My friends and family were very good to me this past birthday. A few years ago I had resigned myself to thinking that I was just too old for birthdays to be fun anymore. Well, the past couple of years of super fun birthdays have renewed my faith that the birthday fun-ness hasn’t come to an end…yet.

One of the things that makes birthdays fun is when friends blow you away with super personal gifts like this one from my girl Gail. She had an artist friend draw my pugs, Whisper and Stamp. I FLIPPED out when I opened this gift. Like I seriously just couldn’t believe she did that for me! I was so touched. Being a fellow dog lover, Gail totally gets how nutsy coo coo I am over those punkiny little pugs. I smile every time I walk by it. Oh, and btw, if you know Gail, you know she SLAM DUNKS birthday gifts. (Last year it was this print.) It’s very intimidating to shop for her.

So behold, the likeness of Whisper and Stamp. It probably just looks like two pugs to you, but the artist even captured their own distinct way of sitting and how their ears are different. MELT!

Then there was this gift, a handmade tote bag, made by my adorable (and new mommy) friend Cassie. (Yes, Cassie had her sweet baby boy just two weeks ago!) I LOVE it and of course I love it even more that she sewed it and designed it with her own two hands. Cassie has such a sweet and loving way about her that, and I know it sounds corny, but I feel that energy when I carry this bag around. It’s been PERFECT to carry my ipad & product samples to the studio for sessions lately too.

I just had to take two seconds to stop by and share some inspired gifts that have made me feel oh so loved lately. I’m in my LAST FIVE DAYS before my maternity leave so I’m ITCHING, ITCHING, ITCHING to get sewing and working away on some creative projects of my own. I”m not allowed to touch them though until I get all of my clients squared away. (Me and my boring rules. Bleh!)