My birthday was back in August and it was the “milestone” one…you know, the BIG 60! I thought I was going to dread it but everyone made it so wonderful for me, I said, “I think I’ll turn 60 every year!” It wasn’t bad at all… Well… it continued this week…
I received a call from Sarah, my dear friend who set up my website. When she sat up my blog/website, she gave me a P.O. Box address in her town for safety reasons instead of posting my actual address on my webpage. She was excited on the phone and said, “Jeanne, you received a LARGE box and I want to bring it to you!” I was thrilled and wondered who it was from. I wasn’t expecting anything and no one had told me they were sending me a box.
When Sarah got to my house, I saw the box and it was bigger than I imagined. I looked at the return address and saw it was from one of my dear, sweet readers. I asked Sarah if she wanted to see what was inside and watch me open it and of course, she did!!!
I grabbed my camera and told Sarah I should take pictures of this because it might make a good blog post. Well, silly me, I accidentally deleted those pictures so I’ve had to “re-create” what it looked like when I opened up the box.
[If you click on any picture, it will enlarge.]
It all started with this…
Just wait till you see what was inside….
I found the card first and opened it… this was just the beginning of fun things to come… look at this embroidered card!!! Have you ever seen anything so fun? Yes… I DO love my Sewing Room and it most definitely is my Happy Place! Perfect Card!
She told me she had been collecting things for quite a while and finally it was time to send them to me.
There was this bright and colorful fabric tote bag FILLED to the brim with gifts… every single one wrapped in the most adorable paper doll wrapping paper and tied with hot pink bows and decorated with felt flowers.
I wish my pictures hadn’t gotten deleted of how it looked all wrapped individually… but this is everything that was inside the tote…
Now let me show you what all was inside… oh…here is the inside of the tote… absolutely adorable and so well made!
There was a glasses case in the sweetest fabric, and a scissors and needle case made from the prettiest felt and stiched to perfection!
There were the most adorable magnets, a tape measure in a sweet little case, bookmarks and a decorative felt flower pen…
Okay… remember, everything is wrapped up so I have no idea what is coming up next in anything I open… If you are wondering by now what I am thinking… I think “amazed” and “humbled” and “blessed” might come close…
Here are some more things in the box… this darling zippered case had colorful pens inside it… it is just so cute!
I found hot pink pattern weights made from heavy metal washers… (you can use these on top of your patterns instead of using pins.)
How about these fun decorative pins? Aren’t they sweet?
There was a new pair of Ginger embroidery scissors in the most fun design!
I just LOVED all the note pads and journals… LOOK…she even used my Blog picture for the cover of the notebook and had 2 matching magnets made!!!
There were 3 doll patterns tucked inside…
I found a book from Hankie Couture filled with all kinds of ideas using hankies and linens…
There were 2 pretty large vintage Paper dolls that she found at an Antique shop…
..and 3 pages of vintage Betsy McCall Paper dolls…
So, after everything was unwrapped and looked over, I felt shocked and overwhelmed at her kindness and was very emotional. I didn’t cry when Sarah was here with me watching me open the packages, but I did later. This dear sweet angel had no idea what this meant to me and I doubt she ever will. I don’t deserve such extravagant gifts and found it hard to even express to her my thanks. There are so many wonderful ladies I have met since I started writing this blog and I am so blessed to call many of you my dearest friends…and the funny thing is… we have never met!
I hope you enjoyed looking in my tote bag as much as I did.
Thank you again, Dear Reader! May the Lord richly bless you as you have blessed me!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh. wow wow wow wow wow!!! What a treasure trove!! My favorite thing is the Betsy McCall paper doll sheets, I think, probably because I loved them so when I was a kid in the 50s. We couldn’t afford to buy the McCall’s magazine, so our neighbor or a great aunt would sometimes save a sheet for me, and I loved them. I have always loved Betsy McCall.
But….everything is just a delight, and what a thoughtful and generous friend you have!!
By the way, I hope you saved the wrapping paper…because I’m relatively sure it’s vintage, too, at least the one on the right in your picture is. I have some vintage gift wrap with paper dolls myself, which I bought at a friend’s estate sale, and this looks pretty similar. If the outer edge (the “selvage”?! LOL) is on that piece, there might be a copyright date.
