Alice Jean

Almost a week ago the Spring Fling package arrived. I'm so sorry for the delay in posting about this. But better late then never, here it is. A neat coffee mug, Surfers Blend coffee beans (in use, delicious!), toffee-chocolate sweets, Body Coffee :-) and 2 skeins of gorgeous Pistachio Nature's Choice Organic Cotton. Chrystal , thanks so much for this lovely package!

A few things in life I love are coffee, yarn and swaps. So the Caffeine Swap is my thing for sure! This morning I received my parcel from Vicky and she outdid herself! I love everything in it. The presentation was perfect The colours are just lovely and the yarn - Handmaiden Silk Cashmere Amethyst - is so soft, I keep petting it. Helping hands... More Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. I've already seen some amazing patterns. The 'Silvestri' mug is gorgeous, I love that bird! You're also looking at Counter Culture Dolok Sanggul Sumatra coffee, Choice Earl Grey with lavender blossoms and Trader Joe's Espresso chocolates. And here the whole thing together. I feel truly spoiled. Vicky, thanks so much!

Coffee 1. What is your preference? Whole beans or ground? Whole beans. 2. What kind of coffees do you enjoy? A rich, bold roast; a light, fresh one, or something in between? Leaded or non? I prefer the bolder coffees, leaded. 3. If you were headed out right now to buy some coffee for the house, what would you be picking up? Fairtrade Cafedirect Machu Picchu Peru or Tesco Finest Java Sumatra. 4. Do you drink for caffeine, pleasure, or both? Both. Definetely. 5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees? How about add-ins or flavored creamers? I don't like the flavoured coffees and hate add-inns. 6. A large, lovely mug or a small, dainty cup? Rather a large, lovely mug. The kind that can hold a good cup of coffee. 7. Describe your perfect cup - not JUST the coffee, but how you'd enjoy it! Coffee and knitting. Coffee and reading. Coffee and travelling. 8. You're sitting down to enjoy a nice cup in the local coffee shop, knitting bag in hand, iPod all tuned up - or maybe you're there ...

It took the postal services some time to deliver, but finally it is here. Spoilt again! Christien was my upstream partner in the 'mamma swap' and supised me with the most gorgeous items. First of all she knitted me a pair of wristwarmers/ fingerless gloves. They fit very well thanks so much! I am a very cold handed person, so they will be very useful. And then she assumed I'm a coffee addict, so there were four coffeecup coasters. Very pretty. A book full of stitches and patterns... some yarn for my stash :-) And, if it was not enough already, also some easter decorations and a bookmark. Thank you so much Christien for making this swap special!

Not the most beautiful photo, I know... These are the Child's French Socks I made Tessa in the '(handmade item for) Mamma swap'. Used yarn is 75% BFL/ 25% nylon, dyed in pink and lavender.

Arrived Friday! Of course one of those hectic days, no time to blog. I was in luck, the parcel was delivered when I was not home, but the postman left it in the porch instead of taking it to the delivery office. Complete wit a friendly note he left it there to save me a trip. Yes! The package came from Norway, from Johanna. Oh my, she did spoil me! And not only me, for Dory there was a colouring book with some stickers inside. 'Hello Kitty.' She loves it. With the book removed, the box was still filled to the nose... with hazelnut coffee beans (delicious!) and yummy dark chocolate... Regia blue sock yarn. Excellent to cast on another pair of Vintage Socks... if I could find that book! Where could a knitting book hide? The grey sock wool is the leftover from my socks (later this post). I think it might be enough for a pair of socks for Dory. A candle with a lovely smell, darning needles and a tape measure. These stitch markers are brilliant. Johanna did make them herself. A love...

Yesterday a beautiful PIF parcel of Darcy arrived. As I should actually pay her, there was absolutely no need to do this, but she chose me as one of her spoilees. And look what we got! Yes, it is 'we' again, because Dory confiscated immediately a few of these items. A Christmas table cloth, a Christmas handbag... Christmas ornaments, immediately hung in the tree ;-) Coffee, yummy... Little Britches, so very cute! I bought the balls of cotton myself, they were also in the package. The colours are very pretty! The rabbit in the snow is Dory's favourite. This is the outgoing parcel, tomorrow it will be send to a very sweet lady.

Oh yes, the package that was re-delivered today, was the magic ball! Off course that box had to be opened immediately and this is what we saw. No doubt, that cute fluffy teddy became Dory's friend immediately. In the package was, apart from the colouring sheet of Kika, also a pattern for a hat, a scarf and a poncho for this bear. Very useful, with all those leftovers in this house, it will be fun to knit some clothes for this bear with them. Here a picture of all the contents. And this is THE BALL. Loaded with treats if you ask me. Look at the colours of the wool, aren't they lovely?! So very well chosen and so me! I have to make my mind up yet what to knit with this Colinette Jitterbug. Don't worry, it won't take to long as I want to start so badly. On the overleaf of the label is a simple sock pattern. Maybe I should do that.

This week is a special one. Packages keep coming in. Today we received a parcel from Josee, my upstream partner in the swap of the Dutch soaker knitting group I posted earlier about. Oh my, oh my, we are spoiled rotten again! She is convinced it must be her birthday! What! You want to take a photo first? Well, hurry up then, the dollies need to get dressed! Show off. Aren't they pretty? I think they are. Josee, thanks so much!

Today a wonderful parcel was delivered! My Ravelry Caffeine Addicts swap partner sent me a box full of the most fabulous goodies! Thank you so much, Riggwelter , I enjoy everything in it. First there was this beautiful card. And a lot more! The mug is fabulous, pink with dots and large, one that can hold a good cup of coffee! The coffee is Percol, the yarn 2 skeins of Rowan Holiday and 2 skeins of a pink ribbon yarn. More treats: a bar of dark chocolate and a few sheepy postcards. For the kids little mrs Giggles and lots of stickers. Needless to say Dory was having a lot of sticker fun!

I love to do them! And currently I'm participating in more than one. Through the Caffeine Addicts group at Ravelry I joined the Caffeine Swap. So I put some Whittard coffee of the month, Chai tea, a travel mug, a few goodies and yarn in a box and sent it out. Unfortunately I forgot to take the picture and my swap partner does not have a blog, so there is nothing to show. But she has already knitted a nice hat with the Araucania Pomaire. And then we have the Magic Ball swap, officially between residents of the Benelux. So I sneaked in I guess :). I have wound a ball for her . No secret anymore, as I am the only 'Briton' there it was not hard to figure out who was the sender of the British package. Just finished my project in the swap of the Dutch soaker knitting group . No secrets this time, so no problem to publish the photo's of the Tunic Dress I made. I used Scottish wool, dyed with Indigo . In this dress 300 gram of wool, about one meter left. And then I am in the...

In the mail this week a lovely set of stitch markers. Ladybirds, so well chosen. Thanks so much Lieke , in the mean time I managed to take them out of the dolls house and to put them in my knitting bag. And because I am one of the participants in the Vintage Socks swap it occurred to me it could be a benefit to order the book . And I am glad I did, it is full of beautiful sock patterns. I also tried out to dye with Indigo. Before I believed it was a very difficult dye to use, now I know better. Dyeing with Indigo is pretty easy to do and a bit magical. In the vat the wool (and dye) are a greenish yellow, the horrid shade of this colour. As soon as the wool comes out of the vat and is exposed to the air, the colour changes into blue. The large skein is a Scottish Highland pure new wool, the smaller skein is 75% BFL/ 25% nylon.