Not your average Tuesday Tea

So what are you drinking this rain and hail soaked Tea Tuesday?  Join us, share your story, leave your link, and we'll visit.  As for me?  I'm drinking coffee, but you won't see it in any of these photos.  Mainly, that's because these photos were shot yesterday when my friends and I headed to the Chinese restaurant to celebrate my bEARTHday.

 As I was leaving for the restaurant, the postal person delivered my mail.  I was thrilled and added two envelopes to the package I intended to open at the restaurant.  My friend Norma who I got to meet in 2005 while I was in CA, sent this envelope.  It had been damaged or had been wet before it reached Wichita, at least that's what the stamp read.

 

I was saddened that the PO had allowed this lovely gift to get wet.  Norma, whose handwriting is to die for, always includes a birthday napkin, a balloon, and numerous bits of confetti in her cards.  However, this time, she was prudent and placed all that confetti in a little baggie for me to open at my leisure.

Isn't this awesome?  I will take HAPPINESS, LOVE, HOPE, JOY, and COURAGE.  Beauty has never been in my wheelhouse, and I've given up on peace, at least in my lifetime.  Of course, I could argue that the beauty was in this lovely mixed media gift she sent.  And yes, those are litte tags you are supposed to tear off as needed.
 

Next was this beauty, which I never managed to get in focus, from my friend Patty from Magpie's Nest.  This bird is the perfect choice for decorating an envelope.  And check out those gorgeous postage stamps.

Inside was a booklet (and I confess, I haven't had a chance to look at it yet) describing the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC.  Along with that, was this lovely mixed media piece Patty put together for me.  Of course, I failed to capture the inside on camera.

The main reason I wanted to take this piece to the restaurant was because it is from my dear friend Annette (Voodoo Vixen).  I promised I would not open this until my birthday and I knew if I brought it to my birthday lunch with friends, it would be obvious.

The back story is Annette sent this nearly two months ago, while she was still in Scotland, after returning home (Scotland) from Alberta, Canada.  She had to wait while their cats (hers and her hubby's) spent time in Scotland before going into quarantine in Australia.  She knew she would be moving about the time she actually needed to send my gift, so sent it early.  A win-win for both of us.  And of course, I have infinite patience when it comes to gifts.  I've never been one to try to peek in a package before it was time, so waiting was no problem.

OH LOOK.  There's my Tuesday Tea drink: water with lemon!!

It wouldn't have done any good to peek anyway, because I would never have gotten it back the way Annette wrapped it.  It took FOREVER to get it open at the restaurant, a restaurant that has no knives, only chop sticks!!  And I wasn't about to tear that awesome scrapbook paper that was decorated on both sides.  Once I got it open, mostly using my fingernails, I took a photo and closed the box.  I could tell just from opening the box, it would take forever to go through all the great contents.

Once home, I began laying out the goodies, but there were more than my table would hold.  You have no idea how many bits and bobs she sent.  Things I could use to make other things.  After all, Annette IS the Queen of Embellishments.

Although I left the lovely rocking horse that Annette altered (see her post here) on the table, I returned the other items to the box, and put the rest of the items she sent on the table.  Talk about a haul.  Even with just a cursory look at the bags of goodies, I realized there are things I can use in my Hands AB, my 7-Continents AB, and mixed media art.  I was thrilled, thrilled, thrilled.  Thank you dear friend.

And thanks to all my kind, generous, thoughtful, and dear friends for the wonderful comments that went along with these lovely gifts.  It really, really made both my bEARTHday and Tea Tuesday.

As an aside, I haven't found a real home for this new beauty yet, but for now, it has taken up residence on my "mailing desk," although I don't do much mailing anymore.

Thanks again for the kindness and warm wishes I have received.  You make my day, my month, my YEAR.