An Embarrassment of Riches

My birthday was on Sunday. It was not a milestone one - that will be next year. Marilyn hosted a stitching day and a luncheon in my honour. It was a wonderful day.

We spent the day stitching, 

and enjoying her beautiful spread for lunch - little sandwiches and crudités.

I opened many presents - all very thoughtful, and beautifully wrapped.

I cut the wonderful, chocolate Dufflet cake which we enjoyed with the many other delicious tarts, cannoli, and cakes. 

Marilyn also provided non-alcoholic sparkling wine for our enjoyment as 4 of us had to drive home.

Presents? Oh my goodness, they were definitely an 'embarrassment of riches'*

Jeanette gave me a beautiful, laminated, floral tote bag,

a tea towel and dish cloth set, hot chocolate pack, and note pad.

Jen1 gave me two cross-stitch patterns (one calling for 7 different colours of red threads), 45ct Jersey cream linen fabric, and a skein of my favourite DMC colour 115 (a variegated red).

Marilyn gave me a set of 16" Happy Zippers from the Lori Holt line from Riley Blake.

a silicone spatula, and a very comprehensive book on English Paper Piecing which includes templates that can be printed at 100% onto card stock and cut out for use.

Barb gave me the French General fabrics and 5" charm packs I asked them to buy for me on their road trip last week - sneaky! Exactly what I wanted!!!😊 I have some ideas in mind for these...

And Poppy made me a beautiful, reversible tote bag with French General fabrics, 

(inside/other side with a pocket!)

and two beautiful Kaffe Fassett fabrics - which would coordinate well with a couple of those Lori Holt zippers. 😃

They certainly know me and my interests well and they share many of them with me.

I felt very special and loved by these women to whom I refer as the 'guardians of my mental health' during my current situation with Skip's ill health. I know they and many others have my back and are there to support me. 

It means so much. I am so fortunate.

*An embarrassment of riches is an idiom that means an overabundance of something, or too much of a good thing, that originated in 1738 as John Ozell's translation of a French play, L'Embarras des richesses (1726), by Léonor Jean Christine Soulas d'Allainval.