Three Artistic Friends That Inspire

 "It is lovely when I forget all birthdays, including my own, to find that somebody remembers me,"

~ E. Glasgow

I wanted to share some of the beautiful hand crafted items I was blessed to receive for my birthday.

My blogger pal Jayne sent me these gifts tags.....honestly I have never seen any more beautiful.

They are dripping in rose buds, silk ribbon and rhinestones and were created by

Under The Night Moon on etsy.

Jayne is always sharing her favorite finds on her blog Bunny Chic Boutique and promoting fellow bloggers and etsy shops!

She also sent this adorable felt bird.....

and all these goodies ~ many she created herself ~ all wrapped in my favorite pink chenille.

I don't know how she knew but Jayne I thank you with all my heart!

I cried when I opened it because it was so unexpected.

This amazing hand crafted scarf was hanging on my door knob when we came home.

It turns out my friend Lisa (Christmas Cookie Queen ) who also is an amazing cook can do just about everything else to perfection as well!

(ummm.... she is also a mother of 6 ranging in age from toddler to late 20's)

This scarf was crafted with a beautiful yarn called Ella Rae Latte

It is a combination of alpaca and milk fibers.

As Lisa said, " Who knew milk had fibers!"

I have worn it every time I have walked out my door since.

It has already become somewhat of an adult version of a security blanket because I can feel Lisa's love whenever I wear it.

This is a felted bag and necklace she made for me last year.

She uses only the best of materials.

If you'd like to contact Lisa feel free to email me and I will connect you.

And then there is dear Pat ~ who's beautifully hand dyed silk ribbon rival any I have ever used.
Except for finishing up some I already have in my stash ~ Pat's is the only silk ribbon I will ever use again.
The colors are so rich. I love the multi colors ones ~ perfect for pansy petals!
She has blessed me in a million different ways and I am ever grateful!
(Pat offers directions on dying your own silk ribbon on page 36 of her magazine""Crazy Quilt Gatherings"

And so now at 52 years of age I realize this ~

"Age has extremely little to do with anything that matters.
The difference between one age and another is enormously exaggerated."
~ R. M. 

(pictured below is the beautiful coat my daughter Cheri gave me)

And so another year has gone by. I am so thankful for the cards received and facebook greetings!

And so my gift for you ~ some birthday wisdom to consider.

"May you live to be a hundred years with one extra year to repent.'

~ Irish Toast

"Don't seek to recall yesterday that is past

Nor repine for tomorrow which has yet to come:

Don't build your hopes on the past or future.

Be happy now and don't live on the wind."

~ O. Khayyam

"Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy."

~ Rabbi A. Heschel

"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be...."

~ R. Browning

Recipe for the easiest Happy Birthday Ice Cream Cake Ever

Take a half gallon of ice cream from the freezer.

Cover sides and bottom with a layer of lady finger,ginger snaps, oreos depending on flavor.

Place back in freezer until ready to use ~ then slice.

" Another candle on your cake?

Well, that's no cause to pout,

Be glad that you have strength enough

To blow the darn things out."

~ anonymous

Angels

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware."

 Hebrews (13:2)

"Mother Teresa tells a story of walking past an open drain and catching a glimpse of something moving in it. She investigated and found a dying man whom she took back to a home where he could die in love and peace. 'I live like an animal in the streets,' the man told her. 'Now I will die like an angel'..."

- Mother Teresa of Calcutta ("Words to Live By")

 
"Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"As to prophecy and good fortune: angels can only speak of it - only humans can manifest it."

- Anonymous


"We are each of us angels with only one wing and we can only fly by embracing each other."

- Luciano de Crescenzo

" He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone."

~ Luke 4:10`11

                                                                                                                                                                         

This little angel is on her way to another angel in Florida....

This beautiful Rose if from an angel named Lisa.....found on my doorstep last week.....in celebration of her anniversary of being cancer free.

"All of God's Angels come to us disguised."

Happy Blessed New Year to YOU Dear One

Love wholeheartedly,

Be surprised,

Give Thanks and Praise ~

THEN

You will discover

The Fullness of Your Life.

-David Steindl-Rast

I Love This Kind Of Morning!

My day off ~ and I woke up to fresh fallen snow. My daughter was still fast asleep so I filled my biggest mug with hot tea and gathered my oatmeal, glasses and bible for a quite time of hearing from the Lord and giving thanks. " If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is Thank You, it will be enough," M. Eckhart "Let your thanksgiving for all that is rise above the disappointment ~ opportunities lost, mistakes made, the clamor of all that has not yet come." S.B.B.

