More Swap Gifts and Snowstorm…the Day After!

On Tuesday, I received two swap parcels.  You already read about the wonderful goodies that I received from Julz here and now I’d like to share the treasures that Carole sent my way.

Allow me to detract a bit.  A while back, I blogged about a day trip that my friend Nancy (no blog) and I took to Vermont.  Click here for story.  On our way, we stopped at a new quilt shop in Rouses Point, NY.  To make a long story short, Carole…my swap partner in the Secret Santa Christmas Swap…is part owner of the Fibre Junction Quilt Shoppe.  But I didn’t know this until I opened Carole’s parcel and checked out the URL to her blog which she mentioned in the card included with the gifts.

Inside the box, I found a lovely Christmas card, some Lindt chocolates (which have long since disappeared) a pattern for a mini quilt and the coolest turned wooden ornament that Carole’s husband Stephen made for me.  Here’s a closer look.  Isn’t it beautiful?

The rules of the swap were to include a Christmas tree ornament which could be opened upon receipt of the parcel and a hand made Christmas gift that should be wrapped and placed under our trees to be opened on Christmas morning.  Yeah, right!

Well guess what?  I broke the rules because you know what?  I COULDN’T wait til Christmas morning!  I have NO will power!  I could lie and not show you what I got til after Christmas but heck, it’s so gorgeous that I’m betting that you don’t want to wait til after Christmas to see it either…right? 

Are you ready?

Fooled you!  I just decided to prolong the suspense and show you the photos that I took around 7:00 this morning in the front of our house of the aftermath of yesterday’s snowstorm.

The walkway from the driveway to the front door is buried in over a foot of snow.

Mac’s not too sure whether to venture down the steps into the yard below.

We received between 12”-14” of snow but it seems like more than that because of the high winds and the drifting.

This is about 9:00 this morning and the sun is trying to shine.  It sure looks pretty…but now the digging out begins.

Okay…enough snow pictures.  Now it’s on to the “piece de resistance”.  My SSCS gift from Carole.  Are you sure you’re ready?

First the label.

 Then the back.

And now the front!

Can you hear my heart beating?

A  basket quilt done in my favorite vintage colors…cheddar, turkey red and poison green!  Be still my heart!!!

Now wasn’t this worth the wait and breaking the rules for? 

I’m soooo happy.  Two wonderful swap parcels from Carole and Julz…and on the same day!

Happy stitching!

Kaaren ♥