About

Hey there! Welcome to my blog.

My name is Mara (joyful.mara in the blogosphere) and this is my space to share my life, joys, and stories about finding my passions. Sometimes my posts are few and far between as I work full time and run two small shops (handmade goods & salvaged treasures) on Etsy. That’s right…the busy-busy has taken over my life. But, for the joys, loves, and musings I am able to share, I sincerely hope that you will read on and en-joy!


A few little things about me... 

Seattleite.
Chai tea latte lover.
Chocoholic.
Cat-person.
Craft-teacher.
Cuba Libre libation-er
Homesteader wanna-be
Marathon runner wanna-be.
Fashion Designer wanna-be.
Gourmet Chef wanna-be.
Office supply addict.
Rock connoisseur.
...and 20 more.

Still want to know more? Fantastic! Read on, Dear Friend. 

About joyful life: 

It all started with travel plans. Gearing up to go abroad, I knew that cell phones would be "out" and email "in" when it came to keeping friends and family informed. To simplify communication, I decided to create one place where I could share my stories and photos at any time.

In the years to follow, I was introduced to the growing world of blogging. I started reading other blogs and found out that I really wanted to be a part of this beautiful online community.

So, here I am years later with a thriving blog of my own. A sacred and creative space for sharing stories, thoughts, and insights about finding my passions, developing goals, and hopefully in that process inspiring others to live the joyful life!

Why "joyful life"? 

To be honest this all came about from a conversation with my career counselor. She asked me the question "If you could feel one emotion for the rest of your life, what would it be?" then she sent me on my way to come back next week with the answer. I jotted down several words, but in the end I kept coming back to "joyful". I wanted to be happy, but the kind that is long lasting and not just from moment to moment. Joy is a state of being. Joy stays with you. Joy can be shared...spread from one person to another. Why not cultivate a blog about my life and what brings me joy?

About my photos: 

I am a novice photographer. My camera of choice is my trusty Nikon D60 with my favorite (and affordable!) lens. I use simple photoshop actions (great free ones here) to edit my photos, but I've picked up a few other tips and tricks along the way. Most of the graphics and photos you see on joyful.life (especially the most recent ones) were taken and edited by yours truly, so it's bound to only get better from here!

Advertising 

This blog displays google ads and affiliate links, including Amazon Associates.

disclaimer: joyful.life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Still want to know more?

Feel free to shoot me an email, follow me on instagram, find me on pinterest.

Ok, now it's my turn...

Do tell!

What makes you feel joyful? Comment on my latest post. I'd love to hear more!