Some of you may already be familiar with Mad About Bags blog and her recently organised swap.
If not head over and check out her blog using the link above. I took part in the swap, it's been a long time since I took part in a swap with being in Germany but I thought it would be fun to have a go at this one. I was paired up with the very lovely Pat from Pats Patch. We spent a few weeks sending long emails about our lives and likes and began to get a feel for one another.
My parcel arrived the week before we were opening them and was sitting in the kitchen on the side staring at me asking to be opened all that time but I was good. I don't get that much personal post anymore, it's usually for one or other of the children so this was special.
On Saturday I had three very eager faces watching me when I said I was going to open my parcel. I was very impressed with my oldest when I offered to let him open one of the tempting packets he said "No Mummy it's your present I want you to open it".
My first finds were two postcards with recipes on. And this intriguing box. I left that for later and delved a little deeper. The love hearts were spotted quickly by three keen sets of eyes. The little note book is all handmade with a little tag book marker inside. There was also a set of coasters, red with hearts and three more wrapped gifts.
As you can see my swap partner had already gone well above the guidelines for the swap. Which were 5 items, something edible, something red, something handmade and a heart. I was feeling very spoiled. I let the two younger children open one of the red packets each saving the white flat packet and the red box for myself.
The children found a packet of chocolate hearts and a packet of chocolate lady birds in their parcels and my flat gift was a set of two mats and two coasters of a lovely red thick felt with heart motifs. I left the red box until last. The embellishment was also a brooch. But it was the contents of the box that surprised me most.
I knew Pat had been making fabric lavender hearts for her sisters cafe so I had half expected to receive one as it fitted in so well with the theme. There was also a pin cushion you can see in the box.
The reverse of the pin cushion was a beautiful cross stitch, not only this but a pair of embroidery scissors with another small needle/pin cushion attached and a pretty felt needle book with an unpicker holder and unpicker and some pretty pins inside, all finished off with the same pretty cross stitch.
There had been so much thought and detail put into the swap I was completely overwhelmed and felt very emotional. A complete stranger in all but a few emails and some blogging had created for me the most amazing package which went far above and beyond the outlines of the swap.
I am sorry to say the package I sent was nowhere near as impressive, I had a little help from my 4 year old when choosing things to put in. He choose the red candle for something red and he also choose the socks which are not pictured here. They were purple thermal socks as Pat does a lot of photography and we thought they would help keep her toes warm when out walking in the cold weather. The heart mat or pot holder was fun to make but the bias binding was not fun to sew on, I unpicked it once and it still looked a little bodged in places. :(
The chocolate heart looked so pretty when I saw it on the shelf in the shop.
I made these with some glass beads I had. I thought the colours were lovely. I was pleased with the finished item hearts but not too red and valentines like.
And the red candle my son choose. Pat said when it arrived the scent of the candle had infused the socks too. So as you can see not quite the literal box of delights I received but a fun swap.
I really enjoyed this swap and look forward to taking part in many more, hopefully at a time when there are no broken legs, sickness bugs or other ailments striking our household.
Happy Half Term Everyone.
