Page Toppers

Quotes

• 29 Again? Talk about recycling...
• At 19, everything is possible and tomorrow looks friendly. (Jim Bishop)
• At seventy-seven it is time to be earnest. (Samuel Johnson)
• At twenty years of age, the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgement. (Benjamin Franklin)
• At twenty-one, so many things appear solid, permanent, untenable. (Orson Welles)
• At my age happy hour is nap time
• Birthday Rules: Stay Cute. Wish Big. Never Let Anybody Count Your Candles!
• Birthdays are good for you;
  the more you have, the longer you live.
• Birthdays are a lot like elephants: you can see them coming but you can't stop them.
• Birthdays give us the opportunities to stop and appreciate, all the beautiful things we have been blessed with.
• Cake makes another birthday easier to swallow.
• Don't think of yourself as getting older...You are, of course, but it's best not to think of it!
• Each birthday is a new beginning, full of promise and opportunity and the chance to make dreams come true.
• Finally 21, and legally able to do everything I've been doing since 15.
• From birth to age eighteen, a girl needs good parents. From eighteen to thirty-five, she needs good looks. From thirty-five to fifty-five, she needs a good personality. From fifty-five on, she needs good cash. (Sophie Tucker)
• Have a magnificent and marvelous birthday! (with a gift of M&M's
• I hope your birthday is one layer of fun on top of another!
• If things get better with age, then you are approaching magnificent. (Sara Teasdale)
• I'm not over the hill, I'm just reaching my peak!
• In dog years, I'm dead
• It's your birthday and anything you want to do is okay by me...
  I've heard how cranky old people get when they don't get their way!
• Lying about your age is easier now that you sometimes forget what it is.
• Most of us can remember a time when a birthday - especially if it was one's own - brightened the world as if a second sun has risen. (Robert Lynd)
• Old enough to know better but too old to care.
• On your birthday, remember that big girls don't cry. They might eat a whole cake, but they don't cry.
• Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time. (Jean Paul Richter)
• Pleas'd look forward, pleas'd to look behind,
  And count each birthday with a grateful mind. (Alexander Pope)
• Real birthdays are not annual affairs. Real birthdays are the days when we have a new birth. (Ralph Parlette)
• The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. (Lucille ball)
• The splendor of old men...their gray head. (Proverbs 20:29)
• There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday...that time is age eleven.
• Thirty-five is a very attractive age, London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained thirty-five for years. (Jean Rostand)
• You know you are getting old when the candles cost more than the cake. (Bob Hope)

Belated Birthdays

• The best way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once. (H. V. Prochnow)
• I didn't forget you, I just forgot your birthday!
• I thought and thought - but then I forgot!
• It's your fault I forgot your birthday, you never look any older!

Birthday ABC Album

(Kathy M. did this as a gift for her oldest son's 30^th birthday. She used a Reflections album with one page per letter and 3 - 5 photos per page. The quote on the front page was: "I showed you the world through my eyes, now you show it to me through yours. And so we learn.")

A is for Automobiles (all the autos I've driven - rickety go cart, as well as real cars he drove)
B is for Birthdays (just included 5 or 6 scattered over years)
C is for Costumes (hilarious - Halloween, preschoolers get-ups, etc.)
D is for Dad (first time Dad held him, graduation together, etc.)
E if for Easy (Taking it Easy - relaxed shots)
F is for Fun (playing with brother, etc.)
G is for Grant (his brother)
H is for Homes (his nursery, our first home, his first dorm room, first apt)
I is for Inventions (crazy stuff he made)
J is for Jen (love of his life)
K is for Kids I'm Related To (I already used C, so couldn't do "cousins" - this was better!)
L is for Lens (pictures of him taking pictures - he's a filmmaker)
M is for Mom
N is for Nice Goin' (snaps of sports, awards, ceremonies, etc.)
O is for Official Photos (these were studio portraits through the years)
P is Pets
Q is for Quiet Mornings-When the Information Highway was a Bike Path (his old paper route)
R is for Reading (from baby pictures through college - snaps of him reading)
S is for School (preschool through college)
T is for Teeth (first tooth lost, braces, etc.)
U is for Us (family pictures of all of us)
V is for Vacations
W is for Winter (we live in the south, so the snowman, ski snaps are rare!)
X is for Xmas
Y is for Your Grandparents (okay-I fudged on this, but I was desperate)
Z is for Zzzzzz's (pictures of him sleeping - hospital nursery, sleeping bags on floor, etc.)