"Another I"

Imagine the house has emptied of family for the day. You are sitting in your favorite chair while the afternoon sun pours in the window ~ having a good, hard cry~ the kind you hold in till you are alone. You hear the mailman plop a box outside your door.You open it to find this ~ ~ ~ a soldering iron and kit that you have been dreaming for for ages, a sweet note pad you have been eyeing at Barnes and Noble, adorable collection of tiny buttons , chocolate,candy and oh my ~ the most beautiful little dolls. Most important ~ you feel the love that pours out of the box and know the uncanny timing is more like divine intervention. Anyone will recognize this is Pat's handiwork.
I have found some quotes that celebrate friendship and I dedicate them to my friend who always seems to "show up" at just the right time!

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." Anaia Nin

"The only good teachers for you are those friends who love you, who think you are interesting or very important, or wonderfully funny." Brenda Ueland

"There are people whom one loves immediately and for ever. Even to know they are alive in the world is quite enough." Nancy Spain

"Another I." Zeno

A Touch of Heaven from Pat

"A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns to it's original dimension." Oliver Holmes ~ I recently heard this saying and thought of my dear friend Pat. Her single idea of making a few dolls for abused woman has grown with leaps and bounds and has brought hundreds of smiles to faces that didn't have one. I just received one of the 50 charms she has sent to those who have participated thus far in the Comfort Doll Project http://www.comfortdolls.blogspot.com/ When I see Patricia A. Winter on the return address label ~ I know whatever is inside is filled with LOVE. This was no exception. One more saying that makes me think of Pat ~ "To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to LIVE gratitude is to touch Heaven."

Vintage Book Review

This book is a true account of the author Catherine Elizabeth Havens. It describes her life in New York City in the years 1849 - 1850 from a 10 year old point of view. She talks about a city of close knit neighborhoods and folks truly watching out for each other.

Scarlet Fever was running ramped and several of her family members became sick with it. Here is a funny passage where she describes two frequent visitors to her home.

"Miss Carew makes my things. She is an old maid, and very fussy, and Ellen and I don't like her. She wears little bunches of curls behind her ears, and when she is cutting out she screws up her mouth, and we try not to laugh. ~ There is another person called Miss Platt who comes to sew carpets, and although we don't despise her, which would be very wicked, for my mother says she comes of an excellent old Long Island family, yet Ellen and I don't like to have her use our forks and drink out of our cups. She is very tall and thin and has a long neck that reminds Ellen and me of a turkey gobbler, and her thumb-nails are all flattened from hammering down carpets, and she puts up her front hair in little rings and sticks big pins through them. Ellen and I try to pick out a nicked cup for her to use so that we can recognize it and avoid it."

Here is another passage where she describes a dress she wore in a picture which she called a ambrotype.Try to picture this ~ "I have on a blue and white foulard dress, and it is made with a basque, and the basque is trimmed with blue satin ribbon about an inch wide, box pleated and quilled, and I have on my black lace mitts, and some Valenciennes lace in my sleeves, and my hair is braided and put around my ears. "

Lastly ~ here is a song on the last page ~

THE WOOD ROBIN

a song of the eighteenth century

Stay, sweet enchanter of the grove,

Leave not so soon thy native tree,

Oh, warble still those notes of love,

While my fond heart responds to thee!

Rest thy soft bosom on the spray,

Till chilly Autumn frowns severe,

Then charm me with thy parting lay,

And I will answer with a tear.

But soon as Spring, enriched with flowers.

Comes dancing o'er the new drest plain,

Return and cheer thy native bowers,

My robin, with thy notes again!

This book was given to a girl named Emily U. Goodan and signed ~ from her friend Catherine Elizabeth Havens

(the author) 1920 ~ Stamford, Ct.

This book was delightful to read :)

Notable Quotes

What you can walk away from ~

you've mastered.

What you can't walk away from ~

Has mastered you.

and another........

"I honor every woman who has the strength enough to step out of the beaten path when she feels that her walk lies in another." Harriet Hosmer

To My Blogging Friend's

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another:What! You too? I thought I was the only one."C. S. Lewis

Teddy say's "Happy Spring!!!"

Rise up , MY LOVE, my fair one , and come away. For ,lo,the WINTER IS PAST, the rain is over and gone; The flower's appear on the earth; the time of the SINGING OF THE BIRDS is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. THE BIBLE , Song of Solomon 2:10-12