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Friday 23 September 2016

More Gifted Gorgeousness!

The gifts have been coming in thick and fast this week so I thought I'd dedicate a post to them.

First of all - a huge THANK YOU to everyone who posted for the Big Birthday Blog Hop on the 17th.  It was incredible to hop around all the blogs reading everyone's anecdotes and seeing what stitching they had chosen.  Not surprisingly there were a lot of spooky Hallowe'en designs, some dragons and some samplers.  People had obviously taken the time and trouble to look through my blog and see what I liked.

The first gift to arrive was from Margaret in New Zealand, she was worried about the international post so sent it early and it arrived very quickly!
Margaret does gorgeous hardanger work and this is just exquisite!


Cheryl made me a lovely card inspired by an alphabet design she's been stitching.  You can get the chart from her if you'd like to stitch me a card for next year.  Or for the Jo in your life!


Mini also made me a card, aren't the strips of fabric beautiful?  She also made a little stitched pouch which is so pretty.

Mouse sent some threads for my Chatelaine and a lovely piece of Polstitches fabric.  I haven't started my Chatelaine yet, I need to order the fabric for it using my Birthday money.  There's also a "friendship" needleminder hiding in the bag!


Julie sent me these lovely satin threads, they are perfect for adding a little bit of luxury when you're stitching fabrics.

Tiff also sent some threads for my Chatelaine and some Nora Corbett charts she scored in a  thrift store for extremely cheap bargain prices!


The extremely creative Jocondine excelled herself this year.  She sent me this beautiful vintage embroidery pamphlet, some dragon bookplates and a stitched gift-tag:


Look at the date on the pamphlet!


The piece de resistance is my board game!  Click on this photo and admire the details!


Close-up:


Jocondine has included all my blog hops (go forward 3 squares) and penalties if you miss them!  There are stitchy pictures, free charts and some of Jocondine's favourite characters from her blog.  When we were children my sister and I were always making games like this so it fitted into the theme of the blog hop perfectly!

And then there was this little wooden spool with a stitched message:


I unwound the fabric to read the message:


And then when I held it up to show hubby, I saw the reverse!

How adorable is that?

Nicola sent me a beautiful card featuring one of the samplers she has charted for Hands Across The Sea Samplers and this lovely kit to make a beaded scissor case and fob:


Preeti sent me an awesome hanging featuring the Superhero Unstoppable Jo!  She also included a gorgeous silk zipper bag with some buttons and charms and some pretty fabric which I thought was just the small plain turquoise flowers until I opened it out for the photo. Isn't it lovely?


Close-up of the hanger:

Bea sent me these three spooky needleminders from No More Lost Needles, I really need a metal board to display them when not in use:


Phew!  And Leonore sent me a Crafty Kitten voucher!

That's enough of the goodies from other people, what did I get for myself?


It was well-packaged!


There's approximately 20 feet of bubblewrap there!

A lockable display case for all the goodies I have been sent!

Kim's beautiful porcelain pencil tray inspired me to finally sort out some display space for the many lovely things I have been sent.  I needed something secure and with a glass top to protect things from prying fingers and dust.  This case is made by a company who make cases for antiques and collectors fairs and is lovely, very good quality and quick, safe delivery too.

We spent the day of my Birthday in Norwich which is our closest city.  I wanted to go to a craft fayre where my friend had a stall.  Unfortunately she was ill!  So I had to spend some pennies on other people instead.  

I bought a "cactus-you-cannot-kill".  Apparently crocheted cacti are a "thing", two stalls were selling them but this was the nicest.


I also bought some cards, a notebook, some wire ornie hooks and a lucky dip parcel.


Close-up of the lucky dip (chosen by my son)
How appropriate was that?
I had to tell the stall holder all about my Blog Hop!
The charms are all Alice in Wonderland themed which is perfect too.

Finally, one of the requests made to participants of the Big Birthday Blog Hop was to include a photo pof something stitched I would like.  Here they all are!



ps my Birthday Blog Hop post also saw my 12,000th comment!  From the lovely Rhona.  What great timing.  How serendipitous!

38 comments:

Vickie said...

What a fabulous, varied collection you have here! Stupendous! :D

gracie said...

How absolutely wonderful for you. thank you for all that you do to promote blogging with your fabulous blog hop ideas.

Rhona said...

So many gorgeous gifts! You'll certainly remember this birthday!

Linda said...

Happy Birthday Jo. You have received some lovely gifts. Love the display box you got.

Linda

CalamityJr said...

Your birthday blog hop was fantastic, so much fun learning all about you. Enjoy your gifts; they're all lovely and perfect for you!

D1-D2 said...

