A very late Simply Neutrals Tuesday post

Simply Neutrals Tuesday No. 19 already, my goodness, how time flies. And I am a week late to the party, lol, but better late than never, right?

I received a package from Suzy ages ago, as she wanted to make sure I got it before going off to France again, and it was agony seeing it every day and not opening it, but I was determined not to touch it until my actual birthday. Darling Dorthe also sent me a package a while ago, and again, it was so very hard not to open it before the day.

Suzy and I had agreed that I would open her gift while we skyped, oh my word, that was so much fun! I am glad I couldn't really see me, tehehehe, I must have pulled such funny faces. It was as if Suzy was sitting with me in room, watching me opening her gift. And because I couldn't skype with Dorthe, I opened her gift together with Suzy as well! Brilliant, it made it a real special occasion.

As Suzys gift was the first to arrive, I'll show you hers first. She had told me I would never guess what it was, she had only ever made this one, and she was right, I wouldn't have guessed in a million years, lol.

This is the beautiful hanger, a gorgeous gift in its own right -

And this is the OOAK, the only one ever made, gift :-) -

Can you tell yet what it is? Look very closely...........

YES! It is the most beautiful crochet hook holder, I am so thrilled to bits with it. I love crocheting, so this will be by my side, and used, quite often. Thank you, my dear dear Suzy xxx.

Dear Dorthe's gift was such an amazing surprise as well. First of all, she had made this stunning card, which is so typically Dorthe, nature inspired, with a beautiful bird and found objects. Nobody does 'Nature' better than Dorthe -

And then I unrolled this wonderful piece of, well, don't quite know what it is, matted fibre ( awesome wrapping ), and found these inside, OMG -

 

Aren't these the most exquisite medallions you have ever seen? The back of them is as pretty as the front, so beautifully finished. I want to attach them to a garland to hang in my craftavan in France while I am there, and I know they will look stunning. Dorthe, you are such a loyal, loving friend, thank you so very much. xxx

My beautiful friend Alexandra sent me a gorgeous birthday card. She always remembers my birthday, and I am the worst friend, I usually forget hers, and she always forgives me. One year I will get it right, Alexandra :-). My camera ran out of juice while I was taking photos, and by the time it was charged up again, the light wasn't good enough any longer. I will take photos in the morning and show you in a separate post, you will love the card! I love her style and I adore the colours she chose for the card, and......... ah well, you will have to wait until tomorrow.

Thank you for visiting, toodlepip xxx

Losing my marbles

Perhaps you'll remember, I posted about Suzy's stunning needle keep a little while ago, and lamented the fact that I just couldn't find all the photos I had taken in the UK before leaving for France. Well, guess what? I found them. Whilst looking for something else in my picture files. I have no idea why I put them where I did put them, but I am so glad I haven't lost all my marbles, lol, just some of them. I was beginning to think that I had imagined taking the photos, and that it never really happened.

But here they are, the rest of the beautiful things Suzy had also sent me, and I am so glad I can now share them with you -

I just love how she presented the birthday card, in this gorgeous card holder -

She also sent me some beautiful trims and fabrics -

The neddle keep was wrapped in this beautiful vintage doily -

and inside were such sweet little treasures -

And just in case you didn't see the original post or followed the link above, here is one last pic of the needle keep -

I put some needles in yesterday, when I spent some time in the craftavan.

Oh, and talking of the craftavan, I made six 'lilac' swap ATCs yesterday, photographed them today ( in really horridly grey conditions ) and will post them tomorrow. So, Alexandra, don't look tomorrow, lol!!!

Wishing you all a very lovely Easter weekend, restful and peaceful if you prefer it that way, or filled with lots of fun activities if that makes you happy.

Toodlepip xxx

The Big Black Hole

Oh yes, I am the unwilling and unhappy host of a big black hole. You know the kind of hole, the one things mysteriously disappear into. This black hole happens to love my computer. And it eats photographs. 

I had better explain, hadn't I? My darling friend Suzy sent me the most beautiful birthday gift well before my birthday. I took many photographs, you know that I love sharing gifts from my beautiful bloggy friends with you all. Before we left for France, I transferred all photos I had taken over the last few months from my computer onto the external HDD and also onto my laptop. A week ago, I wanted to do the blog post on Suzy's gift, and yes, you guessed it, the photographs of her gifts were gone. Just those. I spent hours looking through every file on the laptop and the ext. HDD, got my son to check my pc at home in the UK for them. NOTHING. GONE. Swallowed by the black hole. 

I had taken the main gift with me to France, but I didn't take everything, sob sob. So, without further delay, here are just a few photographs of my beautiful new NEEDLE BOOK created by the amazing Suzy from Suziqu's Threadworks -

And here it is, in my craftavan, amongst other much loved gifts -

Isn't it just the most precious lacy concoction? Love love love it.

Tomorrow, I'll show you photographs of something oh so beautiful, which arrived from Denmark just hours before we were leaving for France. I took it with me of course and photographed it here :-).

Toodlepip xxx

From Australia with love

A few days ago Canada, yesterday Denmark, today Australia, I am blessed with dear friends all over the world. Post from Australia can only mean one thing - a package from Suzy! Again, no words necessary, the photos speak for themselves -

Biggest thank-you-hugs, Suzy!

Tomorrow, I'll have one more Christmas pressie to show you, a really amazing and totally unusual one.......

As we see in the New Year tonight, I'll be thinking of you all, my dear bloggy friends, and wishing you the very best for 2015.

Toodlepip xxx