New Friends and Swaps

Recently I came across a wonderful blog about decorating and altering items that turn out fantastically chic.  For those that are interested, here's the link:   http://creativehomeexpressions.blogspot.com .  Kathy, who owns this blog, was hosting a really fun swap.

The swap involved taking a plastic container, you know, the clear plastic kind that fruit comes in at the grocery store, and packing it with items that you then send to a partner chosen by Kathy.  This intrigued me very much since I haven't participated in a swap in a long time, so I asked Kathy if I could participate.  She graciously agreed and the next day I got my partner, Debbie, who resides in Washington state.  Debbie also hosts a lovely blog - http://lovethedecor.blogspot.com .  Debbie and I began to exchange emails and we discovered that we love the same things, have the same taste in almost everything and even our bedrooms are decorated similarly.  She is a lovely person and I couldn't wait to shop and gather things for her box while I was on vacation.  It was so much fun!

Yesterday I came home to find my package from her!  I LOVE everything she gave me!  She went above and beyond and I am thrilled.  Here's what she gave me - big buttons in white, black, gray, and pink designs for scrapbooking, scrapbooking embellies, a WELCOME rub-on for my front door, a cute note pad, Yankee Candle car jar in Frosted Pumpkin, biscotti, a metal "puffed" beige bird with black "French" print on it, a roll of black ribbon with white "French" print,  a set of little acrylic Christmas stamps, a Kaiser pressed wood tag book for scrapbooking, a scrapbook magazine,  and a beautiful handmade piece with Dream written on it with a cute bow and flower embellishment and an old looking key.  I am taking that to my office and think of my new friend each time I look at it!  It all came packaged so lovely and was a delight to unwrap. Thank you, Debbie!

Now I am awaiting news that the package I sent to her has arrived.  I just hope she likes mine as much as I love what I received.  But the best thing of all isn't what she gave me or I sent to her.  The very BEST part is that I now have a new friend in a far-off place.  I hope she feels the same and that we remain friends for a very, very long time.