#Stitchingsanta2017 Reveal

Tags

#stitchingsanta, cross stitching, Gifts, goodies, new zealand, project bag, project bags, stitch markers, stitching santa 2017, swap goodies, swaps, yarn

After my return from vacation, I also received my beautiful package in the #Stitchingsanta2017 Swap, that was all coordinated by the lovely Sheila (Sewchet)

I am always amazed at just how well people can get to know a person by reading a person’s blog.  🙂  I had loads of fun putting together my swap buddy’s package, and making things for her. I always love to hear about their surprise when they receive a package from my part of the world.

It is even more fun receiving a package with foreign stamps and packaging.  🙂  This year my package came from way “down under” and across the big pond.  Yes, all the way from Australia.  The lovely Emma of emmacraftdesign surprised me!

A really fun package to open!  I received yarn that has possum fur in, how amazing is that.  And the cutest project bag, just look at that little critter. And stitch markers, with a little marker that she made herself, that looks just like Miekie!

Stitching Santa 2017

Stitching Santa 2017

Stitching Santa 2017

She also crocheted my the cutest small Manta Ray, that I fell in love with immediately.  I have put the little ray in my car so I can have it around all the time.  I fell in love with Mantarays while on vacation in Cape Town and visited the Two Oceans Aquarium, where I spent hours watching them as they glided over my head in their huge tank.

Manta Ray in Cape Town

Stitching Santa 2017

Emma also sent me a small cross stitch kit, that was just the right size for me to kick off 2018.  🙂  My first project for this year!

Stitching Santa 2017

Stitching Santa 2017

Thank you Sheila and Emma for a wonderful swap.

 

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#SAFestiveswap reveal

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#SAfestiveswap2017, crochet, Gifts, goodies, lace yarn, mini skeins, notebook, project bag, scissors, snacks, stitch markers, swap, swaps, tea, treats, yarn, yarns

After a lovely long vacation, visiting Cape Town and a game lodge in the far north-eastern parts of my country, I am slowly getting back to my normal routine.

I had the most wonderful Christmas time with family, and we got to spend the day in the sun and enjoying the very warm weather.  The cool water in the pool made all the difference.

But of course, December is Christmas swap time.  I did a local swap, the #SAFestiveswap and got the most gorgeous package from Nicole (Divine Designs Crochet)  🙂  She knows how to spoil someone.

SA Festive Swap 2017

I got beautiful lace yarn, and sparkly crochet cotton, mini skeins, a notebook and pretty butterflies  (that I am already using) teas, bathsalts, treats, scissors, stitchmarkets, handmade decorations, a project baggie, and Miekie got her favourite treats too.  I even got colouring in sheets, that I am taking to work for those times when I need to focus on something else.

SA Festive Swap 2017

SA Festive Swap 2017

SA Festive Swap 2017

SA Festive Swap 2017

#Stitchingsanta2017

Tags

Gifts, goodies, Handmade Bears, stitching santa, swap, swap buddy, swap goodies, swap package, swaps, swaps 2017

My Stitchingsanta2017 goodies are all wrapped up and have left, winging its way across the big pond to its new home.

I hope I am sending early enough, as I don’t want it to be late.  🙂

Here are some of the goodies I packed, since I am pretty sure she would not know it is for her, and its still a secret to where my package is heading.

The bamboo item is similar to a needle holder, but from bamboo, as she is a very talented artist and I made it from bamboo for her to store some of her precious and special brushes in it.  I hope she likes it.

Stitchingsanta2017

Stitchingsanta2017

For the rest of the goodies I will let my buddy receive and reveal all.

Happy holidays to all.  🙂

#SAFestiveswap2017

Tags

#SAfestiveswap2017, Gifts, goodies, swap, swap goodies, swap package, swaps, swaps2017

My package to my swap buddy in the #SAFestiveswap2017 is heading out and on its way to its new home.

Since it is a surprise and only I know whom it is for, here is a little preview of the goodies I packed.

SAFestiveswap2017

Happy Holidays to you all.

