Birthday Clubs

There is a new little trend that I’ve noticed going on via social media…a fun kind of swap for birthdays! I started seeing pictures on IG with hashtags like #handmadebirthdayclub or #birthdayclub and wondered how I could get in on the action and how it works. I’m a girl who likes to celebrate my birthday and to celebrated with crafty friends?! The best!

So I put out a call for info on IG and found out lots of people are already doing these unknown to me, but that plenty of people wanted in on the action. Here’s the general idea: you have a group of 12 people, one birthday per month. Each month the birthday girl gets to sit back and relax and wait for the the packages to come in. While the other 11 months, you are sending gifts out to the members of your group. So each person will send 11 different birthday presents but will also receive 11 different birthday packages for her own birthday.

Ideas for each group seem to vary as to what is appropriate to send and what kind of budget they have.  It’s up to the group to decide that. But what I’ve noticed is that the appeal of this type of club is that it is NOT entirely handmade items. A lot of us have been in swaps or are in swaps and bees that are entirely hand made driven. But now there is this idea to get gifts from like minded friends who understand that you have a favorite designer who might make things other than fabric! Maybe you are dying for her art print or a great clutch.  Perhaps you love jewelry and salted caramels and pretty packaging.

Eep! I’m already getting excited thinking about buying things or making things for crafty friends who will love that Dr Who light switch that I pinned.  If someone doesn’t get something for me, I’m already thinking about getting it for her. 😉

So I started up my own little group of 12…much like you would start a bee.  We are doing a year long commitment of gifts. Like a bee of course there is always the possibility that you could lose someone along the way or someone will flake out. So I would try to put together a group where at least one person is vouching for a person in the group. Frankly this swap should be a bit easier for all of us because we could just go shopping and send a store bought curated package rather than making something. It’s okay if you run out of time because online shopping is easy too in a pinch. So hopefully that will curb any lateness or excuses that have popped up in previous bees. Plus, come on! It’s for BIRTHDAYS!!

Of course I had the awkward part of asking my club if they wanted to start right away for July (and sweetly they agreed). Awkward why? Because July is MY birthday month.

Actually tomorrow is my birthday and I’ll be turning the grand age of 35! I’m not one who is usually shy about my age or fussy about getting older. But 35 has always been THAT number for me. For some it is 30, 40, or 50…but nope.  It’s 35 for me. I think I associate it with officially being a grown up and making adult decisions. At 35 I should know what I want to be and do and be on my way to doing that. I should have accomplished something and be aware that I am NOT 20 and don’t need to compete with those who are. Let’s just say that there are a whole lot of emotions and thoughts attached to 35 for me. But I tackle these things head on and age is just a number (says the math major number obsessed person).

Oh and could someone make me this cake? Because THAT is awesome!

19 thoughts on “Birthday Clubs”

  1. Happy birthday a day early. 35 seems so young to me since my younger daughter is 35. I wish you a lot of years of looking forward to birthdays. Live your years fully, each day is a treasure and no matter what happens try to find something good. I am 63 and most of my days were good and I look forward to a lot more. I celebrate lots of days, not just birthdays. If its just birthdays celebrate with lots of friends and relatives.

  2. Just FYI – I like salted caramels and Doctor Who. 😉 Happy 35th birthday! Mine is in August and I'm not exactly dreading it…but in the last year, I started noticing all these 20th anniversary things, like Jurassic Park and whatnot. And I thought, well, that can't be right, because I was in high school and I'm not that old yet. But apparently I am…which is not that cool all the sudden.

  3. I turn 32 this year and never thought much about my age, but after I read your thoughts about turning 35, I'm starting to get a little freaked out. Thanks a lot! 😉 Happy Birthday! Hope you receive lots of joy on your special day.

  4. Happy Birthday! Just try 60! It was my special birthday last October- a real milestone and I hated it. But nothings changed and I still feel like me inside, always 27 (my favourite age).

  5. If you were close I would totally make you that cake! Which, by the way, if you can do spiral quilting you can make that cake too. It's just a matter of having a star piping tip, then you "quilt" spirals. Only, unlike quilting, you can start and stop and not bury threads. 😀 Happy Birthday!!!!!

  6. I certainly could make that cake for you. If you look on my facebook page you would see I've done several like that!! Happy Birthday!

  7. Bleated happy birthday! I had an ex boyfriend that swore that 35 was middle-aged because you were originally only meant to live your 3 score and 10 years (70)… I seem to be surviving middle age so far, I'm sure you'll be fine too ;o)

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