Lovely gifts all around. I got one of those beaded scissor case and fob kits too :)

Mouse said...

ooooo you got some lovely goodies there and the collage is fab ... the wooden box is simply perfect and I can't wait to go and visit all who blog hopped for your big birthday bash :) love mouse xxxx

beadgirl said...

I'm sorry I missed all the fun; happy belated birthday! And yes, cacti seem to be the latest crafty trend -- I even crocheted and stitched a few myself a couple of weeks ago.

Tiffstitch said...

Wow, some amazing gifts, although I love the spool the most, omg, so cool! And great idea on the display cabinet. Glad you had fun over the weekend too, and love the little cactus.

Mary said...

You received some real treasures. Hope you had a great birthday.

rebelrosecreations@gmail.com said...

Loved reading all about you and getting to know all who participated. It was wonderful! Awesome gifts! Happy Stitching! ~ C's Cross Stitch Creations~ http://christiescrossstitchcreations.blogspot.com/

Bea said...

I was hoping you would get spoiled, and it appears you did. You deserve it and what lovely creative and beautiful gifts you got.

rosey175 said...

That little spool is such a clever idea; how cute! And those nifty needle minders too. You should always have a needleminder or five for every season, yep. Congrats on your haul, congrats on your bithday, and congrats on the wildly successful blog hop!! It was so fun learning about your life that way. :D

Melinda Forbes said...

Your blog hop was wonderful. You received so many wonderful gifts! Looking forward to my next stitching adventure sponsored by Jo...

Barb said...

I'm so glad you had a great 50! It was fun to participate in the blog hop!

The Eskimo's Wife said...

Lucky lady, you got some wonderful gifties there! I'm glad you had such an amazing birthday!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Great fifties and your new display box is beautiful. I can't wait to see how you fill it!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

*fifties should have been gifties!

findingflapjack said...

Happy belated birthday Jo! It's going to take me some time to follow along the blog hop but I am looking forward to it! Sounds like you have been well spoiled :-)
Becca xx

Brigitte said...

All these wonderful gifts from your friends are definitely worth another GG post :)))) And so is the box for all these gifts.

Ariadne said...

What great gifts! Bytheway I was born in January 1966!LOL! I so enjoyed the bloghop and love the way you displayed the 50 cross stitch pictures!AriadnefromGreece!

Beth in IL said...

Thanks for hosting the hop. Lots of fun. Love all your gifts.

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

Many lovely gifts.It was a lot of fun to celebrate your birthday,blog hopping:)

Mini said...

You have been spoiled ..which you deserve. Jocondine really outdid herself with the thoughtful and creative gifts.
Yes, amigurmi ,the art of making small crocheted items, is in trend these days.
Enjoy your goodies and show us how you display them.

Preeti said...

All the gifts are so beautiful!! Your blogger friends have celebrated your Big Bday very lovingly and glad you enjoyed all the moments. It's a great idea to keep a special box for all the gifts.

Lili said...

Beautiful birthday gifts!!
Your display case is gorgeous!!

Christine said...

Wonderful gifts!
The display case is stunning

Julie said...

Love the display case, I often see them when visiting places but have never thought to get one to display my treasures.....great idea.
Beautiful pressies you've been sent.
Xxx

Sarah in Stitches said...

Oooohhh, you've gotten some lovely birthday gifts! Enjoy your new goodies :D

Kaisievic said...

Wonderful, wonderful gifts for a wonderful, wonderful person. Such gorgeous gifts, my dear and so well-deserved. I think that I told you that have been searching for the perfect design to stitch for you and that I finally found the one that "spoke" to me as being perfect for you. However, it is going to take me a little while to stitch, so I hope that you will be patient with me. Happy, happy birthday again, dear Jo. All my love, Kaye xxxxx

Stitching Noni said...

What a wonderful way to spend a birthday! Loved the blog hop! :o)
You have some wonderful pressies... well deserved!!
Enjoy your extended birthday - think it might go on for a little while yet as I know that there are things still winging their way to you! :o)
Hugs xx

Leonore Winterer said...

Ooh, you got so many awesome things! I feel so uncreative now...but you probably have enough goodies to play with for a while now! Sounds like you had a wonderful time :)

The Crafty Princess said...

Yay you got totally spoilt as you deserve. Such lovely pretties were gifted to you!
xoxo Alicia

gominam said...

The presents are so beautiful. You truly are special in this stitching community! Keep on stitching, blogging and inspiring us, here's to more blessed years🤗

Justine said...

Lovely gifts for a special blogger! You really celebrated in style.

jocondine said...

Love the colors of Cheryl's card (I'm a great fan of her alphabet variated threads) and the unstoppable lady is very funny. Thanks again for this great moment spent all together and in a next post I'll show you all the mistakes I have done stitching your birthday vows. xxx

Sheryl said...

What a wonderful birthday hop and such thoughtful gifts.

Heather said...

Love all the gifts!