Mom's Birthday

I have a bit of a dilemma. My mother is turning 80 soon. Now, 80 for some would be quite elderly. But "elderly" is NOT in my mother's vocabulary. She still pokes me at grocery store lines to let the "older ladies" in ahead of us (I know for a fact that one such "older lady" had just retired from teaching, and was about 64). She lives on her own, is very capable (in fact, takes care of me when I have had my many knee surgeries) (I'm up to over a dozen now, by the way, on both knees), and certainly does not need anything. But what to give her?????????

I thought about making something for her (she is, after all, the source of my knitting abilities). I thought about the log cabin wrap made from Kidsilk Haze in the "Color Style" book. I was thinking of the colours, however- I think a palette of purples and mauves and greys and pinks and creams would be perhaps more fitting. Because I love to see a bright centre, I would make sure to put a bright pink in the beginning squares.

But then I thought- where would she wear it? She made herself a Koigu shawl (another gift from my sister and I) and has never blocked it (said she just wanted to know if she could do it). I gave her enough cream cashmere for Xmas to make a large wrap (over 1300 yards of fingering/sport weight), so that will probably be her wrap- she doesn't need two.

She makes afghans like it is going out of style- she has one on each couch and in each room. When she and dad retired, she actually made a granny square one (with the bright colours and the black for contrast) out of mohair (very very beautiful, let me tell you).

This is my mom, taken last summer (she was only 79 in this one) Ya see what I mean? Hey- if I could be so darn lucky to age as well as she has, I would be a happy person! She loves colour-never wears brown (apparently a brown corduroy winter coat from her childhood comes back to haunt her)- she has many interests-knitting, quilting, cooking, volunteering (her time mostly- she is always knitting for charity), her grandkids, her great grand baby, travelling (although she hasn't travelled too much since her travelling partner died), she also loves theatre and movies.

Any suggestions? Ideas?