Milestone Birthdays

Age 30

• After thirty it's patch, patch, patch
• After thirty it's a matter of maintenance
• I'm 30 in years, 20 in spirit!
• I'm not 30, I'm 18 with 12 years experience.
• I'm too young to be 30!
• I'm not 30, I'm 29.95, plus tax!
• I'm 29 1/2 (and that's my final answer!)
• It took me 30 years to look this good
• Life begins at 30
• Look who's 30!
• My Next Thirty Years
• Oh, No! It's the Big 3-0!
• On a scale of 1 to 10, I'm a perfect 30!
• Remember when you were little and you thought 30 was sooo old. You were right!
• Thirty is 3 perfect 10's!
• Thirty isn't old...if you're a tree
• 29.9999999999 and still holding!
• Up to age 30, it's just a rehearsal!
• Everything I know I learned after I was thirty. (Georges Clemenceau)
• Time and Tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty. (Robert Frost)
• When you turn thirty, a whole new thing happens: you see yourself acting like you parents. (Blair Sabol)

Turning Thirty

(Sharon Yates Lyerly)

Age 40

• After forty it's patch, patch, patch
• After forty it's a matter of maintenance
• 40, but still Sporty!
• Forty is 4 perfect 10's!
• Forty is the age of discovery...you discover you're old!
• Forty isn't old...if you're a tree
<
• Forty isn't the end of the world...but you can see it from there!
li>40 is the age of discovery...you discover you're old!
• Here's to celebrating the 19th anniversary of your 21st birthday!
• If life begins at 40, What ended at 39?
• I'm 40 in years, 20 in spirit!
• I'm not 40, I'm 18 with 22 years experience.
• I'm too young to be 40!
• I'm not 40, I'm 39.95, plus tax!
• I'm 39 1/2 (and that's my final answer!)
• It took me 40 years to look this good
• Life begins at 40
• Look who's 40!
• Lordy Lordy Look Who's Forty
• Lordy Lordy (Mary)'s Forty
• My Next Forty Years
• Oh, No! It's the Big 4-0!
• On a scale of 1 to 10, I'm a perfect 40!
• 39 - again?!?
• 39 - and holding!
• 39.9999999999 and still holding!
• Life not only begins at forty, it begins to show.
• Remember when you were little and you thought 40 was sooo old. You were right!
• Up to age 40, it's just a rehearsal!
• The first forty years of life give us the text: the next thirty supply the commentary. (Arthur Schopenhauer)
• The aging process, when viewed on a day-to-day basis moves like a snail along the sidewalks of eternity...
  Until you're 40 - then that little slug runs like a bat out of hell.

Age 50

• After fifty it's patch, patch, patch
• After fifty it's a matter of maintenance
• Fifty isn't old...if you're a tree
• Fifty is 5 perfect 10's!
• 50 is the age of discovery...you discover you're old!
• Here's to celebrating the 29th anniversary of your 21st birthday!
• I'm 50 in years, 20 in spirit!
• I'm not 50, I'm 18 with 32 years experience.
• I'm not 50, I'm 49.95, plus tax!
• I'm 49 1/2 (and that's my final answer!)
• I'm too young to be 50!
• It took me 50 years to look this good
• Life begins at 50
• Look who's 50!
• My Next Fifty Years
• Nifty at Fifty
• Nifty Fifty
• Oh, No! It's the Big 5-0!
• On a scale of 1 to 10, I'm a perfect 50!
• Welcome to the Fabulous Fifties!
• Remember when you were little and you thought 50 was sooo old. You were right!
• 49.9999999999 and still holding!
• Up to age 50, it's just a rehearsal!
• At age 50, everyone has the face he deserves. (George Orwell)
• Nature gives you the face you have at twenty, but it's up to you to merit the face you have at fifty. (Coco Chanel)
• By the time we hit fifty, we have learned our hardest lessons. We have found out that only a few things are really important. We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves. (Marie Dressler)
• You take all the experience and judgement of men over fifty out of the world and there wouldn't be enough left to run it. (Henry Ford)

WOW

At 50, you become a Wise Older Woman, free to honor wrinkles, accept your body as is, and admit that aging isn't about losing youth, but about gaining wisdom.