Anyway, congratulations on your fabulous gift, and thanks for sharing it with us!! I think it came at a good time for you, just when you and George are facing his new medical issues. (God’s timing is perfect!)
HI Charlotte,
Yes, Wow, Wow, Wow is right…that’s about the only word that comes close to describing a gift like this!!!
You aren’t alone in liking the Betsy McCall paper dolls the best. I remember cutting them out of magazines too!
I did save the wrapping paper… there is a little bit of writing on the one that most definitely is vintage. I’ll have to get a magnifying glass to read it though.
The box did come at a nice time for me… Someone must have known I needed a diversion for at least one day! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
That is the sort of thing that might easily be a once in a lifetime gift. The tote bag by itself is an inspired present, but all those other “just for Jeanne Marie” gifts! You mentioned the notebook cover and magnets but at first I couldn’t find a picture of them, so I went back to the picture of all those gifts together, and there they were. And is that a pincushion in that cute button fabric that lines the tote?
I love the decorative pins and must look for some. I remember loving to see the Betsy McCall paper dolls whenever I got to see a McCall’s magazine when I was growing up. Some of those outfits are nice inspiration for back to school dresses next fall and a couple of the blue ones would be pretty for spring. You can make a whole blog entry from the vintage doll paperdoll books. I really like that flounced skirt from Doll Couture.
Some of these things are too nice to use — but also too nice not to use. What a splendid addition to your sewing room! The timing could not be better. The next weeks are going to be challenging — it’s so nice to have something to lift your spirits as you head into them. This is a wonderful reminder of how much your talents and courage are admired and how much you are loved by people you have never even met but who feel they know you anyway.
HI Marilyn,
I think this definitely is one of those once in a lifetime gifts… I am still in awe of it all… I keep looking at all the things and just can hardly believe it still!
No, there isn’t a pin cushion, but it surly must be the ONLY thing missing in this lot! Everything else is there!
Rebecca saw those decorative pins and it caught her eye too…she said, “I could make those!” and she went and got a few glass beads and showed me how they were done! :o)
You are SO right about the Betsy McCall paper doll dresses! I’ve got my eye on a couple of them already! …so cute!
The Hankie Couture book is something that will be fun to sit down and look at and read because it’s not in chapters… just a page or two at a time! How fun!
Thank you Marilyn, for all your encouragement and pep talks and advice and your “cheerleading” and friendship and love! George and I both appreciate it very much!
Blessings and much love,
Jeanne
What wonderful and interesting gifts ! And what fun it is to go through them all- each one with YOU in mind.
I too, love the Betsy McCall paper dolls. As a kid, I loved getting those from the magazines.
All your gifts are so fun and thoughtful. What a lovely uplifting gift from one of your readers- and it’s true Jeanne- WE ALL LOVE You!!
I’ll be thinking of you and George tomorrow. Blessings.
HI Paula,
Yes, wasn’t this just too fun not to share with everyone? I am so blessed to have all these new items in my hands. It’s funny though, I don’t want to scribble on the note pads or take the pins off their cards, or use the pens or crack the spine on the book, or unwrap the paperdolls… but I’m sure I will one of these days!
Everyone must love Betsy McCall! She has been a favorite forever!
Thank you Paula… it means everything to us to have all these prayers holding us up!
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, how wonderful, wonderful, wonderful for you Jeanne….and coming at such a time in your life. May that reader be blessed for her generosity and thoughtfulness. I’m so glad for you. Thanks for sharing such sweet gifts.
Blessings.
HI Becky,
I still can hardly believe all these things are mine! How come I was the blessed soul that received them? There are lots more who would love to have had them and deserved them every bit or more as much as I did! I’m still bewildered at it all1
Thanks so much Becky,
Blessings back to you, too!
~ Jeanne
All of the above and more, Jeanne! I cannot believe how excited and happy you were to get this absolutely WONDERFUL and FUN gift! It must have been like Christmas morning for you to open each little item! Oh, how I would LOVE something like that too, as I’m sure most everyone of your readers would. What a thoughtful and meaningful gift for a dolly seamstress!
Seeing the Betsy McCall paperdolls was like a trip down memory lane! I too, collected and cut them out from my mother’s McCall’s magazine. I always liked that the dresses were so detailed and drawn!
