Secret Purse Swap/Posted on Swap Blog, Too

I did not expect mail delivery on Patriot's Day. I tried to nap prior to going to work for the night but no luck. I went into living room to spend time with family before work and there, on the spot where I sit on the sofa, was a large box. A large box with arrows and directions where to open. I had received an email from my Pal saying I would probably get the box Tuesday, but as the return address indicated this was from the Purse Swap and my DH and younger DS had seen that, well... I had thought I had figured out who my pal was but had not seen any postings of yarn or progress. I was wrong! LOL....totally blown away....Upon opening the box I was greeted with lots of tissue paper strewn with purple and green ribbons(the two best colors)...sitting a top was a lovely , sweet note from my pal, Monica .

I got to learn a bit about Monica and her life and the things enclosed in the package. I lifted some of the tissue and the first thing I saw was the beautiful tote Monica had designed herself, now I had just read she only learned to knit this past summer!!! The tote is huge and s0ft and gorgeous!! It has a beautiful pattern worked in all my favorite colors....I was ooohing and ahhing over it's loveliness but DH and DS wanted to know what else was there. Inside the bag were two needle holders Monica made, oh the colors and the fabrics, these pics are the open cases, some fancy embroidery there...it was like a King's ransom of fine fabrics and handiwork....beautiful...I don't know what I did to deserve such spoiling but I didn't question it long enough to stop me from investigating the other gifts.


I received some wonderful tea, oh so much chocolate...(I must say I am writing this from memory at work, I will double check I haven't forgot anything and post pics when I get home)...(oops I sent an email to Monica and realized I forgot to mention the lovely glass egg ornament) all the packages were tissue paper wrapped with more green and purple ribboning, the lavender colored glass egg is exquisite, in my china cabinet sit many eggs DH bought me, glass treasures eggs by Fenton, I have many dish patterns in there as well and this egg will mix right in with my Scottish thistle china pieces, it is beautiful...I unwrapped another package to find two candles in the exact color green of my bedroom, I think Monica was spying on me.....then there were the stitch markers, so many stitch markers in colors matching the bag and needle holders made by, you are right, the sweet Monica. There was a special tin with stitch markers inside.... the Eiffel Tower....DH proposed to me at the ET and I collect ETs...these are very special stitch markers,DS says jewelry for my knitting. OK are you teary yet? I am... :) There was a package with some adorable purple and green(sensing a theme) crocheted flowers. So delicate and feminine...I may be forgetting something but as I say I will pic in morning, except I am not done. Oh yes a beautiful shawl pin in colors coordinating with everything else and again, amazingly, with a shawl I am making!!!



I have been wanting to make a particular pattern, I don't know how Monica knew but she sent me the pattern for Danica . I really wanted to try this pattern and had seen it done on a blog in Patons SWS, I even ordered a skein in colorway 70013. Guess what was wrapped in the final tissue paper? THREE skeins of Patons SWS in 70013!! How in the world did Monica know???



It is amazing!!! I am so thrilled with everything I received, I am overwhelmed. I am grateful. Thank you so much Pal Monica!!!