bonne fete a toi!

And by a toi, I mean ME! It's almost my birfday.

Call me delusional and spoiled, but every year I put together a birthday list. What? I'm a hard person to shop for. If I like something, I work hard and buy it for myself. Half the time, I buy the things I really want and there's nothing left for others to get me for my birthday. As a kid, I used to donate my gifts to the Women's Shelter, which turned into parents feeling bad for me and buying me double the gifts.

Now? After the year I've had, all I ask for is love and support. But, if you're determined to get me something you can either a) support the Future Group and purchase Ben Perrin's new book Invisible Chains (http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780670064533,00.html) or b) you can take a gander at this list...

1. Frye boots. Harness 15R's (size 7) to be exact.

I'm obsessed with boots. The more the merrier, at least that's my theory. Now, I only have one pair of Frye boots and they are lonely. They could use some companionship.

2. Art

I love art. Love to collect it, view it, and I occasionally dabble in the water colour world of paints. Recently, I came across these photographs taken by a Canadian artist. He takes abstract views of Canadian cities (such as Ottawa) and adds shadows and light to make them interesting. I absolutely love his winter views of Ottawa. Simply breathtaking.

http://www.jordancraigphotography.com/gallery_8.asp

3. Aritzia winter jacket.

We all know that every year, I convince myself NOT to buy another Wilfred button-up funnel jacket after the disaster that was the cream $400 jacket I bought several years back. Listen, I'm not a klutz...they're just not conducive to Tim Horton's coffees first thing in the morning. Aritzia has spent the past two years listening to me whine about mourning the death of my beautiful cream jacket and I guess they had enough because now the jacket only comes in black. Hip hip hooray! I won't be all indecisive and leave the store in a huff anymore. Thanks, Aritzia.

http://aritzia.com/fashion/outerwear/double-breasted-wool-coat

4. Moccasins

I blame this on Megs. She blogged about the cutest moccasins of ALL time, now that's all I can think about. I want a beautiful comfortable pair that I can wear all the time with straight legged jeans and scarves. Did a little research and Minnetonka Moccasins seem to be the most legit deal - unless you want to trek to Nunavut and buy me some. I want the thunderbirds in brown suede, I think. I also want the fringe boots, but I won't get greedy and really - how many pairs of boots can a girl own? Wait, don't answer that.

http://www.moccasinsales.com/minnetonka_womens_thunderbird_crepe_sole.htm

5. Flowers.

I love fresh flowers. I buy some for myself once a week. We all know how much I loathe roses, but these are really cute. I think they would be 'perfect' in my condo. I even found you a Dallas florist, no thanks needed.

http://www.mockingbirdflorist.com/cgi-bin/mockingbirditem-dba.cgi/ARV-53

6. Scarves

Love em all. Fallen in love with the Navajo scarf from Aritzia. Fantastic, especially with my hypothetical frye boots...oui?

http://www.aritzia.com/fashion/accessories/navajo-star-scarf

7. TNA Sweater

Broke the zipper on my tried & true TNA lambswool sweater. It's my life. So for now, I'm wearing it with tanks and hoping for the best. But, a new one would be greatly appreciated. Now, I've consulted my Aritzia experts because the current ones in the look book are the newer models...I don't despise them, they're just not mine. However, I would take one of those too. Mine is on my gal Shenae - rocking out the Canuck heritage in Lala land.

http://www.aritzia.com/fashion/sweaters/hand-lambswool-sweater

8. Mittens

While you're at Aritzia, you might as well pick up some mittens for me too. Could you imagine if there wasn't an Aritzia in Dallas? I would actually die. Anyhoo, I want the regular TNA ones. Not the new ones they're showing. Although they sport the Nordique colours (making a comeback, true story), I want the regular ones. You know the ones? I want the toque too.

http://aritzia.com/fashion/accessories/mittens

9. HBC Sweater

I desperately wanted this last year and my parents made a valiant effort to contact almost every Bay in Canada with no luck. I'm thinking since the Olympics are over, there might be a few floating around. Maybe? Not so much. Anyways, I want the wool 2010 sweater. You may think, that looks exactly like the TNA Sweater she wants and yes, it does. But, it's completely different since it's from the Bay. I would send you to the HBC website, but well - they apparently don't sell it anymore. Think of it as a hunt for the perfect gift. I would probably name my firstborn child after you if you found it.

10. Jersey

I have a lot of jerseys and you may say I don't need another, but that's a lie. I want a new Habs jersey. A Lapierre jersey to be exact. Yipee! Now, the issue is that I'm a small gal. I need a child's jersey - STOP LAUGHING VICKY. I also want the little kids parka, pleaseeeeee. Buy me the parka and I'm pretty sure I'll love you times a hundred.

http://shop.nhl.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3792374&cp=3176675&clickid=body_bestsell_txt

And that's my birthday list. It's mostly for the parentals who will probably choose to ignore all of the above, except for maybe the little kids parka - they probably just want to see me in that. Oh, and number 11 was going to be a suprise visit from my 7R girls, but I already asked the parentals for that....I think they thought I was kidding. Clearly, I wasn't.