Vintage Easter Swap

 I've been slightly tardy with this post.  A wee while ago the lovely LissyLou organised a Vintage Easter Sap and I was lucky enough to be partnered with Katie.

I was thoroughly spoiled and received lots of gorgeous goodies.  The goodies were wrapped in pretty pastel coloured paper and ribbons.   I love receiving gifts that are prettily gift wrapped.  It makes me smile. 

What was inside the pretty wrapping paper?  Gorgeous pastel coloured crcheted bunting!  The bunting is currently decorating the top of my dresser.  The little roses really make the bunting special.   

Some sweet smelling Cath Kidston smellies.  I usually take showers, so I'm keeping the bath melt to use for a special occasion i.e. when I have the house to myself and I'm not rushed out of the bathroom with shouts of "MUM!" or "MADISON!".  Which is more often than you would think.  

A set of gorgeous hand painted glasses.  I've been hunting in charity shops and car boot sales for a set of painted glasses.  How did she know?!  

A very handy sewing kit.  I have been known to bung some needles and thread into a plastic food bag to take with me when I feel the need to sew on the move.  This little set is perfect to keep in my handbag. 

A sweet little pink bucket.  It's so cute and the pink is the perfect shade of pink.  

And inside the little bicket was a handmade hanging Easter egg.  Look at the detail on it.  I originally thought it was shop bought until Katie told me she had decorated it.  It's perfect!  The fabric on the egg is completely wrinkle free.  How did she do it?! 

And of course you can't have an Easter without Easter chicks!  These were given to the Wee Man.  We've been hunting for some Easter chicks to put into his plastic Easter eggs and they've all been either too big or too small.  These were the perfect size and he promptly stuffed them into his eggs ready for his Easter Egg hunt.  

I was rather spoiled wasn't I?

I can't seemed to find the photos of the things I sent her.  I'm off to have a more thorough search.  Where are those blimmin' photos?!

 

Advent Swap Catch Up

I haven't been able to show the lovely goodies I got in the Advent swap from the lovely Jill as it's been a wee bitty hectic here.  But now the Wee Man is at school I've had time to photograph all the lovely goodies I got and lovely they are!

Lookey, lookey see what I got!

Jill is so talented!  All the crocheted goodies has spurred me on to try crocheting again.  I remember enjoying crocheting when I was at school and could still vaguely remember how to do it.  So I picked up a crochet needle and gave it a go.  I'm struggling to find the "hole" where the needle should go into for each stitch so it's coming out a wee bit wonky, but I am getting there.

Thank you Jill for all the lovely goodies and for inspiring me.

Advent Swap 6,7,8,9

I've had a couple of tense days recently and the lovely daily gifts from Jill in our Advent Swap has really cheered me up.  Every day is like Christmas Day.

Here's what I got for days 6,7,8 and 9.

A beautifully knitted dishcloth which will never ever be used for washing dishes or washing anything of any kind, it's just too beautiful, and a gorgeous crocheted star garland.

Also another gorgeous Christmas bauble, a box of yummy chocs a delicious smelling bar of soap and a mind bending puzzle.  At first I thought the puzzle was easy despite the blurb on the box saying it was difficult and proceeded to prove myself well and truly wrong.  It's blinking difficult but luckily the answers inside the box. ;0)

Can't wait for tomorrows gift.

Advent 4, 5

I'm really enjoying my advent swap.  It's so lovely to have a little something every day to bring a smile to my face.

Here's what the lovely Jill gave me for the 4th...

It's the most gorgeous hand knitted coat hanger.  I am at odds to use it as I won't then be able to see it.  How can I display a coat hanger?  Hm, I feel a Google search coming up.  There are a few more coat hanger shaped parcels from Jill and I am very,.very tempted to rip open the parcels.

And for today's parcel, I got a great quilting book.  I see so many gorgeous quilts on blogland and I dream of having the ability and patience to make one.  Hopefully this book will inspire me to take the plunge.

Parcel number 6 tomorrow.  I can't wait.

Pour moi?! Not quite.

