Four Favorite Things I Love Right Now! Part 11

Sorry that I missed last week's post, gang.  I had every intention of writing one last week while on vacation, but the best laid plans...

Anyway, here we go with a new Four Favs.  If you have missed any of my other Favorites, click here for the most recent:  http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2013/06/four-favorite-things-i-love-right-now.html

My friends will not be surprised that I have one thing on my mind today:  BIRTHDAY TIME, SUCKERS!  Yes, it is that time of year again -- my birthday is rapidly approaching -- so I thought for this Four Favs post I'd give you some of my go-to gifts to give to girlfriends.

NOTE:  Of course, I realize that the timing of this post is rather self-serving, but I write this blog for free, people.  And as my friend Priscilla used to say "If you can't take advantage of your friends, who can you take advantage of?"

NOTE:  Not sure that the Priscilla quote fits the occasion, but I love it.  Priscilla was and is a trip.

So, without further adieu...

1. I love giving a magazine subscription to one of my favorite reads.  Pictured are an array of just of few of them.  It is an inexpensive gift and so fun to share a read that your friend might not have tried.  My friend Lisa gave me Garden & Gun last year and I love it.  Bonus:  Only 6 issues a year, so no coffee table build up!  Of course, O is my go-to for this.
2. Everyone in Dallas loves an orchid -- and if they don't they just haven't been exposed enough.  I turned Joanna finally and now she can't get enough (Verified Proof:  Orchids on the Chick Lit Luncheon table for the past 2 years, but yes, our fab donor Central Market had something to do with that too!).  This arrangement was just 3 small $12 orchids from Tom Thumb (Shout out to Frank in Floral at HPV!) in a great Wisteria blue and white "Small Happiness Pot".  Only water them every 2 weeks and they'll last for months.
3. If you forgot a gift until the last minute, head to Paper Affair on Lovers Lane.  Your friend will think you thought of her weeks ago -- but only you and I will know that you whipped in and picked out a $13 or $15 box of note cards and had them personalized (for free) lickety-split by their wonderful staff.  Tell them CPD sent you!
4. Who doesn't love the gift of music?  And since barely anyone buys a CD anymore, it is an unusual gift.  Hey, I love a quick download as much as the next person (Who doesn't love having Blurred Lines on their I-Phone this summer?), but I really enjoy listening to the whole vision of the artist.  Also, a CD of a musical or a concert you saw together is a fun way to memorialize the past.

What are your Four Favs? 

P.S.  I'm having trouble posting pictures on the blog today -- I have one for each of my favs, but for some reason can only get this one to upload and I can't get it to turn.  Ugh.  Just when I think I have all of the technology down, I'm reminded of why this stuff is such a pain.