Now it’s over, I can reveal what I sent in my role as Santa. One of the down sides of not doing Christmas presents in general is that I do miss the joy of giving. It’s not that I don’t give presents, but usually I just wait for inspiration and buy/make and give things somewhat at random. For Stitching Santa I had the pleasure of stalking reading lots of posts from a blogger I had not encountered before.
My recipient was Julia over at Julia’s Creative Year. I may have given myself away by following her blog immediately I got the email saying she was “my person”, so I didn’t post much about what I was including in her parcel. I spent ages looking at her blog to get a feel for what she likes and I made a list to use as inspiration (including her fondness for flamingoes). As you know I have lots of yarn, so I selected some interesting British wool from my stash (some produced by friends of mine), made a work basket and added some trimmings, vintage mother of pearl buttons, a badge, a crochet hook with a handle and specially bought stitch markers and voila:
I hope she didn’t mind that the wrapping paper was reused, but hopefully she knows what I’m like by now!
Since Julia is also a card-maker and I have piles of card-making supplies that I’m never going to get through, I included a few of those too:
cards, envelopes and handmade paper
I just hope that the parcel reached her, because, being ‘secret’ Santa, your recipient doesn’t know who to send an email to, to say they received it.
I really want to thank Sheila over at Sewchet for organising all this. It gave me great pleasure to put these gifts together and I am loving reading about all the other parcels that have been winging their way around the world. Since there is a strict limit on the spend, most of the gifts are about creative use of what we have in our stashes, and what creativity there has been. I really hope to manage to read all the Stitching Santa posts, but it might take a while to track them down!
The Snail of Happiness 
Ann Pole
/ December 27, 2017What do I think? I think you are lovely. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 27, 2017It’s all part of spreading the happiness!
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nanacathy2
/ December 27, 2017I think you put together a truly fabulous parcel which Julia will have loved. I mean who wouldn’t adore the flamingoes. I have had to wait wellover a week after Christmas to find out if my pracel arrived safely, I am sure yours did.
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quietwatercraft
/ December 27, 2017I followed my person immediately too, and then had an ‘oh heck’ moment that I’d given myself away!
I’ve loved the aspect of discovering a new blog as well as putting together the present – it’s just a wonderful idea all round.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 27, 2017Yes – in fact I’ve found several new blogs to follow as a result of this
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iamsimplyhooked
/ December 27, 2017Who wouldn’t love those flamingos? I have to admit the ‘following’ thing is a bit of a giveaway. I’ll try and be more subtle next year! I was surprised how easy it was to get something really thoughtful for someone you have never met, and it made me realise how much our blogs are a window onto our lives.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 27, 2017You are right there. I was glad my recipient had written lots of posts, I was rather spoilt for choice with things that I was sure she’d enjoy!
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Dartmoor Yarns
/ December 27, 2017What a lovely thoughtful parcel. And yes, I’m with everyone else on those flamingos. I’ve always revealed myself to my recipient in a note in my parcel, (and my secret Santas have too) because I thought it was only secret until Christmas.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 27, 2017I did reveal myself in the note… but I still haven’t heard. I’m assuming all is well, though
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Dartmoor Yarns
/ December 27, 2017Cool, then hopefully your partner will at least thank you in some way, even if they don’t have time to blog. We got five Christmas cards today too, so maybe Christmas post is behind too?
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Dartmoor Yarns
/ December 27, 2017PS If your partner was Lynn from Tialys blog – go read her comment she’s just made on my post I made today.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 27, 2017It wasn’t Lynn, but I’m sure her gifter (probably not the right word) would be happy to know. I suspect my recipient is just busy.
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katechiconi
/ December 28, 2017The flamingoes were inspired! I do hope it got there safely, after you were so careful in your choices.
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navasolanature
/ December 28, 2017What a wonderful idea and inspiring to read your blog.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 28, 2017thank you – it was fun to be Santa just once!
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KerryCan
/ December 28, 2017My favorite item is the button that says “go make stuff”! You did an amazing job of tailoring your gift to your recipient!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 28, 2017That little button came from a crowdfunder that I contributed to – I’ve got the book that was funded and a few other goodies and I thought I’d send that message out into the world with another crafter.
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arlingwoman
/ December 28, 2017What a great idea this is, to follow a blog and figure out what the writer might like. And inspired choices as well. Go make stuff! I like that, too. And the card-making supplies.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 28, 2017I really enjoyed putting the package together after at first being a little bemused about what to do. I was very glad that my recipient had written lots of posts that I could read and get an idea of her interests, especially since her blog was new to me when I was given her name.
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doodletllc
/ December 28, 2017Such a lovely idea…maybe next year…I have been enjoying your blog. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 29, 2017oh do join in next year – it has been such fun
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Born To Organize
/ December 29, 2017It must be great fun sleuthing at your recipient’s blog. You’ve put together a lovely collection of gifts, Jan. I’m sure Julia is thrilled. I love the beautiful basket you’ve made and what cute little flamingo clips. I’m sure she’ll love it all.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 29, 2017It has been a real joy to participate in this… and to see all the happiness those parcels have brought to so many people.
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Born To Organize
/ January 9, 2018I’m glad to hear. Next year for me for sure.
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juliascreativeyear
/ January 2, 2018Hey there jan
Hopefully you will have realised by now that I was away in India over Christmas (a fact I didn’t really want to broadcast over the Web before I went) and that today was the first day I was able to pick up my amazing parcel from you! I’m about to blog about it but wanted to come here first to say thank you. I feel so totally spoiled by everything you’ve sent me, and it was all gorgeously wrapped. I absolutely LOVED every single one of the gifts and I let it more than one little squeal of joy (not least when opening the first of the flamingoes!). You’ve made me laugh by saying you hope I won’t mind that you’ve reused the wrapping paper as I undid both packages very carefully so I can use the papers again myself! I’m thrilled with all the wools and very excited that some of them have come from Welsh sheep (I’m quarter Welsh and very proud of that!). I miss living in Wales, and will now need to come up with something I can make for myself to keep, rather than something to give away. Thank you just doesn’t seem to be a big enough word to express just how grateful I am for your lovely gifts that have made me feel really special. Thank you,thank you, thank you, love julia
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 2, 2018It was a pleasure from start to finish. I’m so glad you liked your parcels.
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juliascreativeyear
/ January 2, 2018I really loved them! Thank you
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