Age 60

• Here's to celebrating the 39th anniversary of your 21st birthday!
• I'm 60 in years, 20 in spirit!
• I'm not 60, I'm 18 with 42 years experience.
• I'm not 60, I'm 59.95, plus tax!
• I'm too young to be 60!
• It took me 60 years to look this good
• Life begins at 60
• Look who's 60!
• On a scale of 1 to 10, I'm a perfect 60!
• Sixty and still sexy.
• Sixty and still spectacular.
• Sixty is 6 perfect 10's!
• Sixty is the age of discovery...you discover you're old!
• Sixty isn't old...if you're a tree
• Up to age 60, it's just a rehearsal!

Age 70

• Here's to celebrating the 49th anniversary of your 21st birthday!
• I'm 70 in years, 20 in spirit!
• I'm not 70, I'm 18 with 52 years experience.
• I'm not 70, I'm 69.95, plus tax!
• I'm too young to be 70!
• It took me 70 years to look this good
• Life begins at 70
• Look who's 70!
• On a scale of 1 to 10, I'm a perfect 70!
• Seventy and still sexy.
• Seventy and still spectacular.
• Seventy is 7 perfect 10's!
• Seventy is the age of discovery...you discover you're old!
• Seventy isn't old...if you're a tree

Age 80

• Eighty isn't old...if you're a tree
• Here's to celebrating the 59th anniversary of your 21st birthday!
• I'm 80 in years, 20 in spirit!
• I'm not 80, I'm 18 with 62 years experience.
• I'm not 80, I'm 79.95, plus tax!
• I'm too young to be 80!
• It took me 80 years to look this good
• Life begins at 80
• Look who's 80!
• On a scale of 1 to 10, I'm a perfect 80!
• The advantage of being eighty years old is that one has many people to love. (Jean Renoir)

80!

Today Dear Lord I am 80 and there's much I haven't done,
I hope Dear Lord, You'll let me live until I'm 81.
But then if I haven't finished all I want to do,
Would you let me stay awhile until I'm 82?
So many places I want to go, so very much to see,
Do You think You could manage to make it 83?
The world is changing very fast
There is much in store,
I'd like it very much to live until I'm 84.
And if by then I'm still alive,
I'd like to stay till 85.
More planes will be up in the air,
So I'd really like to stick,
And see what happens to the world when I am 86.
I know Dear Lord it's much to ask,
And it must be nice in heaven.
But I would really like to stay until I'm 87.
I know by then I won't be fast, and sometimes will be late,
But it would be so pleasant, to be around at 88.
I will have seen many things and had a wonderful time,
So, I'm sure that I'll be will to leave at 89...maybe.

80th Birthday Album

(based on an idea from Shawn G.)

I did a 80th birthday album for my grandmother last year as a surprise for her. I sent letters to her siblings, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and for anything they would like to contribute. I did send it kind of late but I got some great stuff! Wonderful letters full of precious memories, my grandparent's wedding photo, photos of my dad when he was a boy, etc. I saved the envelopes, postmarks and stamps and made a 2-page spread with all the extra photos. Then I made a page for each relative that sent something - or a 2-page spread because if they sent a lot.

Sample letter:
Hello I'm Shawn, Alma's oldest granddaughter. I am going to put together a keepsake album as a surprise for Alma's 80th birthday this July. I have put all of her photos into a nice, acid-free album up to the year 1955 and gave it to her and Al as a Christmas gift. I will continue until all their photos are safe for years to come. I have had so much fun putting this together so far.
We were wondering if you could send any photos, stories, special memories, etc that you have of Alma, and/or Al and Alma. You can send a card or special letter to her that I will mount in her album. You can make copies of photos to send or send photos and I will make copies and return them to you if you wish. Please include all information about any photos you send as I'll be writing down who, what, where and when. You don't need to write on the photo itself - I will keep them with the information you send.
Here are some ideas to get you thinking. What is your favorite memory of Alma? Did she ever give you some good advice? Do you have a favorite vacation memory of her? Did she say something funny that you'll never forget? Was there a certain tradition on holidays that you will always remember? Is there a poem that reminds you of her? What were some of her favorites as a young girl - colors, stories, games, toys, clothes, songs? Was there something special that happened on her wedding day? Could you tell me the address of your mom's old house where you grew up?
If you are on the Internet you can e-mail me any stories, poems or memories Otherwise you can send them to me in the enclosed self-addressed stamped envelope. Remember this is a surprise!

