Monday 5 January 2009

Crafty Gifts

Thank you all for your congratulations - I am still trying to get my head around the idea that I am now 'a fiancé' rather than 'a girlfriend'! Um, am I supposed to do anything different?

As it is just about the last day of Christmas, it is time to round off my account of the festive season by showing the craft things that I received in December that I hope will propel me productively through 2009!

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These books are all from the Fella, his son and other members of his family. I did not expect them at all. The one on top is a notebook for my knitting projects from The Kid. Both of the sewing books are from the Fella - I suspect that his choice may have been inspired by my less than dazzling Christmas rag quilt and my battle with the house curtains?! Otherwise, as you can see, I am not wanting for knitterly input from the Yarn Harlot!

Now, this is going back a bit but I received a package from my mother in early December. As everything has been so flat out in the run up to Christmas, I have not had a chance to show her gift on my blog. What makes this lack of acknowledgement worse is that I have discovered that it is really uplifting to receive unexpected cards, letters and parcels when away from family and friends. (More of that another time!)

Particularly when they contain lovely things like this:

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It is Called Rockpool Candy and I believe that my mother may have some more colours in stock at her gallery? It is a blend of all sorts of interesting fibres that I expect will spin up into something quite unique and lovely - which is what I will try to do, just as soon as I have got my head around how to approach it!

Now, speaking of unexpected and (to date) unacknowledged parcels, not one but two incredible packages arrived at my local Post Office over Christmas:

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This is my present from Robynn which contained some delicious chocolates, a skein of extremely gorgeous yarn and a signed copy of a book that I have been coveting from afar for weeks!

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Gerard and Craig - Happy New year, I miss you too and your book is fab!

Then I opened my second present and out fell a whole pile of yummy spinning fibres from Mel and her family. Mel used Ravelry to track down a local BC fibre supplier for me (Twist of Fate Yarns)!

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Both, I am just blown away by these gifts - thank you so, so, so much. You both sent me things that - if I had found them myself - I would have sought you both out immediately to show, tell and share! Grrr - I miss you both a whole, bloomin' lot.

Otherwise, the final craft related gift that I received for Christmas was from the Fella. He gave me an entry level digital SLR camera as a step up from my little point and click Samsung. Naturally enough, I barely know how to switch it on, let alone use it properly.

So, I have signed up for a beginner's photography class which starts on Wednesday - so please expect a few image burps on my blog while I get to grips with how it all works!

Hopefully though, over the coming weeks, I am really hoping that my images and technique will improve. I am really looking forwards to it!

Happy New Year everyone. Do you know what? I think that this could be an interesting year!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What thoughtful gifts!

What photography class did you end up choosing?

Anonymous said...

Really glad you liked the fibre. It was such fun tracking down someone local. A good haul of books too and the colour of that Cariad yarn is just gorgeous.
Look forward to seeing pictures of the fibre spun up.

Anonymous said...

I think it'll be a very interesting year indeed. You already turn out such great photos, I can't wait to see what you do with your snazzy camera and a few classes behind you! And Mel's fibre, ooh, lovely...

Your book haul is great, too. I am very keen to lay my hands on the new Harlot, only I haven't seen it for sale yet; am I not looking properly or is it not out in the UK? Anyway. Glad my stuff got there safely - I wanted to send you things from home, my first thought was purple fibre but I didn't find anything just right, and I see Mel had that covered! :-)