of their arrival. I imagined how they would look, how I would feel once they took form on my couch, and I smiled a lot. Underneath, I was excited, giddy, like a child on Christmas Eve.

My pillows arrived when i was literally knee-deep in dirt and worms, helping Ron replace rotted-out retaining beams in the front garden in order to re-terrace and create a veggie patch. Much to Ron's chagrin, I absolutely could not wait to open my package and get to decorating. Heavy, two-person lifting behind us, I figured the garden was something one person could handle alone for a few minutes.

Instant room facelift. The perfect accompaniment to my taupe couch and rustic, ethnic vibe.
I can hardly imagine what the room looked and felt like without them!

Problem is, I can't stop there. Now the $60 estate sale oriental i purchased 2 years ago just doesn't work in anymore...the colors are more navy and blue than adobe earth tones. Luckily, I knew exactly what I wanted and where to find one on the cheap! RugsUSA.com; hundreds of rugs at discount prices, and wouldn't you know that right now they are having a Shamrock Savings Sale of 50-80% off.

I purchased this 5'x8' handspun jute rug for under $100!

This girl likes good deals...Let me rephrase: This girl LOVES good deals! And affordable items that are high-quality and/or handmade. Along with the satisfaction of finding a good deal,  I really do enjoy the feeling of happily anticipating the arrival of a package. I think we would all be able to manifest our desires more quickly if we were to rest assured of their coming true with the same certainty we have over an ordered parcel's delivery, just without the tracking info. Tracking info is for doubters. Because the truth is, we just don't know exactly when what we want is going to arrive. Desires don't always manifest on our timetable, and dreams don't come true for doubters.

All this internet shopping and home-rearranging and the Debbie Downer voice in my head goes something like this. "How materialistic! How utterly mainstream and consumer you are! And spending away your inheritance when you don't even have a job, on items you don't really need! Wasting your time surfing the web, pinning pictures of things you can't afford, houses you won't ever live in and places you can't even dream to visit, when you should be doing something productive! Get up! Clean the house! Get a job! Figure out what you want to do in the world and do it already! Keep doing this and you'll end up with no money, no life and just things, useless things!"

GULP. 

Sometimes, I'll admit, I succumb to this voice which some may call practicality, others, the inner parent, but I'm wiser now than I used to be. I know the full benefit of dreaming, of contemplating joy, of harnessing happiness through some choice acquisitions or cherished moments. If a couple pillows and a rug make me happy, create a more welcoming space and fill me with ease and lift me up, then you bet I am going to open my wallet. But, I am still going to hunt around for the best bargains first.

;)

If i listened to that voice, I would be thwarting my own growth and the innate ability I have to create a life of joy for myself. Have no fear, take the plunge and do what makes you happy.