My dear friend Sue of Vintage Sue sent a surprise gift to me in the mail. That girl is something else. She has been such a generous friend. Sue doesn’t just send a box – she decorates the box. Here’s the back side of the box (yes, the front was also decorated.)
By the way, I always save Sue’s boxes! Sue is a true junker – she loves a flea market, an old antique store, or a great thrift shop. Here’s what was inside:
A treasure trove: paper ephemera, a vintage hankie, two beautiful pieces of fabric that I think might have been napkins, creamy vintage buttons, a pretty blue velvet ribbon, vintage jewelry, a great chandelier prism, a beautiful cuff that Sue made, more sea glass (Sue sent me some this summer) and rocks, and a piece of bark cloth! Oh boy! All my favorites. My sea glass collection is growing, thanks to Sue, who happens to live near the shore in Maryland. And I love rocks, not to mention vintage fabric, jewelry, ribbons and buttons. I love, love the cuff, Sue! The chandelier prism is hanging in the studio window already. And how about a close up of the bark cloth? This piece is truly gorgeous.
Sigh. Swoon. Happy Claudia.
I won a giveaway that my friend Kate of The Garden Bell had recently. She is a crocheter. In fact, her gorgeous posts and scrumptious photos inspired me to take up the hook again. She also dyes yarn. Those of us who won got a skein of yarn in our favorite colors. Here’s mine:
I can’t wait to make something with this! Thank you, Kate.
I treated myself to a little something from my friend Meri. She is so very talented and has been creating the most adorable shadowboxes lately. When I saw this one, I had to have it.
Isn’t it delightful? It is on the piano for the holidays, but will soon travel upstairs to the studio where I display it all year round.
Meri snuck in an extra for me, this beautiful ornament.
I have it tucked in with the silver balls and greenery that are displayed in a McCoy jardiniere. Thank you, Meri.
As you know, Don and I are far from our families at Christmas. My family is in Florida and Michigan and Illinois. Don’s is in California and Washington. We can’t really leave the dogs in a kennel as they were rescues and wouldn’t understand that that they weren’t being abandoned. And Riley needs more and more special handling. They wouldn’t do well in that sort of situation. So we make the choice to stay home here at MHC. These lovely presents and thoughtful gestures, along with your sweet holiday messages and lovely comments make my holiday brighter. Thank you.
You have a treasure trove there! Finally, someone who can understand why I don’t travel: the dogs. I worry more about their anxiety than I do my own. We are very like-minded that way. So tell Don I said Merry Christmas from Texas. And you two and the dogs have a most wonderful 25th!
Brenda
Hi Claudia,Your gifts are wonderful. What great friends you have.Merry Christmas to you,and your husband.
Kathy
Hi Claudia,
I love all of your pretties but that piece of barkcloth has me drooling! LOL.
I wish you a beautiful Christmas and thank you for being such a wonderful blogging friend. You are always so inspiring and sincere.
hugs
Sissie
hi claudia,
i will just say you have THE best readers in all of blogland.
xo
janet
ps- love that you don’t kennel the dogs esp at the holidays.
Hi Claudia,
I’m sure the dogs are happy not to be left, especially at Christmas!! Because we would not leave our new puppy 10 years ago we found the most wonderful vacation spot in the world. We travel there every year without fail, and take Nellie with us. Have a wonderful and joyous Christmas day. Linda
We don’t go far from home either during the holidays unless we have a live-in sitter stay here for our nervous, older and diabetic cat. :-)
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
Such lovely gifts~ I’m swooning over that gorgeous barkcloth also!
It must be so hard to be apart from family at this time of the year. My family is all spread out also, and it’s so difficult to get us all together at the same time. No matter how many are able to make it, those who aren’t are missed terribly. I know you will be missed and that your family will have you in their hearts this Christmas.
Hugs,
Jill
claudia…you are more than welcome. i spent over 24 years away from family during the holidays, so i know that feeling all too well! i can’t count how many holidays i’ve spent by myself when ron has been deployed! it is hard.
hang in there!!! you inspire us all over and over again.
thanks for your card and heart today. zoey and arek are still fighting over it. zoey wants it for her dolls and arek wants it for a tiny pillow. um…it’s mine. guess we will all share it!!!!!
merry christmas
sue
Oh my! What a lovely bundle of goodness you’ve received. The barkcloth is especially beautiful.
Wonderful gifts and purchases Claudia.
Thanks for your Christmas wish on my blog, I of course wish you and Don a wonderful Christmas. I know how it is to be a couple all alone at Christmas with family and friends far far away but I am sure you will make it special for each other. As we swelter in what I think is going to be a very hot Christmas I’ll raise a glass to the two of you and send you hugs :) Now that our sons are living here we will spend the day with them and their partners, and our gorgeous little grandson, then pack up and go off to NZ and celebrate New Year with family and old friends.
{Swoon} Barkcloth.
{{Swoon Swoon}} Yarn.
I totally understand about not leaving your dogs at a kennel. We’re lucky enough to have a “dog nanny” now that will come and stay at our house when we’re gone.
When we used to have to leave the dogs at the “pet motel”, during the whole drive there we’d be saying “we always come back, we always come back”. I don’t know if it made either us or the dogs feel better, but it was our attempt to make the experience less painful.
what a wonderful package! I love the cuff too! I think you make the right decision with your pups. I don’t like to leave my pets either- in fact I’ll be traveling home to see my family for christmas eve by myself so my hubby can stay with the animals- then I’ll be home with all of them for christmas day. I love the shadowbox- I keep thinking I need to try one every single time I see them. That one is sooo adorable! Have a wonderful Christmas Claudia all snuggled in with your hubby and your pups ♥
Merry CHRISTmas Claudia Sweetie…
What a beautiful share today. I love your package from Vintage Sue. What treasures inside. Look at all the textures and colors. Oh my. It would have taken me a long time to get through this box. Just beautiful for a beautiful gal.
I love your shadow box from Meri. She is so talented. I am going over after Christmas and we are going to spend a day crafting. I can’t wait. I want to learn to make the little snowman and others like him in your shadow box. I can’t wait. I was over a couple of weeks ago for a visit, but we didn’t get to craft that day, Marydon had popped in for a surprise visit and we were on a tight schedule.
Hope you, Don and the critters have a wonderful CHRISTmas sweetie. May God richly bless each and every one of you.
Many hugs and SO much love, Sherry
Really lovely and special gifts! Love that barkcloth! Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!~ Hugs, Patti
~ what lovely gifts…from treasured friends..aren’t bloggers THE BEST !!!!!
i sure understand about not wanting to leave your sweeties in a kennel for christmas…Buddy never saw the inside of a kennel…and neither will Teddy…we could have gone to San Francisco for the weekend…but john and i chose to stay here…to spend christmas with Teddy…
it’s been a pleasure getting to know you this year and i look forward to a continued friendship in 2011.
merry christmas, my friend
sending love,
kary and teddy
xxx
Dearest Claudia,
You are so welcome!!!! I truly treasure all my blogging friends, and I hope someday to meet in person (I can dream can’t I?). I feel so much better knowing the wonderfully caring home my crafting went to. To tell you the truth, I disappointed 4 other people when I posted that shadowbox, but they already had some of my work. I have one gal that would truly purchase everything I make and probably stand around waiting for me to finish….LOL Such dear friends, and I’m so thankful I got to “meet” you and start a friendship…..you are truly precious to me. May you and Don, and your little furry ones, have the warmest of Christmas times, and a very Happy New Year!
God Bless you and keep you,
Meri
That little shadow box is quite spectacular!
Mercedes