A birthday gift comes from far away!

Yesterday I received this sweet package from Cathy, an old friend in Australia. 

We met I’m think about 20 years ago on an old sewing forum. If I remember correctly, she was looking for some fabric. I sent her some and the rest is history.

We have exchanged many gifts over the years. Her sewing and machine skills are extraordinary! 

We don’t communicate as much as we use to but several weeks ago I reached out to ask if she was in danger of the fires.

We talked via email. She was safe! She asked if we still lived at the same address. 

Then yesterday this arrived

A covered journal.

She calls this a mug mat. Now who wants to take a chance getting it stained! The embroidery work is just a piece of art.

My birthday card and a crochet face cloth.

Look at the zipper pull on this pouch! Isn’t it adorable? As if the fabric wasn’t pretty enough, she machined embroidered a heart on it. 

A sweet cosmetic bag. Who thinks of adding lace to a zipper? Of course another sweet zipper pull.


Thank you Cathy, here’s to many more years of sewing and quilting friendships.

God is good.

I got some thing(s) new!

Friends!

I love them!

Today I got nice surprise package all the way from Australia. Cathy and I met on line years ago on a quilt forum. We exchange gifts every year. Hers comes around Christmas. A few years ago I switched from Christmas to July, for her birthday month. 

She always remembers my grand kids. This year was no exception. She has sent me many beautiful Australian fabrics featuring their plants and birds. This year she included a hand made quilted bag she made. Did you notice the fat quarters? That is what we Americans call them. They call them fat flats. 

Last week we met up with our friends Margie and Phil. On a previous evening, Phil and I had been chatting on Facebook.  He had butchered a beef that day. I mentioned to him, now they would have some really good soup bones. He couldn't believe that they were no longer available for purchase in grocery stores. They were so kind to share their freshly butchered beef with us. 

On the same day that we visited with Margie and Phil, we were also with our friend Mara. She gave me a goody bag of awesome embroidery threads for my machine. From the little I've used my new machine so far, I have learned that the thread makes all the difference in the world!



And then there's my bestest friend forever, my hubby of almost 43 years.

Today he bought a Hemi for me! It is a 2013 Ram 1500 series. It has been voted "truck of the year" by Motor Trend. 

It was kind of sad to say good bye to my chili pepper red Jeep. It's been such a friend to me for 13 years, never an ounce of trouble. 

My new friend Ted, the truck salesman, was real proud of his thank you gift. Libby made these for him, which we believe was his wife. He talked about her like she was half of his sales team. There is a Hersey bar under that fancy wrap. 

So I am very blessed to have all these friends in my life. 

Life is good!

Christmas in July

Many years ago on a quilters bulletin board, I met Kathy from Australia. If I remember correctly, she was looking for a certain piece of fabric. I had it and mailed it to her. We have been pen pals ever since. We exchange Christmas gifts and cards along with emails..

Let me tell you, she sends the neatest things to me. She always includes something for the grand kids too. I usually get fabric, calendars, figurines, etc., that represent her country.

This year, I was a slacker. Yes, a slacker. I got a wonderful gift from her and I had nothing to send back.

But I know her birthday is sometime in July. So today I sent her a package and titled it Christmas in July.

I had been assembling things for a couple of months. One item was a pattern for a traveling sewing kit. I had purchased the pattern at the quilt show in Stover.

I realized a couple of weeks ago it required 5 zippers. I went in search of reasonably priced zippers and found some on Etsy.com. The cost for 5 zippers was $3.50.

Can you read the return address where they came from? It was FINLAND. Yes, many miles away. So can you believe how many miles these zippers will travel before arriving in Australia?



Here is her birthday present. Two fabrics for the travel bag, including the orange braid for the handle, 5 zippers and the clear plastic, a pair of button earrings, and the green package is bobbin holders from Sewing with Nancy. (I'd like one of these myself)

I whipped up this apron yesterday to include with her gift.

I feel pretty sure she doesn't read my blog. So I think I am safe in showing this.

And here is the last bee tease for you. . . .

. . . the bees have left the hive. If you find them will you please let me know ? ? ?