Birthday Goodies!

My birthday is this Sunday (yep, on Mother's day!), but I've already gotten so many awesome geeky goodies that I just HAVE to share - especially since so much is from you readers!

First, remember when I featured Sean Boyd's steampunk rayguns and such last month? Well, Sean was so chuffed by my post that he took my playful birthday hint seriously, and immediately asked if he could send me a gift. (Like I was going to say no to that!)

I expected just a little pin or something, so I imagine my delight when I found he'd made me an entire assemblage Epbot 'bot:

How cool is this?? It's about 8 inches tall, and Sean even hand-engraved all the little rivets and details.

I would have posted this last week, but our postal system showed its characteristic gentleness and snapped the antenna neck en route. Happily John was able to perform some robot surgery with a bit of JB Weld, though, and now my 'bot's head can reach sky-high again:

Hee!

Next up,  Mike and Michelle M. have been kind enough to offer a few leather-working tips for me and John via e-mail the past few weeks, and then surprised me with THE most EPIC Harry Potter gift... EVER.

Was that enough build-up, do you think? Probably not, because LOOK!

It's a Mini Monster Book of Monsters, complete with its own mini hanging cage!

Michelle tells me this is the first one they've ever made, and I can't believe they gave it to ME. The detail is just incredible. See that snippet of newspaper the book is resting on? It's a copy of the Daily Prophet!

The paper even unfolds, with articles about the Azkaban breakout and even a super tiny crossword puzzle. AMAZING.

Plus you can unsnap the book's binding, and it will spring open like this:

THIS IS SO FREAKING COOL.

(John saw me uploading this photo just now and asked, "Did you stroke its spine to get it to close again?" Ha! It's official, my friends: he really IS a geek.)

Oh, and Mike & Michelle also gave me this hand-tooled keychain:

I can only hope that John's and my own attempts at leather work will someday come close to this. Thanks, guys! (And stay tuned for another glimpse of our ongoing efforts, by the way. We're still trying!) [Oh, and be sure to check out Mike & Michelle's etsy shop for other leather goodies; I hear they may even post some of the mini Monster Books soon!]

I sort of picked my own gifts from John this year, since I stumbled across two things I just HAD to have. First, this painting:

ADORABLE SEAHORSE UNICORN THINGY! AAAIEEE!!

I've been following PinkyToast's work for years, but have somehow never managed to buy anything from her. The second I saw this hit her store, though, I marched my laptop into John's man cave, plopped it in his lap, and said, "THIS. I WANT THIS." (The benefits of nearly 15 years of marriage: you get to be more direct. Ha!)

The second thing I may have even ordered before telling John he was getting it for me, but in my defense, it's a super limited edition art book, and I had to snag one before the pre-orders sold out!

The Clockwork Couture pre-order version comes with brass book corners and will be signed by the artist. It ships this month, so I can't wait to see it!

Btw, if you haven't seen Brian Kesinger's Otto & Victoria series, you are seriously missing out:

:D

Brian has prints of a bunch of these over at Clockwork Couture, or I see that you can still pre-order the regular version of his book (the signed version has sold out) for only $17.02 over at Amazon, which is a steal. (Looks like it won't ship 'til July, though.)


And finally, Eve e-mailed me the most achingly beautiful scratch-art I've ever seen, and I am positively over the moon for it:

Best of all, she's mailing me the original!
(Hit the link up there to see more of her work!)

At this rate, I'm going to have a whole WALL of Epbot art in my office. Can't wait. ;)

I am so spoiled by you guys, seriously. Not just with gifts and art, but with so many amazing e-mails and notes that continually lift me up when I'm struggling. I can't answer them all anymore, but I do read them, and I'm humbled, and I just want you all to know how much your words matter. 

So, on that excessively sappy note, thanks for making my 35th (GULP) birthday extra EXTRA awesome.

PS - That reminds me: did you see? Allie of Hyperbole and a Half is back! Celebrate ALL the good things!