Thanks must go, today, to Kate (Tall Tales from Chiconia) because she has spared you a post in which I ranted about those who impose unrealistic expectations and ridiculous amounts of pressure on themselves in the name of ‘Christmas’. All my grumpiness about being asked, yet again, if I was all prepared for a celebration that I (like many other members of the human race) don’t really participate in melted away when the post arrived.
I love presents that arrive at random times and that was what happened this morning. A while ago I had bemoaned the regular hunt for crochet hooks, knitting needles, scissors and sewing needles down the sofa and Kate promised to make me a holder so that I could keep all these things under control. She asked me to photograph and measure the tools that I wanted to keep handy and said that she would provide me with a solution. And, good as her word, exactly that arrived this morning. Knowing my fondness for purple, she obliged with this lovely case.
One thing that particularly made me smile was that she had printed out the pictures of my tools to scale to get the sizes right, and had then put the paper versions in the case to send. Of course, one of the real hooks (the tiny one with the dog charm) had to be retrieved from down the sofa even before I could fill the case, but the result is perfect.
I can use if at home or away when closed, or open draped over the arm of the sofa so that all my tools are to hand and safe from consumption by furniture. Thank you so much Kate… what a kind and generous person you are.
The Snail of Happiness 
margaret21
/ December 18, 2014That is such a lovely story. I’m thinking that you and Kate would not have become acquainted if it hadn’t been for blogging? I too have developed some really interesting connections with people I value since I started my blog. The internet ain’t all bad, is it? And however you choose to spend the day…..happy Christmas!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 18, 2014You are right – Kate and I met as a result of a blog award from a blogger who has subsequently disappeared. We got on so well that, even though we are separated by many thousands of miles and have never met, we regularly chat via Skype. I am delighted by the friends I have made this way… connections around the world are so important. I love this aspect of the internet 🙂
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wscottling
/ December 18, 2014That’s just adorable. I’d get all warm and fuzzy if I got one in the mail too. You have the best friends! ^_^ Is that a cork for the needle holders?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 18, 2014Yes, those are my needles for stitching knitting/crochet… it always seems safest to poke them in a cork… and, of course, it reflects my love of a good glass of wine 😉
I really do have the best friends… you included… I am snuggled into my masterpiece blanket as I write!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ December 18, 2014What a wonderful symphony of purples – featuring your second[?] most favourite thing in all the world – plants! What a creative and practical and truly splendid idea from Kate, who is obviously a super-dooper kind of a gal too! The best part is how it hugs the sofa arm – ready for any eventuality!
There seems to be a surprisingly large selection of us non-Christmas-consumers world wide, quietly going about our lives, watching the craziness erupt 🙂 Someone has to keep the peace and joy part real.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 18, 2014Oh yes… peace and joy are the greatest gifts!
I am so lucky to have met Kate… this is not the first package she has sent me.
I’ve now had great ideas for what to send to your two ‘giving projects’ and will be asking for snail mail(!) addresses very soon… one of them will be quick, but the other may take a little while to complete.
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thecontentedcrafter
/ December 18, 2014Now that is good news – I myself still haven’t found a moment to make Fran’s bunting – it may end up being my Christmas Day project 🙂 I feel I want to wander over and meet your Kate – I just am reluctant to spend more time on line – what to do – what to do ….. Oh blow, I’ll just do it anyway! 🙂
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narf77
/ December 18, 2014Gorgeousness and spreading the crafty blogging love around…I LOVE IT! :). All of that purple is certainly alluring and now you won’t have to lose your hooks and needles while you are running around chasing Max for that pilfered ball of wool. I feel so very sorry for those foolish consumers lured into “Xmas” again for another year. You would think that they would have learned by now that the old adage “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on ME” is most pertinent when applied to “Xmas” and tag it onto the Boxing Day sales as well! You are in great company here with the anti-consumerism brigade 😉
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 18, 2014Fortunately, neither Max nor Sam is a yarn hound… I’ve finally convinced Sam that balls of yarn and spherical vegetables are not the same thing as balls. Max is very fond of snuggling up with a good bit of crochet though and has even been known to try and climb into a work basket to make a nest!
Oh, Boxing Day sales… I had forgotten about those… sounds like torture to me. I’m guessing that with the internet, the next thing will be Christmas day afternoon sales: opened all your presents? bored with them already? buy some more stuff NOW even though the shops aren’t open.
