40 Wishes for 40 More, Part I

As the first post of the new year I wanted to share something that I have been working on since the holiday break.  I would like to say it was some great idea I saw on Pinterest, but alas I quit looking at the time sucker that Pinterest is over a year ago.  Sometime recently I was out walking the dog and thinking about how much I don't want to turn 40.  I also was thinking about how much I am excited for the party I am hosting this weekend that is part Pioneer Woman Potluck, part Cards Against Humanity Showdown, part night filled with good friends that are my extended family.

Then I got an idea. As a take away from the party I decided that I would send out what I was calling a "paper flower garden" to the guests asking for their favorite memory they had of our friendship as well as their advice on reaching the next 40 years.  I ran the idea by my friend Jen who set up the original invitation to make sure it wasn't tacky that I was sending from myself.  The last thing I wanted to do was saddle anyone with having to take on a mass mailing.  She made some wording changes which I appreciated her thoughts and nod of approval. By earlier today the last notes went out, hopefully to arrive by mid-week.  

Here was what I sent to not only the party guests but some other friends from my adult life to back from high school.  I took some thank you notes in my favorite color, lime green, that I found at Target modified them with heavy cardstock with the message.

I then took scrapbook paper and cut it into strips and added a flower to each.  I loved the ones I found from the Martha Stewart Craft Collection at Michaels. I actually had fun matching up flowers to backgrounds.

 The result was a paper flower garden ready to be enclosed in each note.

Lastly I included an addressed, stamped envelope to make returning easy.  Over the holidays I hit up my favorite one of my favorite stores, A Southern Season, and found this beautiful handblown glass jar to keep all the wishes when they return.

Friends over the years have served as my extended family, many times surrogate family.  I wanted to find a way to let them know how much I appreciate their friendship over time.

I can't wait to see what the Universe returns to me.