Gift wrap made from Real Simple magazine pages…

As we prepared for Marigold’s 4th birthday celebration, it seemed fitting to gather some back issues of my favorite magazine, Real Simple, to use as gift wrap. Marigold is quite interested in what interests her mama, which currently means sitting in my “pretty chair” (as she calls it), helping me in the kitchen, and looking through my Real Simple magazine collection. So of course I wanted to wrap her birthday gifts in my favorite magazine. I mean, of course!

I just love their colorful monthly spreads, the whimsical artwork, and their focus on celebrating life and relationships.

Take a peek at how her gifts turned out…

I knew Marigold would love the pretty designs of the pages, so I selected pages featuring colorful dresses, delicate blue eggs, home decorations, floral perfume bottles, and sprigs of lavender.

It was a beautiful collection of wrapped gifts, complete with tiny bows made from blush pink yarn.

The simplicity of her gift is what helped ease my mama heart. The birthdays of my children can be hard for me to accept. While the days of intense newborn care are very long, they are so precious to me. They seem to whoosh by like a gust of wind, making my blonde hair cover my eyes, and flipping things this way & that.

In the moment, the wind feels harsh, but upon reflection, it’s quite a gentle wind. My heart is left feeling fluttery, wondering what happened to time? But soon enough, my hands gather to my chest as I remember, That passed by quickly. Our mother & child time together is forever sealed in my mind.

The happy memories of mothering are what comfort my soul when I am tempted to lean into the ache of time “lost”, and these happy memories allow me celebrate birthday milestones with even greater joy.

But back to Marigold’s gifts. I’m so happy with how they turned out. And I’m so happy to have a four-year-old daughter to celebrate! Isn’t her smile just radiant? :)

Now, let’s talk about her birthday celebration…

Marigold and Natalie wore fancy pink dresses to our tiny tea party, and of course there were pearl necklaces and lots of giggling. With family & friends gathered via Zoom, her birthday tea party was intimate, intentional, and focused on the simplicities of life.

And to provide you with a chuckle — the spilled tea, dog barking, and audio mishaps during the Zoom call remind me this IS our real life. Messy, filled with people, and awfully special! This life is a blessing indeed.

Happy 4th birthday to our Marigold Tanzania!

xx, Maggie