Gifts in the Post AND a chance to win more!

This last week was a very busy one, with lots of non-vintage-style sanding machines and exterior varnishes. It was enlivened, however, by the knowledge that THREE little parcels were winging their way to me through the postal systems of various countries.First up came a fantastic mini-swap from Sam, the lovely Gingerwine with a blog named after her cat, Silky Sue. I sent Sam some French craft magazine supliments, because she'd mentioned the UK magazine Easy Living and I wanted to give her the chance to see its French sister publication, Avantages. She returned the favour in style, sending me a super edition of Country Living. The articles are so to my taste, Sam - I am crazy about the 'Natural Elegance' one, and even the cover is fantastic - doesn't it sum up an English summer, especially to a family who are reading Swallows and Amazons every evening. (Oops - I covered up the little boat with brown sails in that picture - you'll just have to believe me that it looks like the Swallow.)I actually own some of Sam's artwork now! This sweet tag, which may not mean much to her, means so much to me, after I've been admiring her painting for so long on her blog. She has a blog shop now, you know...

Inside the little package were these fantastic copies of vintage gardening items. The adverts are incredible! I have a great idea for using the two cards, although I may not be able to bear using them at all...Next came something really different - a prize I was able to choose myself! Lululiz ran a fiendishly difficult visual quiz earlier this month. Try it out yourself - it is fun! She decided to reward each of us who had struggled through it, however amusing our results (I know mine made her laugh), and let us choose two items from her collected prize items. I chose this lovely card of French glass buttons, which made their way 'home' partway through last week.

I think the card is as wonderful as the buttons...I also chose this length of edging lace, which will be mega-useful one day and will look beautiful in the meantime. This picture also includes a clue about my last parcel, which arrived yesterday, all the way from New Zealand...Spot the Red Gingham? It's Sarah's trademark fabric. I sent her some vintage mother of pearl buttons, which are hard to get hold of in New Zealand, along with her prize for my Garden Party event. She outdid herself by making me this fantastic patchwork picture - I really still can't believe it! Let's look at the whole gift in more detail...

Here is the lady herself. Is it me, Sarah? I do have a string of pearls...Look at all the details - I think that the edging fabric is my favourite of all. I have been wandering round the house with this in my hand, waiting to find the perfect place for it. When it's up I'll take another photo for you!
There was also a sweet crocheted flower...And such a pretty drawn threadwork handkerchief to add to my collection.

Finally, these very classy ribbons. I really only buy secondhand/vintage ribbon, so the sight of such lovely, colour-coordinated, well-presented ribbons kind of went to my head.

I spent some time this morning winding the ribbon onto vintage spools, a la posh shops and magazine shoots I have been observing this year. I really need to get some bare spools, as these already have vintage threads on them and the ribbon doesn't go on perfectly, but you get the idea for now.Until I use the ribbon, it can sit looking charming in my vintage sewing corner.So, thank you so much, Sam, Liz and Sarah. I have had a wonderful week opening your lovely parcels, and will have plenty more delight as I read, display or use the fantastic things you've sent me.

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Do not miss your chance to win something fantastic in the post! Click here to enter Mel's Country in the Town giveaway, which has undisclosed but unquestionably exciting prizes. You have until Friday, I think - Mel has great taste and is very generous, so do enter if you haven't done so already!

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Tomorrow - definitions. What on earth does my blog name mean?

Competitive Side - Satisfied!

I have quite a competitive streak, and I was getting a tiny bit peeved after months of blogging and not having won any of those lovely giveaways yet... but all is satisfied, because I have won a lovely prize from Lululiz! A tiny bit of skill (and a lot of luck) was involved. She'd posted a picture of diced yellow stuff on a chopping board, looking for all the world like cheese, and challenged us to work out what it was. In the end, I twigged that it was a soap-related product! Phew... The most wonderful smell of lavender emerged from our warm post box one day this week. A small jiffybag was inside. Inside that was:

This fantastic lavender bag, which I had actually seen on Lululiz's blog when she finished making a set! It is now beside our bed and we have been sleeping very well indeed.One of Lululiz's famous soaps was also there. She doesn't know that Son 2 and I are quite big fans of handmade soap, and he normally buys me some for Christmas each year. He and I had a good chat about Lululiz's soap, and I told him that it was a real luxury product, with good quality ingredients (I have read your soap website, Liz!). He added, knowledgeably, 'all natural, I suppose...' ...but of course! Note the essential 'boy' additions of plastic dinosaurs and pokemon figures.This very pretty Sarah Smith cleaning cloth was also part of the parcel. It's been in use already - in fact it solved a bit of an emergency when we spilled something the other day. Son 1 was a bit concerned, and wondered if it was too good to use for mopping up a spill! Thanks so much for all this, Liz - it's lovely to put it all to use!

As you can see, we are all enjoying the holidays. It's not as hot as it was before school broke up (typical) but we have a nice mixture of friends to visit, lessons to teach, walks and cycle rides or just doing very little. Next week Ben is off to a conference in Germany, and the boys and I are going to visit my parents in Edinburgh. Dear Raja and Chanel will be well looked after by a student friend of ours, who is a great house sitter.