 

#Stitchingsanta 2017

Tags

coasters, crochet, Gifts, goodies, handknitting, handmade, Knitting, mugrugs, sewing, Stitching, stitching santa 2017, surprise, swap goodies

I am happy to say that we Finally had a rainy day.  It rained beautifully for most of the day on Saturday.  I loved the rain, as we desperately need it.

It also meant I got to get crafting and hibernate.

I worked on my #stitchingsanta2017 partner goodies.  I am not good at sewing, but gave it a try and made some mug mats.  In bright and cheerful colours.  I also made a few crocheted coasters.

Stitching Santa 2017

And I still have some goodies that is not finished yet.  More to follow soon.

Stitching Santa 2017

I did some wool shopping as well.  I may keep those as a surprise.

Adding to my “collection” of needles

Tags

amsterdam, berlin, die wolllust, Gifts, goodies, knitpro, Knitting, knitting needles, stephen and penelope, travel

Following on my previous post, I want to share with you the beautiful knitting needles I ordered from Die WollLust in Berlin.  I placed the order online from Johannesburg, and my daughter were so kind to collect the needles for me when they visited Berlin. The lovely Birgit Freyer helped me online via emails and assisted me with my order.  I could send the money with my daughter to pay upon collection.

The first set is Knit Pro Melodies of Life.  It is beautifully boxed with 8 sets of needles, 6 cords, extension pieces, stoppers, and all the bits you will need, including a sweet little poach to keep all the bits in.  Also in the box is a set of stitch holders, in pretty and cheerful shiny colours, and two beautiful sets of handmade earrings.

I love this boxed set.

Love my gifts

Love my gifts

Love my gifts

 

I also included a range of Knit Pro Royale needles.  I decided to get 12 sets, ranging from 3.0 mm to 8.0 mm and a few connector cables.  These will be so handy and will go a very long way towards expanding my current range of needles.

Love my gifts

Love my gifts

Love my gifts

Since I started using these needles, I have slowly but certainly been adding to the needles I could buy here.  I still love and use straights, but enjoy working with these much more, as I feel my hands are not strained so much.

My daughter and son in law also went shopping while they were in Holland, and surprised my with this soft and squishy package.

It is an early birthday gift, but I am being good and not opening it just yet.  My birthday is only next month.  🙂  I am going to try and wait.

It is from Stephen and Penelope Fine Yarns in Amsterdam.

Happy Birthday from Amsterdam

 

World traveler. ;)

Tags

4 seasons, alphonse mucha, bear, berlin, berlin bear, biscuits, brooch, chocolate, dolls, Europe, Gifts, giraffe, giraffes, goodies, matryosha dolls, miffie, miffy, nesting dolls, painted egg, prague, Printers, puzzle, shoppers, shopping bags, snowglobe, spekulaas biscuits, spekulaas tea, tea, toblerone, travel

I have never left South Africa, nor (yet) visited Europe, but I feel like a world traveler.  All thanks to my daughter and son in law, and the beautiful gifts and goodies they bring home with them each time they get to visit Europe.

This year they visited Belgium, (son in law is Belgian) and they also got to visit Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam.

These are some of the goodies they brought home.

Love my gifts

Love my gifts

Love my gifts

The cutest Matryoshka dolls, a gorgeous hand painted egg, and a brooch with little dolls on.

Love my gifts

Love my gifts

Treats!!  My favourite biscuits for my coffee in the mornings, Spekulaas Tea, (which smells divine, and delicious chocolates.  And bags!  I love a good shopping bag, and these I can use often and over and over.  No wasteful plastics.

A super little big bag, that I can carry in my handbag.  Stitch holders.  A bear from Berlin, he is just to cute for words, and of course, I must have Miffy!  Here the little cutie is with my favourite Giraffes, how awesome is that.

Love my gifts

Love my gifts

I love snow globes, and these two all the way from Prague and Berlin made their way to Johannesburg to join my collection.

And no trip would be complete without an item featuring my favourite painter and artist Alphonse Mucha.  This is a puzzle, featuring “The Four Seasons”  I like to build puzzles, and this one will be on the top of my list.

There is more, and I will show and tell in the next post.

