Favourite things - hidden messages

If you've been reading this blog for even just five minutes, you probably know that I love the idea of secret notes, hidden messages, surprises and unexpected joys. Your first clue may have been that I called my blog "messages in bottles." Here are five hidden messages that have been making me smile lately.

1. The Burt's Bees mail

Picture this, if you will. "Oh my," you think to yourself, "my lips are deplorably dry. Whatever shall I do?" Then you open your letterbox and, "What ho! Burt's Bees for me? Happy day! Tra la la." This is one of many, many cute mail ideas on AmberLee's blog GiversLog, which I discovered via oh, hello friend.

2. The gratitude rolls

Elizabeth on 8Balloons baked these message-filled 'gratitude rolls' as a cute twist on fortune cookies for Thanksgiving. But my mind is a-buzz with about a zillion different ways I could surprise friends with this lovely idea.

3. The balloons in the phone booth

I so want Jordan from Oh Happy Day to plan all my parties for me, forever. This brilliant idea was hers. She said, "I’ve always wanted to fill a phone booth with balloons and then send someone on a treasure hunt to the booth and have the phone ring so the person has to open it to answer the phone and the balloons come out." More here.

4. The punchy advent

I have bookmarked this "punch the days" advent calendar tutorial from You Are My Fave for when Madeleine is older. I think it will be so much fun! First seen on Meet Me At Mikes.

5.The sugar graffiti

Street artist Shelley Miller creates pictures, murals and surprise street-art out of... wait for it... cake icing! So now we know who the witch in Hansel and Gretel commissioned to make her enticing sugar house. But how lovely and transient Shelley's art must be to see. Visit Shelley's project blog to see more. Thanks Frankie mag for the tip-off!

That's it for Friday, dear friend. But don't forget to pop back tomorrow morning for your chance to win a Target gift voucher (very handy before Christmas!) or a special little gift in the mail if you live outside of Australia.

ps. Get your snail mail here!