Lucky Me.

The postman left a package for me yesterday. It was filled with hand made loveliness all the way from Australia.

I have a penpal out there, we have been writing to each other for over 20 years. We've sent all manner of gifts to each other over the years. 

Anyway, a few years ago we agreed that it is getting difficult to remember what we had given and to be inspired by new gifts. The solution we came up with was to exchange only ornaments at Christmas. 

Maxine makes some wonderful little goodies.She pinched my button idea though! I was going to do that. LOL

 On the subject of buttons, look at this little lovely. I'll have to find something very special for that.

 And a cross stitched tree hanger. 

It's lovely to get cross stitched items from her, that's how we met, through the penpal page of a cross stitch magazine. Like me, Maxine went off stitching for a few years and at one point seemed to go off crafting all together. So to get these items is very special. It's good to know she has picked up her needle again. In her letter she blames me. :-) In my last couple of letters I have included photos of my own new interest in cross stitch, and that got her fingers itching again. It's good to be an enabler.

*

My own stitching is slowly moving along. I dedicated most of yesterday to my secret project. I have officially finished stitching a quarter of the chart. Can't rest though, got to crack on and get it finished.  I also spent the evening hooking away at the blue and white blanket, well I say an evening, it was more like do 20 mins, rest my hand, do 20 mins, rest my hand! So probably only an hour. It's a Christmas present, I can't let it languish either.

I'm off to stitch.