Just another Birthday!!

Last Sat was my birthday........I really hate the thought of getting older but it is closer to retirement.  And what is it they say, the 60's are the new 50's.  My son took us out to dinner.  Captain Morgan decided to join us and we  had a really nice time. My dear daughter sent me a lovely birthday card which brought tears to my eyes, and she also called.  She wasn't able to make it to dinner because of her job. I really got my birthday present earlier this month.  I've been wanting one of those terra-cotta rain barrels that you can plant flowers in the top but gather the rain for your garden.  It's alittle more upscale then those old wooden rainbarrels I grew up with.  It's in the gargage because we still may get snow later this week.......

as soon as I'm able to put it out I'll be posting a picture of it.  I also got these......(my dear mother always got me a cake, now that she's gone my husband has taken over)...only this year instead of a cake he came home with cupcakes.  Very sweet. It was a really nice birthday!  Thanks everyone.

I've been going through my sewing room, over the years I've accumulate tooo much stuff!..  I want to downsize and instead of having so many different type of crafts and alot of UFO's I will concentrate on wool and candle mats.  I have been selling and giving alot of material and books away.  I have a few quilter friends that just can't believe their fortune.  I did run across an UFO that I'm am planning on finishing.  It will be for my daughter, someday. It is a cathedral window quilt.  I've decided to set it out where I can see it, and easily pick it up even if it's just for a few stitches.  Here's what is done.......now that I've shown it, I will feel more responsible to finish it.  I plan on showing the progress  until it is finished.

I have also been working on some designs for my candle mats.   I don't feel very creative when it comes to designing for summer.  I have plenty of ideas for fall and winter.  I believe it's never to early to start working on Fall and Christmas projects......seems like right after the fourth it's almost too late.  Bittersweet and Rose hips are on my mind as I start working on this next project.

Not all Shalimar is equal!!!!

I just came to an expensive realization that the perfume Shalimar has different scents.  Now I've been using Shalimar for about 35 years and didn't know this.  OK well it was time to get a new bottle so I usually pick one up at Macy's or Drug Mart.  Drug Mart didn't have the sprays that I usually get so I ordered one off E-bay.  A vintage cologne spray..........what a horrid scent, like burning tires....okay maybe that what I get for trusting E-bay.   The Shalimar that I know and love (I hear either you love it or hate it) has a fresh lemon scent.  Well guess I'll stop at Walgreens, to lazy to drive to the mall.  So I brought 2.5 fl oz eau de cologne spray.  As soon as I got home I opened and sprayed.......guess what ...burning tires!!!!!  What was going on, had Guerlain changed the scent will I ever get my Shalimar that I love?  I've got 90.00 dollars tied up in perfumes I hate! 

Whenever I need to know something I always google it.  Well I found out some interesting facts about Shalimar.

Shalimar was created by Jacques Guerlain in 1925, as a tribute to the legendary love story between Emperor SHAHJAHAN and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Before he became emperor his name was Prince Khurram. According to the legend, twenty- year-old Prince Khurram met a young girl, named Arjumand Banu at the bazaar where her family worked. Mesmerized by her beauty, after becoming emperor, he made her his wife as Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the "Jewel of the Palace". After the wedding ,the prince and Mumtaz were inseparable, in war and in peace. She had given 13 children to Shahjahan and died during the birth of their 14th child at the age of 39. Her death devastated Shah Jahan and had built Taj Mahal in memory of his wife and their undying love. Shalimar is named after ‘The Gardens of Shalimar’.It was Mumtaz’s favorite garden. Shalimar is one of the best selling perfumes ever and its magic is undeniable. Perfume is composed of citrus notes; lemon and bergamot, jasmine, may rose, opoponax, Tonka bean, vanilla, iris, Peru balsam and gray amber. Coolness of the citrus notes leads to floral heart ending with a warm and luxurious trail.   I also found it to be listed as EDC, EDP and EDT.  What's that about?   So off I went to Macy's on Saturday morning, where I found out more information.  EDC is Eau De Cologne,  EDP is Eau De Parfum and EDT is Eau De Toilette.  I guess I had always bought the same kind over the years, as I needed the EDT and had bought two of the EDC's.  I was given samples of each.  I was so glad to smell the lemon scented one yippee I found it and my worst nightmare wasn't true.......worried that it had been changed.  Another 74.00 dollars in pursuit of my happiness.  So last night I listed the two colognes on E-bay to try to recoup a few dollars.  I just can't believe this didn't happen sooner. 

I also still have my Easter candle mat listed and it isn't doing as well as I expected.  If it doesn't sell today I will probably wait a week or two before relisting.  I have sold a few of the patterns.  Spring and summer are slow times.  Fall and Christmas are the busy times, which I am starting to design a few fall patterns now.