Early Birthday Surprise

Although I'm getting up there in my age, I still like birthday celebrations.  It's the child-like parts (those who know me very well might argue it's 'childish' rather than 'child-like' in this case...) of me who still feel excited about a birthday approaching and feel delighted if someone remembers it.  And I'd say that in any creative line of work, staying child-like is a vital character of a creative mind.  You have to be able to feel the wonder in the ordinary and appreciate things with fresh perspective.  This is how I'll always justify my 'childish'... ahem, 'child-like' qualities.

I LOVE getting cards from designers and crafters from all over the world.  I LOVE stuff coming through the snail mail - well, maybe except for the bills.  I like shopping online.  I like seeing the mail man/woman come up the walkway to my mailbox.  I like seeing the dark brown UPS truck pull up in front of my house.  You get the picture.

The other day, I received a spectacular gift from my dear friend, Lorraine, in England.  And yes, the packages and envelopes with the Queen's stamps on, which travel across the pond, just seem extra special.  It's not every day that I get international mail (especially with postage being so prohibitively expensive).  She kindly let me know that a package was on the way without divulging the content.  Unfortunately, contrary to the estimated date of delivery as predicted by the Royal Mail employee, the package was taking its dear time once it was in the hands of the US Postal Service.  ^^;  I usually have lots of nice things to say about USPS, believe it or not, and I'm always nice to USPS people.  But this package was taking so long that we were both starting to worry. LOL

I'm glad to tell you that it eventually found its way safely to my mailbox.  The contents were so carefully, thoughtfully, and thoroughly wrapped in multiple layers of bubble wrap with a note reminding me to be careful while opening it.  I sat down on the floor so I won't drop it while unwrapping the bubble wrap. :D  And I saw this amazing beauty appear!!!  It took my breath away.

I recognized the image immediately as my "Winter Lullaby", and couldn't believe how unique and beautiful this wood sculpture was.  Lorraine had asked her husband to make this for me for my birthday. :D

It requires quite an artistic eye and planning (if not an outright extraordinary prescience) to transform a 2-dimensional illustration (a very loose one at that) into a 3-D wood sculpture, cut from a single piece of wood!  I sat there and admired it in my hands for who knows how long, admiring, trying to figure out how each elements were kept intact while allowing for lines and definition with cuts.  Amazing! :D

And since I'm always the one cleaning after the cats, and I have declared in the past, "This is why we can't have nice things - we have cats!", I had but one place of honor to put this beauty - in my curio, which was a birthday present many years ago from my hubby.  Protection from dust and elements, definitely, but also from curious and mischievous cats! :D  

Here's a quick snap shot I took while taking a break to open the package when it first arrived. :D  Gives you a rough idea of the size, standing next to a 6x6 handmade card by Lorraine, which also came in the package. ^_^

So this happy girl is starting the birthday celebration early (and I milk it all the way through to Mother's Day, which, in the US, is the second Sunday of May).  Teehee~!  With my child soon graduating from high school, the ridiculously early morning (5:45 am Mon through Fri) will be over.  Weather is steadily warming up.  Things are blooming (and Flonase is now available without prescription lol).  Yep, there's a lot to be thankful and happy for.