Snow, and birthday presents !!!!

It has been snowing here all day ..... it's snowing on my pumpkins, my mums, my bike and my geraniums!!! The snow doesn't seem to care that me and my yard are still in "autumn mode" -- I guess whether I like it or not, it's time to put my bike in the garage , get rid of the dead mums and geraniums, and throw the pumpkins in the woods for the bears!

Anyway -- on to other fun stuff ---- BIRTHDAY PRESENTS !!! LOOK!! a new camera !!! and it's PINK !!!! and it has it's own cute little carrying case!!! (these were compliments of hubby, who was clued - in by the kids, who were hinted to by yours truly .)

Next, my sister,Boop(aka Karen) always comes up with the funniest stuff --- for example that hysterical gift bag with the glamorous poodle in the snazzy specs, driving that glitzy , sweet ride !!! That gift bag is too perfect to put away with the other gift bags in a closet -- oh, no .... it's going to be on display in the Very Pink Sewing Room!! Now, in the gift bag she also had fun stuff --- like that Vera Bradly cell phone case, and the "Girls' Night Out" jar -- (complete with some cold cash from my sweet sister -in -law , Lori and her two daughters Katie and Stephie --- thanks girls!!!
also some $ from Mom and Dad --- we're saving up for one dooser of a "girl's night out " or 2 or 3 !!!!)

Moving along on our birthday present tour -- look at that darling folk art Santa -- made by my mother -in - law and her friends in the craft group she belongs to --- isn't he great !!! She also gave me that calendar that has a different quilt block with instructions for each day --- PERFECT !! (now, I just have to remember NOT to throw the pages away as I tear off each day!)

Yesterday, my sister and I met for lunch and shopping (as part of .... yes, you guessed it -- the birthday celebration , which I drag out for as long as I can!) Anyway, we went to a quilt shop not too far from where she lives. We've never been to this shop before ---- but we'll definately be going there again!!! What a GREAT shop -- Quilter's Palette is the name of the shop. It's in Fleetwood, Pa (near Reading, Pa). Anyhow, my sister had to follow me around with a mop since I was drooling over all the goodies they had there -- like those magazines : Quilt mania and Handmade (the Claire Murray La Vie Claire I got later that day at Barnes and Noble -- another of our favorite hang outs -- especially because of the English breakfast tea and chocolate biscotti -- not to mention book, books, and more books!!) Anyhow, I also got that gorgeous Needl'e Love book "Wintergreen Threads" at Quilter's Palette --- you should see all the great projects in it !!! ....... and , of course, there was fabric purchasing going on (both of the cotton variety and wool variety) -- AND, look!! some of that wool escaped from the pack and is getting ready to jump into the Birthday Give Away goodie bag for the lucky winner !!! So, don't forget to leave a comment on this post or the previous one to be entered in the contest -- deadline is this Tuesday, Nov. 20th (Daisy will pick the winner after her mother, yours truly, gets the mess in the kitchen cleaned up -- probably around 10 or 11 PM!)

Good luck!

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)