Random Acts of Kindness Gift

I got a lovely surprise in the mail this week - a gorgeous gift from Tarnyia as part of Maree's Random Acts of Kindness swap.

Inside these packages were the most wonderful gifts, including this absolutely gorgeous notebook slip-case:

It is just as beautiful inside as out, and has handy pockets in the front and the back:

Tarnyia also sent me a huge box of chcocolates, an equisite lace bookmark, a handy lanyard and some blue thread (I can never have enough blue thread!).



Thanks Tarnyia for spoiling me with your thoughtful and beautiful gifts!

Colour swap parcel arrived!

I received a wonderful package in the post today filled with all these beautiful blue parcels, tied with gorgeous ribbons and labels. This was my gift from the lovely Bev Cooper, as part of Maree's Colour Swap!

The rules for this swap were we had to include a food, a fat quarter, some thread and something pretty in our swap partner's preferred colour. Mine was blue, as you can see. The fat quarter is just gorgeous, and the ricrac will come in handy. I am very impressed though with how clever Bev was in finding blue food!

And I was a bit gob-smacked at the beautiful gift Bev made for me - a wonderfully embroidered journal cover with this pretty matching bookmark:

Bev's machine embroidery is just incredible, just perfect. But there's more! She also sent me this gorgeous tea tray mat:

Which is way too nice to slop tea all over, so I think it might soon be found hanging on my kitchen wall.

Thanks Bev! You made my day with your generous and thoughtful gifts!

I haven't been doing much crafting at all lately. With everything going on right now, I just haven't been in the mood at all. But a couple of weekends ago I did go to the markets, bargain-hunting, with my good friend Lyle and bought this timber quilt rack.

I like the little cut out heart motif.

Lots of swapping going on

This is my lovely Valentines gift from Christine. I apologise for the poor photo, but these are gorgeous magnets with lovely little poems on them. They read:

The wind through my heart
blows all
my candles
out.

And:

The wind blows through the
doors of my
heart.
It scatters my
sheet music.

I've been trying to practice my washcloth knitting skills lately, in preparation for Jewell's Easter Swap. I think I still need a bit of practice!

My colour parcel is on its way to its mystery recipient. Her chosen colour was Red, so she'll have a bunch of red fat quarters, some red thread, red ribbon, red iron-on decorations and some Malteser eggs. I can't remember what colour I chose so I'll get a surprise when I receive mine!

I think I've let most people in my address book know, but in case I missed you, please note that I have changed my primary email address to the below:

First Christmas Swap of the Year

Like Jewells, I've been keen to join some Christmas swaps and was pleased to see some new (to me) ones this year so I could join in some I haven't taken part in before.

I've just "met" my Coffee Time Stitches 3-2-1 Winter Tote Bag swap partner who will be sending to me, Anne, from Norway who has a gorgeous blog and seems like a lovely, talented and friendly quilter.

This is an "open" swap in that we'll know who our partners are and get a chance to get to know them before Christmas.

I'll be sending to Anita from The Netherlands, who also is a talented quilter from the accomplished projects on her blog! So I'll be getting in touch with Anita soon.