What a Sweet Surprise!

Wow. A present! It was a surprise. Completely unexpected. Right out of the blue. Never saw it coming. A sweet surprise. You know, the kind that makes you stop, momentarily confused, and say, "wait a minute, is there a mistake? Is this really for me? It's not my birthday." Followed immediately by an almost child-like feeling of delight when you realize, oh my gosh, how cool is that, yes, it IS really for me! It's a rare few moments, for sure. And just as delicious is the next rush of thoughts, "How did you know I'd love this so much?" "You are so very kind!" "How generous and thoughtful!" And the surprise you have received multiplies in it's value because of the simple act of a giving spirit.

I received a surprise package in the mail yesterday from Rafael. His Etsy shop is called My Tiny Studio. He sent me this adorable Star. It is made from fabric, stitched, stuffed, painted, sanded and painted some more - all by Rafael himself. The detail is incredible, and the little nose has got to be one of my favorite parts, along with those pretty blue eyes.





Rafael and I had talked about his Stars before, but I don't think that I mentioned to him why stars are so meaningful to me. When my son was small, he attended a Waldorf School. In the Children's Center (sort of like kindergarten), before the children are taught to read, each child is given a symbol. The symbol is used to mark their cubby, it's embroidered on their napkin, it's used in place of writing their name. My son's symbol was a star. And suddenly, that simple image appeared everywhere,in school and well beyond, including some amazing places. That star symbol, at certain moments, guided us in directions we might not have gone otherwise. That symbol took on a significance that even now, is pure magic.

I have been an admirer of Rafael's for a while now. He is imaginative, creative, talented and unique. Since I love whimsical things that appeal to my imagination, it's no surprise that his work really appeals to me. His kind, thoughtful and generous nature is, to me, inspiring. I think I will follow his lead and some day soon, suprise someone with the unexpected gift of glee.

Here's a few more pictures of the Star, along with one of Rafael's Fairy Dolls. I just love all the details, and the layers of paint, and the care that he puts into his work. Don't you? Take a look at MyTinyStudio at Etsy and see more of his talent there. (My apologies, I don't know how to put a direct link in here!)