Inspirations from a 65th birthday. I am officially an old lady and happy that I made it!

Yesterday on my birthday I received this darling card from Stephanie, a friend from long ago who I keep in contact with and get to see when I teach for her group at Aunt Mary's in Smokey Point in two weeks! Hooray. Isn't this creative and fun? She took some of my fabrics and made this. I love the edging don't you? GREAT idea! Thank you Stephanie.

Knowing how much I love Paris and adventure, Stephanie sent me this notebook that I could use for a journal or for drawing. I love both ideas.
Isn't this cover wonderful? VERY happy and creative. Made me smile when I opened ths package.

I got this darling birthday card from my friend Molly along with a nice lunch box type container filled. It is always so nice when a gift arrives the day of your birthday and you were not expecting anything.
Mark and I decided that we did not need to spend the money on a gift for me. We have learned the difference between needs and wants. And truthfully everything I want is out of range right now. And I cannot think of a thing I really want anyway. I am so happy with m y family and my friends that I see that as a gift that I really love!SO, below is the box that Molly sent and it was so pretty. There is a little handle on the side just like a lunch box and it is so cute.

Inside the box was all kinds of surprises which made me smile too. Don't you just look at a package like this and wonder what could be in there? You have already seen the darling card she sent. We love that designer.

Lindt candy is a favorite since I got to go to the facotry in Switzerland...very fun. If you have not tried this chocolate candy you must. It is very smooth and very good.

Inside the red paper was this little bundle and it is pattern paper it was wrapped in. Isn't that a great idea?
Now look at what I opened!

 Isn't this the CUTEST bracelet you have ever seen? I just love it. And today (the day after my birthday I wore it to my daughter's house where we had brunch for my birthday since everyone was skiing yesterday and had to make their weekly lessons. Such fun for all. I expect to be wearing this a ton. It goes with everything. Molly knows what I love. I see my hands are looking like my Mother's and Grandmother's. How did that happen and when? I didn't notice this before. Oh well, I am happy in spirit and that is what counts.

At the bottom of the box was this cashmere scarf. Since it is going to be 1 degree this week where I live,it will come in handy. It is so cold today and will drop even more. Isn't this the perfect color for someone who misses the sunshine and Spring or summer? Both of these have such happy colors. No gray or brown for me. And polka dots too! My most favorite pattern in all of the world.

This is a card I received from one of my "Cupcake" friends. She belongs to a group we have had for about 15 years. There are six of us and we are the cupcakes. Laurie who lives in Lopez Island is very thoughtful and creative too. I so appreciate being remembered. The perfect card for a "cupcake" girl.

Below is a card from a friend I have had for many years that is a flight attendant-many of you know Susan from Seattle. Susan is a cupcake member also and she always has things that make me laugh...loud and alot. She is so much fun! This card is typical of her joy.

As it happened, one of the bunny Sisters Charlotte, sent me this newspaper article about the COW exibit we had in Houston. Mel McFarland and I curated this show. If you want to see it , it will be showing at the AQS show in Phoenix this month. Anyway, what a gift this article was. Charlotte's cow was "Moolah" and it is featured in the article as was Laurie's Moody Blues (Laurie sent me the cupcake card.)  I am having a brain miss and I cannot remember all of the names but Tina (the girl who cooks for my retreat) did the Mooey Cowliente quilt and Sandi from Canada did the Cow that jumped over the Moon. I have a photo of my friend and I from Houston with us in front of the cow pie and I am having brain problems remembering her name which I know well. Ever have that happen? I am 65 now so I have an excuse.

Charlotte lives in Florida and she used her special Florida paper to mail me the note along with the newspaper. I turned it over and look, it looks like a high heel and sort of reminds me of Italy. Right?

Or is it just me?

I had to show this platter. It is one of my most favorite belongings. I LOVE tiaras and Sandy and Wendy gave this to me last year. It is so playful and it is ME. Sandy gave me a gift certificate to Target yesterday also. It is my favorite in town go to store. I love what they have...so many cute things so it won't be hard to find something. I am thinking that this Spring I will get something for my garden. Can't wait to start cleaning up out there and planting. 

I wanted to share this little picture I have had for years. I have long been a huge fan of Janet Bolton and I think this is kind of a knockoff of her style of things. The initials are different so it isn't her but isn't this darling? Makes me smile everytime I see it and when my friends helped me clean my sewing space, they put it up. 

I am ending this with a photo from a card. There are so many of you that could be sitting right here next to me in our robes and holding hands and smiling. Look at the style of the fancy girl on the left and the other lady on the right. Isn't this funny? The older I get the more my friendships mean to me. I dearly love my friends like family. As they say "make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold." All my friends are diamonds. Thank you sincerely for visiting my blog. Hope these colors, and fun things inspired you like they did me! I am officially an old lady now and it is so freeing. I don't have to follow the crowd. I make cow quilts and am happy doing it. And story quilts will always be my thing because I love telling about a life that is happy and well lived.