 

 

#stitchingsanta #secretsanta The Reveal

Tags

#stitchingsanta, bandana, crochet, Gifts, goodies, Knitting, Secret Santa, swap, swap goodies, swap package, swaps2016

 

This has now been the third year that the gorgeous and super talented Sheila at Sewchet organized this amazing swap, and the second year I got to partake.

Each year Sheila askes those interested to let her know, and then she pairs you with a buddy that is a secret until the swap packages are received and opened on Christmas.

This year I got to send a package to someone I have never been “introduced” to. I got to “meet” the very talented artist Anne Lawson.  Anne is one of the most interesting persons I have had the privilege to meet.  So very talented and interesting.  I could not read enough on her blog of what she does and what she likes to do and get up to.  So many gorgeous photos of her country, for me to browse and enjoy.  I learnt so much from her via her blog.

It was with joy and happiness that I went about making a list of what I think I could send her, and then getting it all together.  Admittedly I took some off the list again, as I was not sure about the laws and customs.  I would not want the package held up.

And no sooner did I mail the package, that I got the excellent news that it has already arrived.  Safely at Anne’s home, and she is enjoying her gifts and treats.

#stitchingsanta Package to my buddy

Sheila did not say much on her blog of what she is making for the secret santa swap, and with good reason.  I was her swap buddy, and I read her blog with great interest.  🙂  So how huge was my surprise when I opened the package and recognised the gift wrapping paper immediately.  Thank you Sheila for spoiling me and of course little Miekie  She really looks so cute in a bandana, and she loves wearing them.  Old age is getting to her and she loves the cozy warmth.

#stitchingsanta Gifts and goodies received from my Buddy Sewchet

#stitchingsanta Gifts and goodies received from my Buddy Sewchet

#stitchingsanta Gifts and goodies received from my Buddy Sewchet

#stitchingsanta Gifts and goodies received from my Buddy Sewchet

#stitchingsanta Gifts and goodies received from my Buddy Sewchet

I never owned a proper needle case, and I can not thank you enough for the one that you specially made for me.  It is stunning and I love it so very much.  It is getting a very special place in my little crafting corner.  The flower I may just pin to my project bag and carry it around with me all the time.  🙂  Great memories and a great discussion piece.

Swaps are just the best, you get to meet the most interesting people all the time.

12 Days of Christmas

Tags

12 days of christmas, Gifts, goodies, Happy Holidays, Holiday Swap, Holidays, swap, swap buddy, swap goodies, swap package, swaps, swaps2016

Santa came early.  My package for the 12 Days of Christmas swap has arrived, and I am super excited.

It is so much fun digging in the packaging snow, finding the packages.  Some really feel very interesting. I can not wait for the 13th when I get to open the first one.

My package is all the way from Melkbosstrand (Western Cape, South Africa) put together by the very interesting and very talented Sally Jane.  We all know her as the girl with the pink hair, and you can see what she and her family get up to here.  She has a wonderful podcast that is just amazing to watch.  Pop on over and enjoy.

Thank you so much Sally Jane, I am going to try very hard to be very good and open them on the 12 Days of Christmas, and only one per day.

🙂

 

 

The last swap for the year

Tags

12 days of christmas, festive, festive season, Gifts, goodies, Happy Holidays, Holidays, swap, swap package, swaps, swaps2016

The year has started to draw to a close.  It is Festive Season all around.  The shops are full of happy shoppers and lights and sounds and gifts.

And so it is time to start getting ready for our Happy Holidays.

This is the last swap for the year that I am sending out.  (I will be showing you what I sent out a bit later, and also what I got in return.)

For this swap, we are enjoying the 12 Days of Christmas, and you get to make up 12 small gifts for your swap buddy, and then on the 12 Days of Christmas you get to open a little gift each day.  I was thinking of numbering them, but then decided against it.  My swap buddy can shake them and squeeze them and sniff them if she wants to, and then pick a package each day.  🙂  I can not wait to see what she thinks when its time to start opening these, and I really had fun making some of the items, and shopping for the others.

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2

Swap Package 2