An unexpected package and my first Blog Pick of the Week for 2009......

The mailman came to the door yesterday afternoon with a large package that I wasn't expecting. I remembered that my sister said she was going to send along a "little something" but this box was bigger than what I thought she was sending. But, in fact, it was from my sister, Judy. Amazingly, I got a little package off to her before Christmas but we both do a lot of volunteering and family stuff so sometimes don't get anything mailed to each other til after Christmas. I loved what was in the box. It was stuffed full and when I opened the lid, it was as if the box went "poof" and first a quilt popped up. It's the one on the rocking chair. Judy said it's one she no longer wants so she passed it on to me. She knows I am a "good home for orphan quilts".
:-) It needs a wee bit of repair but I really like it and it looks good with the crocheted dresser scarf that was also in the box. Now this piece is a real treasure because it was made by my Grandma Goldie. Judy thought I might like to have it as she had been using it for church things and it didn't fit her color scheme at home. I was thrilled because I knew immediately where it would look great!! The old sewing machine that belonged to my Aunt Bell really needed something and this is perfect, don't you think? I need to change the Christmas teapot to something for Valentines Day but I can't believe how perfect it was for the top of the sewing machine cabinet. Oh, and the machine still works although I don't use it, but I could if I wanted to. My Aunt Bell made clothes for my mother on the machine and my mother made baby clothes for me on the machine.

Also in the package was a book she found at The Crowded Closet in Iowa City. It's a great thrift shop! The book is Christmas in Denmark and she thought it was especially appropriate for us since my husband Steve is a first generation Dane. His dad, Ed, was born in Hals, Denmark. Flipping through the book makes me think I need to do a Danish themed Christmas tree. My list of trees that I want to do is getting mighty long!
The Christmas gifts she sent were wrapped up so prettily that I hated to open them but I did. Inside, I found a new Christmas CD and a book called "Tear Soup". Judy sent it with a note that said she knew how much I'd been missing Daddy and she had given this book to other friends who were grieving. It was a bit hard but I sat down to read the book and I can recommend it to anyone who has had a loss and finds it hard to move on.
Thanks, Judy!! I loved everything in the box!!!

Now, it's time for a Blog Pick of the Week and I haven't done one since before Christmas and that is many weeks ago!! I had already picked Pat of "A*LittleOfThisAndA*LittleOfPat" but it is interesting that my sister would send a package that would arrive at the same time that I was thinking of posting Pat as the Blog of the Week. And why? Because they both offered me ways to deal with sadness. While my blog is about my "stitching legacy" it is also a place where I share lots of personal stories and such. Earlier in the Christmas Season, I did a post about being blue because Christmas would be different without my dad. Following that, I got the nicest message from Pat who encouraged me to share Christmas memories of my dad. And it reminded me of the time he gave me my first sewing machine, so I posted about it (click here ). Since then, Pat and I have e-mailed often and discovered we have several things in common. Pat found my blog because another Pat encouraged me to join her group because we are both on the Pickle group. Do you get the feeling that blogland is a fun place to be? If you don't have a blog, jump in because it's really easy. Send me an e-mail and I'll be glad to help if I can. Also, to get hugely inspired click on the "One World-One Heart" button and you will find 400 blogs to peruse! I am one of those blogs so be sure to go to my post and register for the Journal that I finished last night.

That's all for now. I must gather my things and prepare to head of to crazy quilting this evening. Haven't seen my friends in a couple of months so it will be a fun time.

Sandi

One more thing.........Today my 50th follower signed on.......Thank you so much to those who follow my blog via blogger and to all of you who read my blog, comment or not. I appreciate you!!!