Especially love to see the Hanky Dress book too! As you know, I just bought my Betsy McCall doll a Hanky dress, and that book would certainly be fun to look at!
Oh my, all those sweet little pins, scissors, weights and pens, not to mention the personalized paper items, what a find! Whoever did this, certainly took her time and effort to put together a wonderful basket of treasures! Thank you for showing us your gifts, and the wonderful reader who sent it–you gave us a gift too–to see it! It’s good to know there are so many wonderful people out there!
My prayers and thoughts will be going out to you and George tomorrow. So happy you have found someone that you feel confident with. Godspeed!!
HI Linda,
Oh, my goodness, yes, it was like Christmas! I was flabbergasted when I saw all these fun little goodies, all wrapped up and just waiting to be opened.
I wish everyone could get a gift like this too… It was an incredible feeling!!!
Another one who liked the Betsy McCall paper dolls! I have lots of new ideas from those sweet dresses shown…now I just have to copy them. I found myself looking at Betsy McCall dolls on Ebay this morning… just for a little while… I couldn’t help myself! :o)
Yes, the Hankie book will be fun to sit down with. There are tons of ideas in it!
It’s too bad we can’t meet tomorrow… we’ll be closer to each other that we probably ever had been…and yet, it probably won’t happen! :o(
Thanks so much Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a bright, happy, useful gift. And a surprise too. So many creative items that I think all of us would enjoy. Love the paper dolls. You certainly have a thoughtful kind reader friend.
Will be thinking of you tomorrow and in the following weeks. More positive thinking coming your way.
HI Joy,
Boy, you got it right when you said, bright and happy…and useful too! The colors are so fun and festive and would brighten up anyone’s day! It certainly did mine. When I go into my sewing room and see that tote sitting there with all those goodies in it, I can’t help but smile!
Thanks so very much Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, what a wonderful surprise!!! Everything looks so fun, and you just want to dive right in and play. 🙂
HI Christine,
Everything IS so much fun… even just to look at….it’s fun! It truly was a wonderful gift and I am still a bit shocked at it! I just can hardly believe it still!
It does make you want to jump in and play!
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
What an incredible gift you were blessed with and what a kind reader. I agree the wrapping paper is vintage and oh so cute. I love the antique and Betsy McCall paper dolls. I have some Betsy McCall paper dolls that my aunt gave to me that were from her childhood as well as antique Vicorian paper dolls I received as a gift. They are really neat in that the dolls have a front and back and the dresses slip over their heads and are two-sided as well.
The decorative pins are just adorable and will make sewing extra fun. You will certainly enjoy having all these goodies lying around decorating your sewing studio and you can frame the sweet card to hang on the wall
I’ll be praying for you and George tomorrow. So glad you have found a new doctor that you have confidence in
Hi Laura,
Oh how fun those paper dolls you have must be…front and back ones! Wow!
It was a really fun gift and makes me feel very special and humble at the same time. I am SO blessed by all of my readers… gifts or no gifts… I love all of your friendships the most!
Thanks so much Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh my so fun!!!
HI Robin,
Oh YES it certainly was fun to open!!!
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
hi jeanne
you truely have the sweetest following. and what a dear thing to do for a sweet lady that needed cheering. praying all goes smoothly for you and george tomorrow.
hugs
ingrid
HI Ingrid,
Thank you so very much for your kind comments. Everyone deserves a gift like this at least once in their lifetime! :o)
Thank you for your prayers, Ingrid!
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you for sharing the pictures with us. Everything is so nice–and either doll or sewing related! I really can’t say what I liked the best, but it was all very thoughtful. Like so many others here, I used to love those Betsy McCall paper dolls. My mom got the McCalls magazine every month, and I always looked forward to getting the paper doll page. Good memories.
HI Carolyn,
I’m glad you enjoyed seeing all the goodies in the tote bag. It really was fun to look through everything. Like so many others, you enjoyed the Betsy McCall paper dolls too… so many of my readers did!
Thanks Carolyn,
P.S. did you get my note about needing your address to mail your prize to you? If not, could you please send it to me?
Blessings, Jeanne
What a wonderful birthday surprise ? As a maker of a few of your fun surprises, it’s always fun to see how people react when they get them. ?
Cherry Chick