Why don't I do swaps more often?

Oh yeah, that lack of attention span problem of mine. I could totally handle one or two but any more and well, the house would go to heck in a handbasket while the kids would take advantage of momma's distraction. But it's oh so much fun to open a package intended only for me.

After sending out my recipient's swap package, this week I received my own. Joy, joy, joy! Look at this adorable little pincushion. Now, you did read before how I can't really do pincushions with too many small kids but I'll gladly make an exception for this one. It's a teacup pincushion. Nice and sturdy, easy to tote around and most of all absolutely adorable.




Then I noticed the pins! A garden full of shrinky dink flower head pins filled the pincushion. There's only one problem with so much cuteness.




Kids love cuteness and mine have adopted the teacup pincushion. They've spent a good bit of time rearranging the flowers to look just so and each child has their own idea of what is "just so". Of course, anything that entertains them while I'm sewing just means - more sewing.




But wait, there was something else in my box. My swap partner is into anything vintage and generously shared some vintage goodies with me. This tin is gorgeous and practical (with a hinged lid) all on its own.




Yet she filled it with pattern weights (in the front) and vintage spools of thread (back). The pattern weights are definitely a blessing. Before this I owned only four weights and was at the mercy of both my memory and my kids' stashing abilities when it came time to locate them.




Then she bowled me over with this beauty. A beautiful and generously sized bag that will become my knitting bag. Since my bag is usually hanging on a doorknob or thrown somewhere in the living room it may as well look pretty.






Swoon, and it reversible. Dangerous territory for a person who has a hard time choosing what to make for dinner but choices can be good.