just one reason i love the blogosphere and all my bloggy friends

it came in a puffy yellow mailer
marked to handle with care.
even the addresses bore the hand-crafted details
of torn paper, texture and shape
that you see below.



i knew immediately it was from a friend...
a friend i've never met face to face.
but one who i feel every bit as kindred with
as some of my "in-person" friends.

many of you know her... sweet e.l.k.,
as she is best known in the photography/blogging world.
or you may just know her by the corner of the blogosphere
that she calls her own...
red or gray.

i've known her for some time {through our photography blogs}...
even before she began making her trademark birds
like the sweet little bird you see above.

e.l.k. has always shown her thoughtfulness to me...
in comments left on my posts or photos both here and on flickr,
in other hand-made notes sent via snail mail...
she even once asked for my mom's address
so she could send a sweet note to encourage her
after i had blogged about her
and about something difficult that she was going through.

but this is the first time i have ever received one of the priceless and precious paper birds
that e.l.k. so delicately creates {as well as sells}.
actually, the bird was for isaac, i think.

but the note was for me...

and what a sweet note it was.
even her handwriting is full of gleeful love and care.
i was touched by this thoughtful gesture...
and honored to have a genuine e.l.k. creation.

but not only was i happy to receive my first one of these.
i was also so ecstatic because it goes perfectly well
with the theme in little isaac's nursery...
A BIRD THEME!!

so i couldn't wait to go hang it up in his room!

i tried it here next to the curtains on the window...
hanging from the bird finial on the curtain rod.
but it seemed to get sort of lost there.

so i moved it over between the crib and the closet...
where it hangs quietly and gently on the trim of the closet doorway.

now when baby-isaac lays in his crib,
he can fall asleep and wake up
to the sweet little branch

that holds the sweet little bird
that sweet e.l.k.
made just for him.

thank you, e.l.k.

{i wish the photos i took were better
and showed off your handiwork the way it deserves to be shown.}

{i've received so many lovely things from so many lovely blog friends... most of whom i have never met. i don't always get to say thank you publicly via my blog, but it has always been appreciated more than words can say!... so thank you, also, to stacey for the earrings, to tracey for the oranges photography print and the adorable onsie, to beth for the swaddler for isaac {that we use ALL the time!} and whatever you sent that is in route now, to peter for the care package, to alicia for the book, to ginny for the market tote, to elizabeth for the keepsake box, to steve for the photography book, to claire for the letters and cards made with love and creativity, to chasity for the starbucks giftcard, to sandy for the photo print, to jamie for the books, and to toni for the photo print. if i have forgotten anyone, i apologize. all mentioned were from my limited memory, but everything ever sent by anyone has been equally appreciated.}