TheYarnTart

Generosity is the word of the day!!

Earlier this week I received my July gift from my One Skein Secret Pal! I have to tell you all that I was blown away by her generosity. I knew she was going to Austria for a few weeks and I wasn't at all jealous (green with envy would be closer to the truth)! She emailed me to tell me it had been mailed early last week, and it seemed like it took forever (what's with the mail lately?). Oh, but it was well worth the wait . . . just look at all the goodies she sent me.

Wherever she traveled she thought of me and chose a gift for me that she thought I would like. It's fun to see the me that she knows only from emails and it's amazing that each gift she has chosen has been absolutely perfect!

The small hand made basket seen in the upper right corner is woven of Honeysuckle stems and fabric. It was purchased at a West Virginia craft fair from the woman who made it. In the upper left are two photos of the woman who makes these wonderful baskets. The photos don't show well, but it's so extra special to know that my secret pal took the time to add that extra information, and sent me copies of the pictures (they were enclosed in the card shown below them and mailed separately and just received today).

In the basket is the a soap called "Bleu Lotus" from Paris that has the most awesome scent!

In the front are three balls of CHOCOLATE (can you believe I was nice enough to give my hubby the first one - he had trouble opening it, and I even gave it back to him after I opened it for him). I wonder if I told her that my motto is "Give me the chocolate and no one gets hurt!"?

The dish towel is sooo soft, and is a perfect compliment to my 50's style kitchen done in red and white! So when it isn't posing for pictures it hangs from a drawer handle so I see it daily and think of my new found friend.

I'm also a cat lover and a reader, so she sent me a 2007 book mark /calendar of cats. Each month's calendar is perforated so it can be removed to be used as a book mark. (I think I'll offer her the job of being my personal shopper if I ever become wealthy!)

Last, but not least by any means, is the yarn which is a beautiful Mohair blend which she purchased in Austria but is made in Italy. It looks black in the photo, but it's the most gorgeous variegation of reddish-purple, blue, green and brown with a halo of black. I'm thinking it wants to be the Cross Over scarf from DIY found here http://tinyurl.com/dmygk .

OTN this week; I'm down to the last two rows of a potato chip scarf done in multi-colors of TuTu by Moda Dea. Also a bowl which will be felted. It is being made from the yarn my Secret Pal sent in June. It's turning out lovely, and all that remains to be done is to choose a color for the edging and the base, add those and felt it and it will be done. I'll use it by my chair to hold knitting odds and ends such as stitch markers.

In non-knitting news; Tonight we'll attend the retirement party for a friend hubby worked with for many years. It's being held at the Old Spaghetti Factory (good food) and we'll see lots of good friends there so it will be an enjoyable evening.

Next weekend (weather allowing) we'll attend the Dixon (CA) Lambtown festival. I'm hoping to take a class or two, but if not, that's fine. I'll get to buy yarn! and watch the sheep shearing etc. http://www.lambtown.com/

Maybe I'll meet you there!

posted by Shelly @ 3:36 PM