Ornament Exchange and a surprise gift

I am sitting here munching away on a Snickers Nutcracker, smacking my lips and feeling guilty at the same time.


I participated in my first ornament exchange this fall. My partner was Becky K from Oklahoma.
Becky Thank you so very much. You knocked my socks off!

Someone told her that I was a nutcracker collector and she heard. Her exchange was amazing and I was stunned by all the lovely wrapped gifts.
I received a package of mixed beads, a package of Christmas stickers, a needle case, a package of Snickers Nutcrackers (that's right - the ones I'm munching on) and the most beautiful stitched nutcracker. He is hanging above my computer screen as I type and I look at him in awe every time. Becky says he comes from a Christmas bellpull design in a Better Homes and Garden Book called A Cross Stitch Christmas - Handmade Heirlooms.
The guilt comes from not saving the nutcrackers for my collection and eating them instead. Becky reassures me they came from her favorite gourmet chocolate shop - Walmart - so I should be able to replace the ones I ate. Don't you just love it.
Below is the stitched piece I did for her. This is a JBW design - Hearts of Joy - from the 1997 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue. I made it into a little pillow for her and added some other goodies to the package. Becky emailed yesterday that she received the package so now I can post it.

And note to self and others - don't send a package in a Skinny Cows ice cream box. They work great for ice cream but not as packaging. Becky says it was delivered taped together but thankfully intact.

Today I went strolling to the mailbox to see what the mailman had dropped off . Mostly it is 6 million pieces of useless paper from our bank at home and the odd advertisement. Well, I got the coolest little surpise today. I found a little envelope postmarked Belgium containing a skein of Carrie's Creations hand dyed floss called Snowflake in my box. A cute little hand stamped card is in the envelope but no name or indication of who it is from. Whoever you are, thank you for such a wonderful surprise gift. I looked at this little envelope all the way home with a big smile on my face and a real sense of awe and gratitude. What wonderful thing can I find to stitch with this beautiful thread?

I have finally found the missing fabric for my Little Book of Stitches. I had bought it at Michael's I guess and it is 32 count oyster. Now, I can go back to working on it.

I have not done a great deal of stitching this past week. I seem to have hit a bit of a lull. I have picked up several things, stitched on them for a bit then put them down and picked up something else.

I'm off to check out the Snowbird SAL. Take care everyone