A Birthday Felt

 I had a birthday a few days ago.... and I received some lovely gifts from my blogging friends.

One is this beautiful felted journal by my dear friend and fellow QB5er, Patty!

I increased the contrast so you can really see those sweet buds above

 that are at the ends of the fibers that are the tie closure on this piece. 

 The pink is actually lighter and sweeter. 

She felted a piece of an old hankie on there...

with the rose...

 You can see Patty's post about making these here...with more pictures.

The inside is full of great pages!

Patty knows I love journals and needle felting!

Don't you love our blog world!?

Parties

I'm going to a few parties over the next few days.....

most have to do with my niece's wedding...

so I will be blog-absent awhile...

The last two years (at least)....

I've shown you what Anthropologie sends you for your birthday

if you are signed up as a "special customer" (which you KNOW I am!!!)!!!!

Here is this year's....

a nice blue linen envie...

It's buttoned with a star and then inside...

I love Anthropologie!!!

It's May!

Yes....finally it's May!

May is my birthday month... it's actually the beginning of many days set aside for me to receive gifts. Mother's Day is in May and then in early June is my wedding anniversary!

Such a great time of year.

My sweeeet friend, Natalea, sent me a birthday package!

Yes, she is so organized and it's early.....my birthday is the 2nd half of the month...

but she likes to celebrate things for extended periods!

(we hit it off as soon as we met at Silver Bella oh so many years ago!)

above is the back of the bird bookmark/hanging that says Friend on it.

I have those specimen cards and would've never thought to use them this way! So much wonderfulness in my package!

Thank you, Natalea! You are a treasured friend!

Birds of a Feather

Natalea sent me this sweet piece on a chain!

I met Natalea at Silver Bella in 2007!

I had been reading her blog and didn't realize it tho!

I had fallen in love with some curtains her mom had made for her

and left a comment searching

for the fabric!

Life is funny!

Below you can see her necklace displayed

on her sweet packaging

and beneath them

are the gorgeous tea towels

that Emily in South Carolina

sent me.

Emily and I are in Christian Paper Artists Yahoo Group together.

She doesn't have a blog...

but should,

of course!

People seem to know what I like!

Although my sister said when handing me my gift this week,

"You are so hard to shop for!"

Match This!

Don't you love these little matchboxes that people are swapping!

Patty does a great matchbox!

And...she sent this one to me!

She is so giving... and makes such wonderful things.

It was wrapped so sweetly.

You know how we are ...

all of us that read these blogs ...

the entire package is joyous.

We covet the paper and ribbons as much as the gift they hold.

Below is an overhead shot of all the goodies Patty sent me for my birthday.

Please understand that Patty and I have a long standing friendship.

She is not a blog stalker. rofl

Not that I know what a blog stalker is or anything.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Look what Virginia made me!

I told her I could see a series of these!

Anyone else?

I am trying to do a post every day this week...

just noticed that yesterday's got backdated and shows up

with Monday's..so two on Monday.

Don't you hate when Blogger doesn't do what you think it should?

...oh... go look at Carole's post for today on Madness and Mess! JUST indulge me, okay?

...and check out her upcoming video class!

Am I Indulgent?

I won this over on Anna's blog a few weeks ago!

She made some reuseable bags for Earth Day and I happened to be in the right place at the right time!

Carole at Madness and Mess sent me a sack of goodies!

Two great magazines and fabric and a pattern.

Have you see that Alice in Wonderland fabric anywhere

or it just available in New Zealand?

So last week this HUGE box arrives at my house!

I couldn't open it at first..... just let it SIT there.

Finally did!

It's a VINTAGE suitcase!

She loaded it with lovelies.......hankies and a little western boot "wall pocket" ... in that vintage color I love...

In keeping with the feet theme I have going on in my life lately, I thought the western boot was

appropriate!

Birthday Week

Anna made the little stitched piece above!

Isn't it the cutest cupcake!!!!???

And below is a card she altered for me....

a vintage card with a darling button!

I love it!

And below is Nathalie's altered vintage card....

Aren't these girls amazing!

Have you ever altered a vintage card and re-used it?

I haven't.... but I will!

There's lots more to show you..... but I gotta spread it out....

taking flight...

Today is my birthday!

Since parties are planned through Thursday

I'll save pictures for Friday so as not to burn you out!

It's good to be 60!

Got this here!