Author: Anne S

Murphy’s Law (or Sod’s Law, whatever you want to call it) happens to fall at the most inopportune times!! I’ve been working my backside off big-time at work, doing some phenomenal hours and basically having no free time to relax and stitch or just vege out and catch up on some personal chores. So, I plan a day off work with a big list of “to-do’s” ready to be completed before day’s end … including my first chore of sending off my belated birthday thank you emails to those generous, kind souls who sent me exquisite and thoughtful gifts … so, what does Murphy’s Law do … ???

That’s right, Murphy (sod him) sends a power cut my way 5 minutes into the start of my day … cross all those things off my list that require power, hmmm. After finding out it wasn’t a general area outage, the real estate agent organised an electrician to come and check the place out – unfortunately he didn’t turn up at any of the three times he gave me, which means I ended up spending the entire day at home waiting for him … and that crossed off the list all those chores that needed me to leave home and go to the shops … {sigh}

At least he finally did show up in the early evening, but alas couldn’t find the culprit that caused the blackout. To make my day even better I called the contents insurance company mid-morning to see if I’d be covered if worst case scenario happened that we lost the food in our big freezer … only to find out that they hadn’t updated my new insured address from 1 year ago – they’d updated the mailing address, but not the insured address! So that was how I spent the first 3 hours of my day … you read that right, 3 HOURS … sorting that debacle out! Aaarghhhhh………. let’s just say my language deteriorated by the time I’d reached the 4th staff member in 3 hours!! 😉

Anyway, aside from a huge power outage that impacted the entire block on Saturday afternoon, touch wood we have had no problems since. I have, however, ended up having some more later than expected hours at work thanks to dramas that have cropped up at the end of the day. Bless my boss, though, she told me I could take a couple of hours off this afternoon to make up for it, which I excitedly used to complete some of those outstanding chores from last week!  Which means I’ve finally managed to send off the oustanding thank you emails!!!

So, on to the awesome gifts that I received while I’ve been offline this last month … (thank heavens for being able to post-date my Photo Hunt posts, or my blog would have been very bare over the last few weeks!!) – in the order they arrived on my ‘doorstep’, here they are in all their glory …

My first gift was a huge surprise from dearest, kind Cindy – I was expecting an envelope with a JCS ornie magazine in it, but when I opened up the envelope there were loads of goodies hiding in there. I have to admit to having a really bad week at work that week, and I had just lost my internet connection at home thanks to our modem dying, so when I opened up the envelope I sat in my car and cried, I was so overcome at Cindy’s generosity. It brightened up a really crappy week! Not only were there some exquisite charts off my wishlist, there was beautiful blue fabrics and not one but three stunning beaded scissor fobs. I have been collecting various scissors over the last few years and a good half of my collection are unadorned, so they will be looking very pretty once they’re all attached. Thanks so much again Cindy for your treasured gifts.  (I’ve included a separate photo of one of the fobs, as I realised I’d missed one out when I took the original photo!)

Next to arrive was a gift from another wonderfully kind and beautiful online pal, KarenV – once again I was spoilt rotten, and was gifted with some beautiful threads and fabric, and yet another stunning beaded scissor fobs (have I already told you how exquisite my scissors are going to be looking soon?!!!). Thankfully Karen sent me an email to let me know she had arranged the scissor fob to be sent separately, as there was no note with it so it remained a bit of a mystery there for a while!). Karen, you are a dear, dear friend and I love everything that you sent! And that card is a corker, just look at those little duckies!! 😀

The final overseas parcel to arrive was from another dear online friend Carol – Carol never fails to amaze me with her generosity to her online pals … and her gift is a real treasure. Once again, incredibly generous with not only some gorgeous fabric, but some awesome duckie buttons (how CUTE are they??), and my very first floss tag! I totally adore this little tag, and think I really must try to make some more of these for myself! I actually kit my projects up onto floss rings, so this will be used every week to hold my flosses as I stitch away. Once again, Carol, thank you so much for your beautiful gifts, I love everything!

And last, but by no means least, I received an envelope from closer to home … I received an awesome canvaswork chart from my dear, dear friend Tannia. She knows my tastes so well, and chose the most perfect design, I just love it to death! Once again, you have touched me with your generosity and continued friendship, Tannia – you rock, girlfriend!!

Thanks once again for all my lovely gifts, ladies – I feel truly blessed to know you, and you made my birthday very special indeed! I feel very humbled by your generosity, especially as I have been a missing AWOL for some time now online in many ways. Thank you, thank you, thank you {{hugs}}.  Once again, my humblest apologies for the delay in acknowledging your generous and special gifts!

I also had a little splurge earlier on in February, which I guess you could call a pre-birthday spend … I ordered a bunch of threads (but forgot to take a photo!) and some sale charts from a store that is closing down in the US, and following are the bunch of charts I received.

I also have another order coming from Needlecraft Corner, as an actual birthday splurge, seeing as I get a special birthday discount in February … however I have no idea when that’s arriving yet, due to some items being on back-order. Let’s just say I’m very excited about what I decided to buy … thankfully we’ve had some overtime at work (wow, paid work at the weekend for a change, usually I have to do all my weekend work gratis!!), so I’ve got a good outlet for that overtime money!! 😀

I also have some other news as well, but I’ll wait and do a separate post soon!!! 😀