it's birthday week!...

...i'm glad you're here!...before we start though, would you go over and wish eileen a happy birthday today?...happy birthday, eileen!...

...i'm not overly-excited about my birthday on the 7th (because i'm not overly-excited about the whole aging process...how about you?), but i am excited about my blog's first birthday on the 10th!...

...who'd have thought when i started my blog that it would actually last a whole year?...but more than that...who'd have thought it would turn into something i enjoy so very much?...part of my every-single-day life now not only includes fiddling with my own blog, but going out and visiting all of the other blogs i love so much...in the last year?...i've learned, laughed, cried, discovered, confessed, shared, created and had such fun...but more than that?...i've made some truly wonderful friends...☺...

...ask any psychotherapist and they'll tell you that internet relationships aren't 'real'...ask me and i will beg to differ...the comments, the emails and the encouragement i receive and strive to return, the 'real life' snail mail, phone calls and friendships that have resulted because of all this?...they are all very 'real' to me...so thank you from the bottom of my heart...♥...

...in keeping with the whole friendship theme, i thought it would be fun for my giveaway prizes this week to be from some of my friends' etsy shops...because i think it's important that we all support each other plus i just love the stuff i've picked out...☺...

...today's giveaway is from stephanie's (at loft creations) etsy shop...an adorable flannel pillowcase with elephants (because i love elephants!)...i have several of stephanie's flannel pillowcases and they're wonderful plus they only get all softer-feeling and better with washing...like a favorite quilt, no?...i truly consider stephanie one of my 'real life' friends...thank you, stephanie...☺...:

...and the goodie i am throwing in with the pillowcase?...a little 2" x 9" x 1" handmade painted cream-colored wood sign (from connecting threads) that would look great in your sewing room...:

...so now for the rules...wait a minute!...rules, schmules!...there are no rules!...☺...sure, i thought about specific time deadlines (but what about my friends in different time zones?...time zones confuse me...especially australia - i'll be 45 in australia sometime tomorrow and still only 44 here!)...and extra entries and such for mentioning me on your blog (though i would appreciate it), but in my advanced age?...that's just too much to keep track of...(although mentioning in your comment that i look really young for my age warrants you an extra entry...double if you can do so with a straight face)...so...:

...just comment on THIS post sometime before tomorrow's post (make sure i can contact you!) and you will be entered in today's giveaway drawing...and so on and so on for the rest of the week...comment on tuesday's giveaway post sometime before wednesday's post, wednesday's giveaway post sometime before thursday's post, thursday's giveaway post sometime before friday's post and friday's giveaway post sometime before saturday morning's post in which i will thank you all profusely for joining me in my birthday celebration...☺...i will announce all (5) winners on monday, january 12...

...thank you again for a wonderful year...really!...♥...