9-5

Over on Ravelry - I'm not linking because if you aren't a member you can't see anything anyway. But it's cool - really, really cool. I am not a big fan or forums - they tend to have the 7 bad dwarfs - and they are never fun. However, a couple of my blog buddies started a group called Multitasking 9-5.

Within that Forum, they started a SWAP. Well of course I wanted to play! On Wednesday I came home to a package on the porch. JB is so funny - he now knows there is a good chance I might photograph the box right where it sits, so he doesn't even bring them in anymore.

This box was fabulous. Everything was wrapped in tissue - all color cordinated. There was a note on the top of the box asking me to open it first. Explaining that the items in grey tissue were for MB and that the items for the dogs should be self-explainatory. So - here's a full out photo of everything. My spoiler (the person who spoiled me) was Chan. Let me just say that while it's taken almost a week to post this - I have emailed and thanked her.

Although it will look like it from the following photos - I did not photograph everything individually. Chan listens to everything a girl has ever whispered. When I finished the red skirt, I mentioned that the red had bled into the white and asked about a laundry product. A stitch guage that has all the duplicate US1 and US2 needle sizes in it. A little box of dye remover was included in the package, along with some little removable post-it flags for keeping my place in knitting patterns. Included for the dogs where some Sammy Snacks - all human grade pet treats. There was a sampling of her favorite teas - the pomegranite is wonderful. There were also a couple of dog themed note pads - one will go to the office for a daily to do list and the other will stay by the phone. she also included some Pampered Chef BBQ cookbooks/notecards for the hubby. Because she pays attention - there were no food treats for me :)

I took most of the remaining items for a tour around the flower gardens in the yard. First up - this cute little sock blocker key chain. It's already attached to my car keys. Let me say - the funny thing about this little sock - well I had some wick that I had started knitting a sock with but didn't like. Chan likes it - so I ripped my sock in progress, dropped the wick into a manilla envelope and mailed it to her. She made the sock for the sock blocker with it. I love the color - just didn't like the yarn. Chan also dropped in a ball of her favorite sock yarn ever - tofutsies. I have used it before and love the way the yarn feels moving through your fingers when you knit it. It's posing with some purple ground cover in the front flower beds.

Next up - some Claudia's handpainted sock yarn in the colorway pistachio. I love this color. It's so soft, pinks, greens, and a very soft yellow. It looks great next to the hydrangea which is going to be white. This little beauty is called Victorian Tea - she looked fabulous next to the red rose. Chan attempted to purchase yarns that reminded her of me - that she thought I would enjoy and that were somewhat local to her neck of the woods - in other words, things I might not be able to purchase locally. I think the gift that surprised me the most is the do it yourself Eagles sock yarn kit. She included a Sock Yarn Blank along with Jacquard Acid Dyes in black, green & silver. The most amazing part of this - I had just emailed her on like Monday asking a question about someone that dies yarn as I was trying to get some custom died sock yarn for the Eagles fanatic in the house. How amazing was that?

Of course - the only item that I have photographed and included in this post was the handmade item. Look for it soon ~~ it's fabulous.