Creative Christmas Bounty

I thought I would share some of my Christmas bounty with you. DH is very supportive of my creative endeavors. He never really says much but the gifts he gives speak louder than words I think. The Fountain Pen books shown above is my collection. I had one, some wonderful freinds gave me one and DH gave me two that are more difficult to find. Yahoo ! I have already been able to learn a lot ! You really can't tell it from the photo but that big box is a home studio lighting set! I will now be able to take some better photos of my quilts - and other things too. This lighting system had been on my wish list for a long time. I hope to work with it this weekend.
Last, but by NO means least, here is my art supply bounty- WoW - I could hardly believe it when I saw these boxes filled with TONS of paints, some mediums, a variety of sketching pencils, colored pencils & many new brushes !!! I know there was a freindly elf helping DH with this - but it was such a great surprise. Just in time for a new quilt that has been percolating in my head for months ! Doesn't it just look good all together?!!

Gifts Beyond Measure

Gifts beyond measure. That rather aptly describes my life - but also the glorious birthday gifts I received from friends and family. Janet gave me the amazing booty shown above. As she presented me with her hand decorated small sized pizza box her mantra was "the theme is green". WoW what a box! There were beautiful kimono silks in my favorite greens, green hand dyed threads, a lovely hand embroidered (by J) bag containing this out-of-this-world array of "hot glass" beads (I can't imagine where she found those!) and a green egg (glass). This whole box blew me away. THANK YOU J !!!!!

These were a few of the first photos I took with me new lens - it may just live on the camera. It's everything I had hoped it would be and then some. The quality of the glass is just amazing. It was really a much longed for gift and will be much cherished and well used. DH always spoils me on my birthday - I think he feels that he is making up for lost time since I can only remember having one birthday party as a child - but it was worth waiting for ! Thanks to my wonderful spouse for making me feel like a princess.

I want to share some of the other amazing things that greeted my on my birthday - and will try to take the photos later today.

Sweet Gifts From the Heart

My friend, Lauren, stopped by the other and gave me what she calls earlier birthday presents. No matter that it's not until just about June ! I had been thinking about getting Julia Cameron's books - actually, had thought about getting them several times in the last couple of years. As luck would have it - I had been considering the purchase again recently, following a discussion on the QuiltArt list. Lauren gave me this elegant volume that contains three of Julia's books. I have already started working on The Artist's Way exercises. Lauren also gave me this thin little volume of poems - about living life - from 1916. Thank you dearest friend; as always, you knew just what I needed !