SIGH… I have a friend who calls it Christmess… he’s probably right!
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narf77
/ December 19, 2014Earl is very fond of snuggling up with a nice bit of crochet as well. He snuggles with his beak…then his teeth…then he rolls up inside the crochet (usually a blanket but he is willing to be versatile) and (attacks) “snuggles” from within. Earl is my biggest fan and whenever I finish a nice new afghan, he always loves to put his seal of approval on it. I made a HUGE queens sized bed cover out of that fuzzy weird acrylic hairy sort of wool when they were throwing it out for 10c a ball. I soon learned why they were throwing it out for 10c a ball…you just can’t do anything with it, but despite not being able to do anything with it I persevered and managed to create a massively heavy, hairy, rainbow coloured monstrosity in trebles but then Earl found it…it took him 5 minutes of pretty intense “snuggling” and it had a hole in the centre the size of Texas. As we live 50km out of the city Boxing Day sales are blissfully AWOL on Serendipity Farm. It looks like our (Victor Meldrew) neighbour Frank has buggered off with his long suffering (very nice) wife Adrian to his brothers house to visit (torture) him for Christmas so we are here on our own out in the sticks blissfully unaware of the Christmas craziness…just how it should be :).
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 19, 2014I ‘m rather glad that Max’s snuggling is rather less energetic… Sam does like a bit of a chew, though.
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narf77
/ December 19, 2014Lets be thankful that Sam and Earl are on other sides of the globe…2 enormous wool termites in the same place at the same time might be like crossing the streams on Ghostbusters 😉
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The Twisted Yarn
/ December 18, 2014That is so beautiful. I bet it makes you smile every time you catch sight of it. Enjoy.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 18, 2014I keep stroking it and looking at the pattern… it’s SO lovely!
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Andrea
/ December 18, 2014What a beautiful thing, and a beautiful gift. It sounds like you have marvellous friends.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 18, 2014I do… and so many of them I’ve never met in person… I love the internet!
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katechiconi
/ December 18, 2014Oh good, it all fits! The only thing I’m worried about is that the cork doesn’t fit quite tightly enough. Maybe you could wrap a little spare yarn around it so it’s a bit snugger when you push the cork back into its tube? With you on Christmas. No cards or presents this year, just an email greeting and a large charity donation. And we’re asking people who normally give us presents to do the same thing. Save the mess, the angst, the cost, and do some good at the same time. The children are getting something, but they’re at the age when a bit of the folding stuff in an envelope is joyfully received… Talk to you Tuesday!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 18, 2014I wondered about the cork, but it seems ok… no worries if it isn’t, I have a bigger one I can make use of if necessary 😉
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katechiconi
/ December 18, 2014Goodoh. I had to guess; there are no corks in this house; any wine has Stelven caps and they don’t quite do the job.
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jem arrowsmith
/ December 18, 2014What a wonderfully thoughtful present, and so handy too. The fabric is beautiful and what a clever idea to use the cork for the needles! I love the fact that Kate printed out pictures to get the scale and included them when she sent 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 18, 2014I had to look at my photos twice to work out which was the the one with the pictures and which with the real tools!
I am so lucky to have such a generous and creative friend
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youngatfifty
/ December 18, 2014That is such a thoughtful and beautiful gift. I have been meaning to sew one of those sofa organisers for the TV remotes for months now ! It is always very special when we receive such thoughtful gifts from friends, isn’t it !
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Nice piece of work
/ December 19, 2014Fabulous gift and, knowing that Aussie chick, perfectly and lovingly made, too 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 19, 2014It is so beautifully made – I am in awe of her sewing skills!
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Karen B
/ December 19, 2014I love it ! Organised at last……if only I could find a way of holding together everything which gets lost as soon as I put it down. Sad, but true :0
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 19, 2014My mother always claims that she has put things ‘somewhere safe’. My father’s response was that he was going to have a big cupboard labelled “SOMEWHERE SAFE” and then she could put EVERYTHING in there!
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Karen B
/ December 19, 2014Oh, that sounds so familiar to me. My Grandma would lose most of my Christmas presents in that way. Now I do exactly the same.
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writinghouse
/ December 22, 2014Huge thanks to Kate for this – no more will I have to pause the DVD to search for some piece of knitting technology that resembles an implement of torture, that has been engulfed by the furniture!
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