A few months ago I took part in a swap and my lovely swap partner sent me the most gorgeous handmade bag.  I love the bag and have been using it every day since I got it.  It's so roomy, gorgeous and holds everything I need to humph about with me.  Which is a lot.  Have a look at my "What have you got in your bag?" post.

And look what came in the post today!  Lots of lovely beautifully wrapped parcels, with little butterfly stickers on them and.....

Two bags of each of the three designs, so six delicious bags in total.  Six bags, five teachers which means one for me to keepsy!

The bags are so gorgeous I thought they would be a perfect gift for the Wee Man's nursery teachers at the end of term.  So I asked Cartier to make me some and lucky for me she said yes.

I'm going to give each teacher a gift basket/ goodie bag with lots of pressies in it.  It's always fun to get a goodie bag don't you think.  Delving in and puling out another lovely.  It's like a lucky dip with everything inside guaranteed to delight.

There are five teachers in total in the Wee Man's class.  Three actual teachers, his support worker Mrs. H. and another little girl's support worker Mrs N.  The Wee Man doesn't have much to do with Mrs. N. which is the nature of being a support worker but she is such a lovely lady and I think it only fair that all the teachers are shown some appreciation for all the hardwork that they do.

I like to show the teachers that we appreciate everything they do for us, especially with the Wee Man's allergies and the extra special care they give him.  Plus the ladies in the school office for all the hard work they do behind the scenes and of course the Head Teacher.  So all in all it will be a pressie bonanza.

Better get my crafting hat on and get my bum into gear!  Got some pressies to make.

.. a query. What have you got in your bag?

Remember the gorgeous bag I got from Cartier as part of a Spring Swap we both participated in?  I've been using it every day since I got it and it's received lots and lots of admiring looks and comments.  The Wee Man's nursery teacher even lovingly stroked it when she first saw it.  

The bag is so gorgeous, roomy and ultra, mega strong.  I usually humph a LOT of stuff around with me whenever I go out with the Wee Man.  Very little of the stuff is actually mine.  Today was a prime example.  We headed into town for lunch after nursery school and when I got home my biceps were bulging with the work out they had been given.  

Lookey how gorgeous the outside of the bag is.  

Lookey at the gorgeous interior.

Lookey at all the stuff that was in it!

There's a LOT of stuff in that there bag!  They are as follows:

• 2 x big hardback Thomas the Tank Engine books.  Bought from a charity shop today
• 1 x 3pk of boys underwear.  Again bought today.
• 1 x lunch bag with very heavy freezer block and the remnants of the Wee Man's lunch
• 1 x wet wipe container
• 1 x plastic Thomas bowl to hold the Wee Man's lunch
• 1 x inhaler spacer
• 2 x Epipens
• 1 x inhaler
• 1 x bottle of Cetirize (Allergy medication)
• 1 x medicine spoon
• 1 x hand cream
• 1 x sun cream
• 1 x purse
• 1 x stainless steel water bottle, half full
• 1 x Cath Kidston bag
• 1 x bottle hand sanitizer
• 1 x packet of allergy free chocolate chip cookies.  Bought today for the Wee Man.
• 1 x box of Orgran gravy mix.  Bought today.  I don't usually walk around with gravy  mix and cookies in my bag.
• several receipts and bus tickets
• a letter from nursery
• 1 x Big Jigs wooden train leaflet.  The Wee Man has inherited my leaflet hoarding habit.  This is our third copy of the exact same leaflet.
• a pile of "acquired" paper napkins.
• 3 x packets of tissue for the Wee Man's very runny nose
• 1 x packet of toilet seat covers.  I hate the Wee Man sitting on a manky public toilet seat.
• 2 x Vaseline Lip Therapy tins for the Wee Man
• 1 x Lypsyl lip balm for me
• 1/2 a roll of polo mints
• 3 x packets of curby grips.  Bought to make hair accessories for the Wee Man's school summer fete.

There were also some snotty tissues but I didn't think you'd want to see the Wee Man's bogies.

So out of all that lot only the purse, lip balm, CK bag, handcream, curby grips and polo mints were mine.  The rest were all the Wee Man's.  Just call me Pack Horse Madison.

So what have you got in your bag?

