Secret Pal package!

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day Weekend. I certainly did! And it definitely started off well! On Thursday I came home from work to a package sitting outside my door! It was from my Ravelry Summer Camp Secret Pal! This was perfect timing as I was headed out the next day for a scrapbooking weekend and I was so excited to get it before I left. Since I was out of town this weekend, it took awhile to get it posted, but I hope you all think it was worth the wait!

I've never participated in a swap, either knitting or scrapbook related. So when I saw a group forming on Ravelry, I immediately joined in. With a summer camp theme and the task of sending a package of gifts that remind you of home (well actually the home of your pal) I knew it would be great. I love finding things off the beaten path that you can't find everywhere and trusted that the gifts I got would well represent my pal's home.

Well, my secret pal, Kimberly (aka somebunnyslove) certainly didn't disappoint!  And I would like to point out, that the fact I got my camera and set up the "photo shoot" before tearing open the package is pretty remarkable!

Here is my package. I'm very impressed that Kimberly individually wrapped the gifts. Hopefully my pal won't mind that I didn't.

First the box and its contents:

My secret pal was smart and put a return address of Boston, and so I assumed it was from someone who lived in Boston. Then I opened the card and immediately turned it over to see who it was from. Well, I saw that it was from somebunnyslove in Rhode Island who I had just a few weeks ago swapped some yarn with. I thought, "wow, that was so nice of her. She certainly didn't have to send me thank you gifts for selling her the yarn." Then I actually read the card and realized she was my secret pal! I thought that was so great. Kimberly and I sort of got to know each other through swapping the yarn, so when I found out she was my Ravelry Secret Pal, it was truly like it was a package from home!

Here are all the contents! She was so incredibly generous, I can't believe it!

She did a good mixture of knitting things and theme related things, but I think it was great that she read my knitting and regular blog to find out other interests she could include. So she sent me some stamps (which was even more perfect since I was leaving the next day for a scrapbook weekend) and a notebook with a dog since I'm thinking about getting one. She also included some stationery, cards, a night light for those late knitting nights and a beautiful card with fall foliage (how much I miss that!).

She included two different yarns (again, so generous). I had wanted to pick up some Claudia's Hand painted yarn since LaCane picked some up at our Bay Area Yarn Crawl and she also sent me some yarn from a local spinner (Hopyard Spinnery) which is just perfect!

Now this is next item is certainly the most interesting item! It is called Autocrat and it is a coffee syrup and also the state drink of Rhode Island! You just mix a few tablespoons with milk and voila! I must say it was tasty! It has actually been quite hot in SF (translation: yippee!!!!!) and I wanted something rather refreshing, so I mixed some up today! It was tasty! I can't wait to share it with my Mom who was born in Rhode Island and grew up just over the border in Connecticut. She'll get quite a kick out of it.

I really enjoyed my package and look forward to participating in another swap soon. I hope the woman I got to spoil is just as pleased with what I sent her. She lives "over the border" so it is supposed to take a couple of weeks to get the package to her. Hint, hint!  Thanks again Kimberly for my awesome package!

Comments

[Irishgirlieknits]

Wow! What a fabulous and thoughtful package! I signed up for this swap too! Love the yarn and the extras too!

[Brenda]

hmmm...another scrapper knitter...I hadn't noticed the ravelry peas group...too cool...your swap gift looks great...and I love your socks!