In My Mail…

My mailbox has been busy…partly because I started doing some of my Christmas shopping.  I’m not a good shopper so once September hits, it I think of something to get someone, off to the computer I go and order it.  IMMEDIATELY before I forget.  I so wish I was a good gift giver like so many of you are.  You all know exactly what I can use!!  Seriously….

Check this out….
Dot in PA was so kind.  She sent me the last of the Square Dance cross stitch patterns by Heart in Hand.  Now I have whole series.  I’m thinking I might start in on these after I finish my Sheep Virtues.  I have one and half more of those to stitch.  THANKS so much Dot.  This is a special gift to me.

Sticker for the kiddos came anonymously.  They LOVE the stickers.  Some we use as projects…some they use as free art.  I love having to many as then I just let them use them with abandon.  As long as they go on paper, I don’t care how many they use.  Remember being a kid and being limited…I hated that.  I love that I can let them create all they want and not have to say, “only use two stickers”.

This was a treat for me and the kiddos…. Cell phones for the kiddos!!  They continue to love cell phones.  They now “play two dollars” with them.  “Playing two dollars” means they plan store.  They have quite a few cell phones so they set up a “store” and whoever wants to “buy” a phone pays two dollars.  It is the sweetest thing ever to see the 2 and 3 year olds play it.  Thanks so much Fran.  Your donated phones are so appreciated.  These aren’t like any we have so it makes it even more fun!!

Carla in TX sent me a package of scraps.  Oh you know what I love!!  Carla says she thought she’d be a scrap quilter someday but decided she just isn’t.  She also said she knows someone who is…ME!!  She’s so right.  I am and I love gifted scraps.  When gifted scraps come it’s better than Christmas to me.  SERIOUS!!

Carla says she has lots more scraps.  I’ll happily take any that come my way.  I love that there is fabric that I typically would never buy.  Check it out…Paw Patrol fabric…and flame fabric just to name a few.  These will all work their way into a quilt of mine.  It makes me happy to just think of the potential of amazing scraps!!
I wish postage wasn’t so expensive.  I do feel a little guilty when I see how much it costs to send a package!!

Not everyone who brings something sends it via the mail though.  Melissa a gal who lives here locally stopped by with some goodies for the childcare kids.  Her girls are outgrowing some of their things and rather than taking them to Goodwill, she dropped things off here.  She did it during childcare hours so the things were taken up and loved on immediately by the kids so no picture got taken.  There were coloring and activity books, a doll bed, outdoor toys and so much more.  The kids have been coloring and doing workbooks like crazy.  THANKS Melissa!!

This next box had me immediately smiling.  Look at the label on the box!!  I love it “Jo’s Kiddos”.

The kids were here when the box came.  I opened the box and immediately the kids were grabbing and pulling things out.  Once I “called them off” I started looking for card or note and couldn’t find one anywhere.  I put the goodies back into the box and vowed to look for the card after the childcare kids left.  I never did find a card.  Admittedly, the package came a bit ago.  I haven’t had the courage to write about it as I was sure there was a card somewhere and I felt so terrible about not being able to acknowledge who the gift was from.

Now as I am writing this post I went to take a picture of the cute address label and realized there is no return address.  That means there likely WASN’T a card in the box.  I don’t think I lost one…yahoo.  If I am wrong, and you gifted these wonderful things to us, please speak up so I can thank you.

So what’s in the box??  All of these things….

See?  There are pastel pom poms, cheerleading pom poms, pipe cleaners, stickers, note pads, paints, clay…yarn, wiggly eyes.  Seriously SO MUCH STUFF.  The box was packed.

I love these two totes that were in the box.  I’ve had them out and used them already.  The kiddos play with lots of the stuff that I like to keep contained.  These help so much.  It also give the kids individual places to play.  
The kids love these goodie boxes.  I do too.  I love the freedom of letting them have lots of things to play with and not worrying about how much money I’m spending to keep the kids in crafts!!  We made and do so many crafts with recycled stuff to keep the costs down.

Also in the box was this.  It’s a wonderful small crib sized (now) quilt top.  It’s in support of our troops.  See the yellow ribbon around the tree??

Hmmm.  Does anyone have a special person in their lives that could use this quilt top.  If you wanted it larger some borders could easily be added or it could be a large wall hanging.  I’d love for someone to get this that it would be meaningful to.  Doesn’t anyone want to finish it up and gift it?  I’d happily send it your way.  As always I ask for a finished picture and the name of who or where it was given.  There is more of the yellow fabric that could be a binding… If you’re interested, email me at rogjok@iowatelecom.net.

Thank you so much everyone.  I so appreciate your generosity and thoughtfulness.  I love getting your gifts and the childcare kiddos do too!!