...a Spring Swap (Part 2)

Remember a while ago I received a gorgeous swap parcel from Cartier?  Well, I was a bit late in sending her swap parcel but it finally got to her safe and sound so now I can tell you what I sent her.

The theme was Spring and it was really up to us what we sent.  I knew she dreamt of being a lady gardener so what better than some gardening goodies to help her dream come true.

A pair of pretty floral gardening gloves and some veggie seeds, I packaged up.

Cartier's favourite colour is white and I thought some of these lovelies would be appreciated.  A white painted wooden frame with a "Keep Calm and Carry On" picture.  A hanging white metal butterfly and a hanging white wooden heart.

A white iron lantern for her garden.  It holds tea light candles and I also sent her a box of citronella candles to keep the beasties away.

 

Everything you need to grow your own sweet peas in a handy pink bag.

An oilcloth covered notebook.  My first attempt at making one was embarrassing.  Thankfully I got the hang of it.  I used four different patterns of oilcloth to make it.  Thought it would be good as a gardening note book.  Wipe clean cover and all.

Also a yummy box of Cadbury's Creme Eggs.  Yum! Yum!  I was very, very tempted to keep the creme eggs for myself, but I was a good girl and resisted.

I also gave her some decorated wooden clothes pegs.  But I don't have a pic for them.  I'd used oilcoth scraps and wrapping paper scraps.

I do love doing swaps.  It's always lovely to receive things in the post but I also do love hunting for little presents, wrapping them up and sending them off.

The lovely tote bag Cartier sent me was used a lot on our hols to York.  It got lots of admiring glances and even stares.  Thank you again Cartier and I hope you have fun with the goodies I sent you.

...a Spring Swap (Part 1)

I received the most wonderful surprise this morning.  There was a knock on the door and there was a rather sweaty man with a huge box for me.  It was my Spring Swap from the lovely Cartier on SCC.  It's come all the way from Germany so goodness knows how much postage must have cost.

The box was huge and heavy, no wonder the man was a bit sweaty.

I had to fight the urge to tear the box open.  I wanted to take lots of pics to show everyone so instead hunted down my camera.

Inside was lots of lovely pink tissue paper.  Just the tissue paper alone made me smile.

What was inside?  So many lovely, gorgeous, beautiful things.

A beautifully wrapped Easter/ Spring basket brimming with goodies.

There was a set of bright spotty tea towels.  Way too lovely to dry dishes with.  I'll have to think of something suitable to make with them.

Some Easter and Spring themed paper napkins which will definitely not be used to wipe mucky mouths and fingers.  A decoupage project is in the offing.

A sunny yellow "Welcome" heart that is already in it's new home, hanging in my porch.

Wooden Easter decorations.  Cartier explained in a lovely letter that in Germany they decorate their homes with an Easter tree for Easter.  Some branches in a vase festooned with all things Easter.  I will definitely be doing this with the Wee Man over the school holidays.  In fact I'm not really sure I can wait that long.

A bottle of yummy cherry blossom hand wash and beautiful card.

I also got a beautiful handmade bag, lavender sachet and lacey drawstring bag.  The bag is perfect and will be used daily as my every day bag.  I will no doubt be the envy of every Mum at the school gate.  The lavender sachet smells divine.  I love the smell of lavender.  I'm not sure what to do with it as it is too gorgeous to hide away in my knicker drawer.  I want to carry it around with me, hanging 3 inches from the end of my nose.  Though maybe that would be a bit unwise.

I also got a whole pile of magazines.  I love reading magazines and I am so looking forward to curling up on the sofa tonight with a cup of coffee and the Martha Stewart mag.  I often browse the Martha Stewart website for tutorials and inspiration.  I am really rather excited at the prospect of reading the mags.  Like Cartier, I always seem to find myself in front of a magazine rack when I go on holiday abroad.  It's always interesting to see what the magazine culture is like in other countries.

And of course, Cartier didn't forget the Wee Man and he got a great Easter sticker book with 400 stickers!  He will be very pleased.

I can't thank Cartier enough for all the lovely gifts.  They really have brought a huge smile to my face.  Thank you so much Cartier.