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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Summer Letter Swap

The husband went outside, about 8:00, last night . . . Indy needed a "potty break." When he came back in he was carrying a GINORMOUS box. I figured my order from Terry's Village had arrived. (By the way, while I was outside taking pictures today for the rest of the post . . this box came\0/)

Nope! It was my Itsy Bitsy Swap and Chat Summer Letter Swap box from my friend, Susetheslowknitta in Scotland. The object of this swap was to make something  summery using the 1st letter of the person's name. With a name beginning with "P," I wondered what she would come up with. She truly outdid herself. She wrote a note with a whole story about my letter, "P."

This is what the box looked like before I opened it. I wish we had 'smell-a-vision' on Blogger. This box smelled like a WONDERFUL power room.


Here is the 1st glimpse of the inside.

Now, here is the "Story of the Letter P." I think that, by writing her letter, you will understand the package contents better. My  thoughts, while typing, or when actually going through the contents of the box, will be in smaller type.


Dear Paula,

I hope you had a wonderful celebration on Independence Day! (A large shout out . . . Thank You, my Scottish friend, for mentioning a very important American holiday)

Thank you for being so patient waiting for your summer "P" parcel. (They were to be sent by the end of May . . . I think . . .but I never care, I always like the surprise when my swap boxes get here.)
"P" is for pinic hamper and I've made you a sewing notions case which looks like a traditional British picnic hamper, a tea set of stitch markers, party cake stitch markers, pins and needles on the flatware, buttons to resemble salmon and cucumber sandwiches, beads for fruit and a dish of salad. Enjoy!
Doesn't this "sort of" resemble the character from WALL-E? (I think that was the name of that movie.)
Can you believe ALL THE WORK Sue put into this?
I find it just precious!
AS a matter of fact, I cleaned up my "stitch/yarny" area to show it off.
Notice all of the simulated food in this hamper?
Don't you just want to lick the "icing" off the tea pots?
As Mom would say, "Paula, keep your grubby mitts off of these until supper!"
Don't they look like fresh fruit topped cupcakes?

I was really tickled to get the Tropical/Hawaiian cups and plates from you as I had bought you something similar in a rose pattern. Our summers are cooler in the UK which is good for the roses, they do seem to last longtime here. I even managed to get some rose scented tea for you.
These smell SO GOOD. I wish I had an "extra bath" that I could make into a powder room . . these would fit so well in it.
And, yes, I would figure out some way to put these items in my Powder Room.
I have never been able to do dainty, but I could for these rose items.

I've started volunteering at the local Day Centre and went on a summer outing with the Ladies to Callendar, a traditional Scottish town in the Trossachs [not sure of this spelling=(]. While I was there, I bought you the  Callendar Rosy Apples. I thought these would amuse you: the story goes that a young girl was enjoying munching a fresh apple during the apple harvest, and she remarked to her mother that it would be lovely to have the fresh taste of apples a ll year round. This inspired her mother to create the apple flavoured candy. While I was there I bought another bag of apples for my daughter. She said they were delicious, but as I never got the chance to try them. I will have to take her word for it ! !
To answer your next question, "Yes, they taste as good as they look!"

What else have you got for your Picnic?
Your transport is the VW camPer van on the pocket mirror, you have a note Pad and Pencil when you feel inspired to write some poetry!
This is made with recycled material . . enlarge it and get a good look.
May not write poetry in this . . though, I did write some pretty good adolescent poetry when I was in junior high.
This will probably become another "jot the pattern down" books that I always need at hand
Watch out for insects on your picnic: the dragonfly should be no problem, but what is that black and yellow stripey thing? A wasp? No, it's a bee thankfully ! ! You're safe! (I had to get you a knitting magazine when I saw the bee measuring tape on the front!)
Doesn't this magazine look like the Cross Stitch Mags from the UK?
The 3 washcloths have something significant about summer on each of them: the lilac one has a rose (I have a mauve/lilac/blue rose in my garden which is very striking), the beige one has a smiling starfish (it's always fun taking a picnic to the beach) and the dark blue one the ever present brolly! I've had more picnics in the rain than I care to remember so an umbrella is always taken with us.
I think EVERY swap for we "yarnies/threadies" should include a pair of scissors.
Don't you? I think scissors run away with those lost socks from the laundry room.
It was hard to get a good picture of Miss Rose . . maybe an 'enlarge' would help you see it better.
Mr Starfish shows up pretty well . . . he must like sun better than Miss Rose.
Love my brolly . . or is it a brelly?
As you are enjoying tracing your Scottish heritage I thought I would send you a humourous insight into Scottish words and phrases. I hope that you and your hubby don't get craabbit while you're washing the dishes and that the tea towel comes in handy. (You will notice some spots by the word 'crabbit.' The Apple Candy broke loose from it's bag and some got stuck here . . so a good old American launduring is in it's near future.)
Susan comes from the same area of Scotland that my great great grandfather, Watson, immigrated from.
Wouldn't it be funky if we ended up relatives? 
And finally, the last "P" - some of my favorite candy" Percy Pigs These don't last long in my house, and I hope that you enjoy them as much as we do.
Here's Percy's Pigs "eyeing" my Apples from Callendar.
Being a Hoosier (from Indiana for you non-American),
I know that pigs like apples, so I shouldn't leave them alone together.

So that's it, Paula - a picnic for you, lots of roses and other Scottish things.
Now I get it . . individualist . . LOLOL
I hope you enjoy them and can forgive my tardiness.

Love & Best wishes,
Susan

PS Even the notepaper features a painting by a Scottish artist

Signed,
'P' is for Picnic
Hope you liked your "voyage" through my 'Summer Letter P for Picnic' Swap.

3 comments:

  1. How cute is that? Hope things have been good for you! Busy busy with me lately. xoxoxo

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  2. glad it arrived safely, I had a lot of fun putting it together and I look forward to your future posts being peppered with Scots tung!

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