Birthday Album page

I just made an album for a surprise 70th birthday party for my aunt on Saturday. Here is one of the pages I did that turned out great.
I went to the d'marie time capsule and printed out my aunt's birthday. On a 8x10 page I wrote her birthday in calligraphy at the top (or use stickers) then I wrote a little smaller "What things cost" under that I used the following stickers and wrote the cost from the time capsule near the sticker:
antique car from heritage pack - car and gas prices
milk carton from school days pack - milk price
slice of bread from giant cooking sticker - bread price
stationary with feather pen from heritage pack - postage
I added house and average income without stickers.
(stickers were placed randomly in the top half of the page)
Straight across the middle of the page I put the President and the Vice President with a US flag sticker in between.
Bottom half - I listed the academy award winners in a block with the films strips from the big pack camera sheet. Another block listing the top songs and artists with the music notes all around (decorative pack). I added one of the headlines from that year at an angle.

Info for a birthday page

Many times when doing a birthday page people like to include things that were happening when the person was born. There are a number of sites on the internet that have information. This information can also be used in heritage albums, anniversary pages and on birthday cards.

Year End Music Charts
Our Millennium
Boy the Bears Age Gauge
It Seems Like Yesterday
Twentieth Century Decades
American Cultural History
d'Marie
Time Capsule (recent years)
History Channel
Historic Events and Birthdays

All I Need to Know About Birthdays, I Learned from My Cat!

• Be finicky - they'll try harder to please you.
• Give attitude - get attention.
• If you don't like your presents, SULK.
• If you get bored at your party - just curl up for a nap.
• Don't stress out over your first gray whisker
• Act completely unimpressed by the presents you receive.
• Remember, this is your day, so if anyone bugs you, you're allowed to hiss and spit.
• Take the day off and lie in the sun.
• Stay out on the prowl all night long.
• Demand only the most expensive fresh fish for dinner.
• It's a good day to shed your inhibitions.
• Act catty - toy with your presents before you tear them open.
• Don't overdo it with the catnip or you'll regret it in the morning.
• If you aren't getting enough attention, sharpen your claws on somebody's leg.
• Don't let anything or anyone PUT YOU OUT!
• And remember...curiosity might kill you, but birthdays won't!

Birthday Page Ideas

• Border: Black strip of paper. Silver letters spelling Happy Birthday. Silver, gold, and copper DL's graduated from outside in (cut DL's to different lengths) from top left and bottom right. Decorate with silver/gold confetti or stars or leftover DL's.
• Crop 4 - 6 photos into balloon shapes. Arrange at random on the page. Add bow stickers at the bottom of each balloon and draw strings with the pen. Decorate with confetti.
• Cut several photos in two sizes of star shapes. Cut an equal number of stars out of colored paper. Mat each photo on a same size paper star - turning points so it looks like a 10-sided star. Use star stickers in the border.
• The black refill pages are great for "over-the-hill" birthdays like 40, 50, etc.
• Life in Review. A 2-page spread for each decade of life with photos, lists of fads, prices, events, birthdays of relatives, etc. This would be a great gift for a milestone birthday.

Un-Birthday Party

This party is for a milestone birthday such as forty or fifty. The point is to "turn back the clock". It could also be held a few months after a birthday because the person had a string of bad luck.
Here are some suggestions:

• Sing "Happy Un-Birthday to You" - or have the honored guest sing
• At the beginning give little gifts to everyone except the honored guest
• Require the honored guest to give everyone a dollar as a token "gift"
• Give gifts of wrapping paper and bows wrapped in a new blouse or shirt
• Give an "Un-Birthday" card with an offer to destroy their birth certificate
• Have a photo-copy made of their birth certificate and burn it at the party
• Have the honored guest light the candles and let others blow them out
• Shape ice cream into a cake shape - cut it with a knife and serve on plates with forks
• Bake a loaf cake - dip it with an ice cream scoop and serve in bowls with spoons
• Bake cake batter in ice cream cones in the microwave