Party Pics & Presents!

As promised, I'm back with a few more photos of my medieval birthday party last weekend - courtesy of the Lovely Lilly Linda, candle-photographer-extraordinaire! :0) You should pop over to Linda's blog for a peek at her last two posts - lots of fun in HER version of the party events! :0) And since she's been mentioned ...

Here's one of Lilly Linda's photos of the two of us in our medieval finery! Don't you just love that gorgeous red dress!!! And here is a pic of the two party gals ...

This photo of Lynda and I was taken early in the night ... and this one ...

... was taken LATER in the night when we were tripping the light fantastic to the medieval sounds of ... ABBA! Tee! Hee! Hee! Both of us were ABBA girls from way back, so it seemed appropriate! :0) And we weren't the only ones ...

Don't know if you can see very clearly, but the fair maiden on the left is my bestest-buddy-since-we-were-nine Lynette and the two cuties either side of her are her daughters Emma (back) and Erin (closest on left with the gorgeous strawberry blond hair!). In the middle of the dance floor are my (appropriately named!) dancing buddies, Deb and Lynda and to the right are some of the members of the vocal ensemble, After Five, that I'm a member of. We all sure did have a whale of a time - thanks to everyone for helping me celebrate my milestone birthday in medieval style! :0)

Now ... I also promised to show you some of the wonderful gifties that I was lucky enough to have bestowed upon me. I won't show all of them ... cos you'd all get jealous! Tee! Hee! Hee! And if I posted them all, we'd be here for AGES!! So I have just picked a few to share with you. The first is the giftie given to me by my Beloved Geek Boy ...

It's a little hard to see, cos it was quite hard to photograph! It is a GORGEOUS silver bracelet that features one of my favourite Celtic knot designs. Isn't it pretty!! I think I've worn it everywhere since GB gave it to me! :0) And a combined present from my Mum and Dad and my brother Paul and his wife Ella, was ...

A FABULOUS original watercolour painting by a very talented artist from my home town of Mundubbera, Sue Ledderhose. My friends and family know that I just LOVE old houses, especially the iconic Queenslanders and this one is even more special cos I used to drive past it every day for the two years that Lynette and I caught the bus from Mundubbera to the next town of Gayndah to complete year 11 and 12. It is now looking rather fabulous in our lounge room. My almost-sister Tiff also spoilt me ... with a voucher from my Home-away-from-home ... Quilters Angel!! Oooooohhhh, boy!! Am I going to have LOTS of fun spending THAT birthday giftie!! :0)

Now, while she was partying the night away with me, the Lovely Lilly Linda presented me with a brightly coloured package and told me very firmly, "Don't Drop It!!"

Isn't that some of the most CHEERFUL wrapping paper you've ever seen - I thought Linda and caught me a rainbow for my birthday! :0) And look at the pretty vintage slipper card!! Inside the rainbow I found ...

... ANOTHER rainbow ... of sorts! This GORGEOUS Celtic knot light catcher caught my eye when I visited the local markets near Linda's place, but I'd already spent all my play money, so had to admire it and leave it. It seems Linda was lovely and sneaky and went back to get it specially for my birthday! What a sweetie! Now it's sending rainbows through the kitchen and lounge room as it catches the light. Thank you Linda!!

Another spectacularly wrapped giftie arrived in the mail the day before my party, too, from another of my gorgeous blogging buddies, Kerryanne from Shabby Art Boutique. When I opened the post box, I found ...

... a parcel wrapped in the instruction sheet from an old dressmaking pattern (the best use I've ever seen for instruction sheets since I can never follow the blasted things!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) And just look at that custom-made card!! Kerryanne has used a black and white photo of baby-me and tied it all up with a tape measure! How clever is she!! Then, I unwrapped it all and found ...

... a sewing treasures box! How pretty is this box! Did you see the writing on it ... "BEAR Necessities"! Tee! Hee! Hee! And on the inside ...

... groovy vintage sewing labels and a couple of blinged-up matchboxes to store little treasures in. Thank you Kerryanne!! I love it! And it will be such a handy storage spot for some of my smaller sewing treasures.

See!!! I TOLD you I was spoilt for my birthday!! :0) I also received some bottles of adult beverages, some very pretty necklaces, a gorgeous silver and turquoise pendant, a book voucher and all sorts of other goodies. Yep ... all in all, I think it's been worth hitting the big "4" "0"! Tee! Hee! Hee!

Of course, it may take me a little longer to recover from all the activity surrounding this momentous birthday - it seems to have been somewhat exhausting! :0) So you can guess that there hasn't been much creating going on here - well, some hand stitching, but no finishes to share ... OR add to my OPAM finishes list! I'll have to do better next month, won't I! OPAM gals, don't forget that today's the day to update your sidebar list of finishes and email Peg or I with the number of projects you've finished for March. The fabulous and tireless Peg is in charge of this month's prize draw, so make sure you stay tuned to her blog in the next few days to see if you're a lucky winner.

Right now, though, I think I'm off to make myself a nice cup of lavender tea to sip while flicking through the latest issue of "Handmade" magazine ... there are LOTS of blogging designers featured in this issue ... including yours truly! But I'll be back to show you that soon. Til next time,

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS