SWAP RECEIVED!!!!!!

[RoseMary]

Yesterday, as I pulled into the driveway, the postman followed in behind and delivered my package from Deb!

She sent me some of her beautiful cards~and wrote a sweet not in the first one!! I'm telling you girls, she does great work. I will find it hard to use them, cause I won't want to part with them!

She also sent a hyacinth bulb and flower pot along with potting soil. As you can see~it's already planted! The book is Rose Cottage (how appropriate is that title?!) by Mary Stewart. I love romantic suspense, so I am looking forward to curling up by the fire and reading this novel. Thanks, Deb!!

[Lisa S]

What a lovely gift! Nice job, Deb!

[Memmey]

Rosemary , Her cards are sooo very nice.
Deb was my partner on our very first swap and she sent me cards also. I gave 2 away with graduation money and the others I'm keeping. I love them too much. I'm thinking about a little frame for the one with the vintage seeds on it.
Good job Deb, what a lovely swap present. Rosemary your gift reminds me of you. A good book, sweet notes and a flower...it's so you:)

[RoseMary]

Thank you, memmey:) ! I am going to frame one of the cards, too--the colors are perfect for my bedroom~I have a sweet little frame I bought at a flea market last year that I've been saving for something special.

[gigiG]

Oh-what wonderful gifts. Cards are such a nice way to stay in touch, say thank-you, etc... I bet they are beautiful and would be hard to use! But, just think about the person who receives them-lucky them!!!!

[dedavis]

It was my pleasure to make a swap box for RoseMary--she's so kind and thoughtful and fun to find gifts for!

And there was a box for me at the post office, from Chapter Two, Kim! She sent a basket of warmth: a lovely Blue Willow cup and saucer (my favorite), some interesting tea bags, a pressed flower picture in a frame, a cherry-scented candle, a package of bean soup mix, and a lacy table runner. AND two crock pot recipes which I can't wait to try! Thanks Kim! First thing I did was snap a photo to show you, then brewed a cup of vanilla caramel tea (it's really good!).

It's been dumping snow since Monday, and that basket made my day. Thanks again, Kim.

[dedavis]

Here is the basket...

[ChapterTwo]

Deb, I was really surprised and happy that the package reached you so quickly! I must apologize for the "presentation"...If you lived around the corner and I had been giving it to you, I would have arranged it in a pretty fashion. But going east to west, I was so afraid of breakage, so that was foremost in my mind.
And had it been in nicer weather, I would have sprayed the basket "cottage white"...

That little tea cup and saucer isn't really a perfectly matched set, but I bought it at an estate sale and thought it fit the theme. And I remember you liked soup...with more snow, I guess it's often a "soup day" out there in Washington.
I had only two of the vanilla caramel tea bags (that came in a collection), so I'll have to give mine a try too.

At any rate, I'm glad you liked everything, Deb; it was so much fun to pull together a swap box for such a nice person! :()

Thanks for showing us the photo!

Rosemary...Lovely swap gifts you received! Once your hyacinth blooms, it'll feel like Spring is right around the corner!

[gigiG]

Deb- What a beauuuuutiiii-fullll collection of gifts. Lucky you!

[RoseMary]

Very nice basket of goodies! Vanilla caramel tea sounds really good! Blue Willow is just so pretty, too! Chapter Two, I agree that it is hard to pack things in a 'pretty' way. If only we all lived around the corner from each other!

A sweet swap for our sweet Deb!

[gigiG]

Deb- You are one less card...grib-it....:rolleyes: :D ;)

[Lisa S]

Okay SuzieQ, your package is on it's way. If you'd like to track it, I've got a confirmation number for you. I'll probably PM you later, but I'm crazy busy at the moment. :o

I hope you like it!

[RoseMary]

I sent yours off today, too, Lisa. I hope the 'insides' of the box aren't in shambles when it gets there! Reading Deb's post made me remember I forgot to stick in the recipe I had for you~so that'll be coming in an envelope:) .

[SusiesQs]

Lisa,

There is absolutely no hurry for my package. :) I'm in Truckee now on vacation and visiting family and having a blast. We have a house sitter so she'll be able to watch for it, but I wont be back until next week. I am looking forward to it and I can't wait to get my package! :D

[Lisa S]

I can't wait for you to get it too! It should be waiting on your doorstep when you get home. Have a safe and fun trip.

[ChapterTwo]

Isn't it amazing how much fun we all get from sending/receiving these swaps? I don't know whose idea they were (before I arrived here), but my hat is off to her! :()

[dedavis]

It was Ladybug! A round of applause for her...

[ChapterTwo]

Here's to Ladybug...Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, etc!
:lol: GREAT idea!

[rubyslippers]

Please excuse my sniffles ... where is the smiley-face-avatar-with-a-runny-nose? Gigi, your warm thoughts for winter package has been "trying" to make it to the post office for a couple of days. I am ecstatic with my last little find. With that said, I am just making it day to day right now. As a new teacher, I guess I am bound to catch every sniffle that sneezes by ... with that said, this is my second bought since the holidays. A little hot-tea and bed-time for this girl.

I am going to click about the site some more ... I feel very out of touch with the gang. It is so lovely to see the packages en route and finding their way across the country. I like to think of the loving homes they leave and the loving homes where they land.

I bought my first package of flower seeds the other day as well ... so, there is a lot I want to talk to all of you about ... in the meantime, the pillows and the Kleenex are calling my name.

Gigi, do not worry, your package was "boxed-up" before we all got the sniffles around here.

I can't wait to see and read about the rest of the swaps!

Bye,

Ms. Sickly-Slippers

[RoseMary]

Get lots of rest and feel better soon, Jenny!

[ChapterTwo]

Jenny...I'm so sorry to hear that you're under the weather. I'm sure you're right about new teachers being germ magnets; I hear that all the time too. Just be glad you don't live around here - the flu is making its way around!

Today my daughter begins student teaching second grade; she is so excited! What grade do you teach, Jenny?

Oh, wow...there's real excitement in the first packet of seeds bought for the upcoming season. Please tell us what you purchased when you are up to writing again.
Hope you feel better soon!!

[Ladybug]

What wonderful gifts!! I never saw the sign up for this swap and I'm so disappointed, but I'll catch the next one! Love to see all of your wonderful goodies!!

(And Rubyslippers, I'm right there with you...coughing and sneezing too!) :(

[gigiG]

Ms. Rubyslippers----Hope you are on the way to feeling better! Take your time...get better, rest well...I look forward to receiving your package! ;)

[ChapterTwo]

Ladybug,

I hope you heard me applauding you earllier for the idea of the swap. So sorry you missed this one. :(

There's already been talk of one in April, April! :()

[Memmey]

Uh oh the cold that is traveling around the whole country. Today it is gonna be 80 degrees. Sounds crazy doesn't it. No wonder everyone is sick.
R/S....remember the old folk remedy I told you about last year? At night put Vicks slave on your feet and socks and you will sleep like a baby. I promise.
You should make you a little bleach water(2 teaspoons to a gallon of water) and spray the desks and hard surfaces in your classroom every once in a while. I do that in the salon. Everyone is 20 miles who has a bad cold also needs to get their hair cut?????????:confused:


Hope you feel better:D

[dedavis]

Oh dear, get well everybody. I'm a believer in chicken noodle soup, hot honey and lemon, naps, and echinacea tea. I tried Airborne for the first time just recently, and I think it does give the immune system a boost.

80 degrees? That sounds like a different planet! Snoqualmie Pass got 10 feet of snow in 5 days, and we're still cleaning up. Spent several hours shoveling snow yesterday, sinking in up to our waists and not feeling a hard surface under our feet. It's mind-boggling, and very hazardous. Avalanches everywhere. It's just as easy for the mountains to kill you as it is for them to show you a good time--I hope and pray that the recreating public is extra careful out there!

On the other hand, the days are getting longer and brighter, and we are on the downhill slide toward spring. I've been pondering the April swap, so turn your imaginations to flowers and polka dots, green grass and Easter bunnies and flip flops...

[Memmey]

Deb , my son, the adventure guy, is in Steamboat Springs this week. Of all the things he does skiing is not one of them. No snow around here. I hope he will be safe. He 10 feet tall and bullet proof you know.

[RoseMary]

Ladybug~hope you get better soon!

It was almost 80 here today around noon! Strange weather. We are supposed to have storms early tomorrow, some severe--I hope not!

Memmey, I just don't understand why kids always think they are indestructable!

Deb, please be careful out there! I can't imagine what it is like working in all that snow and not ever 'touching' bottom!

Memmey, they mentioned the Vicks on your feet and wear socks thing on the National News! Recommended it for kids with colds. I've been doing it when I'm sick ever since you first suggested it~it does help you sleep better--so all you sick ones try it!

[Lisa S]

Deb, do you mean Snow-qualmie?;) Are you guys using dynamite to avoid upexpected avalanches?

Everyone send your snow here. I want to get snowed in for at least a week (and then I'd like a plane ticket to Mexico, if you please). I've got food, stuff to make cookies, movies, books, puzzles. I'm ready, I tell ya!

Rain. That's what we've got. Rain.

[dedavis]

Yeah, Snow-qualmie...it's just crazy out there. The Forest Service isn't doing any avalanche blasting, but our colleagues at ski areas and the Department of Transportation are. We do our avalanche awareness training with them, and get to hear their stories. This is the worst winter for avalanches that anyone can remember--they are doing some of the control work from a helicopter because it's too dangerous to be on the ground.

I am the epitome of caution, not being 10 feet tall and bullet-proof any more. I've had my share of close calls and running away from forest fires, etc. Don't want to do that any more. Somehow I outgrew my addiction to adrenaline. Nature is really humbling.

Emil's having a great time. The thing about skiing is that gravity is predictable, and you learn to work with it. One approach is to point your tips downhill and hope for the best. You figure out how to get up after you fall--I am still doing that! And the equipment is so much better now than it used to be.

Speaking of adventure, now is the time to plan for summer adventures. Any young people (or older) who might be looking to work for the Forest Service or Park Service...recruitment for summer jobs is happening now. I know for a fact that we have a couple openings on our backcountry trail crew. And fire crews are looking for people. These are great jobs for students. Check out http://.www.usajobs.gov (http://www.usajobs.gov) Other places to look are the Student Conservation Association and AmeriCorps. Thanks for letting me put that plug in.

There was a post on Craig's List. This is for real--for $100, these people will dump a load of snow in your pickup, and you get to haul it wherever you want! What a scam!

If you want snow, come on up. The house is too small, but we can build you an igloo in the backyard. We can ski, snowshoe, frolic, drink hot cocoa, hang out in front of the stove.

[Memmey]

I recieved my swap gift frim GiGi!!!!

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o243/memmey/christmas07041.jpg


She always sends such nice things. That soap is my favorite smell of my life. I wish there was perfume that smelled like that. I can't describe how clean and fresh it smells to me. Thank you GiGi for the wonderful things. They are perfect in the "pink Kitchen".
When I look at the things that you all have given me it makes me feel soft hearted. I wouldn't part with anything.

GiGi sent a pretty sassy china coffee container, Maryland Pottery co. soap dish with Geeg's faublous soap, a beautiful desk set piece( I put it by my phone with a memo pad and pencil) A cupcake of sweet smelling soap and a depression glass plate...PINK Thank you so much I love everything
M

[gigiG]

Oh I am sooo glad that it doesn't appear anything is broken :) ... I really wanted you to have some Maryland China (the mail holder & soap dish) because of your connection here :)... I hope you enjoy---it was so fun putting together a package just for you Ms. Memmey :)

[RoseMary]

Oh, very nice swap package! I love the pink depression glass! Perfect for Memmy's pink kitchen!

[ChapterTwo]

Thank you SO much, Memmey, for all of the wonderful (and safely packed) goodies! These include a zillion beautiful shells, large and small, a sand dollar (have never seen one of those, in person!). a gorgeous, cottagey linen rose/black towel (that I'm using as a "scarf" on my living room radiator cover because roses are the theme in there), a cute, white wire bird cage (matches the birdhouse theme in my sun parlor), and a blue teacup candle (that matches my tea cup theme in my kitchen!)

Oh, and thank you for the yummy sounding recipe (Zea's Pepper Jelly Salad)...but this Yankee gal doesn't know what pepper jelly is! I'm going to have to scout around - maybe Whole Foods will have it?

I think you've somehow been in my house, Memmey, because your choices were uncanny! Thank you so much for the time and energy expended for all of my surprises. I appreciate and love every one!

Now I shall try to include some photos...I've tried this before and I've been told my photos are too big. Don't quite know how to fix that...well, it doesn't seem to be working, so I'll have to ask my son and post pics at a later time. :confused:

[ChapterTwo]

My son came home and reduced the size of my photos :) so, here they are! The first one is all my goodies from Memmey, and the second is a closeup of the shells. I had taken several photos, but didn't want to give my son a whole bunch of stuff to do after work. He said that someday he'll show me how to reduce the size myself (teach a man to fish...lol)

By the way, Memmey...where are the seashells from? They sure don't look like the (stinky) ones we have at the Jersey Shore! :lol:

[Memmey]

Two, glad you like your things. Your tea towel is April Cornel. Have you seen her clothes and linens.?
The shells? I find them everywhere. I can't walk past them and not buy them. We really don't pick up shells around here, Our coast is a marsh.
I could have sent you box full but thought better of it. I like to put them in bowls and sit them around.
Makes me think of summery things.

[ChapterTwo]

Mem - I've got a very low clear glass dish...I'm going to fill it with the shells for summer and put a small candle in there too. Those are some extraordinary shells you chose!

<<Your tea towel is April Cornel. Have you seen her clothes and linens.? >>

No, I never had, before...but I just love the look of the roses against the black. I have mauve/pink roses in the room, and the oriental rug is trimmed in a wine color, so it is perfect!

I have some other photos I hope to have shrunken down to size, and then I'll post them too. One is of Rusty, one of our kitties, sleeping on the tea towel, and the other is of him walking through everything, while I tried to photograph it. devious

[Lisa S]

Rosemary ~ I got your gift today. It's so wonderful! My kids are thrilled. I won't say too much until I post the picture tonight (new computer stuff that I don't know how to operate). You are so clever.

Everyone's swaps are so neat. I hope you get yours soon Miss. Suzie.

BTW, Memmy ~ I like your new image.

[Memmey]

Lisa, she is my idol.

Two, those are just some shells. When you go junking look for them. I have some that are really old. You can start a big bowl of special ones. They are fun to look for . The ones I sent are kinda humble. But maybe it will start you on the pretty shell quest..LOL:D

[Lisa S]

Growing up, I was Lucy and my brother was Charlie Brown. I was kinda bossy.

[ChapterTwo]

<<But maybe it will start you on the pretty shell quest..LOL:D >>


And then, before you know it, people will give me the nickname of "Shelly"! :lol:

[Lisa S]

Argghhhh!

[ChapterTwo]

Sorry Lisa...feeling "punny"! :D

[RoseMary]

Glad you liked it Lisa~I felt sort of silly after I sent it!

Your swap package is beautiful, ChapterTwo. Those shells are so pretty and that towel is gorgeous. I like that little bird cage, too!

I've always loved Lucy, too~and Miss Piggy! They are both girls/women (pig?!) with a lot of confidence~nothing can stop them from reaching their goals!

[ChapterTwo]

<<Your swap package is beautiful, ChapterTwo. Those shells are so pretty and that towel is gorgeous. I like that little bird cage, too! >>

Yes, Memmey did a wonderful job putting that together! I love everything...

I honestly had never seen a sand dollar and I'm kinda fascinated by that! And all the other shells are varied shapes and textures - really beautiful.

[gigiG]

Oh about the Charlie brown thing... I love Charlie and all the characters. I have a collection of Charlie, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy that I bring out at Christmas time.
And hey- Girls need to be a "bit" bossy!!! :D

Growing up, I was Lucy and my brother was Charlie Brown. I was kinda bossy.

[Lisa S]

Here is my wonderful swap gift from Rosemary. She sent me everything I need to make S'Mores, some awesome s'more candles (where in the world did you find them?), a cute s'more mug, hot chocolate and a very neat card with a copy of a photo of her grandma on the front. You really made my day, swap buddy! Everyone in the family got a kick out of opening each little goodie. Thank you.:D My winter is cozier already!

[dedavis]

I am just knocked out by the thoughtfulness, creativity, and fun that goes into these swaps. Good job, everybody!

[gigiG]

I am a hun-gruuu-eee for some choc-0-late right now lookin' at the swap that Lisa received from Rosemary :D Yummy!!!!

[RoseMary]

I'm so pleased you all enjoyed it! After I mailed it, I wondered if your kids like chocolate?!!! I thought those little candles were cute, too. Stay warm!!

[Lisa S]

We share the same DNA ~ do they like chocolate!? Ha!

[ChapterTwo]

Wonderful job on Lisa's swap, RoseMary! I bought a little s'mores candle that I think was pretty much like that this year...really cute!

It's so much fun to put a swap together AND to receive one!




Is there anyone alive who doesn't like chocolate? :-)

[SusiesQs]

What fun gifts you guys have gotten! I'm sending out Maria's this Saturday now that we got back from vacation last night. Lisa, I can't wait to get your package! I'll post pictures when I get it :)

[cheapdiva]

Just thought I would chime in and say how nice everyone's packages are! Several of us (me included - and remember I was going to have mine out right away - ha ha ha) haven't made it to the p.o. - but I am pretty sure we have contacted each other.

These swaps are so much fun and a great way to share. This group is truly like a bunch of sisters, cousins, good friends who just live away from each other. I don't know any place else where people look forward to checking in with each other as much as this group does.

Both Mem and I have looked at a few other sites and this is the BEST. To say we truly care about one another is an understatement. All of you are very special people.

[ChapterTwo]

<< All of you are very special people. >>

As are you, too, Cheapdiva!
It's so nice to have a group of friends who are happy for us when things are going well, always offer a shoulder on which to lean or cry, as needed, and are just plain FUN! We are very lucky that CL gave us this forum, and that we all found it!

[Lisa S]

Yep, yep. We are lucky to have each other.

[RoseMary]

I am in agreement with everyone~you are all very special, caring people! I look forward to the time that I get to spend on here 'visiting' with all of you.

The theme to Mr. Rogers neighborhood comes to mind~"I've always wanted to have a neighbor--just like you". Sorry, my 'mom-ness' is showing through:p, but I heard that song every afternoon for years and years! (Now, you'll all be singing it:lol: !)

[ChapterTwo]

Oh, RoseMary...I'll let you in on a little secret - Sometimes I still watch a bit of Mister Rogers Neighborhood just to "get away" from being a grownup! ;)

Many years ago, when my son was almost five, I wrote to Mr. Rogers, and he answered me! I have a couple letters from him, and he asked permission to use one of my letters in his book, "Letters to Mr. Rogers"! It was an honor. I am so sad that he passed on so early, because he really was one of a kind.

[Lisa S]

Wow, that is an honor! I never cared for Mr. Rogers when I was a kid, but as an adult, I think he's wonderfully soothing and kind in a world that sometimes isn't. I was sad when he passed too.

[RoseMary]

ChapterTwo, I always enjoyed watching him with my kids. I agree with Lisa, that was a great honor to have your letter in his book! I miss him, too. I remember that we lost Charles Schultz about that same time~two losses together:( .

He was a very interesting man. My oldest daughter says that Martha Stewart's show (the old one, not the new one) was sort of like a Mr. Roger's show for grown-ups! She went on a lot of tours of different, interesting places in her show, like he always did for kids. And she had a lot of interesting guests that were experts in out of the ordinary type things, not just cooking and decorating.

[SusiesQs]

Hi All-

I received my swap from Lisa! She sent me a heart shaped mug, chocolates, a small pot with some tiny Hyacinth bulbs, and Mulling spices (YUM). I also got a stone with "serenity" on it, socks with little hearts on them and a recipe that I'll be making this week.

I was looking forward to this all week and was so happy to get it :)

Thanks Lisa!

Susie

[Lisa S]

Hey, I've seen that stuff somewhere before! Neat to see it sitting on your table.

Lisa

[gigiG]

SusieQ--Oh what a cute package Lisa sent you. It will surely warm you up a bit, after your winter wonderland trip!!!! :)

[RoseMary]

What a great swap bag! Those socks will look adorable and keep your feet toasty warm while you eat your chocolate and sip your cider!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Oh my goodness, I totally missed a whole swap.

You gals have lovely things! I love seeing what everyone's put together.

Regarding Mr. Rogers, I actually used to live in his neighborhood. Literally. He lived in an apartment building right by my dorm in college. And one of my friends goes to his church and is friends with Mrs. Rogers. She said he really was as kind and wonderful as he seems to be. Mrs. Rogers, too.

Warms the heart to know that!

[ChapterTwo]

Jenn...Thanks for sharing that, about Mr. Rogers! I'm the one who wrote to him and my letter is in his book, etc.

I think it's so terrible that some people didn't believe that he was really as nice as he appeared. Isn't that a sad commentary on today...that people don't believe anyone can be 100% kind and sweet? I am so disgusted with the way the world is now - so crass and cold. :(

[RoseMary]

Another Mr. Rogers story!!! Well, Jenn, you are just the sort of person I'd expect to meet in Mr. Rogers neighborhood:) . Thanks so much for reaffirming that he was such a sweet, nice person.

I remember that a few years before he died, he was on the new Candid Camera--they were telling the people that the television set didn't work in their expensive hotel room. Most were so mad--but when they took him up to his (they hadn't known he was going to be there), he just told them, well that was okay. He had too much television in his life anyway!

Ditto on the way the world is now, ChapterTwo!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

One more Mr. Rogers story-- In college he helped one of my classmates when the kid's bikechain fell off in front of WQED, the PBS station where Mr. Rogers was filmed. Scott came running in late to our evening screenwriting class saying, "You'll never believe who just helped me fix my bike!"

It was wonderfully surreal. And a very beautiful day in the neighborhood for Scott!

[Lisa S]

I know it seems as if the world is a cold place, but I really think the kind and loving people far outweigh the bad ones. I'm always surprised by human kindness. I think people need to try harder to find an opportunity to be kind. We're kind when the chance to be is right in front of us... but I think we could do better if we went out of our way to find a way to make the day brighter for someone else.

[RoseMary]

You are right, Lisa. It is easy to be kind when the situation is right there in front of us. It's the 'going out of our way' that we sometimes omit~don't even think about because we're caught up in our own situations. Looking away from our internal 'mirror' and loving others as much as ourselves. I know that it is something that I need to work on myself.

[cheapdiva]

My package from Suzy arrived Thursday but I didn't open it until yesterday. She remembered my tea passion and sent me a wonderful Tracy Porter single serving pot with mug to sit on. Great clove coasters that smell when a hot mug is put on them and a wonderful little jar with a candle inside. I have a thing for candles (who doesn't?) and little jars. They're great for storing things, filling with a small bunch of flowers or as accent pieces. So here is my booty -

Jenny (Ruby Slippers) will be the last to receive hers - I think. I didn't get her package out until yesterday (remember, I was going to be the first - HA!). But Jenny it is suppose to arrive on Tuesday.

[RoseMary]

Great swap package! That little teapot is adorable and the coasters are so nice~I bought some apple scented ones for my mom for Christmas and she loves them. They really hold their scent. The candles are perfect for 'warming' you up this time of year. I love watching their little flames flicker and dance in the light:) .

This group always has great swaps!

[ChapterTwo]

Sometimes, though, my fault is thinking that everyone is good, deep down inside, and I try to bring that trait to the forefront in the person. Doesn't always work - but I keep on trying. ;)

Wonderful swap - I have two of those little teapots that hover over a cup on my hutch. Quite the conversation pieces, and practical too.

[gigiG]

1037

RS- I just love the gifts I received....Everything is so elegant...right down to the dark chocolate hot milk mix (which I have never seen before). The card is pretty enough to frame, the green glass candlesticks will look beautiful on my table, and receiving the gardener's soap was a real treat. Although I make soap, it's wonderful to receive a soap creation from someone else! And oh- I almost forgot to mention---I love the flower seeds because it states on the package "EASY TO GROW".

Thank you Rubyslippers...you made my night. The package was received on a cold damp & ice mix of a night here on the East Coast.

[RoseMary]

Great swap! Everything is so pretty~the green glass candlesticks are beautiful! I love 'Easy to Grow' packets, too! Dark chocolate milk drink? Sounds delicious!

[cheapdiva]

Oh nasturtiums are one of my all time favorites - you'll love them and they are easy!!! that card is beautiful!!!

[rubyslippers]

Dear Gigi,

I am so glad you liked your package. The candlesticks are from a little shop here called "Granny's Attic." I love that name. It is a little antique store with lots of booths off a little highway. As for the soap, well, I just happened to stumble on it. If you read the package closely it says it was made with grits. I thought that was southern and fabulous. As it is wrapped in cellophane-shrink-wrap-stuff, it might be disgusting; however, I couldn't help but send some soap to THE soap lady herself.

I was trying very hard with your swap care-package to send you a few little things that might keep you cozy in the winter months; however, I wanted you to have a chance to dream of spring a little bit. The plant seeds are from a local nursery here. This is where I try to always get my Christmas tree. I love this place. Anyway, those flowers are supposed to be edible if you want to toss some of the petals in a fancy-smancy salad.

Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate! (By the way, everything looks much prettier in the picture than it did all bunched up in the box I sent it in folks. I didn't want anything to break; so, I had to use the hot chocolate box to brace everything. The candlesticks were triple wrapped in butcher paper stuff - - I think Gigi should get a windowshop display award honestly.

Anyway, once again, I am incredibly happy your gift arrived.

Bye!

Jenny

[rubyslippers]

My package arrived last night!

I have not been on the boards a lot recently because I have been very busy and under the weather. If it wasn't bronchitis, it was a tummy-bug ... so, now that I am better, my days are stressful because I am feeling a little Rip-Van-Winkle-ish as I try to play catch-up.

I got home much too late last night lugging all of my stuff up a flight of stairs to my home and there was a box sitting by door. Immediately, I felt much cheerier! Anyway, CheapDiva really did a fabulous job.

I opened the box to find a nice note amidst lots of styrofoam peanuts. I put the note to the side because I had a feeling that it would probably tell me what was inside the peanuts so I wouldn't miss anything (by the way, my guess was right). Anyway, I started rooting through that little box like it was a treasure hunt.

Well Maria, can I just say "Bless your heart" and not sound too old-fashioned.

First of all, I received two books. One book is a very classy stocking-stuffer-sized-book that would actually look lovely on a coffee table. This book is all about choosing wines. I also received a copy of A Thousand Splendid Suns. I mentioned wanting to read that book in our "choose a book for the book club" thread. I know Maria always listens, but I was very touched.

I also received a canister of Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix from the Omanhene Cocoal Bean Co. The 1-800 number on the side of the canister is spelled out 1-800-LUV-CHOC ... I will be in heaven when I open this up and take a bath!

Because, I also received a lovely tissue paper thin enevelope of Thimes Goldleafe perfumed foaming bath with gilded gold leaves falling all around the envelope. The scent is heavenly. It would be very tempting to use this as a sachet in a drawer so the smell would never go away. So, I may put it with my sweaters for a couple of weeks just to smell the fragrance until I take the time for a nice soak.

In which case, I also received some candles. One is a medium-sized pillar candle with a scrumptious pumpkin spice fragrance. The other candles are smaller votive candles CheapDiva told me were her all-time favorite candle called Faroy. Maria, is Faroy the brand or the name of the fragrance? The candles have a very familiar smell; however, it is hard to identify. If I take a very deep breath and close my eyes and try to identify it, I just can't quite put my finger on it. The smell evokes scenes in my mind's eye. The smell makes me think of my grandmother (not the grandmother I knew, but the woman with pouting lips looking at me through the black and white pictures of her taken in the 1930's). The smell also reminds me of a beautiful old historic theatre I once visited with glorious hand-blown red and white dappled glass wall sconces. While the fragrance is elegant, the note of the familiar is undeniable ... it isn't really fresh baked bread ... but pie crust ... it is soft and elegant, yet welcoming and homey.

What a lovely swap package Maria. This is so incredibly thoughtful of you. Thank you! Thank you!

Sincerely,

Jenny

[dedavis]

Ooohh, are those votives the red ones? Diva sent me some for the Christmas swap, and they are yummy! I'd love to know where to order them. I saved every bit of the wax after the candles burned so I could still smell them.

Nasturtiums are favorite of mine too. They grow an crummy dirt without much water or care, and keep blooming right up to the frost.

Nice work on the wondeful packages!

[RoseMary]

The package sounds wonderful, Jenny. I know you loved coming home to it after a hard day at work!